The installation of a new emergency detrainment system has just been completed for use on underground and metro vehicles. DCA designed and engineered the system for Percy Lane Products, tackling all aspects from concept generation to detailed production specification. As the system is safety critical, reliability is essential over the system's 32 year design life. So detailed FEA-based structural analysis and fatigue modelling was undertaken in parallel with accelerated prototype life testing.

Careful consideration has also been given to the Human Factors aspects of the system so that it can be deployed and stowed in under 2 minutes. To make this feasible, the total mass of the system was kept to less than 15kg, adding further complications to the structural and economic challenges of the project.

The new design is a significant improvement over the existing system and ensures passenger safety in the event of an emergency for many years to come. DCA and Percy Lane Products continue to build on the positive experience of the project through further ongoing programmes of work.

Designed by DCA, Nano is the latest fire detection control panel from Gent by Honeywell. DCA's specific responsibilities include the industrial design (ID) of the enclosure, including the specification of all colours, finishes, and graphics. All external 'A' surfaces were also CAD modelled by DCA. A further responsibility was the control panel button and indicator layout.

At an early stage DCA conducted user research interviews to gain a clear understanding of the needs of the various stakeholders so as to achieve significant benefits over existing products in the market place.

Nano delivers an experience that makes the fire alarm system easy to use and operate and offers aesthetics that are look good in any type of building.

DCA developed the advanced Xsight range of universal remote controls for Universal Electronics, working closely with both the US and European UE project teams. DCA supported UE with the iconic industrial design and clear user interface as well as production assistance for both the mechanical and electronic aspects of the industrialisation.

Launched in September at IFA in Berlin, and the already receiving rave reviews, the new Xsight remote control with its easy web-linked set-up is revolutionary and is setting a new bench-mark for the universal remote control market. Combining technology and clarity, the Xsight is a feature-packed remote that's simple to configure and a pleasure to use.

"DCA was authoritative for the unique design language of the Xsight universal remote control and made it an exclamation mark in the category" comments the Xsight Product Manager.

Earlier this year DCA re-designed the livery for the complete Translink fleet. This flagship high-speed service is jointly operated by NI Railways and Iarnród Éireann and is highly symbolic in linking Belfast and Dublin.

DCA developed the original livery and brand identity in the 1990s, and in recognition of the success of that brand imagery, DCA were asked to revisit and update the livery for the 21st century. The new livery was carefully designed to ensure that the existing and newly liveried trains would sit well together during the transition period and, most importantly, that the new train liveries would comply with all current accessibility regulations. Building on the existing well-established and respected brand, we developed the new livery to create a modern and dynamic face for the existing fleet that is ready for the next 20 years!

DCA will be exhibiting at COMPAMED, part of MEDICA, in Dusseldorf, Germany on 19th-21st November 08.

Stand no: 8a K26.

We look forward to seeing you at the show, please contact us to make an appointment, contacting either:

Jane Phillips – Medical Marketing, jane.phillips@dca-design.com, +44 (0) 1926 483 108
Renée Lamb – PA to the MD, renee.lamb@dca-design.com, +44 (0) 1926 483 164.

Compamed 2008
19th-21st November
Dusseldorf, Germany
Hall 8b Stand K26

www.compamed.de

For the fourth year running DCA has been declared the UK's number one product design consultancy by Design Week in its Top 100 survey.

The survey charts the annual progress of UK design consultancies across all design disciplines. Design Week is the market leading publication for the design community in the UK, and regularly commissions research and surveys on important market issues. The ‘Top 100’ league table is the only survey of its kind in the UK.

This significant ranking reflects a strong growth in recent years, which is further demonstrated by increasing staffing levels, the acquisition of a second premises and further new and exciting clients and projects being won in key market sectors.

MEDTEC UK
13th-14th February 2008, NEC Birmingham
Stand no: 600

DCA will be exhibiting at the UK's premiere trade fair for medical product design and manufacturing.

Our stand will showcase examples of our design work from all sectors of the medical industry, including drug delivery devices, diagnostic products, surgical instruments, respiratory devices, laboratory and scientific instruments and hospital equipment.

