Webinar

Rapid application development and extreme manufacturing challenges

Methodologies behind a 100-day, 200x production ramp and how they can transform your programme.

When the true scale of the Covid-19 pandemic became apparent in March 2020, the UK government faced a significant 'ventilator gap' — 5,900 ICU units in service against a projected requirement for 20,000. With no local manufacturing base and overwhelming global demand eliminating international purchases, the Ventilator Challenge UK consortium was formed to bridge the gap.

Re-engineering and re-certifying an existing Penlon design produced the ESO2, ultimately satisfying the bulk of the requirement. To conduct that re-engineering, re-certification, and ramp production over 200-fold within 100 days was the manufacturing challenge of a lifetime — and normal measures would not suffice. This webinar focuses less on the story and more on how the working methodologies conceived, developed and refined in almost real-time during the project can be applied: to challenger organisations seeking prototype gateways more quickly; to production-bound IP holders struggling to realise their market-share potential; and to larger organisations looking to ensure competitive advantage in a post-Covid world.

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Chapters

0:00Welcome and introducing Quick Release_
1:48Programme vs process projects — and the silos
4:35Background to the Ventilator Challenge UK
6:08The pace of the ramp-up
7:11Choosing an approach: spreadsheets, enterprise, or pop-up software
9:15Case study 1: scrap and returns management
14:04Case study 2: live issue management
16:01Why this worked better than spreadsheets or out-of-the-box
17:41Key enablers and takeaways
20:46Q&A
Key takeaways

What this session covers

Scale of the challenge

A 200-fold production ramp inside 100 days — re-engineering and re-certifying an existing design under regulatory scrutiny, with no room for normal lead-time assumptions.

Rapid application development

Bespoke web-based tooling (MRP, BoM, issue management, production planning, scrappage, shortages, inspection reports) built and deployed to support 350 users across the consortium.

Working methodologies

Methods conceived and refined in near-real-time during VCUK, captured after the fact into a coherent implementation methodology for programmes outside crisis conditions.

Who this applies to

Challenger organisations chasing prototype gateways, IP holders stuck short of market share, and established players looking beyond business-as-usual for competitive edge.

Ian Quest

Ian Quest

Former Director, Quick Release_

Ian mixed strategic consortium-wide advisory with a keen eye and clear voice for operational implementation and data-driven decision making during the VCUK effort. Based in London, he leads QR_'s consultancy arm, focusing on unlocking competitive advantage by bringing products to market faster and more efficiently. An early career in aerospace engineering led to senior leadership roles with several prominent manufacturing consultancies, culminating in the directorship of Newton Europe's Air, Land & Sea business. Ian joined QR_ full time in 2017, having previously provided non-executive advisory services to its founders.

Nick Solly

Nick Solly

Former COO & Head of Special Projects, Quick Release_

Nick is QR_'s COO and heads the in-house software development team 'Special Projects'. As the rapid application development lead for VCUK, he built and deployed a bespoke web application supporting 350 users across MRP, BoM, issue management, production planning, scrappage, shortages, and inspection reports. Nick joined QR_ in 2010 after achieving a First in Physics from Oxford, initially working in Spain with a Tier 1 before returning to the UK for global releasing roles on major CV and supercar programmes. He quickly became a regional manager and led the establishment of QR_'s Consultancy division.

Robert Ferrone

Robert Ferrone

Founding Director, Quick Release_ (Chair)

Rob has worked in automotive product development and manufacturing since 2000, supporting Tier 1s and OEMs across Europe. Recognising that effective Product Data Management was an industry-wide problem, he founded Quick Release in 2003. Rather than treating broken digital plumbing as a purely systems topic, Rob approached it in a people-centric way — removing the burden on talent, getting businesses working more productively, and paving the way for digital transformation and Industry 4.0. He moved to Köln in 2006 and today focuses on client engagement and innovation.

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