Competitive edge for composites specialist Hardy Advanced Composites, the research and development division of Hardy & Greys Ltd, has established an enviable reputation among the fishing fraternity for its award-winning carbon fibre fishing rods, and among customers in the aerospace, military and high-tech sports and leisure industries for the quality of its bespoke composite tubing products. But with new materials being developed at an ever-increasing rate and customers demanding ever-more complex, high-performance products, Hardy decided to act to secure and extend its marketleading position. "We are continually winning
awards for our products but
innovation is what it is all
about and the secondment has
opened our eyes to the
possibilities of introducing new
technologies from around the
world into our products" Colin Skene, Research & Development Engineer, Hardy Advanced Composites
| ‘Prototyping and testing was a time-consuming matter of trial and error, and existing simulation systems which could have speeded up the process simply weren’t capable of dealing with the complex directional properties of carbon fibre materials,’ explains Colin Skene, Research and Development Engineer at Hardy. When the company learned that a European research institute had developed a state-of-the-art simulator for modelling composite materials it arranged a six-month UK Department of Trade and Industry Global Watch Secondment to bring its inventor to Britain. Working alongside Colin Skene and the research and development team, the secondee is transferring his unique knowledge of the theory behind the simulator and its practicalities. Originally designed primarily for aerospace applications, the simulator will be customised for Hardy’s specific requirements, taking into account product characteristics and manufacturing techniques. As well as accelerating the company’s research and development programme and rapidly reducing design-to-market times, the new technology will, says Colin Skene, ‘Take our designs into a new era of technical superiority, increasing quality by reducing breakages and increasing sales as customers see how advanced our products are.’ Click here to download a copy of the UK Watch Magazine.
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