Comments on PSS

Nicholas Baroni
Mikee Ronquillo
Andrea Krakovska
Henry Treloar
Monica Llu

ComPact Luggage Design

The ComPact Luggage design solution aims to encourage the use of a luggage rental system by providing a convenient and compact transportable baggage alternative to avoid the storing of expensive and bulky luggage at home which is used once or twice a year. Also avoiding disposal due to infrequent use which may otherwise contribute to the ever growing landfill.

The design allows consumers to travel to and from the airport with easy to transfer hire luggage. This design avoids the hassle of organising return as it’s obtained and returned at the international/ domestic airports.  Whilst the small, flat packed bag design has the ability to be mailed to the consumer immediately once ordered, increase the productivity of the luggage bags rentals and minimising storage capacity for the consumer.

Service

The service is the ability for consumers to participate in luggage hire services with much needed convenience. The service hires out the expensive hard shell casing desired by consumers for the ultimate security and durability needed for the time spent on holidays. The service provides this additional insert luggage design to enrich the systems service in obtaining, returning and storing with a stylish advantage.

Design Critic

This design is made of  polypropylene plastic which has both environmental benefits and social benefits. This material has the ability to be recycled with the light weight characteristic that benefits mailing and transporting for the consumer. It is able to provide the required stiffness for this design and stylish appeal.

The compatibility provides a great advantage for the consumer using this system due to minimum storing ability and neat organisation advantage. The soft but stiff biodegradable material for the main casing allows easy mould ability and flexibility.

The colour scheme is kept corporal, simple and sleek with the subtle detailing linking to its sophistication. This is to say that the baggage made of PC/ABS shell design would replicate this design to act as a family of product for the service system. Same goes for the RFID card that is design with the addition rubber strips on the side to activate the key as a locater for their luggage. This assist in gripping and the contrasting texture allows for durability due to extensive usage due to the sharing system.

This sizing of this design is a small, singular personal usage. This acts as an easy visual indicator for consumers to allocate how much space – small or large bags needed for their use based on the number of occupants traveling. So one is the size for a small bag and 2 bags designs are for a large bag which normally allocates 2 people. The mailing of the is product based on the size acts as a n advantage fitting it’s a standardisers packaging which is seen to be required to reflect the quality of the hired luggage and this specification eliminates the need to produces additional packaging. The shaping allows easy transfer into the hard shells for the security as well as the u zipper making it very accessible to re accessed and filled.

 

Review: Who killed the Electric Car?

This video was one of the most intriguing and engaging documentary about the electric car evolution. From the beginning, you are captivated to find out the reason as to its depletion and its value to the environment according to different people. It was development in 1996 in California as a vehicle that required fast speed with no exhaust or gasoline, quiet and home charged. It was adapted with success but all of a sudden it disappeared. Ten years later there was no such ‘futuristic’ car on the road it had disappeared from the consumer choice.

 

The video illustrates how the power of the combustion engine was seen always to be the number one choice, even though the apparent signs of environmental struggle were becoming increasingly notable. The Greenhouse gases, smog, air quality, ‘black cloud of death’ leading to the increase of asthma/cancer rates, lung impairment, respiratory disease thus limitation on living. Although it wasn’t until the advancement in technology allowing the first solar car to arrive, which lead to a mandate whereby all car dealerships had to provide a percentage of cars with no exhaust (Electric cars) to continue selling. Thus the EV1 was introduced to save our planet.

 

You discover that the EV1 had redeemable qualities such as sexiness, low cost, speed, aesthetic and independency. Although consumer acceptance was an issue, questioning its reliance, ability, size, features with the addition of conflicting oil companies, questioning the environmental dubious of the electric car (coal). This then caused change in the mandate to customer demand. Gone…..

 

The video conducted a continuous debate trying to provide blame to the reason behind the abolishing of the mandate thus the refuge of all electric cars. You learn the extent of how much the environment was valued according to all parties of blame, from the consumer, batteries, car companies, government etc. The most convincing point seen as reasonable blame is from the car companies whereby the electric cars not having an internal engine removed their economical profits on the repairs, maintain and oil imports.

