Revolutionary Product Development Centre launched in Hastings Innovation Centre

A new Product Development Centre (PDC) based in the Innovation Centre, Highfield Drive, St Leonards, was today opened by local MP Michael Foster. This new concept will help local businesses and schools, offering state-of-the- art equipment to demonstrate best practice in product development.

The Centre is staffed by members of the South East Knowledge Exchange, a collaboration of three universities, the University of Brighton, Buckingham and Chiltern University College, and University of Portsmouth, with Brighton taking the lead. It becomes one of a host of business support services available to help local companies to thrive. The Product Development Centre is funded by Sea Space, SEEDA, the University of Brighton and the EU.

There is a 15-seat computer suite to demonstrate 3D modelling using CAD (Computer Aided Design) software such as: SolidWorks, Rhinoceros, and Pro-Engineer, and this can be displayed on an advanced interactive whiteboard for making changes and capturing images.

The outputs from any of these software packages can be sent over the network to what looks like a coffee vending machine. That, however, is where any similarity ends: in fact it is a piece of equipment called the Dimension SST 1200, and it will take a 3D software model and then make it in ABS plastic. It melts threads of the plastic and then builds the model up, layer by layer, and will carry on over night or through the weekend until it has finished. Soaking the end results in a special tank is all that is needed to finish the process.

Other equipment includes a hi-tech laser scanning arm that can be used to “reverse engineer” products that do not have drawings. The strangest and largest item which has been scanned is a six foot eco-friendly coffin!

Paul Sayers from the University of Brighton is the project manager responsible for getting the centre up and running. He said, “We have fantastic equipment and a talented team with a desire to help local businesses and schools. This is a very different initiative to help businesses and schools.”

The centre has a comprehensive schedule of courses planned (many free) covering areas including:
• New product development
• Rapid prototyping
• Stress analysis
• Electronic design and testing
• Polymer/plastic
• Strategic and operational management

The centre is already working with local businesses and entrepreneurs producing creative designs, drawings and prototypes. And it is not just business that will benefit from the PDC; the centre is also keen to inform students at schools and colleges that modern manufacturing is not just about “bashing metal”. So they will run many initiatives in 3D modelling and rapid prototyping to engage students and help develop an interest in engineering and manufacturing.

Hastings College of Arts and Technology is already working with the centre for some of its design students. Ashley Hemingway said: “The staff at the PDC have been excellent and have gone out of their way to help us. We are looking forward to a long-term relationship with them”.

It is not only students who can take advantage of the Product Development Centre. Teachers can also use the Centre to develop their skills. William Parker School was quick off the mark with a training session planned for some of its teachers in February.

Peter Adlington is MD of Plastipack, a successful local company, and has been involved with the Product Development Centre. He said: “The Centre gives businesses, schools, and entrepreneurs in the Hastings and surrounding areas a fantastic opportunity rapidly to prototype their ideas to reality”.

For more information contact the PDC on 01424 858 237 or email productdevelopmentcentre@ brighton.ac.uk

Friday, 25th January, 2008