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H. Kuipers
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10 records found
1
A New Baby Carrier Design
For travelling with an infant by plane
When flying with an infant, parents typically choose the option to travel with their infant on their lap. This is the cheapest way for an infant to travel by plane, and is an available option for all destinations with all European airlines. However, this travel method causes discomfort for parents, as they are constantly required to hold their infant and attend to the child s needs in a tight surrounding.
The Amsterdam based company, Wick Wings, has come up with an idea that could offer parents a comfortable solution for travelling with their infant by plane: a baby carrier designed specifically for use on a plane*. This concept forms the base of this graduation project for the master Integrated Product Design, with the following objective:
‘Designing, building, and testing a hands-free travel solution in the form of a baby carrier for use on a plane, during medium-haul and long-haul flights with a baby of 0-12 months old, taking into account European regulations only.’*
To complete this project, a design approach was used with a strong focus on prototyping to make decisions about the embodiment of the final product. The design process started with a research phase, which included research methods such as market analysis, expert interviews, participatory research, and the studying of many online sources. This research phase was followed by intertwined ideation, conceptualisation and embodiment phases, resulting in a working prototype for a new baby carrier design for travelling by plane with an infant.
The research phase showed that there are many different baby carriers available on the market that meet the specific requirements to enable ergonomically sound carrying for both parent and infant. These carriers do contain some attributes that are convenient for travelling by plane, however they also contain attributes that are inconvenient for this use context.
Baby carriers are not allowed for use on a plane during all stages of a flight, and must be detached when the fasten seatbelt light is turned on. However, baby carriers are not easy detachable in the tight space available to individual passengers on a plane. Additionally, parents’ desires to alternate parental duties during a flight requires easy attaching and detaching of a baby carrier as well.
The product solution that was created for the project is The Wick Carrier. The product introduces a new baby carrier system, that allows for easy attaching and detaching of the infant to the parent, both while standing and sitting.
The final prototype of The Wick Carrier was tested with parents and infants to validate the design, and formulate additional design recommendations for further developing the product for introduction on the market.
* Slightly adjusted to follow an embargo on the results of this graduation report.
...
The Amsterdam based company, Wick Wings, has come up with an idea that could offer parents a comfortable solution for travelling with their infant by plane: a baby carrier designed specifically for use on a plane*. This concept forms the base of this graduation project for the master Integrated Product Design, with the following objective:
‘Designing, building, and testing a hands-free travel solution in the form of a baby carrier for use on a plane, during medium-haul and long-haul flights with a baby of 0-12 months old, taking into account European regulations only.’*
To complete this project, a design approach was used with a strong focus on prototyping to make decisions about the embodiment of the final product. The design process started with a research phase, which included research methods such as market analysis, expert interviews, participatory research, and the studying of many online sources. This research phase was followed by intertwined ideation, conceptualisation and embodiment phases, resulting in a working prototype for a new baby carrier design for travelling by plane with an infant.
The research phase showed that there are many different baby carriers available on the market that meet the specific requirements to enable ergonomically sound carrying for both parent and infant. These carriers do contain some attributes that are convenient for travelling by plane, however they also contain attributes that are inconvenient for this use context.
Baby carriers are not allowed for use on a plane during all stages of a flight, and must be detached when the fasten seatbelt light is turned on. However, baby carriers are not easy detachable in the tight space available to individual passengers on a plane. Additionally, parents’ desires to alternate parental duties during a flight requires easy attaching and detaching of a baby carrier as well.
The product solution that was created for the project is The Wick Carrier. The product introduces a new baby carrier system, that allows for easy attaching and detaching of the infant to the parent, both while standing and sitting.
The final prototype of The Wick Carrier was tested with parents and infants to validate the design, and formulate additional design recommendations for further developing the product for introduction on the market.
* Slightly adjusted to follow an embargo on the results of this graduation report.
...
When flying with an infant, parents typically choose the option to travel with their infant on their lap. This is the cheapest way for an infant to travel by plane, and is an available option for all destinations with all European airlines. However, this travel method causes discomfort for parents, as they are constantly required to hold their infant and attend to the child s needs in a tight surrounding.
The Amsterdam based company, Wick Wings, has come up with an idea that could offer parents a comfortable solution for travelling with their infant by plane: a baby carrier designed specifically for use on a plane*. This concept forms the base of this graduation project for the master Integrated Product Design, with the following objective:
‘Designing, building, and testing a hands-free travel solution in the form of a baby carrier for use on a plane, during medium-haul and long-haul flights with a baby of 0-12 months old, taking into account European regulations only.’*
To complete this project, a design approach was used with a strong focus on prototyping to make decisions about the embodiment of the final product. The design process started with a research phase, which included research methods such as market analysis, expert interviews, participatory research, and the studying of many online sources. This research phase was followed by intertwined ideation, conceptualisation and embodiment phases, resulting in a working prototype for a new baby carrier design for travelling by plane with an infant.
The research phase showed that there are many different baby carriers available on the market that meet the specific requirements to enable ergonomically sound carrying for both parent and infant. These carriers do contain some attributes that are convenient for travelling by plane, however they also contain attributes that are inconvenient for this use context.
Baby carriers are not allowed for use on a plane during all stages of a flight, and must be detached when the fasten seatbelt light is turned on. However, baby carriers are not easy detachable in the tight space available to individual passengers on a plane. Additionally, parents’ desires to alternate parental duties during a flight requires easy attaching and detaching of a baby carrier as well.
The product solution that was created for the project is The Wick Carrier. The product introduces a new baby carrier system, that allows for easy attaching and detaching of the infant to the parent, both while standing and sitting.
The final prototype of The Wick Carrier was tested with parents and infants to validate the design, and formulate additional design recommendations for further developing the product for introduction on the market.
* Slightly adjusted to follow an embargo on the results of this graduation report.
The Amsterdam based company, Wick Wings, has come up with an idea that could offer parents a comfortable solution for travelling with their infant by plane: a baby carrier designed specifically for use on a plane*. This concept forms the base of this graduation project for the master Integrated Product Design, with the following objective:
‘Designing, building, and testing a hands-free travel solution in the form of a baby carrier for use on a plane, during medium-haul and long-haul flights with a baby of 0-12 months old, taking into account European regulations only.’*
To complete this project, a design approach was used with a strong focus on prototyping to make decisions about the embodiment of the final product. The design process started with a research phase, which included research methods such as market analysis, expert interviews, participatory research, and the studying of many online sources. This research phase was followed by intertwined ideation, conceptualisation and embodiment phases, resulting in a working prototype for a new baby carrier design for travelling by plane with an infant.
