This report details the experiences, insights and knowledge gained during my travels to Japan, Mexico, Sweden and Finland undertaken for the purposes of my Churchill Fellowship. As a glass designer, my goal for this Fellowship was to gain best practise knowledge in glass mould production and usage so that I can create a knowledge base to help all levels in the glass community achieve better business and creative outcomes. Designers and artists need technical support to push the boundaries of what can be made but also to remain competitive against low-cost imports from Asia.At present, there is large gap in local knowledge on how best to manage demands for medium volume production where the quantity of glass products needed is more than what is practical to be handmade, but less than what would justify full automation investment.

As such, the main aims for this fellowship were:

1. To gain further technical knowledge on mould production; specifically, I would like to learn about aspects such as the types of timbers used in mould making, grain direction in moulds, venting and seam lines in timber moulds, the inclusion of neck markings and 'top popping’, multitool production (pre moulds) and glob size calculations.

2. To investigate examples of successful mould usage within a glass studio, particularly how they are used with manual labour to achieve medium volume production.

• We possess more technical knowledge in Australia than previously realised

• Glass is going through a global trend of decline

• Many international studios have embraced automation in their production processes to increase speed and efficiency of medium batch production. These methods of automation are highly achievable and would greatly benefit medium volume production in Australia

• As an industry, we need to adopt a systems approach to mould usage. Rather than seeing a mould as an individual item detached from the wider process of glass production, we must begin to create them with thoroughly considered manufacturing processes in mind.