Being one step ahead in this day and age is increasingly difficult. It used to be the case you could create, through design or innovation, a unique sales point for your business that would set you apart from your competitors. But these days, any advantage is short lived. With technology moving at hyper-speed, any USPs you may have can be recreated in competing brands practically overnight.

Ogle understand time and quality is of the essence when keeping your business in front, particularly when youre creating new products or improved elements for existing ones. And these are just a couple of the reasons why they are launching their new Rapid Prototyping Centre of Excellence.

As a benchmark for 21st century progression, the new centre is a catalyst for future development of one of the best companies within the model making and rapid prototyping industry. With the introduction of new equipment and more efficient working practices, Ogles offering for your business just got even better.

Almost doubling the sq. footage of the existing operation, Ogle now has more space to adapt to your model making needs and work on larger projects. The substantially sized extension facilitates a larger transportation model shop (this is the 2nd stage of the development planned for 2009), an expansion of the paint and finishing shop and independent areas for both SLA and SLS.

The development has also seen the introduction of two brand new, cutting-edge, rapid prototyping machines; the EOS P730 and the Formiga P100.

The EOS P730 SLS provides up to 40% increased productivity and is the only world wide double laser system for laser sintering plastics. This gives Ogle the ability to produce small series and individualised production parts far more economically. Not only that, but products with complex geometries can be created to a far higher specification. The build chamber is 700mm x 380x 580mm with a resolution of 0.12mm.

As the second new kid on the block, the Formiga P100 has a build envelope of 200m x 250mm x 330mm and a resolution of 0.01mm. And, it has the ability to produce plastic products with much better surface finish and accuracy than has been possible up to now, from polyamide (or polystyrene at a later date) within a few hours directly from CAD data. With fast turnaround times the new machines integrate perfectly into the environment in which Ogle perform, providing you with the best models in the quickest possible time.

With over 50 years experience within the industry and a wide variety of services under one roof, its no surprise that Ogles clients consist of some of the largest blue chip organisations in the UK, such as Bentley, Glaxo Smith Kline and many of the best Design Consultancies.

Ogle know that paying attention to the finer details is paramount and that the models they produce can easily be mistaken for the real things. With a mixture of conventional model making and the latest cutting edge technology in their new centre, Ogle can bring you the ultimate in 21st Century model making.

If you like the feel of the wind in your hair, but are concerned about the volatility of the UK climate, then a hardtop convertible may just be what you're looking for. In the past you'd have to pay top dollar to enjoy the privilege of owning such a car. Niche models such as the Lexus SC, Mercedes-Benz SL and SLK, Cadillac XLR were the only worthy hardtops on the market. However, thankfully, things have changed.

Now, the market has opened up and you can find new, less expensive versions available from automotive producers, such as Nissan.

When you are looking for a car that is crafted on quality and reliability then you can't go wrong with a Nissan. Having produced vehicles since 1933 this is a company that isnt short of experience. With a diverse range,encompassing anything from sporty coupes to SUVs, the Nissan family of vehicles offers something for everyone. And they have recently introduced the new Nissan Micra CC convertible; a hardtop with the functionality and style to rival any car in the same market.

A model of the new Nissan made its debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show, with the help of Ogle Models and Prototypes.

Approached by Nissan early this year to help complete the model, Ogle had been given quite a task. The creation of the car involved new front and rear bumpers and sills, plus re-trimming and painting of existing parts. For the creation of the new parts Ogle were given the full surface data; they did a number of trial-run data transfers before the final data for machining was released.

Ogle had to engineer and build the car to meet Nissan Design Europes (NDE) specification and the contents of the Bill of Materials. NDE supplied Ogle with a donor vehicle, along with new mirrored glass and lamp parts. Ogle were required to work on the interior and exterior.

They had to shape new sill parts, which included new chrome finishes. In order to do this they had to cut away part of the metal sills on the vehicle and strengthen them, before the new sills could be fitted on top.

They produced new front and rear bumpers, which were made to include chrome finishes, and the exterior was painted in a high-quality show-car finish as specified by the NDE colour studio. This involved a two tone colour scheme and additional detailing.

All exterior glass required a tinted-mirrored finish; they had to remove all the glass and replace it with supplied glass. They re-finished unassembled production parts for the headlamps and tail-lamps and had to make two alternative sets of new wheels. One set was made to optimum show condition; for static viewing only. And the other set was made robust enough for tyres to be fitted and for the car to be driven safely at speeds up to 30mph.

To complete the interior they had to re-trim the instrument panel front pad, door-trims, steering-wheel and seats. They also fitted newly supplied seat belts, ensuring they were fully functional and repainted, with various finishes, vents, buttons, gearshift-knob,handbrake, etc.

