Design - Model Makers Bristol / Amalgam Model Making

Additive layer manufacturing: From ‘art’ to ‘part’

January 2, 2013

EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, in conjunction with Materials and Design Exchange (MaDE), Materials KTN and Exeter University Centre for Additive Layer Manufacturing (CALM) recently held an event at Exeter University to inform businesses in the South West about the range of services and technologies available in the region. The day was organised by Phil Brownsord of EEF and John Bound of MaDE, the Materials and Design Exchange, a part of the Knowledge Transfer Network and featured speakers including Nick Grace from the RCA, Dr. Sara Flint of CALM and Amalgam’s own Mike Harvey. Apart from the various presentations which covered various aspects of Additive Layer Manufacturing and Product Development the day also included a tour of CALM’s impressive facilities with Richard Davies and James Bradbury providing demonstrations of the various processes on site. Additive layer manufacturing Often referred to simply as "Additive Manufacturing" or "AM" is a branch of 3D printing -…

CNC Recycled Sheet Materials

December 13, 2012

Recently we have been experimenting with a sheet material made from 100% recycled plastic. The material is responsive to CNC routing and can be cut into panels on our new machine - it has already made its way into an architectural project which we will announce in the new year. It offers an alternative to plywood or MDF, and being fully recyclable, any waste and offcuts can be returned to the manufacturer. We are always on the lookout for new materials with new properties, particularly those that are recycled or sustainably sourced. Head to http://www.ecosheet.com/ to find out more.

Hydrate for Health shortlisted for The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2013 in Healthcare Innovation

November 30, 2012

Hydrate for health's The 'Hydrant' water bottled developed by Mark Moran, is a simple yet effective healthcare innovation designed to allow immobile hospital patients to keep themselves hydrated and do away with cumbersome and heavy bedside jugs of water. Amalgam Modelmaking assisted Mark in the development of the one-piece screw cap and integrated clip, central to his innovation. The prototypes were used for evaluation and testing before marketing the bottle to the healthcare industry. The product has now been short listed for The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2013 in Innovation. Head over to our work for more details on the Hydrant. Healthcare innovations such as the Hydrant are typical of the type of project undertaken by Amalgam either working directly for clients such as Mark Moran or via other design / product development companies.

175 Years of the Royal College of Art

November 15, 2012

To celebrate their 175th anniversary, the Royal College of Art is presenting an exhibition of historic and contemporary works of art and design by leading RCA alumni and staff. This prestigious list includes Sir James Dyson, and Amalgam Modelmakers provided a 1/18th scale model the 'Seatruck,' one of his earliest projects. The exhibition opens on the 16 November and runs until 3 January 2013. More details can be found on the RCA Website or on their Facebook Page.

Light Artist Bruce Munro unveils installation plans for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October 17, 2012

Our client and friend Bruce Munro has announced plans for a Beacon to be constructed atop Long Knoll in Wiltshire, to raise awareness for and support the charity Cancerkin and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A team of five will spend a week assembling the huge structure, and when lit will be visible for many miles in the dusk. More details can be found in this BBC Article.

Safeway Hygiene Services

October 11, 2012

We are currently involved in the early stages of the design process for new products from Safeway Hygiene Services. Our designers are well equipped with a comprehensive CAD suite, years of experience and a track record of success to handle challenging projects. Head to Our Services to see some examples of our design and development work. The HHU from Safeway Hygiene Services is a hygienic hand wash device with the built-in ability to monitor and record user's washing routines, and whether the pre-programmed hand wash cycle has been completed or not. The units can be networked and linked to secure room entry systems. So far the devices have been proven to be four times more efficient than standard hand washing practices on a microbial level.

Myyfeed utilises Stereolithography, Vaccum casting and traditional model making

October 4, 2012

As a perfect example of how Stereolithography, vacuum casting and traditional model making skills are combined seamlessly at Amalgam you can't do much better than this! As seen on TV! A fantastic result on BBC Three’s Be Your Own Boss recently for Ash Reza and his Myyfeed® idea. To quote Sir Richard Branson “Bloody hell, that is brilliant!”. Myyfeed® was created in 2011 when a young mum posed a problem to her brother. She experienced great difficulties when feeding her child formula milk on the go and expressed her frustrations on the current feeding apparatus, method and process. Together with her feeding experiences as a mum and the technical creativity of Ash, the problem was solved and the Myyfeed® was born. Following an initial period of research, Ash approached Amalgam Modelmaking to fine-tune the designs and produce the first working prototypes. These were created using Stereolithography followed by vacuum casting in a combination…