Manufacturing Technology Partnership - Manufacturing Advisory Service

Karen Shannon Handcrafted Designs
Designer/Owner, Karen Shannon, Dromore

The Benefits:
Vast improvements to the manufacturing process, including a reduction in lead time to customers and an increase in capacity to capture more business. This has led to a Net Present Value* of £27,500.

The Company:
Karen Shannon is an artist and former teacher who set up her own business in 1999 specialising in the creation of a collection of contemporary three-dimensional mixed media wall pieces inspired by poetry and fairy tales.

Demand for her work has been steadily growing and she now has orders from all over the UK, Ireland, America and even Dubai. Her work is created using a diverse range of materials: hand cast plaster, embossed and antiqued or chemically verdigrised copper, brass, aluminium and pewter and paints enhanced with powdered metals.

The Project:
Karen approached Manufacturing Technology Partnership for various solutions to technical problems with her work. These were primarily due to increasing demand for her wall pieces, related ergonomic worries about repetitive strain injury to wrist and hands and the need to incorporate more flexibility in future designs. Any solutions to these issues would however have to maintain the handcrafted feel and appearance of her work.

Making it Happen:

MTP
Invest NI - Innovation Credit
Crossen Engineering

MTP’s Field Officers visited Karen’s facilities to review the existing constraints on her working methods. After an initial review a full understanding of the manufacturing skills and the necessary finish was established. From this MTP developed conceptual design tooling, suggested processes and job scope. They also contacted a high quality, high spec toolmaker for a feasibility study and supplied pricing of such tooling. Final design of tooling, processes and costs were presented to Karen for approval. After a few final adjustments to the design the order was placed.

The Result...
Karen acquired a highly specialised die-press tool which replaces the need for hand embossing of copper and brass. A specialised guillotine was also supplied to help carry out certain tasks and a whole new workshop layout was designed for her. The improved ergonomics of the workshop and the new tools have led to a reduction in wrist and hand strain. She has even experienced a reduction in working hours, with time saved on reducing low skill mundane tasks allowing for high skilled craft work. She now has the capability needed to develop more flexible and creative designs

Karen Shannon:
“MTP’s engineering and design skills plus the high quality craftsmanship of the toolmaker has given me the tools and design flexibility to approach the future with much more confidence and enthusiasm to strengthen my business. With confidence I have recommended the Manufacturing Technology Partnership to other craft businesses”