The research phase showed that there are many different baby carriers available on the market that meet the specific requirements to enable ergonomically sound carrying for both parent and infant. These carriers do contain some attributes that are convenient for travelling by plane, however they also contain attributes that are inconvenient for this use context.
Baby carriers are not allowed for use on a plane during all stages of a flight, and must be detached when the fasten seatbelt light is turned on. However, baby carriers are not easy detachable in the tight space available to individual passengers on a plane. Additionally, parents’ desires to alternate parental duties during a flight requires easy attaching and detaching of a baby carrier as well.
The product solution that was created for the project is The Wick Carrier. The product introduces a new baby carrier system, that allows for easy attaching and detaching of the infant to the parent, both while standing and sitting.
The final prototype of The Wick Carrier was tested with parents and infants to validate the design, and formulate additional design recommendations for further developing the product for introduction on the market.
* Slightly adjusted to follow an embargo on the results of this graduation report.
ReSpire-F
Cooling vest for the female soldier
This thesis is about the adaptation of the design of the ReSpire cooling vest for female soldiers for in a military operational context. For cooling, the principle of ventilation by air and evaporation of sweat was used to extract heat from the body. The objective of this project was to design a version of the cooling vest which would fit the female soldier and provide an effective level of cooling.
In the recent past, incidents have occurred in the Defense Department where soldiers have been affected by heat stress and have suffered severe consequences, even fatalities. As a result, research has been initiated to find a way to cool soldiers during the performance of their operational tasks. It was determined that by means of a cooling vest that can be worn under the ballistic protection, the soldier can be cooled effectively and appropriately within the requirements of the equipment.
With the Ministry of Defense’s intention to recruit more women into the various branches of the military, the need has come to make the cooling vest suitable for use by female military personnel.
Due to physiological differences between men and women, the design had to be changed to ensure that airflow would be effectively directed across the body. This was primarily due to the difference in regional sweat distribution, as evaporation of liquid sweat is necessary to achieve the required cooling capacity.
To create an appropriate fit for the shells, the physical differences between men and women were examined, as well as the body shape variation among women. Also, what and how in previous research has been determined what causes discomfort with equipment in female military personnel. In addition, a virtual anthropometric model was developed. In addition, a virtual anthropometric model was developed to determine the appropriate dimensions and shape for the shells.
From these findings, a design vision has been dictated with a schedule of requirements for how the final design could fit, but also provide sufficient and effective ventilation.
In the ideation phase, inspiration was drawn from the sports apparel industry how to design for shape variation and what appropriate principles would be for the ReSpire-F design. For various aspects of the shells, it has been identified what possible adjustments could be made and how these could be merged into workable solutions. These are clustered and formed into concepts, which are then weighed. Physical prototypes were made of the selected ideas, which could be tested for airflow distribution and wearing comfort. To assess wearing comfort, tests were performed on mobility and perceived discomfort, which was determined by means of the Locally Perceived Discomfort scale.
From the observations and results of this test, a chest shell design has been selected that should be suitable for different female military personnel, because it takes into account the deformation of the body under pressure and encloses the shape in the circumferential direction.
For further development, the design allows for optimisation of the configuration of the airducts, in order to improve the effective distribution.
...
In the recent past, incidents have occurred in the Defense Department where soldiers have been affected by heat stress and have suffered severe consequences, even fatalities. As a result, research has been initiated to find a way to cool soldiers during the performance of their operational tasks. It was determined that by means of a cooling vest that can be worn under the ballistic protection, the soldier can be cooled effectively and appropriately within the requirements of the equipment.
With the Ministry of Defense’s intention to recruit more women into the various branches of the military, the need has come to make the cooling vest suitable for use by female military personnel.
Due to physiological differences between men and women, the design had to be changed to ensure that airflow would be effectively directed across the body. This was primarily due to the difference in regional sweat distribution, as evaporation of liquid sweat is necessary to achieve the required cooling capacity.
To create an appropriate fit for the shells, the physical differences between men and women were examined, as well as the body shape variation among women. Also, what and how in previous research has been determined what causes discomfort with equipment in female military personnel. In addition, a virtual anthropometric model was developed. In addition, a virtual anthropometric model was developed to determine the appropriate dimensions and shape for the shells.
From these findings, a design vision has been dictated with a schedule of requirements for how the final design could fit, but also provide sufficient and effective ventilation.
In the ideation phase, inspiration was drawn from the sports apparel industry how to design for shape variation and what appropriate principles would be for the ReSpire-F design. For various aspects of the shells, it has been identified what possible adjustments could be made and how these could be merged into workable solutions. These are clustered and formed into concepts, which are then weighed. Physical prototypes were made of the selected ideas, which could be tested for airflow distribution and wearing comfort. To assess wearing comfort, tests were performed on mobility and perceived discomfort, which was determined by means of the Locally Perceived Discomfort scale.
From the observations and results of this test, a chest shell design has been selected that should be suitable for different female military personnel, because it takes into account the deformation of the body under pressure and encloses the shape in the circumferential direction.
For further development, the design allows for optimisation of the configuration of the airducts, in order to improve the effective distribution.
...
This thesis is about the adaptation of the design of the ReSpire cooling vest for female soldiers for in a military operational context. For cooling, the principle of ventilation by air and evaporation of sweat was used to extract heat from the body. The objective of this project was to design a version of the cooling vest which would fit the female soldier and provide an effective level of cooling.
In the recent past, incidents have occurred in the Defense Department where soldiers have been affected by heat stress and have suffered severe consequences, even fatalities. As a result, research has been initiated to find a way to cool soldiers during the performance of their operational tasks. It was determined that by means of a cooling vest that can be worn under the ballistic protection, the soldier can be cooled effectively and appropriately within the requirements of the equipment.
With the Ministry of Defense’s intention to recruit more women into the various branches of the military, the need has come to make the cooling vest suitable for use by female military personnel.
Due to physiological differences between men and women, the design had to be changed to ensure that airflow would be effectively directed across the body. This was primarily due to the difference in regional sweat distribution, as evaporation of liquid sweat is necessary to achieve the required cooling capacity.
To create an appropriate fit for the shells, the physical differences between men and women were examined, as well as the body shape variation among women. Also, what and how in previous research has been determined what causes discomfort with equipment in female military personnel. In addition, a virtual anthropometric model was developed. In addition, a virtual anthropometric model was developed to determine the appropriate dimensions and shape for the shells.
From these findings, a design vision has been dictated with a schedule of requirements for how the final design could fit, but also provide sufficient and effective ventilation.
