Fresh approach

A good barometer for the state of manufacturing is how busy the design and prototyping houses are. Despite the doom and gloom about the economy

, one of the UK's leading design and prototyping houses, is reporting lots of activity right across the spectrum from consumer products to new top secret major developments.

Seymourpowell in many ways is a traditional prototyping and model-making business using craft skills, preferring to outsource its rapid prototyping technology needs. The mainstay of its prototyping activity is two large, three-axis CNC machine tools driven by MasterCAM software.

The prototyping process starts with foam models and as the design develops the prototypes become harder and closer to the finished article in terms of shape and material.

In recent months Seymourpowell has developed packaging for Lynx deodorants and personal hygiene products from Unilever, including the new rotary aerosol cap. This work has extended into the Dove range with the development of the 'soft touch' aerosol cap for deodorants. This sophisticated capability involves a soft silicon over moulding.