As well-respected Medallists, Insignia and Badgemakers (an industry spanning millennia, think Roman Legionnaire!) we understand how it’s always been a necessity to move with the times and embrace the changing technologies.
Since 1973, when Selcraft was founded, the team have always maintained a policy focused on using innovation wherever possible. For example, a major contributor to their continued success, without doubt, was employing computer aided design (CAD) into our business culture back in 2000.
Originally all designs were literally drawn by hand to sketch the draft idea through to a hand painted image (a work of art indeed!) showing how the item would appear when made in metal.
Director, Carl Huxley, says: “As you can imagine this was highly labour intensive, time-consuming and costly exercise. It was also fraught with difficulties, should the client decide the item be a different size or appearance…so literally back to the drawing board!
Initially the technology for design was humble compared to its evolution to present day and certainly as it will evolve in the future. Now we use Virtual Reality – and sometimes Augmented Reality – to support our work. Times have changed and we love changing with them to ensure our clients enjoy the best end result.”
Selcraft’s usual protocol for special commissions is to commence with a black and white draft design using CAD and present this to our client for approval or comment. Should a change of size and detail be required then this is a straightforward and expedient process as getting this part right is the foundation stone for all the CAD artworks that follow. The protocol we have in place is mutually beneficial and ensures that both Selcraft and its client are securing an audit trail of the agreed design to be made.
The secondary stage once we have received written confirmation from our client that the black and white draft design is correct is to use CAD to add some life to the design with the introduction of colour and more specific details with regards the desired appearance of the item when made. As a rule this is where the use of CAD ends and we proceed with the manufacture of the client’s order based on the CAD information submitted to date; nevertheless compared to the days of old it is technological, innovative and its function is to lead to a faster turnaround of sales orders and promote business growth.
The third stage, should it be required, or if we consider it necessary due to either the complexity of the item or order value would be to utilise CAD to create a virtual reality image of the item to be made. This is as near we can get to actually making the physical item. To date we have used CAD virtual reality on many prestigious and valuable special commissions which verifies its purpose and proves its worth.
A point worth making with regards our use of CAD on our products; as a company with over 47 years of history we certainly know how to create a design that is feasible to reproduce in metal or other materials. When we are not designing from scratch we ensure that any supplied artworks received from our clients are amended, if and where necessary (whilst remaining faithful to the design elements) and result in the best possible outcome once made.
A further aspect of CAD virtual reality allows to offer designs of the items whilst in production allowing our clients to utilise the images for their own sales promotion whether through their websites, e-shots, newsletters or hard copy catalogues. This has proved a winner for both ourselves and our clients.
Today’s world is affected by Covid-19 and its economic impact both good and bad on businesses. Selcraft see their CAD strategy to only but strengthen our client relations for mutual prosperity in these challenging times that appear to have no end-date.
A current example is our exclusive arrangement to design and produce for our client a range of jewellery style military themed badges, sold on-line, that can be highly personalised for the recipient; presently there are 15 unique designs and our client has used our supplied CAD virtual reality images of the entire range to attract sales through all possible channels whilst the physical badges are in production.
We are now undertaking more special commissions covering not only metal products but also textiles and other materials due to client demand.
Ultimately even CAD is restricted to some extent as to how life-like an item can appear but compared to not so very long ago this is to our mind a real game-changer that truly establishes our credentials as a company leading its field not just locally but also nationally and globally with a commensurate increase in business growth.
More about Selcraft’s special commissions, CAD design and use of VA can be found on our blog.
We enjoyed having the Last Word in the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce‘s BD Magazine: this piece was reworked and is now published, online and in print.
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