In the ideation phase, inspiration was drawn from the sports apparel industry how to design for shape variation and what appropriate principles would be for the ReSpire-F design. For various aspects of the shells, it has been identified what possible adjustments could be made and how these could be merged into workable solutions. These are clustered and formed into concepts, which are then weighed. Physical prototypes were made of the selected ideas, which could be tested for airflow distribution and wearing comfort. To assess wearing comfort, tests were performed on mobility and perceived discomfort, which was determined by means of the Locally Perceived Discomfort scale.
From the observations and results of this test, a chest shell design has been selected that should be suitable for different female military personnel, because it takes into account the deformation of the body under pressure and encloses the shape in the circumferential direction.
For further development, the design allows for optimisation of the configuration of the airducts, in order to improve the effective distribution.
In the recent past, incidents have occurred in the Defense Department where soldiers have been affected by heat stress and have suffered severe consequences, even fatalities. As a result, research has been initiated to find a way to cool soldiers during the performance of their operational tasks. It was determined that by means of a cooling vest that can be worn under the ballistic protection, the soldier can be cooled effectively and appropriately within the requirements of the equipment.
With the Ministry of Defense’s intention to recruit more women into the various branches of the military, the need has come to make the cooling vest suitable for use by female military personnel.
Due to physiological differences between men and women, the design had to be changed to ensure that airflow would be effectively directed across the body. This was primarily due to the difference in regional sweat distribution, as evaporation of liquid sweat is necessary to achieve the required cooling capacity.
To create an appropriate fit for the shells, the physical differences between men and women were examined, as well as the body shape variation among women. Also, what and how in previous research has been determined what causes discomfort with equipment in female military personnel. In addition, a virtual anthropometric model was developed. In addition, a virtual anthropometric model was developed to determine the appropriate dimensions and shape for the shells.
From these findings, a design vision has been dictated with a schedule of requirements for how the final design could fit, but also provide sufficient and effective ventilation.
In the ideation phase, inspiration was drawn from the sports apparel industry how to design for shape variation and what appropriate principles would be for the ReSpire-F design. For various aspects of the shells, it has been identified what possible adjustments could be made and how these could be merged into workable solutions. These are clustered and formed into concepts, which are then weighed. Physical prototypes were made of the selected ideas, which could be tested for airflow distribution and wearing comfort. To assess wearing comfort, tests were performed on mobility and perceived discomfort, which was determined by means of the Locally Perceived Discomfort scale.
From the observations and results of this test, a chest shell design has been selected that should be suitable for different female military personnel, because it takes into account the deformation of the body under pressure and encloses the shape in the circumferential direction.
For further development, the design allows for optimisation of the configuration of the airducts, in order to improve the effective distribution.
Design a Personal Thermal Comfort Product for Bosch
To design a personalized energy efficient heating solution for the in-door environment
With the already happening governmental regulations(The Netherlands), an increase in consumer price of natural gas is noticeable. With COVID-19 and now the war in Ukraine energy resources are becoming increasingly expensive. 90 percent Dutch houses are heated with gas. Based on the energy consultant, gas supplies an average to 9769 kWh of energy per m3. Each house use up to 1500 m3 per year. 14654 kWh for a year on an average is needed for one household. A heat pump (HP) needs about 6513 kWh average per year depending on type house, size and season. From society we are going through a shift from gas to electricity. For a house this can be done with replacing a gas based boiler with for instance a heat pump. But it doesn’t necessarily provide people the same scale of thermal comfort. Shouldn’t we rethink the way we feel comfortable in our homes? Design opportunities that contributes to Bosch’s future vision and mission are explored. The problem at the heart of this project is defined as: To what extent can a product increase the personal thermal comfort of the user and be more energy efficient? And can therefore a personal product provide the necessary heat if the central heating temperature settings is set to 18°C? User-centered design and thermal comfort are the key methodology and research supporting this project. Both were used for exploring the relationship between users’ behaviour (personal heaters) and the influencing factors, thereby providing valuable insights for all design directions. This project is finalized with a product concept, “Ori”, a flexible Far Infrared (FIR) heater that has multi product configurations and use-cases. It applies various design criteria based on the inputs of thermal comfort research, user interviews, heating technology research, aiming and product flexibility configurations to create a personal experience for users. If the challenges are addressed, Ori could be a valuable product for Bosch’s consumer products portfolio and offer the user financial benefit and a decrease in yearly electrical energy consumption. Ori will use up to 229 kWh per year which is nearly 10 times less compared to a conventional personal heater (2148 kWh). The performance would be measurable through a simulation of a working HP, a room, a user, Ori and a Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) measurement device that address thermal comfort (ISO 7730). In addition to this concept, this project has addressed possible opportunities and requirements in the field of FIR heating, which could be used as an input for other relevant product developments within Bosch’s (thermal) comfort and well-being department.
...
With the already happening governmental regulations(The Netherlands), an increase in consumer price of natural gas is noticeable. With COVID-19 and now the war in Ukraine energy resources are becoming increasingly expensive. 90 percent Dutch houses are heated with gas. Based on the energy consultant, gas supplies an average to 9769 kWh of energy per m3. Each house use up to 1500 m3 per year. 14654 kWh for a year on an average is needed for one household. A heat pump (HP) needs about 6513 kWh average per year depending on type house, size and season. From society we are going through a shift from gas to electricity. For a house this can be done with replacing a gas based boiler with for instance a heat pump. But it doesn’t necessarily provide people the same scale of thermal comfort. Shouldn’t we rethink the way we feel comfortable in our homes? Design opportunities that contributes to Bosch’s future vision and mission are explored. The problem at the heart of this project is defined as: To what extent can a product increase the personal thermal comfort of the user and be more energy efficient? And can therefore a personal product provide the necessary heat if the central heating temperature settings is set to 18°C? User-centered design and thermal comfort are the key methodology and research supporting this project. Both were used for exploring the relationship between users’ behaviour (personal heaters) and the influencing factors, thereby providing valuable insights for all design directions. This project is finalized with a product concept, “Ori”, a flexible Far Infrared (FIR) heater that has multi product configurations and use-cases. It applies various design criteria based on the inputs of thermal comfort research, user interviews, heating technology research, aiming and product flexibility configurations to create a personal experience for users. If the challenges are addressed, Ori could be a valuable product for Bosch’s consumer products portfolio and offer the user financial benefit and a decrease in yearly electrical energy consumption. Ori will use up to 229 kWh per year which is nearly 10 times less compared to a conventional personal heater (2148 kWh). The performance would be measurable through a simulation of a working HP, a room, a user, Ori and a Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) measurement device that address thermal comfort (ISO 7730). In addition to this concept, this project has addressed possible opportunities and requirements in the field of FIR heating, which could be used as an input for other relevant product developments within Bosch’s (thermal) comfort and well-being department.
