Ben - Model Makers Bristol / Amalgam Model Making

Megamorph, Aardman’s desktop icon gets supersized.

June 15, 2017

Still Naughty at 40! - Megamorph, an Amalgam giant poly sculpt. To celebrate the Morph: Still Naughty at 40! exhibition at The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, Amalgam Modelmaking was asked by The Grand Appeal Charity to produce a 3 metre high Megamorph. A giant version of one of Aardman's most iconic characters, Morph. Having previously made a life sized version of Wallace and collaborated on the touring exhibition "Wallace and Gromit Present a World of Cracking Ideas" we were honoured to be involved in such a prestigious project. After several discussions about which pose Morph should be in, we were supplied with a model made by Peter Lord, Morph's original creator, to use as reference. The next stage would usually involve us 3D scanning the model and then using a 5 axis CNC machine to produce the basic form, but in keeping with Morph's handmade look and feel, we decided to…

Development of the Holovis game controller for immersive 3D experience

February 28, 2017

Published in this month’s Develop 3D, you can take a look behind the scenes at the development work we did for Holovis to design and manufacture the Crimson Wing game controller. Holovis came to Amalgam with a basic outline shape developed as a 3D concept. Their first priority was to develop the ergonomics, starting with the handle of the controller. To test each handle design, we made controller handles out of modelling foam, using our 3-axis CNC machine. Once we determined the desired shape and best size, we adjusted our CAD model and applied finer exterior design details to it. The concept version was then shelled out, for us to apply all the required internal features and electronic support bosses. The next stage was to develop our CAD file into a final design, which took four weeks of computer-aided design work. Once the CAD files were complete, we 3D printed…

Process flow models – to realise a 3D proof of concept

July 28, 2016

Some clients come to us for a model, when making engineering changes, or re-designing a process flow. These businesses may be working in manufacturing, or energy sectors, where the changes need to be shared with stakeholders around the company, and across the industry. So, today we take a look at the top reasons why a 3D model helps, when explaining a complex or technical process flow. Top reasons for creating a process flow model 1. When a concept is highly technical, a model enables you to simplify it - and use dynamic lighting or coloured parts to mark specific aspects. The SPX Flow Continuous Processing Industrial Display model (shown above) is a great example of how we apply our CAD skills to develop a design ready for 3D-printing a huge number of component parts. Once the parts were finished, they simply clicked together to create the eye-catching industrial display, showing the…

New Blades Show 2016 – thinking about a career in model making?

June 9, 2016

Amalgam are very familiar with building trade show display models, however, it's a rare opportunity for us to get out today, to visit New Blades Show, the annual model makers's fair to visit if you're considering a career in model making. Hosted by 4D modelshop at the Holborn Studios, London, the show features work by graduates from the Arts University Bournemouth, University of Hertfordshire, University of Bolton, City of Glasgow College, University for the Creative Arts and Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology. And we are looking forward to seeing the displays, usually widely diverse in techniques and creative ideas. It's an exciting day for the graduates. Industry sponsored prizes are available - and it's an opportunity for them to meet potential employers and consider their career path. We wish them all the best of luck. Our recruits While we're visiting the New Blades Show, it's a chance…

INTERACTIVE MASTERPLAN MODELS TO ADAPT YOUR SCHEME DESIGN

May 27, 2016

Beyond dynamic lighting, there are other methods for making a masterplan model interactive. Our recent interactive masterplan for Ecotricity was developed as a simple, chunky, massing model, to assist with decisions being made in the formative stages of the design. Ecotricity founder and Forest Green Rovers Chairman, Dale Vince, wanted us to create an interactive masterplan model for their new Ecopark scheme. The site included the Forest Green Rovers new home stadium and sports campus, an environmentally conscious ‘Green Technology Hub for likeminded businesses from the green economy, and natural wetland reserve set around a redirected canal. Forest Green Rovers have also recently shortlisted nine stadium designs from almost 50 entries by architects based around the world in a competition to create the club’s new home. Adapt the masterplan with an interactive model The customer knew they needed a physical model, but were facing multiple challenges. The designers began with…

