Pay attention 007 - this could save your jacket
A
Sheffield Hallam University product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team
Nov 10, 2003
There's been a touch of the world of James Bond in the laboratories of Sheffield Hallam University's engineering product development team recently.
There's been a touch of the world of James Bond in the laboratories of Sheffield Hallam University's engineering product development team recently, as they worked on the design of a fiendishly cunning gadget for a client.
The 007 films have seen pens which have hidden secrets, explosives, radio transmitters or poison targets; but a pen that turns into a coat hanger is something new.
The concept for the coat hanger pen came from the team's client, a sales rep who thought up the idea after attending one too many meetings with a crumpled jacket after forgetting his coat hanger.
The product development team were presented with the overall concept of the product, but the client had no real idea of how the pen should work and transform itself into the coat hanger.
They set about evaluating various options for operation, before selecting the best alternative.
From there the design work began, and after several evolutions on the CAD system, the final design was finalised and a prototype produced via a rapid prototyping process.
The team also provided advice on production methods and potential manufacturers.
With a working prototype the client could then start talking to prospective customers and the "rep pen" as it is known has generated a great deal of interest from the USA and the Far East.
The pen should be launched to an international market early in 2004.
As John Allen, the product development team's own "Q" says: "It's actually been a really interesting project.
The concept in itself is quite quirky but it's given us some stimulating design and engineering challenges in bringing the concept to reality, in a product that works both as a pen and a coat hanger".
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