BRIEF
As product designer, we are constantly reengineering the existing world around us. For this project we were required to upscale an injection molded plastic shell of an electrical product. Then to reconstruct it from sheet ABS plastic.
DEVELOPMENT
The reconstruction process included drawing up a detailed engineering drawing of the product with all the measurements needed for reconstruction. Then to identify the major forms of the design and construct that out of MDF for vacuum forming. In this shell, I then started to reconstruct the smaller components of the product. The final steps was a layer of primer paint to prepare the surface for the bright orange spray paint.
DESIGN RATIONAL
I choose to vacuum form the shell because of the complexity of the curves. Then I was able to compare it to my teammate’s reconstruction of their shell.
Thereby determining where the bosses and other features would be positions to ensure the internal components would alight. The original product had a satin textured finish, and I achieved to replicate this by spraying from a further distance allowing the droplets to form before touching the surface of the product.
The part’s complexity allowed several techniques to be utilised in the construction of it. Such as the vacuum forming for the shells and 3D printing for the bosses. Despite the complexity, I was able to keep the measurements in scale to the original design. I was also able to improve the design by reinforcing the rib on which the scale’s weighing bar connects to the shell body. This will prevent future product failure.
