Modern technology has been used to create an award commemorating the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War.
The 3M Buckley Innovation Centre (3M BIC) in Huddersfield was commissioned to design the award – to be presented to local schoolchildren as a special ceremony – using 3D technology.
Over the past few months, pupils from 18 schools in the Shelley Pyramid have been paying their respects by taking part in a project researching the histories and lives of those that fell in the Great War and the impact it had on the local area.
They showcased their work at an event held at Huddersfield Town Hall when the schools were presented with their awards.
Paul Tallon, 3M BIC’s in-house industrial designer, used a real tin hat, resembling those used during the war, to create a design using a 3D printer.
Eighteen smaller versions have been made, painted, placed on plinths and engraved with an excerpt from Laurence Binyon’s poem For The Fallen along with the names of the schools taking part.
The commemoration project has been partly funded by Kirklees Council’s Mirfield, Denby Dale and Kirkburton area committee, chaired by Clr Jim Dodds.
He said: “As a retired army major who had two grandfathers fight in World War One, I thought it was important that we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the commencement of the conflict and asked local schools to take part in a project to find out the impact the war had on their local area.
“I contacted Dr Michael Wilson at the 3M Buckley Innovation Centre to produce a suitable plaque for the schools taking part. I received immediate support and a prototype plaque was quickly produced. The tin hat awards are a perfect gift for thanking the schools for their input to the project.”
Dr Wilson, technology director at 3M BIC, said: “It was an honour to be asked to produce a 3D piece to pay tribute to a key event in our country’s history.
“We really enjoyed creating the design - it’s certainly different to the usual industrial and manufacturing work that we do on a daily basis. It also gave us the opportunity to showcase 21st century technology, which demonstrates how much we have achieved over the last 100 years.”
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