For the first time DCA will be showcasing the SoloSTAR device, a disposable injection pen which is the result of four years of intense development and recent winner of the 2007 Good Design Award.

Libby has been selected as one of only eight finalists for The Young Woman Engineer of the Year Award 2007 granted by the Institution of Engineering and Technology. She has been invited to a ceremony in London in January 2008 to receive her finalist’s certificate.

The Young Woman Engineer of the Year Award seeks to recognise and reward the very best female engineers that the UK has to offer, highlighting achievements of women in engineering and thus encouraging others to enter the profession. The highly prestigious and coveted awards highlight young women who have firmly established themselves as dynamic and technically excellent professionals.

The judges were particularly impressed with the way that Libby has combined her engineering skills and experience with her formal training and natural aptitude for ergonomics and user research. As a prominent member of DCA’s in-house research team, this allows Libby to interpret the findings from user research into a format that can be used to inform DCA’s designers and engineers throughout the subsequent development phases of a project.

Marketed under the GBC brand, a new pre-punched document binder has been launched by ACCO Brands in both the US and UK.

Designed by DCA, the EZClick binder uses three sizes of Click and features a fold out document support, Click storage and a document thickness guide. When not in use the binder can easily stored in a drawer or on a shelf.

EZClick was designed in CAD with the aid of physical models to optimise ergonomics and gain inputs from customers and end users, prior to commencing the manufacturing phase.

Europe's leading flash drive manufacturer, PNY Technologies has launched its new Attache flash drive, designed by DCA.

Nick Mival of DCA explains 'PNY required a new design which stood out in a crowded market. We stripped away everything superfluous and created an honest product with simple USP's based on stakeholder insight. Primarily, the design ensures the plug will always be protected because you cannot close the lid. To do this the key transforms between two states with a very addictive fiddle factor, so not only is data protection guaranteed but you just won't stop playing with it!'

Samy Benarfa, PNY's marketing director said ' We gave DCA some very tight parameters to design within, while still expecting an innovative solution, which we got. The result has a simple, minimal aesthetic, a great 'cap less' concept and is easily customisable. The product is now proving to be a great success in the market'.

For the third year in a row DCA has been declared the UK's number one product design consultancy by Design Week in its Top 100 survey.

Benjamin Hubert, an industrial designer at DCA, has been selected to exhibit his own exploratory ceramics and interiors work at the 100% Futures show starting on 20th September. The work explores new materials and low volume manufacturing methods to produce an eclectic collection entitled 'Textures'. Ben has also been shortlisted for the best new exhibitor at 100% design this year.

Ben Hubert said 'I'd like to thank DCA for all their sponsorship and support helping me develop and prototype my collection specifically the 3D printed Dandilight'.

Nick Mival, DCA's creative director commented 'We are very proud of Ben's success in this years 100% Futures exhibition. It is important for us to create an environment which supports and nurtures the best new design talent as we continue to grow our team'.

Tim Sharpe has joined DCA as lead industrial designer. Tim was previously design manager at New Deal Design in San Francisco. For the last ten years Tim has lived in California working for New Deal, Pentagram, Lunar Design, Fuse Project and Astro Studios helping leading brands such as HP, Dell and Netgear create new products with distinctive and relevant visual brand languages.

Tim studied at Art Center college of design in both California and Switzerland where he was born.

Nick Mival, DCA's creative director said 'Tim's global experience including working in Europe, USA and China combined with thirteen years experience of large scale, complex visual brand language programmes will add a great strength to DCA's expanding industrial design offer'.

DCA has designed and developed a new vehicle to transport visitors around Harrison Caves in Barbados, one of the countries leading tourist sites. Working for Severn Lamb, the leisure transport systems firm, DCA helped create a vehicle consisting of a main drive unit and a series of trailers. A simple but memorable 'lunar' design aesthetic was developed to compliment and not compete with the historic grandeur of the caves. In parallel DCA's usability team completed vigorous research and user trials to ensure a robust, enjoyable and safe experience.

John Bankes of Severn Lamb said 'After extensive research and ergonomic investigation, DCA delivered a perfect solution for transporting visitors through the Harrison Caves. Our client has been delighted with the result and now see the vehicle as an integral part of the cave experience'.

