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FUTURE TRENDS:DESIGN AND HIGH TECH SL PROTOTYPING FACILITIES UNDER ONE ROOF
Within a short space of time the UK based Design Agency ‘AME’ (www.ame-solutions.com) has built up an impressive portfolio of clients, ranging from small and medium sized companies across Europe to house-hold names such as Procter and Gamble, GSK and Newell Rubbermaid. The company has adapted an interesting strategy of global product development assistance which includes concept and cad design, advice on tooling, material selection and final material evaluation. A key factor in this growing enterprise is AME's in-house capability to produce superior quality prototypes using advanced ProtoFunctional® technologies by DSM Somos®. New trends in service offering ‘The value of our broad range of skills and facilities’, says Company Director Ian Johannessen, ‘is not specific to any one industry or size of company. The ability to bring new and innovative products to market is the life blood of any manufacturing based organisation. Equally critical today is the slick management of product development programmes. Product life-cycles are becoming shorter and shorter, making it increasingly important for investors to see a rapid return on their capital. The AME model, which consolidates creative design, prototyping, tooling and final material evaluation in a single organisation enables clients to reduce cycle times and cut costs without running the risk of launching a sub-standard product which fails to meet market expectations. In some cases we have shaved up to 20% off the projected design and development cycle and saved clients thousands of Euros in tooling costs.’ Expanded material technology offering: key to success Based on the initial success experienced with Somos® 9120 polypropylene-like materials for rapid prototyping, AME decided to expand their production capabilities and product offering to include the new Somos® WaterShed™ resins. With the intention of being able to produce extremely fine features in a variety of textures and finishes – including transparency, the technical and aesthetic benefits offered by this decision were immediately experienced. The project contracted by the manufacturer Mitrefinch for an employee logistics system gave AME the opportunity to put WaterShed™ to the test. The models realized in WaterShed™ showed advantages during the construction process, as the material allowed the technicians to obtain a superior surface finish that diminished the time necessary during finishing and preparation of the model for silicone moulding. The mechanical properties of the material and its resistance to humidity also gave the technicians the opportunity of using the model for reiterate tooling processes. These advantages combined with the aesthetic quality of the models, generated enthusiasm in both the technical and design departments of AME. AME has also recently completed a project for the design and development of personal protection accessories, which AME welcomed as particularly challenging: The design needed to respond to the functional and aesthetic expectations of the pan-European fire-fighting community, as well as the needs of colleagues in the paramedic and rescue services. ‘Although there are European Standards for personal protective apparel,’ says AME designer Andy Rosie ‘the specific expectations of the different countries are quite distinct.' Prototypes were produced using DSM Somos® ProtoFunctional® resins. ‘This was an extremely important part in the development phase’, continues Andy Rosie. The project incorporates a number of unique features which we needed to check out with the target markets. By using a combination of the 9120 and 11120 WaterShed™ materials, we were able to produce a prototype which was aesthetically pleasing, highly accurate, and able to withstand the rigours of multiple demonstrations of the interlocking parts. The parts proved so stable that we were able to retain the prototype made from Somos® 9120 resin for structural integrity tests, which involves dropping a 5kg weight onto a helmet: Both helmet and head-cage survived!’ AME’s design and development team were able to present a finished and fully tested concept four-and-a-half weeks ahead of schedule by avoiding the need for an aluminium tool. The quality of the original ‘demonstration’ prototypes in Somos® materials allowed AME to also use these same models for the final tooling process, an advantage which reduced the client’s total project costs by several thousand Euros. ‘Our success,’ says Johannessen ‘demonstrates the value of a creative Design Agency having easy access to advanced rapid prototyping technologies. Alongside our creative and engineering services, we can also supply clients with truly functional prototypes for focus group evaluation, demonstrations and dynamic testing. The quality of the Somos® prototypes is so high that when we produced replicate vacuum cast parts for the new Irwin Saw’s launched in 2003, product managers and focus groups were greatly impressed that the quality was the same as mass production parts. Blueprint for success AME’s blueprint for success not only works for highly technical products but also for a range of FMCG clients. ‘We’re seeing a surge in demand for consumer packaging which combines form with function – it’s a major part of the market differentiation strategy for an increasing number of clients, particularly those serving the household and cosmetic sectors, ‘ continues Johannessen. We believe that AME has developed a unique concept within the design community which suits a broad range of markets: Flair and flexibility combined with technical excellence and the ability to produce high quality prototypes within a short space of time enables clients to reach their highest design expectations ahead of schedule and within budget.’
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