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Ben

This author has written 143 articles

“If Only It Worked” Bath, May 10th

Rob Bakewell, our Casting Manager, was on hand recently at the IfOnly UX 'If Only It Worked' Product Design conference to offer advice and guidance relating to all areas of prototyping, specifically the vacuum casting process that we use to great effect in realising product designs, prototypes, innovations and much more besides. Amalgam Modelmakers are actively involved in events, conferences and shows such as this, and participate regularly as part of the Southwest's design community. The conference was held with the intention of exploring how user experiences influence design; consequently extensive research and prototyping is necessary to streamline and fashion an initial concept into a working production-ready product. Amalgam's prototyping and design services cover all ground between these two points, and we have a solid history of success stories from designers and inventors who have approached us with ideas that we have guided to market. The IfOnly UX Product Design Conference is just one of…

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Animatronic grasshopper on front of Industrial Technology magazine

animatronic grasshopper

The Asco Numatics Animatronic grasshopper was a project Amalgam modelmakers undertook a while back, but can now be seen on the front cover, and in the pages of, Industrial Technology magazine.   The grasshopper was modified from a previous set of sculpts which needed a fair amount of repair work and all round updating. Amalgam sculptors added a new set of mandibles and gave the whole model a fresh coat of durable paint to withstand the movement and handling the grasshopper would receive.   The Asco Numatics grasshopper itself is a display aid and incorporates various technologies from packaging, manufacturing and machine-building industries. You can read the full article by heading over to https://www.industrialtechnology.co.uk/.   While we provided a sculpting and finishing service for this model, others we have produced along similar lines include the Anatomical Heart Valve model for the Glasgow Science Centre, and the Aardman 'Thinking Cap' exhibition pieces.

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Queen’s Awards for Enterprise success for Amalgam customer

Queen's Award for Enterprise

  A total of 24 companies in the South West have been honoured in this year's Queen's Awards for Enterprise. Amongst them is an award for innovation to Hydrate for Health.  Company founder Mark Moran had Amalgam design and prototype parts for his innovative Hydrant drinking system before approaching injection moulding suppliers and the NHS. Insider Media South West reported the success in their daily news letter alongside the 23 other companies recognised for their achievements, Amalgam clients BMT Defence Services and medical training products company, Limbs and Things. Our congratulations to them all but particularly to Mark who, to quote his website "Quit his job and bet his house on the idea".  It's good to see his faith and determination being recognised.

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Product Design Conference. “If Only It Worked” Bath, May 10th 2013

If Only It Worked Product Design Conference logo

The IfOnly UX Product Design conference is billed as "A conference for exploring how user experience can guide the future of product design".  Amalgam was approached while exhibiting at Venturefest Bristol in 2012 with a view to us setting up a manned display at the conference to provide practical help and advice about prototyping to delegates. The idea of If only it worked is to, via a smartphone app, allow  people, with usability issues around the home to make videos, which demonstrate the problems they face. This app then shares these videos with the wider world through YouTube. Product Design students are subsequently invited to create innovative design solutions that might solve the illustrated problems.  Bath University is hosting the IfOnly UX Product Design conference on May 10th where the winning design will be awarded £5,000.00 Amalgam is of course very happy to encourage Product Design students and others in any…

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Architectural Model is a “Towering Presence” in South West

The Babbacombe Shard, an unusual architectural model As architectural models go this one is a little out of the ordinary. Amalgam's architectural model makers were recently approached to produce a four Meter high replica of Renzo Piano's famous "Shard" tower for the Babbacombe Model Village in Devon. We have previously blogged on March 18th of the installation process and also the extensive use of 100% recycled plastic sheet supplied by Ecosheet for the internal structure but it was a surprise to find the model featured in Building Design Magazine this week (5/4/13). Building Design is [the] architects' number one weekly providing industry news, comment and insight.  Here's what they had to say about this unusual architectural model.... "Architect parents at a loss how to entertain their offspring over the Easter holidays could do worse than head to Babbacombe Model Village in Devon where the latest addition is a 4m miniature…

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Bodyworks Exhibition opens at Glasgow Science Centre

Bodyworks is a brand new exhibition at Glasgow Science Centre which features, amongst other things, several displays produced at Amalgam.  This brand new interactive exhibition features nine interactive exhibit zones taking participants through all aspects of the human body from tests of the participant's physical and physiological abilities to reproduction.  Amalgam's specialists were called in to produce a range of displays centered around the bodies cardiovascular system, in particular showing how modern medical techniques can replace heart valves, arteries and even, in extreme cases, an actual human heart with a mechanical pump. Amalgam has previously shown some in-progress shots of the exhibits being made on the companies Facebook pages but good though our contribution is, the whole exhibition contains many more fascinating displays and visual elements besides.  We can only recommend that, if at all possible, you go and see for yourself. Apart from the Bodyworks display Amalgam has previously…

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The Shard at Babbacombe Model Village

Shard Babbacombe

The Shard at Babbacombe Model Village was recently completed by Amalgam's Architectural model makers. We used CNC'd recycled sheet material to create the rigid weatherproof internal structure of the Shard, and semi-reflective panels to create the distinctive silver external walls and windows. The model stands 3.5 metres tall. The Shard is fully illuminated, and features a rotating camera set into its apex to capture a full panoramic view of Babbacombe Model Village. The Shard model features as the centrepiece for Babbacombe's Easter evening event, 'Illuminations,' with the entire model village lit by lasers and thousands of internal lights in the windows, car headlights and streetlamps of the model village.

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Weston Williamson receive recognition for Miami Metromover Station

Metromover-Miami-Station

Miami Metromover Station, designed by Weston Williamson, has recently been awarded a Special Judges’ Recognition at the 2013 MIPIM Architectural Review Future Project Awards. The Amalgam architectural model making team built an intricate model of the Metromover station, which can be viewed here. Read the full Weston Williamson article on the Miami Metromover Station at - https://www.westonwilliamson.com/news.

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EDF Energy Touring Exhibition

EDF Energy Touring Exhibition

Exhibition companies are fast learning how we built our reputation for quality - latest amongst them is EDF.  This EDF Energy Touring Exhibition was recently completed by the Exhibition Design and Build team at Amalgam. The EDF Energy Touring Exhibition is now making its way around the country. Amalgam model makers constructed the exhibition to be completely modular for ease of assembly and transportation. The exhibition features portable variants of the engaging interactives and energy displays we have been building over the last few months. More details of these units can be found on our main website. The EDF Energy Touring Exhibition features, amongst other things,  a set of interactives which demonstrate the conductive properties of various materials, and a puzzle involving wiring a staircase switch. A range scaled down but still robust and durable items, based on those found in our permanent exhibitions have also been included. The Exhibition Design and…

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