In 2002, Flying Pixels created stunning 3D animations for Dowty Propellers, a division of Smiths Aerospace. Showing complex component assemblies is a precise task in which Flying Pixels specialises. "We take great care to produce work to the exacting standards required by the engineering industry" comments Steve Hill who liaised closely with the client. "The propellers are a beautiful design which we wanted to show off to maximum effect."
The brief was to show two propeller systems, the R408 for the Bombardier Q400 commuter aircraft and Dowty's proposed design for the A400M military transport. "For the Q400 segment, we highlighted the operation of the blade pitch change mechanism and the additional control components that get bolted on to the gearbox." continues Hill, "In particular we wanted to show how electrical power is transmitted from the static nacelle to the spinning propeller." Hill was formally a performance engineer at Dowty and so a head start when it came to creating accurate representations for this animation.
The animations were used as part of the client's bid process, so Flying Pixels approached the project with an eye to showing off the propellers as part of a sales pitch. "An understanding of how the final animation will be used is a priority when we talk to our customers, we like to meet the needs of our client by understanding how our work integrates with the bigger picture." comments Ed Bolton, Head of Business Development at Flying Pixels. "The more details we know, the more effective the end result. Our solutions must feel as if they have been produced by the client themselves, with the level of understanding that only the manufacturer can know. In that way, our work integrates seamlessly making it look as if we were never there at all."
The client requested coloured lighting in the scene to match the lighting on the stand. "We are happy to adapt to last minute changes," says Hill "as it's a crucial part of delivering top quality work and adding that extra edge." Along with a successful outing at the tradeshow, the finished piece was subsequently used as a training aid by Dowty's Repair and Overhaul division, doubling up the value of the client's investment.
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