Laura Mathews, an acclaimed artist and designer who builds animal sculptures and puppets, has chosen precision components from Accu, one of the UK’s leading precision component distributors, within her most ambitious project to date; building the Big LBX Dragon.
Laura, who is based in the UK, was commissioned by US-based LightBurn Software to design and build a wooden dragon with a 5.5m wingspan, that was almost 3 metres tall and with 19 moving parts that moved with lifelike precision, for its LBX event in New York.
As Laura started planning which fasteners she would need at the start of the project, she spoke to a contact within the industry who recommended Accu for its comprehensive range of fastenings and excellent customer service.
The dragon she created for the LBX event was sculpturally striking and mechanically complex. Laura needed specific fastener sizes and precision components to provide the backbone strength to the dragon. She chose M8 countersunk screws and M8 nyloc nuts to provide structural security and to allow for repeatable disassembly, while miniature M2 slotted countersunk bolts delivered visual elegance in Laura’s articulated kits. With her genuine interest in anatomy and biomechanics, Laura brings each of her creatures to life, with materials like wood, leather, string, wire and 3D printed material.
Artist Laura Mathews explains: “I used Accu’s website to research parts, even before working on the design of my creations. The variety of lengths of screws that Accu offers, moving up in small increments, is incredibly useful. I’ve not found anywhere else that offers them in such ideal sizes.”
For the LBX Dragon, Laura imported CAD models directly into her files to avoid clashes and reduce friction in the prototyping process. This workflow unlocked both speed and creative freedom - ensuring the mechanical motion of the dragon matched its lifelike beauty.
Patrick Faulkner, Lead Engineer at Accu, explains: “It is fantastic to see our components being used for everything from heavy industry engineering applications, through to creating fantastic artistic artworks. Many designers and design engineers appreciate how they can import our CAD files and how this gives them the confidence and reassurance that they have chosen the right component for the job. Our Quick Order function on our website is the icing on the cake, helping customers like Laura to better plan and purchase precision components.”
Laura Mathews explains: “The LBX show was amazing. The installation went smoothly and the response from LightBurn and the visitors was wonderful. Hearing people gasp as the wings opened was exactly the reaction I was hoping for!”
It is vital that Laura's dragons have aesthetic value, just as much as engineering strength. Laura found that Accu’s nuts, bolts and other fasteners, come in consistent colours – crucial for ensuring a uniform appearance, with every detail looking and performing correctly.
Beyond aesthetics, Accu’s product range unlocks new design possibilities for Laura who uses M2 lengths (up to 45mm), which are difficult to find from other suppliers, which means she does not need to compromise on layering or motion design.
The LBX Dragon challenged Laura to scale up her engineering knowledge - working with bearings, bushings and fasteners on a much larger structure than ever before. She also finds Accu’s technical resources extremely useful, from the online Help Hub to the engineering guides found in the news section:
Laura explains: “Working at this scale has been so rewarding. I’ve learnt so much, all of which I can take into future projects.”
Laura is already planning on using Accu’s R clips, clevis pins and brass fixings for an upcoming dragon puppet she is creating with large-scale human wings for a forthcoming exhibition, to bring a balance of mechanical reliability and visual elegance. She will use Accu components for every joint, hinge and motion link, including brass components and binder screws.
Laura has also benefited from Accu’s quick order and dispatch service. She said “Accu’s service is second to none. One time I had a critical last-minute order, where split shipping meant I could meet the project timeline – that kind of service is incredibly useful when you are already under pressure!”
She adds: “With Accu, the service is fast and reliable, the range is exceptional and the CAD files are invaluable.”
Laura's miniature sculptures, such as her Little Bird, need miniature fixings to hold them together, which she has also found within the Accu range.
She concludes: “I love finding new components to solve new problems. It’s part of the creative process now.”
To see Laura’s LBX Dragon, other puppets & sculptures, all that use Accu fixings, visit her YouTube channel.
Accu supports the innovations of over 50% of the world’s leading manufacturers through its wide range of precision engineering components. Having sold more than 750 million components, Accu has become the trusted supplier for high-quality engineering parts, such as precision screws and fasteners, which are used globally across industries including robotics, aerospace, manufacturing, medical and automotive.
