TWIST TO FIT!
blog by: Suba
My thoughts and work during simple product design course…
The initial few days of the course began with us trying to understand how products can convey different emotions and how they interact with ourselves and people.
It intrigued me how as designers we look at products and analyze them, but now and then we take a step back and treat a product as a user which is important in the process of understanding subtleties that lay within simple products.
In our initial classes, we were asked to showcase a few products around us and a few from the web that we find amusing/likable to us. This was to find what we have a sense of affiliation towards, unaware of this I choose products that I enjoyed using and have a bit of handmade quality in them with a strong context of a story. I loved stories as a kid to a grown-up and when I find products that convey a message or a story it sticks to me.
These were some products that I found interesting and beautiful in a narrative sense.
The next few days were filled with research and analyzing products, books, and articles that I feel could fit into my domain,s macro/micro perspective my ideas and thoughts seemed vague at the moment but this made me read more and learn. On my way to finding a product that I wanted to create, I came across some brilliant designs that I could resonate with.
Later I started noticing how some of the products had a collaborative sense and from discussions, I learned that I could also work on designs that involve 2 or more people participating.
At this point, I also started reading about Indian weaving culture, products, and history and started writing and drawing out some ideas that I had at that moment.
WEEK 2
We were asked to follow a method to narrow down products for research and brief making, using the AEIOU approach.
Making design brief after research done in weeks one and two.
The brief I selected was to design a simple product that can hold the pencil with a good grip and provide an extension.
My preliminary research goal was to understand the manufacturing, user aspect and ergonomic aspects of pencils followed by interviewing people about their experience with pencils and extenders.
In the following weeks, I tried understanding common mechanics used in pencil holders and mechanical pencils. once I gained a clearer understanding of forms/mech/ergonomics, I began conceptualization.
concept A: Using a high-power magnet vertically aligned within a cylindrical division, they clap to each other(opposite dipoles). The material could be flexible plastic or rubber with a firm grip.
concept B: A simple push and clutch mechanism with a wider circumference and better angle. the clutch retracts due to a spring inside. I later came to find this concept commonly used in graphite holders.
concept C: A concept where the user would be able to remove the rim(where the pencil is inserted) from the handle(lengthwise), adjust the circumference of the rim as needed(the rim can be adjustable), and attach the holder back using a cut between the rim.
The timeline of problem-solving tasks I took for the project was the following mechanism & function>ergonomics>value addition. I am currently working towards creating better ergonomics and value addition through interview information and research.
researching more on magnets and mechanisms and problem-solving using mockups.
The initial concepts such as the magnet and the iris mechanism solved the problem of circumference but created other problems in terms of ergonomics(magnet holder) and complexities(iris mech), to solve both of these issues I tried ideating and researching further. With feedbacks and help from my batchmates, I tried ideating another mechanism that was simple/intuitive(cognitively ergonomic) to use and comfortable to write with.
I started experimenting with new mockups and mechanisms to solve the issue of adjustable circumference while keeping the ergonomic and form constraints in mind.
THE TWIST AND CLASP MECHANISM:
- The pencil holder comprises of two parts: -the holder(inner) / -the grip(outer)
how does it work?:
the holder adjusts its circumference using a simple twist mechanism while the elastic grip with adjustable magnets ( can be removed and also played with!) clasps itself to the holder to secure.
the twist mechanism in detail:
rough mock-up of mechanism:
After establishing a mechanism of how the product would function I started to think about the ergonomic factors that would affect the product’s form and function.
working on forms of the product:
final design:
the holder can accommodate pencils in the range of 7mm to 1cm.
building of 3D model:
final render:
close-ups of features:
materials and manufacturing:
manufacturing: Through multi-cavity injection rubber moulding, the magnets used are neodymium strong magnets that can be cut and fit inside the grip through adhesive.
Storyboarding of the product:
twist and clasp:
The twist: the user can push the pencil through the holder and the holder will adjust to the pencil’s size and shape or the user can adjust the holder beforehand to fit the pencil.
the clasp: The grip has two magnets facing each other through a groove inside. The grip is elastic and hence can adjust to different circumferences. The grip can be pulled out or removed using the magnets(pulled apart) and can be inserted in the same manner.
