24 Water / Wastewater


A Recipe for Success: Titan Enterprises discusses the process and challenges of research and development


Titan Enterprises is a leading international manufacturer and supplier of small-bore liquid fl owmeters, building their reputation designing and producing cost-effective reliable fl ow sensor products. New product development is the lifeblood of any manufacturing company. By investing in research and development and continually pushing the boundaries of technology – and running down a few rabbit holes along the way – Titan maintains its competitive edge in the fl owmeter market.


Titans’ focus for R&D is achieving a solution for our OEM customers, driven by fl ow technology. This can take the form of:


1. Product portfolio development: such as identifying where products can be improved as Titan has recently achieved with the launch of the new Pulsite® Link pulse & analog converter.


2. Breakout R&D: Exploring a new market focus or application such as developing a low-cost ultrasonic fl ow measuring device utilising our technology.


3. Customer / OEM bespoke product development to be incorporated into a customer’s specifi c application.


Where do ideas come from?


The R&D creative process is generally sparked by a customer who presents a problem that the development team can progress and investigate workable solutions. Development routes can also derive from a ‘Eureka’ moment, a mistake (3Ms post-it notes come to mind) or where we feel the market is going – driven by emerging technology.


Neil Hannay, Senior Development Engineer with Titan Enterprises, explains: “OEM customers come to us with a problem or need and we scope out a bespoke design concept that has the potential to solve this.”


Concept Designs


In forming the initial concept designs, close working with the customer to develop specifi c design parameters and overcoming fundamental diffi culties that may be encountered is key from the outset. Understanding what the priority is for the customer is also essential at this early stage as it will infl uence the development route and technology used within the concept design process. In the simplest terms, is the customer prioritising accuracy over product costs, or looking for a low-cost solution with reliable performance?


Design Specifi cation


Defi ning a more comprehensive design specifi cation will enable concept models of designs to be composed that meet both Titan’s performance specifi cations and the customer’s process or system.


• Working with a drinks dispenser OEM, the design brief needed to consider: • Dimensions to fi t within the limited physical space available


• Dual fl uids – a single unit being able to measure both non-viscous and viscous liquids side by side • Specifi c connections to fi t existing equipment • Use of approved (NSF/FDA) food grade materials • Cost and production window


Prototypes and Testing


Once the concept designs are agreed, the next phase is to agree pricing of the tooling and fi nal meter, based on expected production quantities. For Titan, typically our OEM customers invest in the injection moulded tooling which is bespoke for them and they ultimately own this; the design remains within Titan’s intellectual property.


In-Situ Testing and Final Design


The prototype is sent to the customer to test in situ and verify both the meter’s physical and mechanical performance meets their requirements in all operational situations. Any modifi cations to dimensions for example, or adjustments to fi ttings within the system are worked into the fi nal design. This iterative process of fi nalising design requires close working with OEM customers, including re-evaluating costings and agreeing production volumes.


Titan’s fl ow meters are typically incorporated into much larger industrial systems where accurate, reliable recording or control are required. Neil concludes: “Investing in R&D is paramount to us staying ahead of the game and taking advantage of the latest technologies, and our R&D spend is more than three times the industry average.” A team that combines suitable training and commercial experience, market awareness, problem solving skills and a creative spark enables Titan to deliver solutions for their customers or inventions for breakthrough markets.


More information online: ilmt.co/PL/D3vY For More Info, email:


email: The determination of mercury in seawater using Atomic Fluorescence Spectroscopy (AFS)


Coastal and seawater matrices are considered some of the most diffi cult sample types to analyse because of the often ultra-trace concentrations of target analytes, as well as the high total dissolved solids (TDS) that are present.


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There are matrix and spectral interferences that analytical challenges using the common ICP-MS approach as the high TDS can lead to salt precipitation within the nebuliser, torch and cones. This is normally addressed by diluting the sample, but this has the undesired consequence of diluting the already ultra-trace concentration of Hg making accurate and precise analysis very diffi cult.


The employment of PS Analytical instrument, the Millennium Merlin 1631 (for Hg) and for seawater analysis is useful as the systems are not subject the interferences by either high TDS or polyatomic spectral issues.


These AFS systems offer excellent sensitivity (in the ppt range), wide linear working ranges, ease of use and rapid return on investment. The analysers also allow the determination of mercury in other environmental matrices, such as drinking water, wastewater, soils, sediments and sludges. More information online: ilmt.co/PL/M8pX


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Machined prototypes are put through a rigorous in-house testing process for design and performance before being issued to the OEM to test in-situ. “This allows us to uncover any unexpected issues - or indeed cause unexpected issues!” says Neil. “We often fi nd ourselves doing lots of ‘head scratching’ in the testing phase and it’s where the team’s problem-solving skills come into their own,” Neil continues.


For example, a recent machined prototype unit in test was below its expected performance. Several rounds of rebuilding followed, from gears to body parts, but the performance of the meter was still erratic. Two crucial aspects were discovered:


1. The surface fi nish of the machined body was not good enough for the oval gears to freely rotate so friction lowered performance.


2. The softer material of the unit was fractionally distorted when clamped in the calibration rig, causing a minor impedance of the gear rotation which constricted the fl ow.


The prototype here was reworked using a harder material and polishing the internal surface, resolving the performance issues identifi ed.


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IET JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2023


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