Project Summary
During my 2 years working for Yale Door and Window Solutions as a project engineer, there were 2 main projects I was involved in and that included the development, testing and implementation of the revolutionary Yale Blade Lock.
The Yale Blade Lock is a window locking system, primarily for uPVC window frames, within the residential home market. For many years the market had been dominated by twin cam 'mushroom' locking systems - whereby the lock of the window handle activates a simplistic mechanism to toggle metal mushroom headed cams in to a carefully placed metal 'keep' within the window frame and sash. It is a tried and tested design but has not been without flaws.
The residential window market is huge domestically and around the world so the speed in which these window locks can be installed within pre-fabricated uPVC windows is hugely important. The locks also face challenges of wear and tear and are constantly battling the elements of changing temperatures, weather etc.
The Yale Blade Lock is easily the biggest leap forward in window locking technology for many many years and makes a huge improvement in strength, time, cost and inventory - addressing all the historic issues.
My involvement in this project was primarily to help validate the product through testing and production implementation; as well as designing the bespoke keep profiles, which are different depending on the windows they need to fit within. I was heavily involved at a stage of trouble shooting this element of the system and designing ways in which it could be improved.
Towards the later stages of the project I also led the initiative to produce high quality visual material: both renderings, technical specification documentation and also animations, demonstrating the product in use. All of these resources, some of which are on this webpage, have been used to promote the product and inform potential buyers of the benefits of the system.
The video below, posted on the Yale Door and Window Solutions' YouTube channel, was created entirely by myself with an added voice over explaining the visual animations of the product.
An Animation of the Yale Blade Window Lock
The Yale Blade Lock has also subsequently been adopted and rebranded the Grab Lock by window and door hardware experts, Everest. They saw the amazing potential and innovation within the Blade Lock's unique design and hence they utilise it within their window hardware offering to customers across the UK. You can see their promotional banner and YouTube advertisement video below.
Video and banner shown are copyright and property of Everest Limited
Promotional Video Produced by Everest.
Disclaimer: All work shown on this page was undertaken whilst under the contractual employment of Yale DWS (Assa Abloy Group). All work shown, at the time of release on this portfolio website, had been launched and was within the public domain. All work shown is the property and copyright of Yale DWS. The work is shown for personal portfolio presentation purposes only and must not be shared by any third parties. All opinions expressed are by the owner of the website and do not necessarily reflect those of Yale DWS (Assa Abloy Group).