 Industrial designers should watch this video as it gives and insight to the importance of demand and politics that get involve in design. It allows us to see the importance and the possibility of the introduction of eco design as a potential necessity especially in the electrical car industry. Let us understand the consumers and their needs as more than just profitable gain. Create clear awareness through design of the environmental impact and how a product you buy will help the future of the world. Persuade benefits and functional features to support the design as seen no different as the existing just with an additional benefit.

 

The 3 keep messages:

1.      The harm we do on the environment has to be made clear to consumers. In educating the understanding on how a product can help through experience and knowledge will influence the demand. Demand is dependent on awareness thus the success of a product in order to make a difference on the environment.

2.      Providing a continuous debate on blame doesn’t achieve necessary action but seems to result in the depletion of an electric car and potential market for new innovations.

Economy and hidden agendas of the government, politics, car companies etc. in regards to profit take a big part in the success of the electric car.

3.      Educating the consumer to move away from their mindset that eco design is worse than existing products but the same with added beneficial qualities.

Comments - Cormack Packaging Project

Rebecca Womersley
Dale Wakeham
Anastasie Panagopoulos
Lily Nguyen
Kate Barclay

Rationale – DinoVites

Problem:

The redesign of children’s vitamin containers was seen as a necessary, purposeful design issue to resolve, fitting in with requirements for the Cormack packaging competition. As parent’s foremost priority is in the health and safety of their children. One of their biggest fears when exposing their child to vitamins is the risk of overdose due to the lack of knowledge on dosage and the lack of supervision – what happens when you are not looking.

Looking at the current existing vitamin bottle designs targeted at children, it is seen to package over a 2 weeks supply worth of vitamins. The design of the bottling is very consistent throughout all brands. The common tall, structured, clinical transparent brown bottling or solid white containers, child proof capping, polycarbonate made containers which aren’t seen as inviting, making the daily ritual of taking vitamins a struggle for parents. Although the refusal from taking vitamins has been suppressed especially by  the newly introduced gummy supplement whereby now has increased the fear of overdose possibility due to the thrill of the gummy bear experience and attraction enhanced by branding for children between 5 - 8 years old. Temptation is present and willingness to get involved in the taking of them has increased but the fear sustained.  

Design Solution:


DinoVite vitamin bottle design is a new innovative approach to vitamin dispensing. It provides a controlled vitamin dispensing system for a 2 week cycle vitamin dosage for a child whereby the child is able to engage in obtaining a daily dosage under the watchful eye of a parent controlling its accessibility.

The main component of this design that makes it unique to the rest of vitamin containers is that it operates on a dual action system. It doesn’t compromise the child resistance factor, only disguising it so that the child is able to engage in responsibility and learn about health and safety through the control of a parent.

From the exterior of the design the centralised button is connected to the wheel within the design separating the vitamins. The operation of the container is easy to use and sufficient. This is not a complicated combination, only the strength of adult for child safety. It requires sustained push down pressure and then a twist motion to allow for the transfer of vitamins to the access point. With the use of a spring based system, it releases the wheel from a locked position in the ribs in the top casing and slots into the next set firmly therefore next day dosage. The ribs are rounded to making the transition from slot to slot easier and easy for parent to use on a busy schedule. This action is controlled by a parent as to when it’s down so the child has the experience of opening the door to the allocated amount.

The form of the DinoVite design was inspired from the branding surrounded by the historic dinosaur era. It’s shaped like a dinosaur egg with the added feature of the top casing texture with the skin of a dinosaur. This allows for greater interest by the consumer in the product compared to the plain translucent bottles. It adds another dimension to a vitamin container as a unique selling point allowing the child to want to take the vitamins thus create interest in a supermarket thus increase in sales due to differentiation although with the hidden feature of parental control as a unique selling point. The soft, gentle presents of the branding enable the parents to connect to reliability as such connecting it to their child. The smart branding slogan ‘mum’s choice’ represents the innocents of a child approving its safety form by a higher authority.

