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Engineering Case Studies & Success Stories

Measurable engineering outcomes, from rapid prototyping to mass production.

At RLA Engineering, we measure our success by the tangible impact we have on our clients' operations, product quality, and bottom line. Browse our portfolio of case studies below to see how our cross-functional teams apply advanced hardware design, software development, and test and measurement methodologies to solve complex challenges across diverse industries.

Filter by Industry: Consumer Electronics Technology Semiconductors Energy Aerospace Medical Devices Logistics Specialty Equipment Manufacturing

📱 Consumer Electronics

Benchtop mechanical stress reliability tester qualifying X, Y, Z, and theta stresses for wearable devices.

Wearable Device Reliability

Engineered a benchtop reliability tester qualifying mechanical stresses (X,Y,Z, θ) that reduced field failures by 97%.

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Benchtop tester validating functional coverage for custom transmissive optical sensors at room temperature.

Optical Sensor Validation

Developed a benchtop tester providing 100% functional coverage at room temperature to validate custom transmissive optical sensors.

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First-generation smart beverage growler with hardware designed for dating, carbonating, and temperature control.

Smart Beverage Growler

Delivered a first-generation NPI design that dated, carbonated, and controlled beverage temperatures.

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Multi-function luggage prototype showcasing first-generation New Product Introduction design.

Multi-Function Luggage

Executed a successful first-generation NPI design enabling highly unique use-case requirements.

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💻 Technology

Automated biological sample handling subsystems designed for virus testers to eliminate manual material handling.

Automated Virus Tester Handling

Designed sub-systems to eliminate all manual handling of biological materials between cartridge insert and removal.

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Advanced test platform hardware and algorithmic code used for validating innovative coffee brewing technology.

Coffee Brewing Algorithms

Validated new brewing technology by developing cutting-edge algorithms and specifying hardware, resulting in international patents.

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In-line liquid ink testing system dispensing and measuring a matrix of hydraulic ink chemistries.

In-Line Liquid Ink Testing

Improved the qualification process of hydraulic ink characteristics by designing in-line systems to dispense, detect, and measure a matrix of chemistries.

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💾 Semiconductors

Scalable hardware test platform and mobile application for IoT System-on-Chip functional validation.

IoT SoC Validation

Created a scalable hardware test platform and mobile app for reliable, repeatable full functional validation of a new System-on-Chip.

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Comprehensive technical specification documentation for an analog ASIC used in motor control applications.

Analog ASIC Specification

Standardized reliable documentation across global organizations by collaborating with ASIC manufacturers to draft precise motor control specifications.

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⚡ Energy

Custom wall and pedestal-mounted enclosure design for a Level 2 Electric Vehicle (EV) charger.

Level 2 EV Charger Enclosure

Supported multiple SKUs with a custom wall- or pedestal-mounted design, providing the client with their first unique brand identity.

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Complex DCS and SCADA instrumentation control systems designed for an oil and gas refinery.

Refinery Instrumentation (DCS/SCADA)

Improved safety, increased automation efficiency, and met regulatory compliance by specifying and designing complex instrumentation systems.

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Automated SOP macros assessing input data quality for refinery P&ID changes before SAP database upload.

Refinery Process Controls

Virtually eliminated rejected P&ID changes by implementing an improved SOP with macros to assess input data quality before SAP upload.

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✈️ Aerospace

Aircraft cabin fixtures undergoing supply chain audits for Design for Manufacturing (DFM) optimization.

Cabin Fixture Supply Chain

Gained economies of scale and significant cost savings by auditing the supply chain to optimize DFM and DFT considerations against budget requirements.

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Advanced material analysis testing on mechanical housings used in critical aeronautical systems.

Aeronautical Material Analysis

Enabled ongoing R&D and mass production by researching and qualifying new materials for mechanical housings and assemblies.

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🩺 Medical Devices

High-precision, medical-grade mechanical components designed for advanced clinical dental tooling.

Dental Tooling Design

Enabled specialized clinic operational goals by designing high-precision, medical-grade mechanical components.

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📦 Logistics

Wireless virtual key modules installed in multi-unit residential security systems to prevent package theft.

Multi-Unit Last-Mile Delivery

Reduced package theft by nearly 100% in upgraded properties through the on-site assessment and installation of wireless virtual key modules.

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📡 Specialty Equipment

Custom wireless electronic modules integrated into self-pay parking kiosks to reduce garage operational overhead.

Self-Parking Kiosks

Reduced operational overhead and improved UX by designing custom wireless electronic modules for garage pay stations.

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Rugged wireless sensor modules deployed for real-time agricultural soil moisture monitoring and telemetry.

Rugged Field Data Sensors

Enabled reliable real-time telemetry and reduced field overhead by engineering rugged wireless sensor modules for soil moisture monitoring.

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🏭 Manufacturing

Automated mechanical wafer carriers and chemical dispensing systems operating in a semiconductor cleanroom.

Wafer Cleanroom Automation

Increased wet and dry etching throughput by 2x via innovative mechanical wafer carriers and chemical detection/dispensing systems.

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Custom electronic printed circuit boards (PCBs) powering a benchtop laser etching machine.

Laser Etching Control Boards

Achieved a successful first-generation NPI by designing electronic boards for benchtop machines scoring text into glass and crystal.

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Automated controller boxes timing and regulating chromium plating tank processes for consistent thickness.

Chromium Plating Controllers

Increased factory efficiency and process consistency by designing a controller box that calculated plating time to reach required thicknesses.

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Global packaging design utilizing qualified materials to meet complex EU regulatory compliance standards.

EU Packaging Compliance

Enabled nearly $1 billion in sales to EU countries without penalty fees by designing new packaging solutions with qualified materials.

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Camera-based end-of-line automated production quality tester evaluating mechanical fittings with pass/fail feedback.

End-of-Line Quality Tester

Increased final quality test coverage prior to shipment by engineering a camera-based tester with automated PASS/FAIL feedback for mechanical fittings.

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