The completed model was produced in time and on budget and was well received at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It is now visiting specific locations for photography and filming and the wheels are in motion for production.

This is an award, which we hope will produce the best of future engineering talent. All students and universities across the UK are eligible to apply and entry is now open.

We hope this opportunity will not only give the successful student the chance to see their design brought to life by Ogle Models, but will give them a better chance of being employed by a leading engineering company.

All entries can be sent to our FTP site. Please see PDF for further deatils on how to upload your work

For more information on the competition, please click on the PDF to the right.

With its debut at the Nagano Olympics in 1998, competitive snowboarding has taken off. This is a sport not for the faint hearted, but for the adrenaline junkies among us. Whether it's Boardercross, Slalom, Slopestyle, Big Air or Half Pipe the action is wild and the manoeuvres each year become increasingly difficult.

For those who like to carve it up on the pistes the Snowboarding season is fast approaching. And, with competitive snowboarders continuously pushing the limits, the challenge to produce equipment to aid these dare devils is ever growing.

RuRoC approached Curventa, an award winning product development company, to produce technically advanced headwear to protect the snowboarders on the circuit. Their latest design of helmet provides the safety, flexibility and style competitors demand.

The paint on the outer shell of the headgear can stand up to -40°C; this is the equivalent of being outside in the Antarctic in the dead of winter. But if the riders are in far warmer climates and don't require the full mask on the helmet, it is detachable. This provides the flexibility they want.

In order to bring this cutting edge design to life, a prototype had to be produced. So, Curventa approached Ogle Models and Prototypes; as a company that always produce exceptional models, which can be mistaken for the real thing, why would they go anywhere else.

The helmet required a series of parts to be made, including goggles, mask, lower and upper shells and left and right mask clip. Ogle completed the project using Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) for the hard parts and Stereolithography (SLA) then Vacuum Casting, using silicon tools, for the clips and softer parts.

Both SLA and SLS are 3D manufacturing processes. SLS uses an Argon laser to draw the part, one slice at a time onto finely powdered nylon, whilst melting the layers together to form a solid component. The process is fully self-supporting, allowing for parts to be built within other parts with complex geometry that simply couldn't be built any other way, giving you complete freedom of design.

SLA uses a solid state laser to draw the model one layer at a time onto a resin. Once the complete part is formed by this process the part is cleaned of excess resin by immersion in a chemical bath and then cured in a specialist oven.

Once the project had been machined, dimensional checks were carried out. When Ogle was satisfied with the accuracy the parts went through to their on-site paint shop. Now, being known as one of the best finishers in the industry, Ogle has a reputation to keep. So, after lots of hard, hand finishing, they applied a high gloss paint finish and then a durable lacquer to produce the perfect model.

This helmet is set to take the snowboarding world by 'snow' storm and the next time you see it, it'll no doubt be accompanied by a snowy backdrop and an adrenaline junkie's head.

Unafraid of any challenge, Richard Branson has spread the Virgin brand from airlines and railways to bridal wear and cosmetics. For a man that craves excitement and new frontiers, it was hardly a surprise when he decided to tackle space as well.

With the decision to turn space travel into a consumer experience, the spacecraft to make it possible needed to be created. Virgin Galactic, as it's called, has been designed to carry up to eight people to sub-orbit the Earth, being able to fully experience zero gravity. Tickets for the out of this world trip are a cool $200,000.00.

To show off the experience, a replica of the spacecraft is currently on a promotional tour; having already visited the science museum and Dubai, it is now being exhibited at the Leicester Space Centre from Wednesday 1st August until 17th September. The model of the interior was originally produced on a Hollywood movie set, within a trailer. The model created was phenomenal. As a company that always demands the best and has the highest standards, Virgin felt it needed a few adjustments before it continued the tour.

Striving to create a model out of this world, Virgin and Seymour Powell didn't need to look any further than Ogle Models and Prototypes. They have a reputation in the industry as the best in the business and haven't disappointed yet. So, when the spacecraft landed in their 13,000 square foot facility the space race was on.

Under tight deadlines, Ogle remade all of the porthole windows. This is how customers will view the spectacular show of their journey, so they are a fundamental feature of the spacecraft.

Not only this, but they also sanded down and repainted the shell, removed and replaced the floor, repaired and repainted damage on the walls and corrected the fitting problems. Finally, they re-sprayed (in soft-touch, suede-effect paint) the seats. These seats are fully reclinable; what did you expect for $200,000.00?

Ogle finished the project in the allotted time and the cabin interior could easily be mistaken for the real thing.

