Founded in 1995, AME is now rated as one of the top 5 British Design Agencies. By combining flair, technical know-how, and in-house prototyping facilities with advanced material technologies, AME is not only helping clients to produce innovative new designs but also reduce cycle times and cut costs.
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.’
What is stereolithography?
Stereolithography (SL) permits the rapid creation of 3D pieces utilizing a computer controlled laser that polymerizes light-sensitive resins. The process is highly precise and constructs the design in a series of "additive layers", providing the advantage of obtaining highly complex forms unrealizable using subtractive or traditional moulding techniques. The evolution of advanced SL materials aspires at offering a viable production technique, beyond the materialization of a prototype.
DSM Somos® ProtoFunctional® resins for stereolithography
ProtoFunctional® resins provide advanced technology to respond to the changing needs of new product development and industrial design. In 2003, DSM Somos announced ProtoTool™ ceramic-filled resins, the first member belonging to the new ACT-SL™ technology and the result of a significant research and development program. Traditional non-composite ProtoFunctional® materials by DSM Somos satisfy a varying range of characteristics: transparency, superior humidity / heat resistance, and demanding mechanical properties replicating many production grade plastics such as polypropylene, polyethylene, ABS and PBT.
DSM Somos is also the first manufacturer of powder elastomeric polymer (Somos® 201) that can be sintered (SLS) to produce highly flexible, "rubber like" parts.
Technical data on all Somos® materials may be found in the "Downloads" area at www.dsmsomos.com.
DSM Somos, focused on innovative rapid prototyping materials, is a division of DSM Desotech, a world leader in the development of UV curable materials, and a member of the global DSM family.
DSM is active worldwide in life science products, performance materials and industrial chemicals. The group has annual sales (pro forma including the recently acquired DNP business) of around EUR 8 billion and employs about 25,500 people across the world. DSM ranks among the global leaders in many of its fields. More information about DSM can be found at www.dsm.com.
DSM Somos corporate offices:
Americas@dsmsomos.info
2 Penn’s Way, New Castle, Delaware 19720 - USA
Tel. +1.302.326.8100
For further information on DSM Somos® :
Europe@dsmsomos.info
Fax. +39 06 9871694
www.dsmsomos.com
