Guide dogs lead the way with new Refitech lightweight carbon handle

Refitech has secured a contract to produce lightweight carbon fibre handles for a new guide dog harness.

Developed by NPK Design in Leiden by request of the Royal Dutch Guide Dog Foundation (KNGF Guide Dogs), the harness weighs less than 50 per cent of the previous metal version, improving comfort for the dog and owner.

The harness is made of leather and the design incorporates several novel features inspired by kite surfing equipment and motor sports technology.

Due to ridges incorporated in the design, the handle slots into place with a clearly audible ‘click’, a helpful feature for visually impaired owners and its reflective trim enhances the dog’s visibility in traffic.

Once mounted on the harness, the carbon handle floats above the dog’s back, making it easier to locate for the owner.

Janwillem Bouwknegt, one of NPK’s Chief Designers: "After several meetings with owners and guide dog trainers, we chose a carbon fibre solution for the handle, mainly because of the material’s superior stiffness and weight characteristics. This in turn meant that we had to look for a supplier capable of taking on the small-scale series production of carbon components at a reasonable.”

“Our role in the process was to focus on the production aspects of the handle as well as on prototyping and material sourcing. As KNGF Guide Dogs is a non-profit organisation that depends on donations for its work, we knew upfront that costs would have to be kept at a minimum,” added Bas Nijpels, Sales Engineer at Refitech.

“After optimising the design for easier removal from the mould and for the use of prepregs, we now supply the new handle at a very favourable price, also thanks to our production facilities in China.”