Mechanical/Product Design Engineer for Modular Plastic Raised Exhibition Flooring System

I am looking for an experienced mechanical/product design engineer to help develop a reusable raised exhibition flooring system. This is not a simple 3D rendering job. I need someone who can help turn an existing product concept into a properly engineered, manufacturable system. The product is a modular raised flooring system for exhibition stands, trade shows and temporary event spaces. It will be made mainly from plastic and designed to be reusable, quick to install, easy to level, and suitable for cable management. I already understand the practical installation process and have a clear concept for how the main tile, adjustable foot system and cable access should work. I now need an experienced engineer to refine the concept, challenge the design, help solve the parts I have not fully finalised, and turn it into a manufacturable product. I have old concept mockups from a previous plastics company that show the original tile and foot system. These are not the final design and the final tile size will be approximately 500mm x 1000mm. I can share selected images with shortlisted candidates after an NDA/confidentiality agreement is in place. The full system needs to work together: Tile + adjustable foot + cable access + wheelchair-accessible ramp + aluminium trim + skirting. The system should include: - Modular plastic floor tiles - Approximate final tile size: 500mm x 1000mm - Strong underside ribbing/honeycomb structure - Integrated cable management - Removable cable access points/covers - Adjustable support feet/pedestals - Height adjustment from above the tile - Feet that help connect/locate the tiles together - Multiple floor height options - Wheelchair-accessible ramp system for disability access - Aluminium finishing trim/edging system - Skirting system to cover the exposed sides of the raised floor - Reusable design suitable for exhibitions and events - Fast installation and removal The ramp system is an important part of the design. It needs to provide wheelchair/disability access onto the raised exhibition floor. I need help working out the best practical ramp design and how it should connect into the main tile system. The ramp should ideally include: - Secure connection into the main floor - Stable transition from the venue floor to the raised floor - Minimal/no trip lip at the top or bottom - Suitable gradient for accessibility - Compatibility with different raised floor heights - Suitable surface/detail for carpet or vinyl covering - Compatibility with the aluminium trim and skirting - Reusable design for repeated exhibition use I also need help with the aluminium finishing trim/edge detail. Normally aluminium edging is screwed down onto exhibition flooring, but I would like to explore a better solution that avoids repeatedly screwing directly into the plastic tile. The goal is to improve the longevity of the tile and create a cleaner, reusable fixing method. Possible ideas could include: - Clip-on aluminium trim - Slide-in aluminium trim - Hidden fixing brackets - Moulded edge channels - Replaceable fixing points - A reusable fixing system that does not damage the main tile The exposed sides of the raised floor will also need a skirting system. This is often done using Perspex/acrylic boarding, but I would like the fixing method to be properly designed as part of the floor system. The skirting should ideally: - Cover the visible void underneath the raised floor - Work with different floor heights - Be quick to fit and remove - Be reusable - Connect neatly with the aluminium trim/edge system - Have clean corner and join details - Avoid damaging the main plastic tile where possible For the first stage, I need help with: - Reviewing the old concept mockups - Improving the product design - Designing the main tile concept - Designing the adjustable foot/pedestal concept - Designing the top-adjustment method - Designing the cable access system - Designing the wheelchair-accessible ramp concept - Designing the aluminium trim fixing concept - Designing the skirting fixing concept - Material recommendations - Design-for-manufacture advice - Initial CAD/concept development - Recommendations for prototyping - Recommendations for the next-stage detailed CAD/manufacturer specification pack Ideal experience: - Mechanical product design - Plastic product design - Injection moulding - Load-bearing plastic components - Ribbed/honeycomb plastic structures - Modular products - Flooring systems or raised access floors - Clip-fit or reusable fixing systems - Aluminium/plastic fixing details - Design for manufacture / DFM - SolidWorks, Fusion 360, Inventor or similar - STEP files and 2D technical drawings - Prototyping and manufacturing support For this first stage, I am looking for concept review and improved mechanical design direction. If this stage goes well, I would then look to continue into detailed CAD, prototyping and manufacturer discussions. Please apply with examples of previous work involving plastic products, injection moulding, load-bearing components, modular systems, clip-fit systems, aluminium/plastic fixing details, or mechanical product design. I am not looking for someone who only creates attractive 3D renders. I need someone who can think mechanically and practically about how this product would work, how it would be manufactured, how it would be installed, and how it would perform in real use. Before sharing more detailed files or technical information, I may require an NDA.