The design consists of a central wheel which allows the division of the vitamins per day. It encases space only for 2 vitamins per slot meaning per day for a child above 5 years old. This allows the parent to not fear of over dosing their child when refilling the container as it will only dispense the 2. The wheel allows separation of the vitamins restricting the child’s access when obtaining themselves after the mother has set the dosage.

The colour of the wheel has the potential to be changed according to the vitamin contained creating a unique selling point. Colour coding – orange = vitamin C, blue = Omega 3, purple = minerals. Association can be created to identify with contents.

The way it sits on the shelves, it is supported by an addition moulded casing to stand vertically enabling it to be viewed at full impact of its rounded nature, so when glancing to the shelves it standouts for the tall, slender bottling. It also has the ability to stack due to the balancing of the container, bottom smaller than top half and the base feature curving inwards is the same dimensions as the wheel button that sticks out, allowing nesting. This makes transport more stable and storage within medicine cupboards.

Since the design of the container is in two parts, combined together through the use of a screw thread it allows for further design development whereby the texture can reflect what is within. For example fish scale for omega 2, orange skin for vitamin C etc. This is to say this design application can be taken for child pharmaceuticals or older generation medicine containers were control of daily dosage is required under the supervision of a nurse.

From this advantage comes the ability for the container to be refilled. The screw thread feature allows the parent to re-use the container adding to environmental benefits. It is easy to refill as the top casing is deeper than the bottom allowing for easy allocation and then sealing for a busy working mother. Placing it upside down minimises the risk of parts flying everywhere. The vitamin container also having a wall section of 1.5mm, exhibits substantial strength for a container that can be used over and over again. The added benefit of the refillable packs when opened can’t be closed. This encourages the re use of the devise as the packaging of the refills are made of plastic film, a onetime use and cheaper refilling option, reducing the amount of bottling material as the DinoVite design is reusable, containing with sustainable container for freshness.

The DinoVite container is made from polypropylene which makes it a recyclable product when it comes to the point of end of use. This material allows for the possible design detail of a live hinge door on the bottom casing. This simplifies the design for the ability for a child to access the vitamins independent with a click in and out motion whilst the parent has the control of dosage and the time to administer. The whole container being made with no glues adds to the recycling processing as it reduces time spent in the disassembly of the parts and the harm to the environment. All parts are injected moulded making the production run much faster and efficient for the mass production of this product.

 

Pre Final Posters & Focus Group Exercise

 Today we assembled into focus groups with following peers within our class. The aim was to present your idea of child packaging through 4 posters without any oral presentation, so in return you are to listen to the feedback and discussion made about the communication of your packaging idea but also on the conceptual idea. This in turn would allow other peoples to critic your work objectively acting as a very helpful tool for improvement.

The following questions were the aim of obtaining feedback.

1.       What are the issues, difficulties or problems that my peer group found in understanding or interacting with my design, as expressed by my mock-up and posters?

• The referencing to the company logo has to be added to show the work is for the client.
•  Overpowering text, simplify it as pictures speak lower than words.
•  The scaling of the product with in the context of use as to be reduced.
• Improve the conciseness of the writing and enlarge the context of use on to one poster as it’s the main advantage to the design functionality.
• Look at the possibility of the door begin automatically opening on twist or having an other slot that is always open so there is the elimination of the door.
• The concept that the child had to interact thus the purpose to the live hinge door to allow for the child to seem as they were independent wasn’t clearly stated and missed.
• Increase the hands to demonstrate the usage
• Show the live hinge in the exploded view as had to be searched for within other posters.
• The clip on the door wasn’t visible enough, increase its size or indicate its location.
• Consider the shelving through having a pp made modelling holding the vitamins on the shelf showing the labelling.

2.       What are my strategies for addressing the issues found? What steps should I take to ensure that my posters communicate the merits of my design in the best possible way for Cormack industry critique next week?

• The reorganisation and making the text more concise will be reviewed as such to highlight the context of use on an individual page whereby the benefits and values will connect with environmental advantages.
• Creating a clear message of the child’s interaction but the parents functional selling of the vitamin bottle.
• Look at the spacing of the posters avoiding the tightness of the text.
• Include more photo representation as in the research component such as the existing bottles etc. to set the emotional problem.
• Look at redesign the handle clipping of the live hinge door.
• Set the project as exclusive to the Cormack client through the exhibiting their logo on the poster.