Laura Patterson has joined DCA's growing design research team. Prior to joining DCA Laura was a consultant for Doblin and a lead researcher for Fiori both in the USA, working for brands such as HP, Microsoft and Yahoo. Laura has a Master of Design degree in product research and planning from Illinois Institute of Technology, as well as a BA in cultural anthropology.

Nick Mival, DCA's creative director commented 'We are very excited that Laura has joined DCA. She brings a great mix of strategic design planning knowledge with strong ethnographic techniques to our fast growing research team'.

DCA has expanded into a new studio to accomodate its increased staff numbers and create a series of project immersion spaces.

Located close to the Head Office building in central Warwick the studio has panoramic views over the countryside and Warwick racecourse providing staff with a spacious, light environment to research, design and develop great products.

Rob Woolston, DCA's managing director commented 'We are delighted with our additional studio space, it provides a great new creative environment which allows our team to grow'.

MDT 2007 - the New MEDTECH Event
14-15th February 2007, NEC, UK
Stand no: A108

DCA will once again be exhibiting at the UK’s premier trade fair for medical product design & manufacturing.

If you would like to arrange a meeting with us during this event, please contact:

Robert Woolston, Managing Director

Hall 2, Stand 2C110

DCA will be exhibiting at this year's premier mobile communications fair in Barcelona, where we will be showcasing a range of products from a variety of sectors, including mobiles, home entertainment products, antennae and a satellite uplink.

Railway Interiors Expo - 28th-30th November 2006, Köln Messe, Germany

International Exhibition and Open Technology and Ideas Forum devoted entirely to railcar interiors: Stand No. C61

DCA will be once again exhibiting at the Railway Interiors Expo in Cologne. On the morning of Tuesday 28th November Paul Rutter, Transport Manager, will be speaking at the Open Technology Forum on the subject of innovative double deck rail vehicle design for the UK and Europe.

Senior DCA staff will be available on the stand to discuss your design needs and to tell you more about DCA’s approach to design through various development case studies.

If you would like to arrange a meeting with us during this event please contact Jenny Eborall: +44 (0)1926 483177 or jenny.eborall@dca-design.com

DCA has been working with Grundig Mobile to provide design support during the development of high specification 3G handsets.

"DCA is delighted to include Grundig in our growing portfolio of consumer focused electronics based lifestyle products" says John Daly, DCA's Design Director.

18-19 Oct 06, Sandown Park, UK

Stand no: S639

DCA are please to announce their participation in the inaugural EasyFairs Packaging Innovations South exhibition at Sandown Park this October. This show is specifically focused on showcasing the latest packaging solutions to enhance product and brand performance and DCA will be exhibiting to demonstrate our structural packaging design expertise.

Members of the DCA team will be available throughout the two day event to discuss how we can help answer even your most complex strategically important questions, and use our intelligent approach to design to deliver commercial results with a high probability of success.

If you would like to arrange a meeting with us during this event, please contact

packaging@dca-design.com or call Peter Kay – Packaging Manager directly on 01926 483199

Click here for FREE entry

International Trade Fair for Transport Technology Stand No. 203, Hall 6.2b – Interiors

DCA will be exhibiting this year at Innotrans 2006 at the Messe Berlin. With more than 30 years experience of creating transportation design solutions we offer unique integrated design and prototyping service, backed by a team of over 70 researchers, designers, engineers and modelmakers. Senior DCA staff, with wide experience in transportation design, will be available to discuss your design needs and to tell you more about DCA’s approach to design through various development case studies.

For more details find us on the Innotrans Virtual Marketplace at: www.virtualmarket.innotrans.com

PDM Plastics Design & Mould, 26th-28th Sept 06, Telford, UK

Easyfairs Packaging Innovations South, 18-19 Oct 06, Sandown Park, UK

MEDICA, 15-18th Nov 06, Düsseldorf, Germany

Railway Interiors Expo, 28-30th Nov 06, Köln Messe, Germany

DDL Drug Delivery to the Lungs 17, 30th Nov - 1st Dec 06, Edinburgh, UK

Further information to follow, watch this space!

