Meet Mike Quarry, one of Amalgam’s engineers working on all sorts of projects. He’s been working at Amalgam for over 20 years and there’s a rather blurry line between where his hobby skills stop, and his work skills start. We caught up with him to find out what he gets up to when he’s not at work – mainly building miniature working engineering models in the form of replica steam locomotives.
Bristol-based Amalgam Modelmaking has once again gained their Cyber Essential Certification. After verification of their self-assessment against the Cyber Essentials Standard, assessors BIP Solutions Ltd confirmed that Amalgam met the standards for the scheme. The certification was hence renewed in August this year.
UK Small Business recently interview Amalgam Modelmaking Director Mike Harvey on the virtues of starting a business in the South West over 35 years ago.
BMT are launching two concept designs at DSEI 2017 in London. To form an eye-catching centrepiece for their stand, they commissioned us to create a pair of marine models of their concept designs for mine mine warfare and hydrographic vessel, VENARI®-85 and Type 31e frigate contender, VENATOR®-110. BMT Defence Services aims to demonstrate flexibility in these designs to serve the needs of the Royal Navy and requirements in the export market. Their marketing team planned this year's display for the BMT brand to stand out at the busy exhibition. Although they have tested 3D renders and virtual reality for demonstrating their concept designs, BMT confirms people still love a physical model - to gather round and explore the detail. Both scale models are designed to demonstrate BMT's multi-purpose capability and sheer amount of on-board and off-board kit they can carry, with VENARI-85 built at 1:125 and VENATOR-110 produced at 1:150.…
When you’ve got a new idea that needs prototyping, or want to adapt a product design, you’ll need to consider the potential intellectual property issues during the development and prototyping process. Thinking creatively about how to solve an immediate problem is often how the best ideas start out, and we’ve made many physical prototypes to help product designers, inventors, and technology experts bring their idea to life. Here’s our summary of steps for developing your design through to prototyping and guidance on how to protect your idea: Working with suppliers - arrange an NDA When you start looking for help and support, make sure you have an NDA in place. A non-disclosure agreement (NDA), whether written by a legal team or derived from a template, gives both parties an understanding of the confidential nature of the work. If you are discussing your design or new idea, keep the number of people…
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…
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…
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…
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…