Turnkey Delivery

One team from design through to build, testing and installation.

Between a completed design and working hardware sits a long list of practical challenges. Supplier selection, manufacturing tolerances, procurement, assembly sequencing, commissioning, testing and safe installation all need to be managed properly.

We take responsibility for that complete chain. Blackfish can design and deliver bespoke test rigs, prototypes, research equipment and complete mechanical systems, managing the work from concept and detailed design through manufacture, assembly and testing.

This provides clients with one engineering team accountable for the whole project delivery.

How We Support Your Project

We can take responsibility for a complete turnkey scope or manage selected stages where the client already has preferred suppliers, facilities or internal engineering resources.

Core Services

Bespoke test rigs, prototypes, test tank models and research equipment
Concept and detailed design in collaboration with the client
Manufacturing drawings and bills of materials
Supplier engagement and procurement management
Manufacture, assembly and instrumentation, using our well established supply chain partners
Commissioning and testing supported by method statements and risk assessments
Delivery, on-site installation and operational support
Ongoing maintenance and spares support

Who We Work With

Clients who need a design turned into physical, tested hardware, without having to manage multiple suppliers and contractors themselves.

Typical challenges we solve

Helping clients who lack in-house resources to design, analyse and deliver hardware themselves.
Managing multiple suppliers and trades so that everything is managed under one roof
Delivering bespoke hardware to a fixed deadline
Installation or commissioning that needs to happen safely, on site, without disrupting operations

TALK TO AN ENGINEER

Book a Consultation With Our Turnkey Delivery Lead

Ioan Smallwood

Engineering Director

Chartered Mechanical Engineer with over 20 years' experience in all aspects of mechanical engineering. With practical experience in the wind, tidal and wave sectors, as well as building his own house, Ioan can bring a concept to life in no time. With a deep expertise in Finite Element Analysis and CAD, Ioan is able to listen to your requirements and create a solution that is right for you.

Case Studies

View a selection of case studies where we outline the challenges, approach and outcome.

Full System Test Rig & Sand Pluviator Design

Reflex Marine's existing test setup produced inconsistent results because the sand bed couldn't be reset to a uniform density between tests. Blackfish designed a remotely operated pluviator capable of depositing up to two tonnes of sand in a controlled manner, alongside the test frame, anchor and tether systems, significantly improving data repeatability.

Challenge

The client’s existing test setup produced inconsistent results because the sand bed could not be reset to a uniform density between tests.

Approach

Blackfish developed a remotely operated pluviator capable of depositing up to two tonnes of sand in a controlled manner, alongside the test frame, anchor and tether systems required for dynamic loading.

Outcome

The new system significantly improved the quality and repeatability of the test data, giving the client greater confidence in the results.

VIEW CASE STUDY

Propeller Thrust & Torque Test Rig

Blackfish was asked to supply a test rig that compared the performance of different propellers. Different coatings were being used on the propellers in order to see how they degrade with time, being left in the seawater for a 6-month campaign.

Challenge

The test rig needed to monitor thrust, torque, speed very accurately and have a meaningful way to present the result to the client. The unit also needed to be easily deployed and retrieved, as well as having the ability to be stored long-term on the quayside.

Approach

We designed a system whereby the mass of the unit being tested was balanced with a dumb counterweight. This enabled us to use a much more sensitive load-cell to measure the thrust. The torque was measured in-line and also verified by the motor current, and the speed was logged as well. It all came together using custom software that was used to log the data and show the results.

Outcome

The client was able to carry out the testing campaign with no reliability issues from the hardware. The sensitivity of the rig was so good, it enabled the client to detect an unexpected variance in one of the propeller's profile, and subsequently found that it was not the same as the others being used, which happened to be identical to the eye.

VIEW CASE STUDY

Fuel Cell Pitch and Roll Test Table

Blackfish developed a test rig to allow its client to test the suitability of hydrogen fuel cells for aerospace applications, supporting efforts to reduce emissions at altitude through aircraft electrification. The rig can pitch and roll a 500 kg fuel cell through angles of up to 50 degrees, safely recreating demanding operating conditions.

Challenge

The client needed to safely pitch and roll a 500 kg fuel cell through angles of up to 50 degrees while recreating demanding operating conditions.

Approach

Blackfish completed the concept and detailed design, hand calculations, finite element analysis, manufacturing drawings and procurement, before supervising manufacture and carrying out assembly and testing.