Improved production value through organised DFMA
Allowing for one big manufacturing step less through redesigning a recreational vehicle fridge
Thetford needs to improve their efficiency to generate more output, make space on their full factory floor for new products and decrease their human dependency at their absorption refrigerator plant in Etten-Leur. The market becomes more competitive and that is why Thetford choose to change its strategy from customer intimacy towards product leadership. This strategy is focused on generating new revolutionary products like iNDUS. The existing product portfolio does not alter much though while the output increased the past year and is not going to decline the coming years while new products are introduced. So how is Thetford going to generate more output with less people on reduced floor space?
In 2018 a feasibility study was done to explore the possibility of eliminating one big manufacturing step. The project was called ‘one-step foaming’ because the manufacturing route was designed to contain two foaming steps for isolating the fridge and could be shortened to just one foaming step. One-step foaming could fulfill the strategic needs of Thetford because of the necessary changes in the manufacturing route and design: one big foaming machine less and less assembly steps. The study was successful, but the design was not feasible for mass-production yet. A next step should be taken to further improve the manufacturing route and design.
This project tended to improve one-step foaming up to a level that would increase the output by at least 20% while reducing the necessary floor space by at least 20%. The method chosen to achieve this was by applying a DFMA study on both the present product and a product of a competitor. The lessons learnt would generate a design where the value of the work of production workers would be highest. Meaning: no use of materials or handling that would not add any value to the external customer. The customer is not going to pay more for this internal manufacturing change and that is why the project should result in a cost neutral business case while also generating the same customer experience.
The result is one concept, chosen from 3, that has an output increase of probably 57% with the same amount of workers, floor space reduction of 42% and cost price reduction compared to the new expected encasement of €11,83 with an investment of €250.000. These numbers are calculated only for the implementation of one-step foaming on the 140L fridge line (the beaker or N4140) and not the tabletop or the larger fridges. The assumption made is that new encasement regulation will be introduced resulting in a big change Thetford. The encasement regulation means that Thetford needs to change their cheap and light-weight cardboard encasement with heavy sheet metal encasement. When one-step foaming will be introduced on the 140L fridge line it will allow for usage of the automatic line 2nd step machine to foam other fridges as well.
The next step after this project is to validate the concepts by making a prototype. The project shows a high potential for Thetford to remain competitive on both the present and new product portfolio while not needing to move to another plant. Validation makes the promises of one-step foaming more realistic. Another important lesson for Thetford from this project is to rethink their level op operational excellence. In the past efficient production and high output were not important but they are now. Thetford is already started improving by implementing automation but it could do more in the sense of DFA and active automation. There is still high potential improvement to increase the level of operational excellence for Thetford and one-step foaming shows this.
...
In 2018 a feasibility study was done to explore the possibility of eliminating one big manufacturing step. The project was called ‘one-step foaming’ because the manufacturing route was designed to contain two foaming steps for isolating the fridge and could be shortened to just one foaming step. One-step foaming could fulfill the strategic needs of Thetford because of the necessary changes in the manufacturing route and design: one big foaming machine less and less assembly steps. The study was successful, but the design was not feasible for mass-production yet. A next step should be taken to further improve the manufacturing route and design.
This project tended to improve one-step foaming up to a level that would increase the output by at least 20% while reducing the necessary floor space by at least 20%. The method chosen to achieve this was by applying a DFMA study on both the present product and a product of a competitor. The lessons learnt would generate a design where the value of the work of production workers would be highest. Meaning: no use of materials or handling that would not add any value to the external customer. The customer is not going to pay more for this internal manufacturing change and that is why the project should result in a cost neutral business case while also generating the same customer experience.
The result is one concept, chosen from 3, that has an output increase of probably 57% with the same amount of workers, floor space reduction of 42% and cost price reduction compared to the new expected encasement of €11,83 with an investment of €250.000. These numbers are calculated only for the implementation of one-step foaming on the 140L fridge line (the beaker or N4140) and not the tabletop or the larger fridges. The assumption made is that new encasement regulation will be introduced resulting in a big change Thetford. The encasement regulation means that Thetford needs to change their cheap and light-weight cardboard encasement with heavy sheet metal encasement. When one-step foaming will be introduced on the 140L fridge line it will allow for usage of the automatic line 2nd step machine to foam other fridges as well.
The next step after this project is to validate the concepts by making a prototype. The project shows a high potential for Thetford to remain competitive on both the present and new product portfolio while not needing to move to another plant. Validation makes the promises of one-step foaming more realistic. Another important lesson for Thetford from this project is to rethink their level op operational excellence. In the past efficient production and high output were not important but they are now. Thetford is already started improving by implementing automation but it could do more in the sense of DFA and active automation. There is still high potential improvement to increase the level of operational excellence for Thetford and one-step foaming shows this.
...
Thetford needs to improve their efficiency to generate more output, make space on their full factory floor for new products and decrease their human dependency at their absorption refrigerator plant in Etten-Leur. The market becomes more competitive and that is why Thetford choose to change its strategy from customer intimacy towards product leadership. This strategy is focused on generating new revolutionary products like iNDUS. The existing product portfolio does not alter much though while the output increased the past year and is not going to decline the coming years while new products are introduced. So how is Thetford going to generate more output with less people on reduced floor space?
In 2018 a feasibility study was done to explore the possibility of eliminating one big manufacturing step. The project was called ‘one-step foaming’ because the manufacturing route was designed to contain two foaming steps for isolating the fridge and could be shortened to just one foaming step. One-step foaming could fulfill the strategic needs of Thetford because of the necessary changes in the manufacturing route and design: one big foaming machine less and less assembly steps. The study was successful, but the design was not feasible for mass-production yet. A next step should be taken to further improve the manufacturing route and design.
This project tended to improve one-step foaming up to a level that would increase the output by at least 20% while reducing the necessary floor space by at least 20%. The method chosen to achieve this was by applying a DFMA study on both the present product and a product of a competitor. The lessons learnt would generate a design where the value of the work of production workers would be highest. Meaning: no use of materials or handling that would not add any value to the external customer. The customer is not going to pay more for this internal manufacturing change and that is why the project should result in a cost neutral business case while also generating the same customer experience.
