Trondheim continues to strengthen its position as a hub for ocean technology innovation, as industry professionals gathered for a new Design for Manufacturing (DFM) breakfast meeting hosted in collaboration with Ocean Autonomy Cluster, Inventas, and FI Ocean Space Incubator.
The event is part of an ongoing series highlighting real-world industrial experiences and best practices in developing products that are not only innovative—but also manufacturable. Through short presentations and open dialogue, participants explored how design decisions, sourcing strategies, and production planning directly impact cost, quality, and development timelines in electronics.
A key theme throughout the session was the importance of integrating manufacturing considerations early in the design phase. Done right, Design for Manufacturing enables companies to reduce risk, save time, and ensure that products can be produced at scale with predictable quality and cost.
Vidar Hansen from Inventas shared how early-stage design choices can significantly reduce complexity and cost during industrialization. Hans-Marius Øverås and Fredrik Lilleøkdal from Ocean Access then provided insights from the development of the company’s first operational autonomous communication buoy, including how the team balanced rapid development with the need for long-term robustness in a system designed to operate autonomously for up to six months in harsh marine environments.
Svein Ivar Bjørnås from Inission concluded the session by presenting the manufacturer’s perspective, emphasizing when and how production environments should be involved in development processes and what needs to be clarified before it is too late to make changes.
Ocean Autonomy Cluster co-opened the event together with the co-organisers, underlining the importance of collaboration between developers, manufacturers, and end users in accelerating innovation.
It was particularly encouraging to see strong participation from member companies based in Rørvik. Among those attending were Naustet, Innovarena, Emilsen Sjøservice, Navy Rørvik, and Mekon, highlighting the growing engagement and competence emerging from this important coastal cluster.
As product development cycles accelerate and performance requirements increase, Design for Manufacturing is becoming a critical framework for companies aiming to bring robust, scalable solutions to market. The DFM breakfast series will continue to serve as a platform for sharing hands-on experience and strengthening collaboration across the ocean technology ecosystem.
Photo: Lars Bugge Aarset/Fremtidens Industri