OO7 style design emerges from Sheffield

A fiendishly-cunning gadget to keep smooth sophisticated looks in place has emerged from Sheffield Hallam University's product development laboratories. Anyone who needs their dinner jacket (or even their work clothes) to emerge crumple-free from their travels is set to benefit from an intriguing and easily-transformed every day object. Sheffield Hallam University's engineering product development team was recently challenged to design a solution to this problem. Spy films and thrillers have seen pens that have hidden secrets - explosives, radio transmitters or poison targets, but a pen that turns into a coat hanger is something new. The team's client, Wayne Leigh, a sales rep, thought up the idea after attending one too many meetings with a crumpled jacket. The product development team were presented with the overall concept but the client had no real idea about how the pen should work and how it could transform itself into a coat hanger. They set about evaluating various alternatives for operation, before selecting the best option. From there the design work began, and after several evolutions on the CAD system, the design was finalised and a prototype produced using a rapid prototyping process. The team also provided advice on production methods and potential manufacturers. With a working prototype the client could then start talking to prospective customers and the "rep pen" as it is known has generated a great deal of interest from the US and the Far East. The pen should be launched to an international market early in the New Year. As John Allen, the product development team's own 'Q' says: 'It's actually been a really interesting project. The concept in itself is quite quirky but it's given us some stimulating design and engineering challenges in bringing the concept to reality and delivering a product that works both as a pen and a coat hanger.'