The result is one concept, chosen from 3, that has an output increase of probably 57% with the same amount of workers, floor space reduction of 42% and cost price reduction compared to the new expected encasement of €11,83 with an investment of €250.000. These numbers are calculated only for the implementation of one-step foaming on the 140L fridge line (the beaker or N4140) and not the tabletop or the larger fridges. The assumption made is that new encasement regulation will be introduced resulting in a big change Thetford. The encasement regulation means that Thetford needs to change their cheap and light-weight cardboard encasement with heavy sheet metal encasement. When one-step foaming will be introduced on the 140L fridge line it will allow for usage of the automatic line 2nd step machine to foam other fridges as well.
The next step after this project is to validate the concepts by making a prototype. The project shows a high potential for Thetford to remain competitive on both the present and new product portfolio while not needing to move to another plant. Validation makes the promises of one-step foaming more realistic. Another important lesson for Thetford from this project is to rethink their level op operational excellence. In the past efficient production and high output were not important but they are now. Thetford is already started improving by implementing automation but it could do more in the sense of DFA and active automation. There is still high potential improvement to increase the level of operational excellence for Thetford and one-step foaming shows this.
In 2018 a feasibility study was done to explore the possibility of eliminating one big manufacturing step. The project was called ‘one-step foaming’ because the manufacturing route was designed to contain two foaming steps for isolating the fridge and could be shortened to just one foaming step. One-step foaming could fulfill the strategic needs of Thetford because of the necessary changes in the manufacturing route and design: one big foaming machine less and less assembly steps. The study was successful, but the design was not feasible for mass-production yet. A next step should be taken to further improve the manufacturing route and design.
This project tended to improve one-step foaming up to a level that would increase the output by at least 20% while reducing the necessary floor space by at least 20%. The method chosen to achieve this was by applying a DFMA study on both the present product and a product of a competitor. The lessons learnt would generate a design where the value of the work of production workers would be highest. Meaning: no use of materials or handling that would not add any value to the external customer. The customer is not going to pay more for this internal manufacturing change and that is why the project should result in a cost neutral business case while also generating the same customer experience.
The result is one concept, chosen from 3, that has an output increase of probably 57% with the same amount of workers, floor space reduction of 42% and cost price reduction compared to the new expected encasement of €11,83 with an investment of €250.000. These numbers are calculated only for the implementation of one-step foaming on the 140L fridge line (the beaker or N4140) and not the tabletop or the larger fridges. The assumption made is that new encasement regulation will be introduced resulting in a big change Thetford. The encasement regulation means that Thetford needs to change their cheap and light-weight cardboard encasement with heavy sheet metal encasement. When one-step foaming will be introduced on the 140L fridge line it will allow for usage of the automatic line 2nd step machine to foam other fridges as well.
The next step after this project is to validate the concepts by making a prototype. The project shows a high potential for Thetford to remain competitive on both the present and new product portfolio while not needing to move to another plant. Validation makes the promises of one-step foaming more realistic. Another important lesson for Thetford from this project is to rethink their level op operational excellence. In the past efficient production and high output were not important but they are now. Thetford is already started improving by implementing automation but it could do more in the sense of DFA and active automation. There is still high potential improvement to increase the level of operational excellence for Thetford and one-step foaming shows this.
This graduation project starts with the goal of making a mobility hub as part of living services. In the project, the service scope of a mobility hub is a community, and the service objects are residents of that community. The concept of living services in the project is defined as the living service package which includes the rental service and a series of additional shared services, such as shared space, cleaning and maintenance. Online surveys and qualitative interviews are conducted to understand how different types of users participate in shared mobility and shared living services, as well as their needs and expectations for community-scaled shared services. The results show that tenants living in shared living communities have higher demand and expectations for shared services, thus are regarded as the target users. Moreover, it is found that there is strong association between people's community life and their participation in shared services. In addition to the physical shared facilities and space, tenants expect value-added services to help them use shared services without concerns and better manage their community life. In the design phase, DUWO community is taken as an example for designing a living service concept including mobility, to support tenants' community life. The final design, DUWO community service platform, is not limited to the functional combination of shared mobility and shared living services, but also makes up for the deficiencies of DUWO's shared services in supporting services and neighborhood interaction. The platform integrates all DUWO's living services including shared mobility, and also provides tenants with neighborhood interaction and communication services. Additionally, communitybot is provided as a community service assistant, responsible for answering users' questions and providing users with suggestions and information based on their living conditions.
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This graduation project starts with the goal of making a mobility hub as part of living services. In the project, the service scope of a mobility hub is a community, and the service objects are residents of that community. The concept of living services in the project is defined as the living service package which includes the rental service and a series of additional shared services, such as shared space, cleaning and maintenance. Online surveys and qualitative interviews are conducted to understand how different types of users participate in shared mobility and shared living services, as well as their needs and expectations for community-scaled shared services. The results show that tenants living in shared living communities have higher demand and expectations for shared services, thus are regarded as the target users. Moreover, it is found that there is strong association between people's community life and their participation in shared services. In addition to the physical shared facilities and space, tenants expect value-added services to help them use shared services without concerns and better manage their community life. In the design phase, DUWO community is taken as an example for designing a living service concept including mobility, to support tenants' community life. The final design, DUWO community service platform, is not limited to the functional combination of shared mobility and shared living services, but also makes up for the deficiencies of DUWO's shared services in supporting services and neighborhood interaction. The platform integrates all DUWO's living services including shared mobility, and also provides tenants with neighborhood interaction and communication services. Additionally, communitybot is provided as a community service assistant, responsible for answering users' questions and providing users with suggestions and information based on their living conditions.
