Re: Europe's New RPM Centre now open!

From: Matt Murphy (mattmurphy@ccons.freeserve.co.uk)
Date: Wed May 26 1999 - 17:30:58 EEST


Dear List,

It's great to see the old academia vs bureau industry debate raising its
ugly head again!

As someone who has managed both an academic facility and an industrial
facility over the last 6 years, I have a very good understanding of both
sides of this particular debate. Rather than give my views now I would like
to expand upon just one point: THIS ISSUE HAS NO RELEVANCE TO THE RPM
CENTRE AT ALL.

It is neither a bureau nor an academic group, but rather a rare type of
manufacturing consultancy that combines an in depth understanding of
management issues in manufacturing with a very high level of technical
expertise in all aspects of RPM. Their expertise in RPM is not confined to
the technologies themselves, but also encompasses a thorough understanding
of the way in which the European service provision industry works.

This combination of skills will enable the Centre to help their clients reap
significant benefits through the coherent introduction of more efficient
management techniques ALONGSIDE the effective implementation of technology.

I am involved as a consultant with the Centre, and will be managing much of
the technical RM work. This work will involve:

1. Increasing the level of awareness within general manufacturing by seeking
out those potential users not yet exploiting RM technology.

2. Helping existing / potential users:

a) select the correct technology for the job
b) implement that technology in the most effective way alongside strategic
management improvements
c) and thereby generate maximum commercial advantage

This will ultimately expand the user base and therefore the potential market
to be exploited by the bureaux.

3. Provide a project management service for the clients.

As the Centre has a good understanding of the RM industry we will be able
to lead clients through the process of selecting the appropriate technology,
finding the best service providers, requesting and assessing prices / lead
times, placing orders, managing delivery etc.

Through this work we will manage our clients' expectation of the technology
(in terms of numbers off, quality, price and lead time etc), leading to
increased customer satisfaction and repeat orders

So what impact will this have on the industry?

Bureaux:

1. More work without any sales effort

2. Bureau staff will deal with RPM Centre consultants in conjunction with
the client. This WILL make their life easier because:

a) Our consultants are expert in the service provision industry and
therefore understand issues key to bureau operation

b) Good quality data will be supplied in appropriate format

c) They will only have to meet realistic expectations in terms of quality,
price and lead times

d) Where appropriate we will manage multiple supplier projects eg (bureau +
foundry) or (bureau+ toolmaker + moulder)

3. The value of bureau services to the client will be enhanced when
offered as part of a coherent time compression strategy

Systems Manufacturers:

Increased awareness and application of RM technology can only serve to
increase the potential market for RP systems.

Academia:

Not much impact at all but

1. we may trip over the odd research concept which Unis could follow up
2. we may be useful in identifying collaborators
3. a larger user base of RM technology means more potential jobs for the
graduates

In summary:

If the RPM Centre does well then everyone benefits - particularly the
bureaux!

If anyone has further questions about the RPM Centre and its activity then
please address them to:

David Hood (office@rpmcentre.com)
Martin Gibbons ( martin@rpmcentre.com )
Matt Murphy ( mattmurphy@ccons.freeserve.co.uk )

We would also welcome any comments that may help us define our role in the
RM industry more clearly. We want to complement the services offered by
bureaux rather than compete with them.

Best regards,

Dr Matt Murphy

-----Original Message-----
From: ~ David J. Hood ~ <dhne02235@pop.cableinet.co.uk>
To: rp-ml@bart.lpt.fi <rp-ml@bart.lpt.fi>
Date: 24 May 1999 17:26
Subject: Europe's New RPM Centre now open!

Just a short note to advise fellow list members that our new RPM Centre is
open for commercial
business. The list members have helped in our research of the subject and
enabled us to fit in the
remaining gaps in our knowledge, completed our portfolio, and to build up a
network of like-minded
organisations and individuals.

To all list members who helped, I thank you all. For all who contributed,
but were perhaps unaware
that they were as I read the posting, I thank you also.

The RPM Centre, far from being simply another "bureaux" takes RPandM
processes, methods and
activities further, incorporating them with firm methods and techniques to
develop the overall strategy
of the company and how it can achieve the goal of competitive advantage.
The two Directors of the
company have studied the rp and m processes and have been instrumental in
developing a strategic
business development practice for the past five years; in addition to this
they have helped set up the
Chartered Institute of Marketing's Technology group, CIMTech International
that is a trade organisation
specialising in the commercialisation of technology and the use of new
technologies in marketing.

To see what the RPM Centre is all about : http://www.rpmcentre.com

To join our e-Zine list, please e-mail david@rpmcentre.com

David Hood
Director
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
....The Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing Centre....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                RPM Centre Ltd., Enterprise House,
        1 Dalziel Street, Motherwell ML1 1PJ, Scotland
            Tel: 01698 327 100 Fax: 01698 26 93 28
                         office@rpmcentre.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/

For more information about the rp-ml, see http://ltk.hut.fi/rp-ml/



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