Design for Product Lifetime

Today’s team exercise was aimed to see how looking at a products assembly and the effort behind its dismantling contributes to the environment impact. It was interactive experience allowed us to see how the way we design impacts the life of a product. It demonstrates how the more difficult the disassembly and repair to recycle etc. the more likely the company doesn’t engage in its recycling as it cost more to commute with no market share gain as time can be spent creating a new one with profit. Seeing how its design, in terms of the amount of fasteners, materials choices, finishes and manufacturing processes impact its possibility to be even recycled or ending in landfill to begin with.  

As a team we analysed the design of a Breville Kettle, looking at the time of its disassembly…..1hr 16min 20sec 27ms and its difficulty in order to discovering possible solutions of improvement. We are to see how we could improve its disassembly &recycling – in terms of materials minimising, fastening standardising, component limiting (litre indicator), combining features  (5 buttons to 1), reducing manufacturing process (welding nozzle to main form), eliminating glues and aesthetical purpose parts, clear recycle labelling in order to encourage repair& upgrade – easier disassembly and standardising fixing encourages repair and upgrades of internal components (element) whereby the main kettle form that doesn’t change over time leading to improving durability –allowing for extended use of life were by internal component change and advance with existing main structure.

The below photos demosntrate the experince of difficulty and amount of matierals involved in the disassembly. Also the displaying the overall sketch solutions and exploration.

Review: 11th Hour

This video was one the most inspirational and had thought out views of the world in regards to the importance of the environment. As quoted we need a balance between human life and the environment. Our way of life and mass production of the industrial revolution is throwing this out of balance hence the effects of global warming. The video re articulates the phrase “save our environment” stating that it’s our life we need to save from eventually killing ourselves or suicide. We have created the unbalanced between nature. Action starts with us to fix the world and sustain the resources and life.

 You learn through the number of interviews presented that the way our world is as such of depleting resources and overdoing it, it is due to human nature having the quality of greed, the economy and superiority to that of nature rather than thinking we are a part of it. It’s importantly noted that the industrial revolution provided the thought of limitless resources thus accelerating usage. It highlights the destruction we as humans are creating pollution, deforestation, destroying ecosystems and landfills changing the environment. 

 The video points out the bridge between the people and government in failing to create a harmony between people and nature. The video is empowering, screaming out that people need to priorities, correct objects of desire and choice. We need to face reality and see the importance of losing the beauty of the world.

 The most motivated point is where they embrace design as such we need to consider cradle to cradle rather than to gravel so mass production to mass utilization. Looking at leading to sustainable design were new design is not visual, form is unlimited, it’s what’s inside – the performance, intelligent, structure will have the greater impact to the world and environment we live in.

The video ends with the idea that what we choose suggests our value of the environment. The level of awareness and then experience in consumer choice will make a difference. The inspiring ending focused on how to let us focus on local produce and nature. Your voice and action is the strongest power, embrace the love of the land and its existence to continue by being eco.

 3 key messages:

1.   Humans are in control of the affect made to the environment. We are to blame for the effect of global warming ever since the industrial revolution. It is due to the over use of resources, the importance of oil and the economy rather than sustainability. It’s the action of the government and the people who are responsible to change the world before it’s too late.
2. We need to find balance and harmony between human and environment that needs to be correct for the world and its life to be sustained. We are in control of our life with the idea of extinction being a possibility. FACE REALITY.
3. The idea of design moving from mass production to mass utilisation were design is eco in the sense that the materials chosen to use have to be cradle to cradle rather to gravel after use.

Why industrial designers should watch this video is because it gives them an insight as to how the industrial revolution which we are a part of has affected the environment. We as designers can start to change and reduce the effects of the environment by for example, looking at the lifecycle of a product, the materials we use are sustainable thus cradle to cradle rather than to gravel. We take influence from this video as does the way architecture can be adapted to use nature’s resources without harming it back. We can look at not depending on oil as a part of transport design but adapting solar technology and wind turbine design.  Our design challenge is to adapt as fast and intelligently as possible such as utilizing the sun as the main energy source rather than coal/oil. We as designers have to take notice in design the eco environmental saving it possess so that when people choose products its more than function but choosing to save the environment.

