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FEATURE<br />
limits and thresholds we are<br />
testing for and then that goes<br />
to a technician in the lab who<br />
does all of that. We might do<br />
repetitive testing 100,000<br />
times on a component but in<br />
terms of prototyping we may<br />
have a pneumatic leg that can<br />
test a knee brace and it will<br />
run for 24-48 hours straight,<br />
while we are looking at the<br />
results we’re also keeping an<br />
eye on other projects.<br />
Have the lab and facilities in<br />
Cape Town undergone any<br />
expansion in the last couple<br />
of years?<br />
We’ve just got a new helmet<br />
drop rig and had developed<br />
a new rotational acceleration<br />
rig. What with the new upcoming<br />
FIM standard – of which<br />
we are part of the working<br />
group – we decided to forkout<br />
for the same rig that will<br />
be used in the standardised<br />
testing. <strong>No</strong>w the discussion<br />
is about which anvil to use,<br />
which impact velocity and all<br />
these things but being part of<br />
the working team means we<br />
are close to what is going on.<br />
We don’t do that much neck<br />
brace pendulum testing as<br />
before because our database<br />
is so large. We’re looking at all<br />
the different tests and methodologies<br />
that are happening<br />
around the world at this time.<br />
As we develop a new product<br />
we develop the specific test<br />
for it, which means the test<br />
equipment changes from time<br />
to time.<br />
What’s the scene like for neck<br />
braces at the moment? You<br />
invented the market for that…<br />
So we’ve sold about 800,000<br />
to-date and – I might stand<br />
corrected on this – but I believe<br />
we have 70-80% of the<br />
market. It’s our flagship product.<br />
But can you also talk about<br />
the helmet because that is a<br />
major-<br />
Investment?!<br />
I was going to say task<br />
because the market for this<br />
product and things like<br />
apparel is massive with so<br />
many competitors…<br />
Our apparel has done extremely<br />
well and we are very<br />
delighted and with our body<br />
armour and chest protectors:
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