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Design and Development Consultancy
News Release from: NPL Technologies | Subject: Vehicle cube projects
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 19 November 2004
Cubes help speed Discovery to market
NPL Technologies made a major contribution to the development of the Land Rover Discovery 3 recently launched at motor shows in the USA and UK.
NPL Technologies made a major contribution to the development of the Land Rover Discovery 3 recently launched at motor shows in the USA and UK The Land Rover Discovery 3 is an all-new premium SUV that offers class leading breadth of capability, innovative user-friendly technology, distinctive design and a spacious interior that can comfortably accommodate up to seven adults
This article was originally published on Engineeringtalk on 7 May 2002 at 8.00am (UK)
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In the early stages of design and development NPL Technologies produced the initial data control model (DCM) and then the final DCM which when viewed appear to have been manufactured using production tooling but essentially consist of composites, polyurethane materials, carbon fibre and machined aluminium billets.
Both properties are referred to as "cubes".
The initial DCM is a solid model of the vehicle primarily for design review and is the first view of a fully machined vehicle from CAD data.
The final DCM includes every aspect of the finished production vehicle - interior and exterior - produced together and is the final verification of the CAD database - prior to tool signoff.
During this time period NPL also advanced the process regarding lamps.
Traditionally the process was to have front lamps as models.
Then the process moved to front lamps made from prototype processes, chroming and draping of materials.
They looked like production lamps but could only be illuminated for a short time due to temperature constraints.
John Argyle, NPL Technologies, said: "We can now produce lamps for the cubes which look and perform exactly the same way as production lamps".
This means that stylists can see the vehicle with complete lighting including front and rear lamps, head-liner and behind facia lighting.
John Argyle added: "During the period of the Land Rover Discovery 3 project we continued to develop the processes to improve quality and save time and costs".
NPL are now able to convert an initial DCM into a final DCM and convert a final DCM into an interior e-cube - a master checking medium for all the vehicle components including interior and exterior trim.
Argyle said: "With our confidential studios and machining capability, including the recently added new five-axis HSMs, we now have the largest manufacturing facility in the UK for vehicle cube projects".
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