On Monday 2 December, Year 12 Product Design and Physics students visited aviation specialists, Balform Ltd. to learn more about the processes involved in the design, manufacture and assembly of aviation interiors.

There were a range of CAM processes to explore, including vacuum forming and 5 Axis CNC routing, used in the manufacture of aeronautical components. For our keen designers, there was a demonstration of SolidWorks, the CAD package we use at Putney, and a scanner used to create 3D images of customer components for scale reproduction.

Amani, one of our design scholars commented, “The day concluded with an open question activity that highlighted the industry’s need for trained engineers and designers. Given that there are numerous initiatives currently in place to attract more women into these fields, the day was of particular relevance to some of us who are considering studying engineering and similar subjects.”