About FlaggingPro
The Inventor
The FlaggingPro modular flagging tape dispensing system was initially conceptualized in July of 2018 by Wayne “Grimes” Hirakawa who hails from Waianae on the Island of Oahu in Hawaii. The idea for the FlaggingPro system came as the result of noticing the struggles that field construction workers had when laying out site elevations and the current use of flagging tape.
As someone keen on finding better solutions for problems, Grimes went to work on sketching and initial concepts of his idea utilizing on-line computer-aided drafting software. In his process of ideation Grimes consulted with a local Surveyor Supply store owner who mentioned that their did not exist an actual product that would solve the perceived problem.
Over the next several years, Grimes continued to dedicate time and effort into research and development of the FlaggingPro system, utilizing 3D printing technology that was financed by Daniel “Pumpkin” Allen Peterson, Jr. Various versions of the different components that make up the system were prototyped using Formlabs Form2 SLA printer. Grimes wasn’t completely familiar with computer-aided design and the additive printing process, so time was needed to develop and acquire the necessary skills he would use to further his idea.
One set of several different versions after modifications
In his process of ideation and invention, Grimes consulted the mentorship of a local inventor Mai Lieu who is the inventor of the CreaClip hair clips. Mai provided Grimes with the necessary motivation and direction for securing his Intellectual Property. Grimes proceeded to contact Pearson and Butler a Patent Protection law firm located in Utah, where he worked with Patent Attorney James Webb to put together an application for a Provisional Patent.
During the Provisional Patent application, the company Pumpkin & Grimes LLC was formed to consolidate the organization and creation of a Research and Development company which the FlaggingPro system is just one product of many under development by Grimes and his business partner.
The provisional patent application was completed and filed with the US Patent Clerk in May of 2020. After securing the patent, Grimes continued the finalization of his designs and conducted some final field testing with the system. It was then decided to look for viable production methods that would accommodate the complexity of its design. After initial research, it was deemed that 3D Additive printing would be the best-suited medium for production.
After deciding on the final products manufacturing process, sourcing of manufacturing was considered, both locally and abroad. Although being inherently cheaper to produce oversees, it has been a goal of Grimes to be able to tout a “Made In Hawaii” as well as a “Made in the USA” manufacturing locale. After several years of modifications, numerous 3D printed versions and testing, the current version was decided to be released for production.
