Cwmbran aerospace lighting manufacturer, STG Aerospace, has recently collaborated with the Cardiff School of Art & Design (CSAD) at Cardiff Metropolitan University, for a research and development (R&D) project focusing on cabin safety.

Part of an innovation research project, the Emergency Exit Marking System R&D team at STG Aerospace collaborated with CSAD Product Design student Ryan Vincent. Ryan was given a broad brief to “get passengers to an exit in an emergency situation”.  The 12-week project covered the whole design process, from research to final concept of the prototype designs.

During the collaboration, Ryan had the opportunity to visit STG’s cabin simulator at the Cwmbran headquarters, where he was able to test his prototype designs and get a feel for how they would look when installed on an aircraft. His designs were reviewed by the STG team, who worked with Ryan to further the concept development. The learnings of Ryan’s in-depth research project have been fed into STG’s research and development team to inform future product development.

This important collaboration between a leading Welsh University and a local organisation, who operate on an international scale, has not only given Ryan exposure to a real-world industrial project, but also a glimpse into the research and design processes required to bring a product to market.

Principal Lecturer Richard Morris, Product Design MSc Course Director, said,

“this project demonstrates how important collaborative projects with corporate partners are, in developing those professional skills students need as they start their professional careers in Industrial Design. The project has demonstrated the potential of collaborative relationships and we’ve been thrilled with the time and resources STG invested into Ryan’s major project, supporting him in producing an excellent body of refined work.”

Dr Sean O’Kell, Business Unit Director for Photoluminescent Products at STG Aerospace comments,

‘Our relationship with Cardiff Metropolitan University is important to us. Working with Product Design students on our doorstep, brings us fresh perspectives and enables us to support and invest in up-and-coming Welsh talent.’