Large scale insect models for IVCC to mark World Malaria Day

May 11, 2016

For World Malaria Day, our team was commissioned to make large scale insect models to feature in an exhibition display, for vector-control specialists, IVCC. Mosquitos kill 433,000 people a year, mainly children under 5 and pregnant women. Bed nets treated with insecticides have contributed enormously to bringing down the number of deaths, yet vector-borne diseases are renowned for developing resistance. To resolve this challenge, international teams are working to develop new insecticides. World Malaria Day was an opportunity to raise awareness, so Jed Stone from IVCC marked the occasion by heading to London with two large scale mosquito models to share their message with MPs and visitors to Parliament. Insect models fascinate visitors IVCC set out their stall to engage visitors at Portcullis House, where the two insect models were placed on the table among leaflets and on-screen information. The emphasis was on making sure MPs understand how the international development funding…

Dynamic lighting to make your model stand out

April 22, 2016

While static 'on-off' lighting within architectural models has become standard practice, dynamic lighting can help a model stand out to win a competition or a bid for a new contract. Our system forms an incredibly flexible platform to display something as simple as tonal 'breathing' between colours, to forming the core of a rich interactive experience. Fundamentally, dynamic lighting is another tool at our disposal to help achieve our client's goals, and is a service we offer to create striking, contemporary models. The model we made for HOK and TAC Arquitectes of Barcelona stadium shows how we can use dynamic lighting with variations in colour to achieve a prominent 'wow' factor, and add layers of interest and detail to a design still in its formative stages. As dynamic lighting engages the audience - and can work interactively - it's a step across the gap between a physical model…

Developing TOTSUP, the Big Red Bus reward chart for children – on Crowdfunder from 15 March!

March 16, 2016

Graphics design lecturer, Sally Marks, is the inventor behind TOTSUP, the Big Red Bus reward chart for children aged two and a half to six years old. Once Sally won funding to develop a working prototype, she came to us to turn her design into a real product. She had been given Mike Harvey’s name at Amalgam by a contact at Exeter University, where she first sought support for her start-up. https://youtu.be/66RKQRmK-6E After the final TOTSUP prototype was unveiled, we heard from Sally that feedback from parents who have been trialling it has been resoundingly positive. The additional research conducted using the prototype led Sally to launch TOTSUP on Crowdfunder, to secure funds for developing the mobile app. The campaign is on from 15 March for 30 days. From design to prototype Here’s Sally’s story from bringing her idea to meet us at the workshop: “As a parent,…

Autonomous Robotics

January 29, 2016

In February’s issue of Develop3D magazine, we were delighted to share the story of our exhibition model work, for Autonomous Robotics Ltd, which is based in Wiltshire. They are developing next generation seismic technology to gather data from the ocean bottom using a system of Flying Nodes – a new type of automated underwater vehicle. The oil and gas industry requires very high quality data, gathered from ocean bottom seismic (OBS) surveys, often at extreme depths and dealing with complicated geology. ARL’s planned system for a swarm of Flying Nodes system will significantly reduce the cost of collecting seismic data, with the ability to record on the seabed for up to 60 days and cover a wide range of surveys. Having prepared a paper to share on Flying Nodes at the Society for Exploration Geophysics (SEG) conference in New Orleans, Autonomous Robotics wanted to demonstrate a full size…

Exhibit design services to ignite your product launch

January 21, 2016

Exhibit design, display models and trade show stands can make a huge difference to the successful launching of a new product. Even a remarkably innovative and marketable design could go unnoticed if it isn’t given appropriate promotion, to grab a busy audience’s attention, at the right moment. In this case study we look at a project that came about in a collaborative effort between EF Engineering and Amalgam Model making. EF Engineering provides show finishing services to Perkins to display their diesel engines. John Knight from EF Engineering, and Chris Conlon had been in contact since early in 2015, discussing opportunities to collaborate on new exhibit designs displaying Perkin’s engines. Q1. What were the challenges faced by the team building the exhibition stand? CHRIS (Amalgam director and project manager): Perkins was looking for a way to make an impact on the agricultural engineering market through original exhibit design for…