This report describes the results of a thesis for PreMal BV, a start-up company that develops mosquito traps. It is the companies mission to capture anopheles mosquitoes before they can bite and contribute to reducing malaria transmission in Africa and other malaria zones around the world. To be able to achieve their goal, PreMal aims to implement high numbers of traps in the field. This project has been initiated to assist PreMal in their journey towards implementing their mosquito traps as an add-on product to the Solar Home System (SHS) market. Next to PreMal, SolarWorks! (SW) is the second party connected to this project. This is a SHS distributor that was established in The Netherlands but operates in Mozambique and Malawi, both Sub-Saharan African countries. PreMal partnered-up with SW for the promotion, sales, distribution, and support of their products. This way PreMal gained access to a wide, growing, target group of people that could benefit from their product. The challenging part of this project was to design a Product-Service-System that was able to connect the two main stakeholders in their wishes and needs while at the same time staying customer centered. To be able to design this system, desk and field research was conducted and literature was supported with field work findings to build a stable framework to build upon. During the desk research phase information was gathered about SHS, SW, the BoP customer, PAYG-payment models, and PSS. Main findings include that a PSS with a PAYG payment model would suit both the distributing company and the customer. While during field research in Malawi the key findings that arose were related to practical manners such as when people would be able to pay for a product, how they would prefer to pick-up sachets and how the promotion and sales process of the product could look like. The decisions that had to be made in the design phase were backed by arguments from the desk and field research phases. The PSS that was developed could be divided in six elements that cover the journey of the MTego mosquito trap from development through distribution and use, towards end-of-life. Key decisions were that the product will be sold mainly in a package with a SHS, that odour sachets must be picked up in the stores of SW, that PAYG services will be used to offer contract periods of up to 18 months, and that people that already own a SHS have the ability to buy the product separately with a short, 6-month PAYG-contract. This report concludes with recommendations for further research that include reducing the price of the product to reach a bigger target audience, developing a smaller and cheaper edition of the MTego for inside use, and research into the best way to create mosquito-free zones in rural communities.
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This report describes the results of a thesis for PreMal BV, a start-up company that develops mosquito traps. It is the companies mission to capture anopheles mosquitoes before they can bite and contribute to reducing malaria transmission in Africa and other malaria zones around the world. To be able to achieve their goal, PreMal aims to implement high numbers of traps in the field. This project has been initiated to assist PreMal in their journey towards implementing their mosquito traps as an add-on product to the Solar Home System (SHS) market. Next to PreMal, SolarWorks! (SW) is the second party connected to this project. This is a SHS distributor that was established in The Netherlands but operates in Mozambique and Malawi, both Sub-Saharan African countries. PreMal partnered-up with SW for the promotion, sales, distribution, and support of their products. This way PreMal gained access to a wide, growing, target group of people that could benefit from their product. The challenging part of this project was to design a Product-Service-System that was able to connect the two main stakeholders in their wishes and needs while at the same time staying customer centered. To be able to design this system, desk and field research was conducted and literature was supported with field work findings to build a stable framework to build upon. During the desk research phase information was gathered about SHS, SW, the BoP customer, PAYG-payment models, and PSS. Main findings include that a PSS with a PAYG payment model would suit both the distributing company and the customer. While during field research in Malawi the key findings that arose were related to practical manners such as when people would be able to pay for a product, how they would prefer to pick-up sachets and how the promotion and sales process of the product could look like. The decisions that had to be made in the design phase were backed by arguments from the desk and field research phases. The PSS that was developed could be divided in six elements that cover the journey of the MTego mosquito trap from development through distribution and use, towards end-of-life. Key decisions were that the product will be sold mainly in a package with a SHS, that odour sachets must be picked up in the stores of SW, that PAYG services will be used to offer contract periods of up to 18 months, and that people that already own a SHS have the ability to buy the product separately with a short, 6-month PAYG-contract. This report concludes with recommendations for further research that include reducing the price of the product to reach a bigger target audience, developing a smaller and cheaper edition of the MTego for inside use, and research into the best way to create mosquito-free zones in rural communities.
This project is about digitalising the boarding process in the future context for KLM. This project has four phases: Research by explore the context and understand the stakeholders, Define the future vision and roadmap, Design a digital interface for the first horizon in the roadmap and lastly evaluation of the digital prototype. In the research phase, multiple research methods were conducted. The research phase has two parts, understanding the process and understanding the user. To get a thorough understanding of the process, internal documents reading, observation and expert interviews were conducted. After these research activities, the first list of problems was made, based on my personal perceiving. Afterwards, to understand how the stakeholders think about current process and tools, and also what is their desired future, more research was done with the three stakeholders: gate agents, managers and passengers. According to the results, the list of problems was revised adding the problems agents perceived. Besides the list of problems, a main problem was redefined for later design phase. In the second phase, a vision in five years were come up with, with three horizons step by step. The vision was designed considering all the different visions from different stakeholders and aiming at solving the main problem from research phase. Based on the vision and trends analysis, a cocreation session was conducted with four students, to generate ideas in this scope. Later, the ideas were mapped and divided into three horizons according to the importance and feasibility. The third phase started from looking deep into the first horizon in the roadmap. A design brief and a list of requirements were designed, under the context of the first horizon. Ideas were generated and finally two concepts were designed. After validating the two concepts with experts (two gate agents and a shiftleader), one concept was chosen for iteration. And iteration was made based on experts’ feedback. Later on, a high-fidelity interactive prototype was made to describe the functions and to prepare the final user test. The last phase is user test and evaluation. Five gate agents as well as two service agents were recruited randomly to the test. Due to technical limitation, participants were asked to pretend to work using the prototype and give feedback about the design. Based on the interviews and questionnaires, the data analysis was conducted. The result shows that agents rate a high score for the user experience of the new prototype. The prototype is regarded as supportive, proactive and in control in general. Based on the feedback from the user test, improvements were made to finalize the design. Moreover, the conclusions were drawn for the whole project and recommendations were provided for the company.
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This project is about digitalising the boarding process in the future context for KLM. This project has four phases: Research by explore the context and understand the stakeholders, Define the future vision and roadmap, Design a digital interface for the first horizon in the roadmap and lastly evaluation of the digital prototype. In the research phase, multiple research methods were conducted. The research phase has two parts, understanding the process and understanding the user. To get a thorough understanding of the process, internal documents reading, observation and expert interviews were conducted. After these research activities, the first list of problems was made, based on my personal perceiving. Afterwards, to understand how the stakeholders think about current process and tools, and also what is their desired future, more research was done with the three stakeholders: gate agents, managers and passengers. According to the results, the list of problems was revised adding the problems agents perceived. Besides the list of problems, a main problem was redefined for later design phase. In the second phase, a vision in five years were come up with, with three horizons step by step. The vision was designed considering all the different visions from different stakeholders and aiming at solving the main problem from research phase. Based on the vision and trends analysis, a cocreation session was conducted with four students, to generate ideas in this scope. Later, the ideas were mapped and divided into three horizons according to the importance and feasibility. The third phase started from looking deep into the first horizon in the roadmap. A design brief and a list of requirements were designed, under the context of the first horizon. Ideas were generated and finally two concepts were designed. After validating the two concepts with experts (two gate agents and a shiftleader), one concept was chosen for iteration. And iteration was made based on experts’ feedback. Later on, a high-fidelity interactive prototype was made to describe the functions and to prepare the final user test. The last phase is user test and evaluation. Five gate agents as well as two service agents were recruited randomly to the test. Due to technical limitation, participants were asked to pretend to work using the prototype and give feedback about the design. Based on the interviews and questionnaires, the data analysis was conducted. The result shows that agents rate a high score for the user experience of the new prototype. The prototype is regarded as supportive, proactive and in control in general. Based on the feedback from the user test, improvements were made to finalize the design. Moreover, the conclusions were drawn for the whole project and recommendations were provided for the company.