Review: Giving packaging a new life and How it’s made > Packaging

These short video clips explore the manufacturing process involved in recycling a material. It focuses on recycling existing resources that provide benefits to the environment by creating a more sustainable living and at the same time demonstrating the harm we do if we don’t.

 The videos demonstrate the possible recycled industrial materials with the advantages if done so. Such as recycling a material does more to sustain the existing resource and reduces the energy otherwise used in harvesting it raw. It is seen how products are easily produced through recycling that weren’t known such as cartons, cardboard boxes, bottles, pizza boxes, packaging tubes, toys (PET) etc. 

 Things that were learnt by watching these videos were that it was able to give an insight to many materials and how they are recycled very simply. It creates an awareness to understand the true meaning of trash equals treasure through recycling. Such as:

Paper/Cardboard boxes -An interesting point noted was that when producing new paper, 60% of it is already recycled paper. It was interesting to discover that cardboard and news print are solely made of recycled paper waste but most of all that toilet paper/tissues is 60 – 70% recycled. So the next time you go to the bathroom that’s something to think about?

Tetrapak - Not knowing the recycling capabilities of these packs were intriguing and informative, the packaging of juice, milk and sauces. It is done through the use of a pulpier and water to separate the layers which in turn get recycled. The paper form in cardboard/premium waste paper and the plastic and aluminium are used in the cement production.

 Tinplate – It was found that the magnetic component to separate tin was ingenious. Although it was intriguing to discover that tin makes up 40% of raw materials in the steel works which leads on to produce 15000 slabs making 9 billion new cans. At the sometime it can be recycled over and over again with no quality lost.

Aluminium (cans/tubes)-The most significant point in recycling aluminium is the energy saving component it has in recycling comparison and its 100% recyclability without deterioration. Such as producing sheets out of recycled aluminium saves 1/20 energy than mining it.

Glass (bottles)–Separating and separating…..it was an insight to the level of separation required, to the smallest degree to recycle and the tedious process to separate according to colour. Also knowing that glass can be endlessly recycled, using less energy than metal and plastic.

Plastic - bottles and jars - The most memorable quote stated about plastic was “properly separated is half recycled”. It’s shown how polystyrene is grounded and made into other polystyrene products, melted old films create new films and bottles are reprocessed into high grade granules. Although the disadvantage learnt is that reprocessing plastic may lose some of its physical properties.

 Other Industrial Designers should watch this video as it give you an insight into the significance of recycling and its possibilities to improving design and cost efficiency. It allows designers to see the benefit of aluminum recyclability as it doesn’t reduce in quality thus at the same time understanding its environmental saving as reducing the amount of energy required to process. Also the video demonstrates the process at which a particular design in made, this thus acting as a teaching aid on applying similar labeling techniques to designs can be adapted. It allows first hand to see how packaging materials can be manipulated thus the limitation to the physical properties plastic have. Understanding processing methods for each different material such as glass and how detail can be obtained rather that labeling. It gives an insight to how we design is what is making the landfills. Designers have to be vigilant regarding the environmental aspects to their design, understanding how to minimize the need to landfill and maximize recyclability and sustainability.

 3 most important messages

1. In understanding the physical properties of materials and their ability to be recycled allows for smarter design. Knowing that paper, glass and aluminum have that ability to be recycled over and over age without losing their physical properties is an advantage in terms of design and cost efficiency. Knowing this maximizes the materials resource capabilities and life. Thus allowing for more resourceful thinking rather than landfill.
2. Understanding the meaning of trash is treasure as such recycling add value to a company through the benefits of reusing materials and reducing cost on the environment as such the materials life cycle doesn’t end at landfill becoming something useful, functional as the  previous.
3. The process of recycling will reduce the harm on the environment.

To see these videos go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/dsdgpanl?feature=results_main and http://ides1031.blogspot.com.au/search/label/packaging