One man’s quest to change our lives…one innovation at a time

One of the things I love most about talking with people that I get to learn
how they develop ideas….where do they find that source of inspiration to create something bold and new. It’s different for each of us.

I recently spoke with Loyd Arve Nornes, who embodies the spirit and passion of innovation, and I wanted to share his story with you. Loyd recently created and patented new pump technology for mixing liquids. While it is very cool, I found his path interesting as well.

School played a valuable role in his development because it taught him how to learn. For Loyd, it wasn’t about the books, exams and tests, but rather the challenge of how to seek and acquire new knowledge and experiences. And, more importantly how to apply that new knowledge. That foundation continues to drive his experiences to this day.

The creative process has always been a part of Loyd’s life. As a child, he built a Rube Goldberg machine to turn off a wall lamp without having to get out of bed….and that was just for fun! In High School he and his friends build a waffle maker that was featured on television in his home country of Norway. He also presented the concept at education fairs around his homeland.

The concept for Loyd’s new pump started when he built a biodiesel plant in his backyard with his brother. Initially, the biodiesel was blended in batches rather than in a continuous process…and that bothered him. He figured that there must be a better way to blends the liquids in a continuous process. So, he got to work.

With Loyd’s new pump design, the liquid ratio is easily adjusted my moving the pump housing either closer or farther away from the motor. That can be done either mechanically or electronically. The system consists of two pumps, with one motor and one pump housing. By moving the pump housing closer or farther away from the electric motor, an operator can select how far the pistons should be pushed into the pump housing. The pump is designed so that one piston can stop while the other is pushed. The pump house selection determines when one fluid stops flowing while the other continues, allowing an operator to adjust the mixing ratio easily and continuously.

According to Loyd, his new design is a simple design and easy to manufacture, better than alternate technologies on the market today.

To help make his concept a reality, he applied for and received several grants to support the development of new ideas in Norway. Since completing the initial design and validating its success, Loyd also received a patent for his design.

Initial feedback on Loyd’s new pump system has been very positive. The local business incubator, which invested the money in the concept, said that Loyd’s concept is a simple, new and unique product and can be used in many markets, including applications in the food, pharmaceutical and chemistry industries.

For now, Loyd tells me that will focus his creative energies on developing new products, and, leave the “boring” marketing, manufacturing and selling to others.   Not a traditional businessman, Loyd is seeking a license agreement with a manufacturer(s) to build and sell his concept. And, he hopes to leverage this endeavor to earn enough money to fund his others ideas…many yet to be conceived.

This is experience that you can’t teach someone. It’s creative thinking from people like Loyd that make the pump industry so exciting and invigorating. By always thinking about how to solve problems, we have an endless supply of new and innovative ideas.

If you would like more information about Loyd’s design, please email him at nornes@capillar.no.