Goodflex Rubber Engineering Team

Meet the Goodflex Rubber Engineering Team

Goodflex Rubber’s engineering department supports the development and manufacture of custom rubber hoses, hose assemblies, mouldings and extrusions.

Combining technical leadership, continuous improvement, CAD and 3D engineering, and technical sales support, the team works with customers and our manufacturing departments from initial technical review through to production.

Projects may begin with a technical drawing, an existing component, a sample requiring replacement or an initial application requirement. The engineering team reviews the available information and considers component geometry, material requirements, tooling and manufacturing feasibility before production decisions are made.

Tom Gilchrist, Technical Engineering Lead

Tom Gilchrist is Goodflex Rubber’s Technical Engineering Lead and has been with the company for 12 years.

His longstanding knowledge of Goodflex Rubber’s products, manufacturing processes and customer applications provides valuable continuity across new and existing projects.

Tom reviews technical requirements, drawings and manufacturing considerations, connecting customer needs with Goodflex Rubber’s engineering and production capabilities. His experience also supports legacy part replacement, reverse engineering, material selection, tooling and design for manufacture.

Tom provides technical input for enquiries, quotations and project discussions, helping customers and the Goodflex Rubber commercial team establish the information required to progress each project.

Richard Holroyd, Continuous Improvement Engineer

Richard Holroyd works with Goodflex Rubber’s manufacturing teams to review production processes and identify practical opportunities for improvement.

His role supports manufacturing efficiency, process consistency and the continued development of production methods.

Continuous improvement is particularly important in rubber manufacturing, where material behaviour, tooling, process control and production conditions can affect the consistency of the finished component.

Richard works alongside the engineering and manufacturing teams to connect product requirements with practical and repeatable production processes.

Harpreet Singh, CAD, 3D Engineer & Technical Sales Support

Harpreet Singh provides CAD, 3D engineering and technical sales support.

He works with customer drawings, product specifications, existing samples and technical enquiries to support the review and development of rubber components. His role also connects the sales, engineering and manufacturing teams during the early stages of a project.

CAD and 3D engineering allow product geometry, interfaces and manufacturing requirements to be assessed before tooling or production decisions are made. Digital models can also help communicate the proposed design clearly between customers, engineering and manufacturing.

Harpreet also helps establish the technical information required to assess enquiries accurately, including component dimensions, application requirements, material considerations and expected production quantities.

CAD, 3D Engineering and Design for Manufacture

Design for manufacture considers how component geometry, material requirements, tooling and production processes work together.

A component may perform correctly in principle but still require design changes before it can be manufactured consistently. Reviewing wall thicknesses, transitions, interfaces, tolerances and tooling requirements during development helps determine whether a design is suitable for the proposed process.

Depending on the project, Goodflex Rubber’s engineering support can include:

• CAD and 3D engineering
• Technical drawing review
• Design for manufacture
• Material and application review
• Reverse engineering from drawings or samples
• Legacy and obsolete component replacement
• Rapid prototypes and physical models
• Tooling and manufacturing assessment
• New product introduction
• Technical support for RFQs and tenders
• APQP, PPAP and IMDS project requirements

The appropriate level of support depends on the information available and the technical requirements of the component.

Reverse Engineering and Legacy Rubber Parts

Goodflex Rubber supports customers requiring replacements for legacy rubber components that are no longer commercially available or supported by the original manufacturer.

A reverse engineering project may begin with an existing sample, damaged component, technical drawing or available dimensional information. The engineering team reviews the component, its application and the intended manufacturing process to support the development of a suitable replacement.

Where original drawings or tooling are unavailable, an existing component can help establish the dimensions, geometry and technical information required for manufacture. However, the team must also consider the component’s application, operating environment and required performance rather than relying on dimensions alone.

Reverse engineering support can include reviewing samples, producing or updating CAD information, assessing geometry and tolerances, considering suitable rubber materials and reviewing tooling requirements.

This capability helps customers maintain existing equipment, replace discontinued parts and reduce dependence on components with limited availability.

Supporting Customer Projects

Goodflex Rubber’s engineering team works alongside the sales and manufacturing departments throughout product development.

For existing products, engineering support may involve reviewing a design change, replacing an obsolete component or addressing a manufacturing requirement. For new developments, the team can support CAD, prototyping, design for manufacture and new product introduction.

Whether a project begins with a drawing, an existing sample, a legacy component or a new application, the Goodflex Rubber engineering team can help determine the appropriate next steps.

To discuss a custom rubber hose, hose assembly, moulding, extrusion or product development requirement, contact the behind Goodflex Rubber team with your drawings, specifications or available sample.