University of Limerick Product Design & Technology showcase supported by Procad

This year Procad was proud to sponsor the students of Product Design and Technology in the University of Limerick for their final year showcase on the 25^th of May.

The course itself introduces a new element to design education by emphasising the importance of ‘learning by doing’ and producing the designers who will – literally – shape our futures. Each student finishes the course with a thorough knowledge of core elements of design together with a strong foundation in materials and manufacturing technologies.

Procad up to this point had been a sideline follower of the course since its introduction in 2005. This year however, we have begun to get involved and are helping to introduce an Autodesk workflow to the course structure. Already the students are using Sketchbook Designer for their concept ideations and next semester we will be implementing Autodesk Product Design Suite for Education, meaning the course will be switching to Inventor and Alias for their Digital Prototyping needs.

Each year the standard of the final year projects leap forward in  quality, with 2011 being no exception, as epitomised by President Don Barry’s statement “This exhibit illustrates the innovation and creativity of our students who are developing products and solutions which are among the brightest ideas to be seen in Ireland.”

There was a broad range of projects on display showcasing the talent in the Irish design scene including a public fresh water supply system- ReHydrate, a redesigned hurling helmet for increased comfort and safety design – Pumpfit, an ergonomic walking aid – Rambler, a user-friendly roof rack system –The Freeloader and a unique system for making fuel logs from garden and domestic waste – The Grasshopper.

Course director Niall Deloughry explained the showcase was ‘the culmination of 9 months hard work and creative effort and this is reflected in the originality and depth of detail of the products. The students began in September with an initial problem or opportunity, driven by their own experiences, they then worked through every stage of the design process (from initial research; idea generation; concept development to final design realisation) resulting in the highly finished pieces at the exhibition. Each design reflects a real understanding of user needs, environmental responsibility and manufacturing constraints. A number of this year’s designs have been developed in conjunction with leading international companies and governmental bodies, these external links help to keep the projects relevant to current professional practice and industry trends”’.

The Logitech Designer of the year award went to Kevin O’ Sullivan for his product Encore^tm an innovative new core-valve delivery system. Kevin undertook his Cooperative Education Placement with the Structural Heart Team at Medtronic, one of the global leaders in medical technologies. The second prize was awarded to Cathy O’Neill for her practical and innovative camping shower – Clean Camping. Each year an award is also given to a 1^st year student who has displayed outstanding potential throughout the academic year. This years honors went to Jamie Wade who was presented with the Autodesk first year student award by Cormac Lyons director of the Procad Group.

Procad look forward to continuing their partnership with the University of Limerick,  specifically the Product Design and Technology course and would like to offer their congratulations to all the students who took part in the showcase.

We are extremely proud to be associated with you.