A Plastic Plate Press
A locally producible plastic plate press for bottom-up recycling in low-resource settings
This project deals with two problems, which in combination ask for a single solution. The first problem being plastic waste accumulation in low resource areas and the second being that production and construction materials in these low-resource areas are often very expensive. When these two problems are combined, an opportunity arises to transform plastic waste into qualitative production/construction materials.
This is something that is already being realised by numerous organisations all over the world, however, in the market of bottom-up recycling, multiple machine designs are available, but a plate press is still lacking. Therefore, the assignment
that is set for this project is to:
“Design a product for maker-spaces in low-resource areas, that can transform plastic waste into qualitative plastic plate construction material, and that can be produced locally and operated by locals.”
While designing a new product for low-resource settings the challenges are to make it affordable, to design for local production to stimulate the local
economy, to ensure that it can operate in the local infrastructure, to make it easy to maintain and repair with local resources and that local staff can operate it.
For this project, it is most important to find an affordable and accessible solution that can be realised with minimal technologies and readily available materials, and that is adaptable to multiple different contexts and resources.
Therefore the design is focussed on functionality, embodiment, and production, while topics like user interaction and implementation are only treated superficially. ...
This is something that is already being realised by numerous organisations all over the world, however, in the market of bottom-up recycling, multiple machine designs are available, but a plate press is still lacking. Therefore, the assignment
that is set for this project is to:
“Design a product for maker-spaces in low-resource areas, that can transform plastic waste into qualitative plastic plate construction material, and that can be produced locally and operated by locals.”
While designing a new product for low-resource settings the challenges are to make it affordable, to design for local production to stimulate the local
economy, to ensure that it can operate in the local infrastructure, to make it easy to maintain and repair with local resources and that local staff can operate it.
For this project, it is most important to find an affordable and accessible solution that can be realised with minimal technologies and readily available materials, and that is adaptable to multiple different contexts and resources.
Therefore the design is focussed on functionality, embodiment, and production, while topics like user interaction and implementation are only treated superficially. ...
This project deals with two problems, which in combination ask for a single solution. The first problem being plastic waste accumulation in low resource areas and the second being that production and construction materials in these low-resource areas are often very expensive. When these two problems are combined, an opportunity arises to transform plastic waste into qualitative production/construction materials.
This is something that is already being realised by numerous organisations all over the world, however, in the market of bottom-up recycling, multiple machine designs are available, but a plate press is still lacking. Therefore, the assignment
that is set for this project is to:
“Design a product for maker-spaces in low-resource areas, that can transform plastic waste into qualitative plastic plate construction material, and that can be produced locally and operated by locals.”
While designing a new product for low-resource settings the challenges are to make it affordable, to design for local production to stimulate the local
economy, to ensure that it can operate in the local infrastructure, to make it easy to maintain and repair with local resources and that local staff can operate it.
For this project, it is most important to find an affordable and accessible solution that can be realised with minimal technologies and readily available materials, and that is adaptable to multiple different contexts and resources.
Therefore the design is focussed on functionality, embodiment, and production, while topics like user interaction and implementation are only treated superficially.
This is something that is already being realised by numerous organisations all over the world, however, in the market of bottom-up recycling, multiple machine designs are available, but a plate press is still lacking. Therefore, the assignment
that is set for this project is to:
“Design a product for maker-spaces in low-resource areas, that can transform plastic waste into qualitative plastic plate construction material, and that can be produced locally and operated by locals.”
While designing a new product for low-resource settings the challenges are to make it affordable, to design for local production to stimulate the local
economy, to ensure that it can operate in the local infrastructure, to make it easy to maintain and repair with local resources and that local staff can operate it.
For this project, it is most important to find an affordable and accessible solution that can be realised with minimal technologies and readily available materials, and that is adaptable to multiple different contexts and resources.
Therefore the design is focussed on functionality, embodiment, and production, while topics like user interaction and implementation are only treated superficially.
Reactive acoustics
Designing an adaptive environment in the open workspace
This graduation project started as a continuation of an earlier design project. The design team Bdot, a group of students from the TU Delft, made a concept design for the company Merford. After the success of the Bdot concept, Merford was inspired to continue development further to a high fidelity prototype or even production. The open workspace, or so called ‘office garden’, is becoming more popular in modern and renovated office spaces. Such office spaces do not have many walls, which offers benefits to work culture development but can also lead to a variety of problems. Research shows that acoustic hindrance is one of the biggest problems found in open workspaces (JMP, 2017). The concept developed during the JMP project provides a solution to that problem. The Pinecone as designed by the JMP group, ended with a concept design and a prototype which showed the sense of scale of the product. This graduation project will focus on three important aspects of the design. First of all, the panel will be redesigned, having a refined finish and look. Secondly, a solution for hanging the acoustic panels had to be designed. From the beginning of this graduation project, the idea came up to make panels modular, and connecting them instead of hanging them on complete rings. Thirdly, the focus was on designing a functional retraction mechanism making the prototype prove that the mechanics will work for the end product. A new design brief was made, including these three focus points. Together with the company Merford and information from the previous design report, a list of criteria was formed for guiding this project. During the exploration phase of this project, numerous resources were reviewed. This gave more information and inspiration for several solutions for each focus area. The development of these focus areas was a very iterative process. Finding solutions, then getting more information through experts, and making revisions of these solutions to find better ones happened multiple times. During this iterative process, the switch between design for end product and design for a show-model had to be made continuously. This means that during the development chapter, conclusions are drawn for both the prototype and for the end design of this project. The prototyping phase focused on getting a working prototype build. The goal of this prototype was to prove the mechanics would work, together with being a show model for Merford. The prototype will eventually hang in the showroom of Merford and will be used for business events and fairs. The final chapter elaborates on the final design of the Pinecone. Materials, production techniques and production series are spoken of in this chapter. The chapter doesn not only give the design of the ‘standard’ Pinecone, but also gives multiple opportunities and possibilities for Merford to sell more Pinecones in the near future.
