CAM software enables lights-out machining to produce parts for prototypes - with reduced lead-times - of a 'Noddy' pedal car for Premier Pedal Cars.

Delcam software enables lights-out prototypes for 'Noddy' car Omega Plastics, part of the Fitstogether Group based in the North-east UK, used Delcam's Power Solution software to produce parts for prototypes of a Noddy pedal car for Premier Pedal Cars . (PPC). PPC is the brainchild of entrepreneur Stuart Colmer.

He launched the company in 2003 - importing metal pedal cars from China to sell in the UK through toy stores such as Harrods of London.

Mr Colmer soon realised that there was a gap in the market for a new, UK-built product.

He secured the licence to manufacture the Noddy pedal cars in the UK during late 2003.

Omega Plastics joined forces with PPC to work on the project with the Polymer Centre in Teesside and Responsive Engineering of Gateshead.

The combined team worked together on the initial concept using a 'design for manufacture' approach.

Robin Mackie, managing director of Fitstogether, said: 'The toy market place is a new one for us, but I am confident the Noddy pedal car will prove an extremely successful product line for PPC.

This project is evidence of Fitstogether's ability to work in partnership, to make collaboration work and to provide a virtual supply chain to the market.

Through our partnership with Delcam, we were able to use the latest machining strategies available from our PowerMILL CAM software,' he added.

'This enabled us to use lights-out running, which consequently reduces the lead times for our customer and means we achieved our objective of producing finished parts in twelve days.' Following a successful reception for the prototype, another Delcam software user, D and S of Newton Aycliffe, manufactured the tooling for full-scale manufacture.