Greentom Nova

Abstract

The goal of this project is to develop a concept for the next generation of Greentom products that is more sustainable than their current product line by applying Circular Economy. The result will be a child buggy, which is optimised to be produced, assembled, re-used, repaired, refurbished and recycled in Europe by Greentom. In other words: can Greentom develop a buggy that closes its own loops locally, and thus has a minimum impact on the environment? Developing a whole new buggy as graduation assignment was deemed not desirable. Thus the focus of this project is on the foldability, usability, safety, stability, strength, stiffness and sustainability of the buggy frame in relation to the whole buggy. In the analysis phase the company, the competitors, the target group, the material, the production, the regulations, the ergonomics and the sustainability aspects of the future buggy are analysed in order to create a guiding program of requirements for the frame. The vision to develop a buggy that ‘enables the target group to happily use the product to transport their child’ was created to ensure a result that is able to stand out in the market. Happiness requires the experience of a satisfactory current state whilst using the product and working to a desirable future state to occur. A good basic product for the child as well as the parent is required to create the satisfactory current state. A safe and sustainable product ensures the possibility to achieve the desirable future state. Ideas were generated based on this vision and requirements to develop a buggy-frame that is able to facilitate a safe and responsible transportation of children with a minimised environmental impact through no-nonsense, minimalistic design strong enough to survive intensive use. The most promising ideas were further developed into concepts from which the ‘Honeycomb concept’ was chosen to be further developed. The idea of the ‘Honeycomb concept’ is to create a shell based buggy that can be produced in three main injection moulded parts of the same recycled material, which is reinforced where needed by adding nature inspired structures. This concept was further developed resulting in the final concept of chapter 16, the Greentom Nova. The buggy is estimated to pass the stability, strength and safety standards of the EN 1888 norm, even though not all frame related strength tests can be proven with simulations. Based on the results it is estimated that a prototype will be able to pass the tests with some extra adaptions. Design for (dis)assembly strategies are applied to make the buggy easy to assemble, repair, refurbish and recycle. The buggy is also adapted to be as much Greentom compatible as possible. This means that this buggy concept uses the same front wheels as, for example, the current Greentom line to make part exchange possible. Finally a more organic shape style is proposed to communicate the sustainability of the buggy by creating a visual link with nature. Based on literature analysis, tests, calculations and simulations it is estimated that it should be possible for Greentom to create the next level sustainable buggy. However further developments are required to work out the Greentom Nova into a product that makes Greentom’s future customers happy.