Rick Cronk M.A.(Cantab), C.Eng, F.I.Mech.E,

I am a freelance mechanical engineer, analyst and innovator, a Cambridge University Graduate, Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. I have contributed to a large number of technically and commercially successful projects, and been involved in some high profile failures that taught me valuable lessons. Last but not least, I enjoy what I do, particularly when I'm able to share some of this hindsight.

Design Engineering

I have a particularly colourful CV after 30+ years involvement in product design and engineering projects with over 50 companies from a wide spectrum of industries.

I find this diverse experience often enables me to contribute valuable hindsight and innovative original ideas to solve new challenges. Your commitment to this could be as little as a few hours of my time.

Add in very good CAD skills with software you may have or which I can provide including Creo, Inventor, Fusion360 & Spaceclaim and if required I can capture detail in robust 3D models and high quality 2D drawings as deliverables.

Design Review & Simulation

I am an experienced user of the Ansys suite of software including structural/thermal FEA (Mechanical) and multi body dynamics (Motion) and I now license these from PDSVision.

Ansys is able to simulate the mechanical performance of entire systems just as well as individual parts. My tasks typically range from brief design evaluations through to significant analyses and reporting but either deliverables typically identify any strength, fatigue, stiffness, vibration or motion problems, and include suggested design changes to solve these.

Once there are no ‘problems’ in a design there is the opportunity for design optimisation to, for example, reduce mass or increase life.
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Intellectual Property

I typically generate novel IP for customers and am recognised as the inventor of several granted patents.

I also help identify potentially qualifying IP that can be used with the UK Government's PatentBox scheme to reduce corporation tax from 25% to 10% for products incorporating a patent. Applying for a suitable patent need not be expensive and anyone in the UK who currently claims R &D tax relief is probably doing almost everything needed to also claim PatentBox.

I can offer you pragmatic advice on this subject and if required recommend relevant IP or accounting professionals who can help you realize this benefit.