MCM100 Rebreather
The MCM100 Rebreather is a safety-critical, life-supporting system developed to operate reliably in some of the most demanding environments in the world. Designed originally for mine clearance operations, the platform supports a wide range of military, emergency response, and specialist industrial applications where performance, robustness, and usability are essential.
In 2015, Geo partnered with Avon Protection to lead the Industrial Design of the MCM100. Working closely with Avon’s internal engineering teams, Geo supported the translation of complex operational requirements into a robust, manufacturable product that aligned with Avon’s brand, performance expectations, and long-term product strategy.
Services
Year
Research and analysis
Concept development
Design and engineering
Product graphics
Packaging
Manufacture support
2015
Industry
Medical
Safety critical
Military
Transport
Consumer
Commercial
Brief
The project originated as Avon Protection expanded its in-house capabilities to support a new rebreather platform, opening opportunities within military, emergency response, and other safety-critical markets. While the core breathing technology was already well developed, the challenge lay in transforming it into a complete, operationally robust product suitable for demanding real-world use.
As a long-standing Industrial Design partner to Avon - with the MCM100 representing the 37th project delivered together - Geo was trusted to lead the Industrial Design, usability, and packaging of the system. The brief was clear: create a compact, robust, and dependable product that looked and felt like serious operational equipment, while remaining intuitive to use in extreme conditions and compatible with a wide range of environments and operational roles.
Solution
The primary challenge lay in packaging a largely fixed internal system within the smallest possible envelope, while achieving a streamlined external form that would perform effectively underwater. The housing needed to minimise drag, avoid turbulence when used with motorised underwater sleds, and present a low-profile, anti-snag exterior to prevent interference from hoses, cables, or vegetation during operation.
Geo developed a tightly fitted internal package wrapped in a smooth, continuous outer form, balancing fluid dynamics with durability and manufacturability. Particular attention was given to user interaction points, ensuring controls, access features, and interfaces remained intuitive and usable with thick neoprene gloves or mittens, under limited visibility through a diver’s mask, and in both hot and cold environments.
From an engineering perspective, Geo designed and developed key functional elements including the front-cover hinge system, oxygen cylinder mounting brackets, back-harness interface, and internal mounting features. The product was engineered to allow field adaptability, repair, and component replacement without specialist tools, while remaining robust enough to withstand harsh operational handling over many years of service.
Manufacturing constraints played a significant role in shaping the solution. Due to relatively low production volumes, traditional injection moulding was not viable. Geo designed the product specifically for a RIM casting process, achieving the required balance of strength, weight, complexity, and cost - while allowing for future manufacturing flexibility should volumes increase.
The MCM100 enabled Avon Protection to successfully enter a new market and expand its offering within military and safety-critical sectors. It provided Avon with a credible, high-performance underwater breathing system that complemented its wider protective equipment portfolio, allowing customers to source integrated solutions from a single trusted supplier.
For end users, the MCM100 delivered tangible operational benefits. Its compact, streamlined design improved manoeuvrability and reduced fatigue during extended underwater use, while its multi-role capability reduced the need for multiple pieces of specialist equipment. Most importantly, it provided users with confidence - confidence that the system would perform reliably, consistently, and safely in environments where failure is not an option.
More than a decade on, the MCM100 remains in service worldwide and is regarded as a proven, dependable piece of life-support equipment - a testament to the value of careful Industrial Design Engineering applied to safety-critical systems.
