Surface Generation Ltd
Description/aims
Surface Generation has developed technology to produce ceramic, metallic and plastic moulds with significantly less effort and material. The innovation is aimed initially at the Defence, Automotive and Aerospace sectors.
Why we invested
Offering a solution to an age-old problem, Surface Generation’s technology means companies can customise their designs more effectively than before.
Surface Generation has merged the best elements of two well-established processes to create a breakthrough, which can help UK and other industrialised manufacturing bases to protect their market share in the face of low-cost emergent economies.
By making the manufacturing process more efficient, the technology will also reap environmental benefits, saving energy and resources.
Impact / Benefit
Surface Generation has moved from the proof of principle stage to commercialisation and is already attracting widespread interest. Early clients include applications within defence, for the manufacture of body armour.
As well as obvious advantages to the economy, the technology could soon bring real human benefits – in the manufacture of prosthetic limbs, for example. “Currently, a patient has to endure weeks of numerous fittings. Our technology makes it easier and quicker to customise the replacement limb, ensuring a far better quality fit from the start,” says Surface Generation CEO Ben Halford.
He adds: “NESTA has helped build the company so that we can go out and sell to some of the world’s leading engineering companies.”
Written: November 2006
Summary
Reconfigurable Pin Tooling technology to reduce time and cost to market for large components.
Sector: Engineering
Team: Investments
Location: Melton Mowbray
Investment: £250,000
Other Investors: Oxford Trust and Business Angels
Website: http://www.surface-generation.com