This thesis presents the proposed design for a modular concept for three oven products for Collins Aerospace, that answers the design assignment:
“Develop a concept for three modular aerospace galley oven products sharing a common chassis and have a minimum amount of unique parts to create a new business opportunity in the form of new products for Collins Aerospace.”

Collins Aerospace is a leading provider of aerospace solutions. Its galley inserts division specialises in designing in-flight galley equipment for commercial aircraft. These products are developed to meet strict aerospace industry standards and customer needs. Part of the galley inserts portfolio are convection and steam ovens, which heat up meals up to 170 °C, and bun warmers, which use static air to warm bread up to 80 °C. Currently, Collins Aerospace offers these products in standardised galley sizes, including Size 2 ovens and Size 4 bun warmers. There is a limited demand for the proposed new products for this project are a Size 4 oven, Size 4 bun warmer, and Size 5 bun warmer, making individual development not feasible, the modular approach could help to address this gap in the portfolio. A Size 2 measures 563 × 287 × 570 mm, a Size 4 is half the height of a Size 2, and a Size 5 is half the depth of a Size 4.

To address the assignment, the Double Diamond design process is followed, consisting of the phases: Analyse, Define, Design, and Deliver. Throughout all phases, an integrated approach is applied by focusing on three key perspectives: the user, business, and technology.

In the Analyse phase the user, business, and technology context and needs are researched. The key insights from this phase lead to the main design drivers and list of requirements and wishes set in the Define phase. The main design drivers that are the basis of the following phases are:
Main Design Drivers:
- The products must be usable for flight attendants when placed above worktop height.
- All three products share a common door design and fit product specific elements within a shared frame. Next to the door, shared components should be commonly designed wherever possible.
- The three products fit in the existing design language of the Essence and Modus collection of Collins Aerospace.
- The oven should have a capacity of at least 12 meals, with and extended goal of 16 meals.
In the Design phase, multiple design directions were explored. With criteria derived from the main design drivers and requirements the most suitable design direction was chosen. In the Deliver phase the layout of the elements, user interface, and integration in the Collins Aerospace design language was developed and validated.

This final design answers the assignment by proposing a modular design for three galley oven products, with a shared chassis, door, inner oven, user interface, and electronics between two or three of the products. Only a minimal amount of product specific element are required to define the individual product, primarily the heating elements. The design is user-centered, with an angled interface positioned on the side of the product to ensure ergonomic use for flight attendants. By combining these technical and user-focused aspects, the concept provides a business opportunity to expand the galley inserts portfolio for Collins Aerospace.

Recommendations include conducting further testing with a broader, international user group and validating the heating performance of the proposed products.

Over the last few years, technological innovations led to the development of new haptic interfaces. SenseGlove, a Dutch technology start-up, developed an exoskeleton-based haptic interface capable of motion tracking and providing haptic feedback. The academic industry has been identified as a potential target group for this product. However, before this thesis, there is no to little understanding of the user concerns of this target group. Traditional design methodologies enable the designer to envision the context, problems and solutions. In this thesis, due to the complexity of the project scope and the users' future orientation, the vision of target users is the primary design driver. In a series of interviews, future visions of target users are collected, compared and synthesized towards vision drivers. These vision drivers are the key element for the development of a new product concept. Through an iterative process, in which all project stakeholders are involved, a future-proof concept has been developed. The final design has been prototyped and evaluated by target users, proving the concept to be promising.