When Richard Branson succeeds with this new venture, Ogle will become one of the few chosen companies who can say they helped to achieve the final frontier.

What did you say you wanted to be when you grew up? An astronaut? A hairdresser? From an early age we knew exactly who we aspired to be. Throughout high school and university there were numerous courses and career advisors to guide us in the right direction, but once we reach the real world it is up to us who we become.

Generations before us trained in a specific field and worked for the same company until retirement at 65. It was a great honour and achievement to receive a company branded, flashy gold watch for 50 years' service. Companies were loyal to their employees and they received the same respect in return.

Today, people change careers an average of three times in their working life. Employees move in search of more money, better working conditions and promotions, whilst companies lay off workers in their quest for reducing costs.

The recent change in working patterns has meant a loss in loyalty between companies and employees. Disloyalty causes stress and uneasiness on employees with companies paying thousands in recruitment and re-training. But it's not all bad, employees gain much more experience from diverse working cultures and companies are able to run as efficiently as possible.

Ogle Models and Prototypes have found the happy medium in retaining employees. They work to reward employees and have a progressive policy of internal promotions. They also employ individuals with essential experience in their area and Harlow-born Nick Adams was no exception.

Nick started off in Burnt Mill School, later moving onto an apprenticeship in conjunction with Harlow College. After graduating, he worked for Nortel, in Harlow, in a very hands-on mechanical engineering role including milling, grinding and welding and moved into a project manager role. But he quickly moved up the ladder and he was there for 25 years.

Nick then moved to Ogle in 2001 as a rapid prototyping coordinator. However, Nick quickly moved through the ranks and took on an IT role. And recently, to top it all off, he has been proudly announced as Ogle's new rapid prototyping manager. With clients including Bentley, Jaguar and the Subaru Rally Team, to name just a few, Nick puts this exciting promotion down to his education and experience in Harlow and Ogle.

Rapid prototyping is a process which involves converting computer-drawn designs into 3D plastic models and prototypes. Ogle and Nick have worked with clients in every industry, so their models range from small, mechanical car parts to a full-size helicopter. Their models are so accurate that you would struggle to tell the difference from the real thing.

Ogle and Nick are both equally thrilled with this new appointment and their future is bright. They already have some exciting projects in the pipeline to kick off this new career step for Nick, so they'll finish the champagne and get back to work.

Download 'Unusual design solutions prototyped by Ogle' to see how the trickiest of design problems can be avoided.

Download 'State-of-the-art design brought to life' to see how Ogle created the perfect model for Electrolux's new design.

Pollution is directly affecting our everyday lives. Proof of this is clearly shown in the rising numbers of asthma sufferers and changing weather conditions. But what exactly are we doing to make a difference? Other than the controversial congestion charges, there doesn't appear to be any visible evidence that something is being done to combat this very serious environmental damage.

Now here's the science bit...

Some of the culprits to pollution are nitrogen oxides, which are produced by vehicles and power plants, causing smog and contributing to global warming. These pollutants can be extremely difficult and expensive to remove from the air we breathe, but one solution has been designed to help prevent the problems we are experiencing.

In the late 1970's, a chemical compound was discovered to absorb and neutralise pollutants when combined with small amounts of daylight and humidity. This chemical has now been incorporated into paint and trials are currently being conducted to see how it reacts when painted onto buildings and public paved areas. However, flat surfaces such as these are not the most effective structure for natural light to be captured, which is essential to neutralise the pollutants.

One company has created a solution that makes the most of the surfaces onto which this paint is coated. Elegant Embellishments designed tiles resembling a honeycomb effect which, when covered in the paint, can be positioned near pollution sources in urban areas. The random geometry of the tiles maximises surface area to catch natural light better than flat surfaces. More than just an accessory, the tiles also transform an invisible process into a public reminder that the area is a safer place to breathe. Communities can directly see how their environments are being cared for.

Elegant Embellishments needed a prototype to convey their unique product to be displayed at a prestigious architectural conference, involving thousands of members of the public and many high profile names and organisations. For this significant event, they were referred to Ogle Models and Prototypes, who have made many demanding, revolutionary designs come to life.

Ogle was able to help create the innovative prototype in the short time before the occasion. Allison Dring, Director of Elegant Embellishments said, "The team at Ogle were incredibly generous with their time and expertise at a critical point in our project for the London Architecture Biennale. With their assistance, facilities and advice, we were able to produce working prototypes of our product; a fundamental contribution to our business."

Ogle showed Elegant Embellishments how to professionally cast their tiles and demonstrated their many operations, including Stereolithography, Selective Laser Sintering and CNC machining. Their attention to accuracy, detail and finish is why renowned companies are taking their ground-breaking designs to Ogle.