DCA is working with ROK Entertainment to bring innovative new services to mobile phone users.

The BLCX connects A/V equipment to the internet, allowing any content available in the home to be viewed on a mobile phone via a 2.5 or 3G connection.

BLCX is also a personal video recorder with on-screen programme guide, that you can watch and control from a mobile phone.

With built in WiFi and Bluetooth the BLCX allows users to connect compatible handsets to the internet for VoIP calls.

For the second year in a row DCA is the UK's number one product design consultancy as declared in the 2006 Design Week Top 100 survey.

When comparing consultancies across all disciplines DCA is now positioned 10th overall, moving up from last years 11th place.

A new film scanner from Cintel is now on the market and has been exceptionally well received amongst professionals in the postproduction film industry.

Cintel developed the cutting edge scanning system and DCA the stunning aesthetics of the compact desk-top cabinet. A cunning counter balanced sliding door protects the mechanical and optical system from dust and ambient light.

Kate Bishop, Cintel's Marketing and Communications Manager said of DCA: "As a result of DCA's creative contribution to the project, diTTo has generated massive interest and the proposition has hit the nail on the head - we will certainly use them again on future projects"

Ditto was on show at NAB2006, the World's largest electronic media show.

DCA is delighted to announce that Nick Mival, Creative Director, has been nominated a fellow of the RSA.

DCA has always been proud of a long history of involvement with the RSA through its founder David Carter. Nick says "I am looking forward to becoming more involved with the RSA both to nurture UK design talents through its renowned awards and to contribute on issues of strategic product design, emerging consumer values and sustainability".

easyFairs packaging innovations Midlands, 8-9th March 2006, NEC, Birmingham

Stand no: 542

DCA will be exhibiting again this year at easyFairs packaging innovations Midlands, at the NEC, Birmingham, giving us the opportunity to show some of our latest structural packaging design and development work, as well as recent concepts for future product and packaging solutions.

We are also presenting as part of the Design learnShop at 12.00 noon on the second day.

Our presentation during this feature is entitled:

An intelligent approach to smart packaging design.

Consumer pull or technology push?

Issues and observations for the design of future packaging.

The easyFairs exhibition will showcase exciting new solutions that will bring fresh ideas and greater efficiency to the world of packaging.

If you would like to arrange a meeting with us during this event, please contact packaging@dca-design.com

Peter Kay - Manager, Structural Packaging.

3GSM, 13-16th February 2006, Barcelona

DCA will be attending again this year at 3GSM, where John Daly (Design Director) and Damian Mycroft (Communications Manager) will be showing new technically innovative handset concepts developed to resonate with consumer’s needs and desires. They will be discussing insight-led methodologies and new approaches to technical creativity with brands in the mobile industry.

If you would like to arrange a meeting with DCA during the event, please contact Daniel Barraud, New Business Manager.

DCA is delighted to announce its Zigbee development service. Shane Day, DCA's Electronics Manager explains, "The potential for Zigbee is enormous. We are currently developing designs for remote control and monitoring applications as well as asset tracking and e-commerce".

Why not come and talk to us about Zigbee and how we can help you take advantage of this next generation of low cost wireless communication?

For further information please contact Shane Day directly at strong>shane.day@dca-design.com or telephone +44 1926 483119.

On 23rd January at 2.00pm, Nick Mival, DCA’s Creative Director will be talking at the Kitchen Theatre at KBB.

He will be talking about ‘Design for the future kitchen landscape’ – how to strategically design products for the hub of the house.

MDT 2006, 15-16^th February, NEC, Birmingham,
Stand no: 105

DCA will be exhibiting again this year at Medical Device Technology 2006, at the NEC, Birmingham, where senior staff from key disciplines within the consultancy, will be available to discuss your design needs and to tell you more about DCA's approach to design through various development case studies.

MDT 2006 is the only UK event for designers, manufacturers and regulators of finished medical devices and in vitro diagnostic products.

Robert Woolston, Managing Director.

