Pss assignment peer comments

Huan Xie: Trip planner

http://z3326626.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/pss-design-trip-planner-rental-system.html?showComment=1350294428679#c7363196385780472387

YuLiang Gu: Dish vending and reverse system

http://guyuliang1990.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/i-want-as-for-from-in-he-amount.html?showComment=1350295904929#c6869092973634056386

Frankie Ho: GPS, charge bike rental

http://frankie-industrial-design.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/gps-bike-system-rationale.html#comment-form

Siting Lin: baby clothes reverse

http://linst90.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/often-we-go-to-shops-tobuy-things-we.html?showComment=1350295607231#c7912300160542842155

Andrea K: battert recycling bin

http://andreakrakovska.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/final-pss.html#comment-form

Product disassembly workshop

Product disassemble activity

The group was assigned a Breville sandwich maker for this assembly activity. The toaster was designed with six major structural components with the main handle connected to the top two lid components, this design is to prevent consumers from accessing in attempt to fix the internals themselves which was deemed hazardous. This however proved to be a difficult part to remove to gain access, which could be rather inconvenient for repairs. Various other parts were also discovered to be difficult for the team to disassemble  there was great variety in differently sized screws and fasteners including many which required the team to destroy parts to gain access to.

There were more than 30 different fasteners use, as well as at least 3 material parts known to the group that could not be recycled efficiently, i,e greased or glued wires etc.

The resolution was to simplify the fasteners used by unifying most fasteners in areas which doesn't have much potential dangers (i.e electrical) which would make the assembly line more efficient and also reduce the use of permenant adhesives used on the product.

The group decided to change the outer top shell to an independently fastened part which inst connected to the handle hence simplifying the access for repairs. However to still prevent consumers getting into dangerous components themselves, special tool screws are recommended (unconventional screw heads). Various other parts i.e the base of the product was also simplified to enable the product to be disassembled without having to wreck any parts.

Rebat; battery recycling PSS

This PSS project focuses on the issues of household batteries being disposed incorrectly and becoming a hazardous addition to landfill causing all sorts of health, social and environmental issues. Its a simple system where participants of the service would have a home kit which includes a member credit point card and a used battery collection container with a battery life checker. The battery life checker ensures all batteries are not wasted and used to its maximum benefit, this is to deal with uncertainty to whether a battery is fully used or can be benefited elsewhere of lower power requirements, hence emphasising the idea and behaviour of no wastage. 

The system runs on rewarding incentives and provides a sense of value at the same time picking up good and responsible disposal behaviours. Each time batteries are reclaimed they are counted or weighed (standard grams of conventional batteries approximation) they would get a preset credit accumulation and stored into the card. This would then enable participants to purchase new batteries within stores providing the service. This not only encourages people to dispose responsibly and safety, its also a valuable system where people feel a beneficial gain, the home kit being at home also acts as a constant reminder of the availability of such benefit.Details on the product and how the system works are detailed in the posters.

Video reflection: Who killed the electric car?

The video to me highlighted one of the many sad truths where money, powerful industries and organisations combine to force what could of being an idea of great benefit towards the future. In this case it was the electric car but there probably are a great many more bright and sustainable ideas out there which were diminished by organisations securing their own profits as well as many other colliding interests.

Featuring the General motors’ EV1 model electric car the film walks views through a glimpse of its success to its unexpected and unbelievable disappearance. This idea of running our private transport really did seem to have enjoyed a slight hope of success and helping society to be more efficient and clean. The interviews individuals throughout the film really showed that such idea is realistic and not just a dream concept. Although arguably during the Ev1’s time technology wasn’t so forgiving and did in many aspects was not able to suit the needs for all people. This however wasn’t the main obstacle this alternative design was confronted with, more so with colliding interests of the government and the oil industries.

It is no news to the general public that these organisations would do anything to secure their profits, utilising its monopolistic market where fuel would be the only scarce and sole choice of how we roll. Argued to be easier to process at the same time generating more power for the engine, fossil fuels unfortunately have been the choice to explore and develop upon much more than any other method. The video shows various other possible or plausible sources of fuel such as Hydrogen cell and hybrids etc. These however were proven expensive and again constantly challenged by external organisations and consumers. However today as fuel becomes more expensive and also as society grows and becomes more aware of pollution and global warming these electric and cleaner energy sources increasingly becomes apparent and important. It sounds there is almost no great intrinsic issue for most who live and work in short distances within the city to be driving an electric car. As our battery technology improves and fuel prices go up, there should be no reason why anyone would want to stick to this primitive and polluting fuel. Being able to charge at home is also ideal compared to waiting for best fuel price days on a weekly basis. There are many more advantages to it, the main problem for now is its development and service availability (due to the fact much of the population have yet to accept it.

This story depicts the demise of only one green idea, there could be a great many more. In fact in recent years many more eco friendly designs have emerged throughout the world; they’re success really depends on widespread consumer acceptance. Essentially it seems the key to living more efficiently and sustainably the problem for us isn’t so much technological capabilities but more so the collusion with interests and profits alongside with reluctance or ignorance of the general public. An idea is really up to consumers to accept and spread, only once any government or organisation allows it to be. 

Share paint equipment service

Cormack project 2012 peer comments

Patrick Luwia:
 http://pluwia.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/cormack-submission.html

Anastasie Panagopoulos

 http://stasiep.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/final-week-packaging-project.html#comment-form

Aryetta Pazpinis: 

http://z3333129.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/rationale-dinovites_9.html

Sheena Huang: 

http://whereisthecake.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/playtime-submarine.html?showComment=1347276553982#c1664610502146581282

Andrew Bae:

http://baejin.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/cormack-innovation-awards-normal-0.html?showComment=1347276889934#c6036917061305100790

2012 Cormack Legs Eleven packaging design

This Shampoo bottle packaging design is based about fresh user interaction and problem resolution in shampoo bottles. Key focuses are fun, affordance and simplicity. Starting fresh on the market shelf is vital in capturing attention and raising target market awareness. For this project the target consumer (end user) are children around the age of five years above, this highlights a stage in the child’s life where independent bathroom training becomes more relevant.