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This graduation project started as a continuation of an earlier design project. The design team Bdot, a group of students from the TU Delft, made a concept design for the company Merford. After the success of the Bdot concept, Merford was inspired to continue development further to a high fidelity prototype or even production. The open workspace, or so called ‘office garden’, is becoming more popular in modern and renovated office spaces. Such office spaces do not have many walls, which offers benefits to work culture development but can also lead to a variety of problems. Research shows that acoustic hindrance is one of the biggest problems found in open workspaces (JMP, 2017). The concept developed during the JMP project provides a solution to that problem. The Pinecone as designed by the JMP group, ended with a concept design and a prototype which showed the sense of scale of the product. This graduation project will focus on three important aspects of the design. First of all, the panel will be redesigned, having a refined finish and look. Secondly, a solution for hanging the acoustic panels had to be designed. From the beginning of this graduation project, the idea came up to make panels modular, and connecting them instead of hanging them on complete rings. Thirdly, the focus was on designing a functional retraction mechanism making the prototype prove that the mechanics will work for the end product. A new design brief was made, including these three focus points. Together with the company Merford and information from the previous design report, a list of criteria was formed for guiding this project. During the exploration phase of this project, numerous resources were reviewed. This gave more information and inspiration for several solutions for each focus area. The development of these focus areas was a very iterative process. Finding solutions, then getting more information through experts, and making revisions of these solutions to find better ones happened multiple times. During this iterative process, the switch between design for end product and design for a show-model had to be made continuously. This means that during the development chapter, conclusions are drawn for both the prototype and for the end design of this project. The prototyping phase focused on getting a working prototype build. The goal of this prototype was to prove the mechanics would work, together with being a show model for Merford. The prototype will eventually hang in the showroom of Merford and will be used for business events and fairs. The final chapter elaborates on the final design of the Pinecone. Materials, production techniques and production series are spoken of in this chapter. The chapter doesn not only give the design of the ‘standard’ Pinecone, but also gives multiple opportunities and possibilities for Merford to sell more Pinecones in the near future.
E-bike design for commuters
Designing a luggage carrier for laptop bags
This report presents the research into e-bikes for commuters and the design process of a laptop bag carrier for commuters. The project was carried out for Royal Dutch Gazelle in Dieren.
The project started with the question: How to make electric bikes more attractive to commuters? In order to answer this research question a literature study, user research and market analysis was done, all focussed on the Dutch bicycle market. In order to get a good insight in the commuter's needs and wishes in depth interviews were held with e-bike owners.
The main conclusion from the research phase are that in order to make the e-bike more attractive e-bikes should be more reliable, have a unique design and offer more practicality and ease of use. Under practicality and ease of use issues as charging possibilities, bringing luggage, maintenance and theft prevention are considered. Based on these conclusion a descriptive domain for the solution direction was formulated: Worry-free modern commuting.
Within the domain of worry-free modern commuting the design direction was developed further. As target group young family (wo)men were chosen and as a retail strategy a lease construction was selected. Also it was decided that the design focus would be on bringing luggage. The bicycle type would be a normal e-bike and the design would be based on the Gazelle CityZen model family.
Based on the formulated design direction the idea generation phase was started and along the way more design choices were made. It was for example chosen to focus on bringing your own laptop bag, which would be mounted on a luggage solution at the front or at the rear of the bicycle. After these design decisions thirteen concept ideas were generated. From these concepts two similar rear concepts were selected to be worked out in more detail.
The two concepts, Horizontal bracket and the Diagonal support, both feature a construction were the laptop bag is mounted diagonally along the rear seat stay. This way the bag does not get in the way of the pedalling motion, but can still be placed very close to the centre of mass of the bike. Also it is automatically integrated in the lines of the bike, as it follows part of the bicycles frame. The two concepts were developed further using mock-ups and by modelling and sketching. Based on the second iteration in mock-ups the 'Diagonal support' concept was chosen to be worked out as the final design. The Diagonal support concept is chosen because it works well in terms of looks and position on the bike and it scores more positive on the mounting factor.
The final design was further developed by use of CAD-software and resulted in the Gazelle laptop carrier. This luggage solution boosts a foldable support structure were a laptop bag can be safely mounted on the bike. By means of a elastic mounting strap the bag is securely locked in place and by means of rubber shock absorption the laptop bag is protected from road impact. The Gazelle laptop carrier will be offered as an option on a new commuter lease bike and can be leased from 2,50 euro per month.
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This report presents the research into e-bikes for commuters and the design process of a laptop bag carrier for commuters. The project was carried out for Royal Dutch Gazelle in Dieren.
The project started with the question: How to make electric bikes more attractive to commuters? In order to answer this research question a literature study, user research and market analysis was done, all focussed on the Dutch bicycle market. In order to get a good insight in the commuter's needs and wishes in depth interviews were held with e-bike owners.
The main conclusion from the research phase are that in order to make the e-bike more attractive e-bikes should be more reliable, have a unique design and offer more practicality and ease of use. Under practicality and ease of use issues as charging possibilities, bringing luggage, maintenance and theft prevention are considered. Based on these conclusion a descriptive domain for the solution direction was formulated: Worry-free modern commuting.
Within the domain of worry-free modern commuting the design direction was developed further. As target group young family (wo)men were chosen and as a retail strategy a lease construction was selected. Also it was decided that the design focus would be on bringing luggage. The bicycle type would be a normal e-bike and the design would be based on the Gazelle CityZen model family.
Based on the formulated design direction the idea generation phase was started and along the way more design choices were made. It was for example chosen to focus on bringing your own laptop bag, which would be mounted on a luggage solution at the front or at the rear of the bicycle. After these design decisions thirteen concept ideas were generated. From these concepts two similar rear concepts were selected to be worked out in more detail.
The two concepts, Horizontal bracket and the Diagonal support, both feature a construction were the laptop bag is mounted diagonally along the rear seat stay. This way the bag does not get in the way of the pedalling motion, but can still be placed very close to the centre of mass of the bike. Also it is automatically integrated in the lines of the bike, as it follows part of the bicycles frame. The two concepts were developed further using mock-ups and by modelling and sketching. Based on the second iteration in mock-ups the 'Diagonal support' concept was chosen to be worked out as the final design. The Diagonal support concept is chosen because it works well in terms of looks and position on the bike and it scores more positive on the mounting factor.
The final design was further developed by use of CAD-software and resulted in the Gazelle laptop carrier. This luggage solution boosts a foldable support structure were a laptop bag can be safely mounted on the bike. By means of a elastic mounting strap the bag is securely locked in place and by means of rubber shock absorption the laptop bag is protected from road impact. The Gazelle laptop carrier will be offered as an option on a new commuter lease bike and can be leased from 2,50 euro per month.