DCA will also be exhibiting at:

Railway Interiors Expo, 28-30th November 2006, Köln Messe, Germany

MEDICA 2006, November 2006, Düsseldorf, Germany

Further information to follow.

Events and Trade Shows

MEDICA 2005Dusseldorf Germany, 16-19th November 2005

Stand no: 13 A84-4

DCA will be exhibiting again this year at MEDICA 2005, in Düsseldorf, where senior staff from key disciplines within the consultancy, will be available, to discuss your design needs and to tell you more about DCA's approach to design through various development case studies.

MEDICA, the World Forum for Medicine, offers all providers and those with a professional interest a comprehensive overview of the medical market. About 3,900 exhibitors from 62 countries take advantage of MEDICA as a global showcase for meeting customers and as an information and communication base.

If you would like to arrange a meeting with us during this event, please contact:

Robert Woolston, Managing Director.

DCA will also be exhibiting at:

Further information to follow.

The SISLink uPod is the first automatic satellite uplink system in its class.It is able to find and track satellites without the need for an operator, then send or receive up to two television signals simultaneously.

DCA assumed responsibility for the mechanical design of the uPod after SISLink had produced an early functional prototype, accelerating the project from first briefing to a full production solution within 6 months.

DCA also supported SISLink during the entire development process.This included creating and managing specification documents, handling the supply base for 15 sets of the 130 bespoke parts that made up each device and checking parts received for accuracy. DCA also worked with approvals specialists to provide all documentation required to achieve CE marking for the uPod.

DCA are pleased to announce that they have appointed Damian Mycroft to develop its services in Communications.

With eight years in branding and NPD agencies and six years corporate involvement at Philips Design, Damian will bring his experience in designing award winning electronics devices to DCA’s design research, ergonomics, mechanical engineering and IPR generation processes.

“I see a huge opportunity to innovate in this area. With its strong design and engineering skills, DCA can help clients to achieve significant differentiation” says Damian.

Damian’s previous work has included design strategy for Philips mobile phones, BskyB’s iconic remote control, and the Philips ‘Pronto’ range.

DCA’s Managing Director Rob Woolston comments “We are delighted that Damian has joined the team, His track record in telecoms, hand-held and consumer electronics products will provide our clients with even stronger creative solutions, and help us to develop our offer further in these high growth categories.”

DCA Design International has strengthened its strategic and industrial design offer by appointing Nick Mival, former head of strategic design at PDD as Creative Director.

Nick says, “It is an exciting opportunity to fuse a strengthened strategic and industrial design offer with DCA’s unique design heritage and superior technical capabilities”. He adds, “The strategic services will incorporate new techniques in design research, trends translation and roadmapping to input into clients projects, planning and business strategy”. Nick will be building the strategic, research and design teams over the coming months. He will initially focus on DCA’s consumer and transport sectors.

Rob Woolston, DCA’s Managing Director explains: “We are delighted that Nick has joined us. He brings a wealth of skills to DCA in industrial design and design strategy. Nick has a thorough understanding of all aspects of the product development process, through numerous projects in strategy, industrial design and implementation. His recent work adds value to our client’s propositions, through a deep understanding of people’s emerging values and needs. He will be developing new tools and techniques at DCA to position us at the forefront of strategic design planning.”

DCA are proud to announce that Luke Harmer has been short listed for the UK final of the Monaco Luxe-Pack Design Awards 2005.

Now in its third successful year, this international competition is organised by the Principality of Monaco and Luxe-Pack, the trade fair dedicated to the packaging of luxury products. The brief this year is to design a luxury bottle of water, within the theme CELEBRATION IN MONACO.

The competition gives young UK-based design professionals the opportunity to showcase their talent, and compete with other entrants from across the world.

The winner of the UK competition will go forward to represent the UK in the international final, held in Monaco in November 2005. There, they will compete against entrants from seven other countries: France, Italy, Japan, Spain, Brazil, Germany and the USA.

The UK winner and three highly commended finalists will be announced on 7 July.

For further information please visit:www.luxpack.com

DCA is now the UK's number one product design consultancy as declared in the latest Design Week Top 100 survey.

When comparing consultancies across all disciplines DCA' is now positioned 11