This project is located within the South African context, marked by frequent power outages and inconsistent electricity supply. Because of this there has been a surge in innovative solutions aimed at maintaining seamless household operations through alternative power sources.
Brief
Design a rechargeable battery-powered appliance that utilizes the
rechargeable battery of a power tool from either Worx, Makita, or Festool.
rechargeable battery of a power tool from either Worx, Makita, or Festool.
Create an innovative, practical and user-centered appliance for either the garden, kitchen or home environment. The appliance needs to seamlessly integrate the rechargeable battery from the chosen power tool brand.
Design the injection moulded housing of the product in detail and illustrate how internal components are located and connected within.
The design should be functional but also visually appealing, considering aspects like aesthetics, form, ergonomics and brand alignment
Design Approach
The project followers a user-centered design approach, including conducting interviews and engaging with participants regularly and recording feedback and making changes. I begin with researching the brand and possible devices, and simultaneously conducting interviews with 3 participants. I then move on to further research, sketching, refinement, prototyping and then producing the final design model.
Personas| Investigating User Needs
When interviewing users I found a common interest in kitchen appliances in the mid-affordable price range. Users mentioned various challenges such as weight, bulkiness, and loudness
Research| Product use and Electronics
Development | Sketching
Ideation Sketching - Exploring hand mixers and blenders as useful Kitchen Appliances
Sketching Development - Refining the design of the mixer to fit the shape and style of the battery pack
Users pointed out its power tool resemblance and felt it needed some tweaks
Exploded view sketch focusing on working out internal electronic components and their different configurations
Development | Prototyping + Refinement
Making of handle prototypes, intending to test ergonomics, comfort and style
Handle 2 was the top choice in both style and comfort among participants, with 7 and 8 also chosen for comfort and grip
Modelling Attempts roughly blocking in shapes to explore different design/style directions
Adjusted Design from user to be more simplistic and slightly different to the power tool line
The casing is fastened together by screws located on the back of the casing
A few of the internal components of the mixer include the brushless motor and variable motor controller, not pictured is the cooling fan, switch wires, gear and battery connector
The Worx cordless electric hand mixer in use
CAD Modelling | Fusion 360
The modelling process I used was primarily form modelling, to achieve a sculpted aesthetic design. I then stitched the form into a solid, then split the body and added the additional details and internals
General Assemble and Detailed Part Engineering Drawings of the Worx Cordless Mixer
Reflection
I believe I have achieved a balance between the aesthetic of the power tool and a minimal hand mixer. During the project getting the silhouette and shape of the mixer correct took the longest, and users pointed out its power tool likeness, the feedback was valuable and I was able to improve a lot by implementing their suggestions. Working with foam proved challenging especially to get a smooth matte surface finish, however it was useful to build handles and quick prototypes to test ergonomics, size shape and scale. I would like to have modelled more advanced surface modelling in CAD, with a few added details, and also a lot more focus on the injection moulding features. I also would 3D print the final prototype to achieve a higher fidelity. Another thing I would improve would be the scale, it might need to be a bit bigger in order to realistically house the electronics.