The design aims to capture a very basic and intuitive squeeze action common in most bathroom packaging. However introducing new user feedback, implementing a flexible silicon valve controls the quantity per squeeze also adding some fun each squeeze.

Though on top of that is the risk of children having too much fun; the slim bottle shape restricts and extends time taken to air to re-enter ready for the next output, this ultimately reduces chances of over squeezing at once. This silicon mouth also stops any content especially one viscous such as shampoo without squeezing. This enables the shampoo bottle to stand in a different orientation (in a way which content will sink and collect near the mouth) therefore reducing hassle near the empty stage. ­­­the design also eliminates the need for screw cap, or living hinge, this objectively simplifies manufacturing and material required. Having only two components this shampoo bottle design also minimised assembly costs, simply able to clip together (no moulded threads required).

Hygiene is also an evitable consideration; where many bottles are simply placed on the shower floor if not on a shower caddy. The areas of contact are prone to mould growth and contamination. To prevent such the design recesses the mouth which protects intimate mould contact (whilst the silicon valve acts as a tight seal).

Doi’s (custom brand) shampoo bottle design for kids also comes in a playful colour range and flavours. A fresh shape and unlike many ordinary shampoo packaging which traditionally rely on graphics to be child attractive. A frog theme was used to set a context of use within a wet environment, also aims to add fun and interest to children. The shape however is kept slightly subtle and not over featured (frog-wise) to still facilitate within the product language. ­­ In essence, Fun, Simple and hygienic. 

Chieh-Min Lee

Packaging manufacturing and new life

The series of videos show a broad range of manufacturing and recycling methods of packaging. The videos feature a variety of daily use packaging and are often taken for granted by us as consumers.  From paper tetra packs to aluminium cans and so on, all show to be very sophisticated and elaborate processes to ensure quality. Apart from quality, all of these processes in both the manufacturing and recycling involved a great deal of planning. These plans aim to provide the best possible outcomes under the more desired time frames where efficiency is most desired. Knowing this reflects directly back to packaging design.

Packaging design is the forefront which shapes and effects all subsequent manufacturing, consumption and recycling. As mentioned previously the goal for any manufacturer is efficiency and quality, where the complexity of the task is largely dependent on the design itself. Understanding the importance in making manufacturing simpler is good however it is in understanding the balance between good product (creating the relations and experiences with end consumer interaction) and manufacturing and recycling efficiency which really determines a good design. Meaning each and every step of the products life cycle is equally important and should be understood by designers. In any case no design should make manufacturing and recycling processes difficult.

The videos features a variety of a materials selected fit for its purpose, with modern technology and the many possible manufacturing processes demonstrated really opens many opportunities for more efficient designs and possible introduction of alternate materials to certain packs when it suits (i.e. more affordance or recyclability etc).

Recycling plants as shown have become more efficient and sophisticated than ever before. This is a positive improvement as the modern industrial world has come to a realisation of wastage in the past. Now finding better and more effective ways to re-salvage used materials and sort them to suit their subsequent processes. A greater use of more recyclable materials is used nowadays to produce and carry on an ongoing cradle to cradle product life cycle.

All the above are inevitable factors to consider especially in packaging design as these products are fast moving and are part of everyone’s lives in the developed world. As mentioned before many of these products are just taken for granted by consumers (i.e. plastic bags are just used and disposed at an unnecessary rate and amount. Intrinsic to a better and more efficient world relies on cooperation of consumers’ understanding and concept of recycling and consumption patterns at the same time as good design and substitution of correct or more suitable materials.

The 11th hour Reflection 

This video addresses many issues our generation are probably not unfamiliar with. Changes in climate change due to global warming, an increase in catastrophic natural events and many other issues which threaten our wellbeing and security on this planet. We most likely don’t watch this and find anything new in it, more so the videos message acts as a reminder in attempt of raising peoples’ behaviour or attitude towards such damages to the environment. This narrative outlines issues which highlight key points to ponder upon which has potential to first make people aware of these events taking place behind our lives then providing insights to ways of change and key problem causers.

Aforementioned the video has provided the issues as a narrative, both in its most rudimentary form to the elaborate.  These issues presented should strongly remind each and every one of us that problems we’re creating and facing should and cannot be ignored.  Many parts and speakers in the video state the ignorance factor of most people where one is more concerned with their own future (i.e. new car, clothes etc) without recognising the fact that everyone is part and subject to the climate changes and its consequences.

This directly links back to the individual responses relative to this global issue. People are not unaware of the terms global warming and green house gasses, it’s more so the belief in individual power to make change. Though the video presents corporate organisations and government as the root causes of large scale environmental impact, a larger part to change would be to encourage individuals to change their everyday behaviours.

Alternative clean energy is also presented in the video along to various new materials which aim to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. This could lead to new products or simply new materials supplementary to oil based plastics. Though not specifically discussed in the video our everyday use products can change our behaviours whether we choose to or not, it impacts us every day and alters our thoughts and has potential to drive certain habits. This highlights an interesting areas for future designs which there currently is a growing market as more and more individuals are made more aware of global environmental impacts.

This has potential to change people’s thought about change, and possibly raises the confidence and to every one person that they can in fact take part and become more environmentally aware on their everyday consumptions and behaviours. This to me is important as an industrial designer in training as it opens many opportunities to products in attempt to influence people behaviours and also implement newer and greener materials. 

http://vimeo.com/42487584