Despite us trying our best though to show everyone outside what joys we had to offer (we made sure our pavilion was glass), the sheer volume of people often prevented this.  Luckily though, we had something a bit special outside to draw in the interest…

Acting like a beacon of blue and orange on the grass outside was our gorgeously painted Supacat.  This shall be one of the support vehicles that is used out in South Africa during the mission for 1000mph – a 6 wheel transporter that shall carry the 18inch Hybrid Rockets as well as various other equipment.

Asked by Annie Berrisford and Conor La Grue to design the paint scheme for the vehicle in preparation for Farnborough, a large number of possible designs and configurations were quickly produced.  After discussions over the team branding and the challenges of painting in a short time period, the designs were issued and the graphics printed by Andy at Vinyl Graphics – as always fantastic and reliable under pressure!

The team at Supacat did a fantastic job of painting the vehicle and constructing the quiver for the rockets.  Despite there being a 13m long car aiming to go faster than a speeding bullet, it was the Supacat that stole the show for me.  I have included a few of the initial concept layouts below just for your viewing pleasure…

The final vehicle that is used in South Africa may not look like the one at Farnborough, but I am sure that it will be equally (if not more) impressive.

1 > Firstly, the sections of the model needed to be joined together.  These sections were made using a process known as Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM), and were a rapid prototyped nylon.  The process of manufacture involves taking powdered nylon and heating it with a laser, forming the profile of the piece layer by layer until a three dimensional shape is formed.

2 > The problem with this process is that the powder remains inside of an encased three dimensional piece (such as the parts being used to construct the model).  This powder adds significant weight to the model, and thus needed to be removed.  The pieces were drilled on the unseen (gluing) side, and slowly emptied of powder until light enough to use.

3 > The pieces were glued together and clamped, ensuring that they were aligned correctly.

4 > Slowly the pieces were glued together, creating the main body of the vehicle.

5 > By resting the model on its end, the weight was added to the glued faces helping them to have a tight fit.

6 > The nose cone and the air intake were Rapid Prototyped in a different material by UWE.

7 > The body slowly took shape.

8 > The end piece was glued in place, showing the locations of the jet engine and rocket nozzles.

9 > The front wheels were added to the body.

10 > Once the entire model had been glued and clamped together, the model was sanded and any visible cracks were fillered and sanded smooth.

11 > The display case was made of two elements; an oak base and a clear acrylic lid.  The material for the lid was ordered and cut to size, then sent to a specialist manufacturer in Bristol who bent the sheet into a box section.  The end pieces were then glued in place and the corners sanded.

12 > The base piece was constructed from solid oak strips and some oak veneered MDF.  The oak pieces were made into a frame by Simon Phipps (a local kitchen fitter) and the MDF was sunk into this.  This gave a platform for the model and enough of a recess that the acrylic lid would stay in place.

13 > The painted model returns from Redland Bodyworks.

14 > The model needed to be prepared for assembly, by drilling holes to fit the external features.

15 > The features themselves, again produced by UWE, had been painted ready.

16 >These parts included the rear wheel fairings, the winglets (or canards) and the tail fin.

17 >Several of these holes had ready made jigs to align them, however due to thickness of the paint these no longer fitted correctly.  This meant that the holes had to be marked and drilled manually.

18 > The model was secured to the oak base.

19 > The tail fin was glued together, and the Union Flag stickers (printed by Vinyl Graphics) were applied.

20 > The external pieces and the wheels were very carefully glued in place, making sure that they were all level and aligned.  The sponsor stickers were then applied to the sides.

21 > The finished model.

So… Next time you visit an event and see a little model of the car and decide to take a photograph, or worse try to snap something off, remember just how much time and effort goes into producing one first.

This product is designed to stand out from the status quo, making a statement about you personally and professionally.

It is efficient, effective and simple enough that it purveys its purpose without being an eyesore.

Ergonomically designed to punch through 100 sheets of paper easily it brings a feel of modern innovation to your desk, showing that you can do what is needed whilst still maintaining an element of style.

It is the little things that make the difference.

The form was developed from initial observation drawings through an abstraction form to the final design of the unit.  This was then manufactured and spray painted, and is now a fully working prototype.

This particular design was quite fluid in its formation and structure, however did incorporate some complicated, highly technical elements.

Once the cut off point is reached, the electricity is capped and no other appliance can be turned on.  This forces the user to turn off something else first; thus reducing their energy consumption.

It is a simple plug-and-use product with indications of the amount of energy you are using, both for the individual appliance and as a whole.  The devices work together using the same process as some computer networks; sending signals to each other through the electric wiring of the AC power supply.

The ‘capping’ point of the units is dependant on the number of devices connected.  Each unit contributes 150 watts to the total allowance.  This is based on the average energy costs of home appliances, calculated by Carbon Footprint.

The Capitall makes people prioritise what energy they really need.

The coffee table also incorporates inset slate, designed to be used as coasters for drinks.  The sharp contrast in the lines and clean parallel edges give the table a stunning aesthetic.  The table splits into two sections (top and bottom) to aid transportation, and the lid has bevelled edges to help in lifting.