A2 dt year 2 folder unit 2 full

KEF SPEAKER PROJECTKEF SPEAKER PROJECT

Alastair Cross KEF Inspired Alastair Cross KEF Inspired

INDEX-CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVESPAGES 1-13-PLAN OF ACTION AND CLARIFICATION OF PROBLEMSPAGES 14-28-DEVELOPMENT OF DESIGN PROPOSALPAGES 28-67-MANUFACTURE/MODELLINGPAGES -CONCLUSIONS, EVALUATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONSPAGESAlastair Cross

Alastair Cross

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KEFKEF

KEF BRAND DECODING


For KEF brand decoding i wanted to explore the context of KEF: about the company, the style of there products and various details about the products they make for there target market. The next few pages will look in detail at various aspects of KEF.

HISTORYKEF was founded in 1961 by Raymond cooke- its name originated from its headquarter located, called Kent Engineering & foundry, hence the name. Raymond Cooke’s primary intention with KEF was to experiment with ‘new materials and technologies’ and create a product to execute quality in sounds to appear like the original recordings. Since their beginning they have become renowned for their high quality speakers.

STYLEKEF’s signature design is seen as a very minimalistic and modern, sleek design. It uses high shine and sharp finishes to accentuate its original design. In all of KEF’s flag ship designs the speakers can clearly be seen on the design with many of them having a mostly black colour. A lot of their designs do not take great care in the balance and weight distribution vertically, focussing souly on the aesthetics.

TARGET AUDIENCEWhile looking at the KEF website and the service they give to costumers, its clear to say that the typical person using and buying this type of product would have a keen interest and would have prior knowledge of speakers itself, this is due to the technical language used, pricing and some of the equipment that is being spoken about. The target audience for most of these products would be a very sophisticated man/ woman with a keep interested in music.

KEF BRAND DECODING


PRICINGKEF’s products can range from a variety of products that they have, some cheaper products that they sell are from around £2-5 hundred pounds to buy fully, however there are medium and upper priced ones also. medium priced speakers growing in size, quality and style can go from a few thousand to a lot more this is depending on the stature and reputation. Finally the highest priced speakers, mostly consisting of the flag ship designs can be in the hundred thousands, with the KEF muon (image above) will go for roughly £200,000 as its reputation as one is the great style icons makes it one of the best.

MATERIALSKEF only use the finest and most innovative materials for their products materials such as: ‘ACE’ (Acoustic Compliance Enhancement)- which is a self KEF made product which can be placed into a smaller bass cabinet, which would give the sound a normal speaker would give in twice the size of one with ACE.

THE LOGOKEF’s logo is a very original one, which has a very special and individual look to it. The design has continued to be changed, developed and improved throughout its 50 year life span. Its evolution through a simpler coloured design has changed into something more sophisticated and more representative of what the company produces today. Throughout the use of the logo, the speaker symbol before ‘KEF’ has stayed constant throughout its history giving it history and almost keeping the name KEF meaning and substance in the modern era.

TYPES OF PRODUCTSKEF mainly deal with the creation of high quality load speakers with sub sections of: Hifi-speakers, home theatre speakers, custom speakers with many environmental sections to place these different designs some of these locations include: standing, on-wall, outdoor, commercial etc.

KEF BRAND DECODING


HOW TO USE THE PRODUCTSKEF designs are usually kept very simple with most of the space needed for the quality of the sounds and the design structure, however they have come up with various idea to help the functionality and the accessibility. The use of: wireless technology, outdoor usage and in-ceiling feature have all been achieved with KEF, but with all of these modifications and new models ‘pure sound‘ is still their main focus.

WHERE KEF IS SOLDKEF is now an international company operating in many countries across the world, however it is not a mass production company with hundreds of stores, it operates with minimal stores in each country, mostly keeping to one or two. KEF can be found in places such as: Australia, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Netherlands and obviously many more including england.

TECHNOLOGYAgain KEF only use the best of the best of all things, and this is no different to its technology. Its constant development of parts of designs is amazing, with each part there is something to better something to improve and head towards perfection of sound. Its technological features include things such as: Low profile driver-which works with shallower designs, wireless systems which are completely different to ordinary designs and even advances in where you can place you speakers and dock them safely when playing music.

PRODUCTIONwhen creating such design spectacles as the muon there is a lot of thought that is need to create such things- in terms of this model it would be created in a similar way to vacuum forming but using aluminium. this would be a largely hand made process with the use of high precision equipment.

COMPLICATIONSWhen talking about KEF i do not understand the technical side or the manufacture of the product, i will have a look at this and develop it by looking at similar products and disassembling then and seeing how joining and other manufacturing steps are done well.

KEF BRAND DECODING


FUNCTIONKEF products have functions such as: sound production, wireless usage, aesthetic pedigree but not much in terms of everyday helpful functions, although it can be said to be not an everyday appliance seen everywhere.

REPUTATIONKEF has an international pedigree which has made it renowned for its creative and inspiring designs and has built up a lot of reputation and so, many awards for this contribution. some of the awards that have been won by KEF include: ‘Most innovative brand 2011’ (image above) and ‘Best of the Best 2012’. These impressive awards won by KEF show the creativity that has been put into every model they create, with something new in every one the deign whether it may be with aesthetics, function or features.

PERSONAL VIEWIn terms of the company as a whole it has created very interesting and evolutionary designs which will stay in history as one of the best in audio design, however from all of these creations there are none which stand out on a room of other extremely high end, well design piece's. To improve this i plan to create something even more special than the designs created already and something that will aesthetically will take someone’s breath away. As for the sound and music quality clearly the company have got the right formula for creating superb speakers and this will not be my greatest worry.

COMPLICATIONSWhen talking about KEF i do not understand the technical side or the manufacture of the product, i will have a look at this and develop it by looking at similar products and disassembling then and seeing how joining and other manufacturing steps are done well.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT- From the last pages i have leant that KEF is a very innovative company and has pioneered in many developments and have been noticed throughout the world and has got a lot of recognition from that. From this stage i will start to look in more detail at the actual technology used in KEF speakers and how that will relate to my design when i make it. For KEF speakers i do like the innovative technological advances inside the speakers however the style and design is hardly breathtaking and could become something special if the style and design of KEF speakers meets the technology that is used in all of their products.

TASK ANALYSIS


For the product i will be designing and manufacturing, there are many things to think about when i will create my product, some of these include:Number of speakers- the amount that are included in the design will affect many things like the aesthetics and power/ loudness of the speakers- KEF designs usually use less, higher quality speakers.Safety- tripping hazards must be kept minimal, and durable to support wear from controls, must be solid with no smaller parts or sharp edges. Sizes- the design can range from a variety of sizes to within 300mm to 2 meters high, its must be space efficient though and be able to fit into environments like living room and bedrooms.Materials- materials like: aluminium, steel, pine, elastomers, acrylic and other thermoplastics can be used throughout the design.Function- it must have a power source, able to turn on or off, play music in high quality and must be able to pick music freely.Aesthetics- it should be either: sleek, well finished, pleasing to the eye at all angles, suitable for the environments it may be placed with the target audience.How strong are the speakers- speaker must perform in many environments and so much be strong enough to hear in many locations around the area- they can range from a few hundred up to thousand watts in terms of performance.Longevity- the product should last for 3-10 years maximum if kept in good condition- if durable to wear then smaller parts should last longer. The larger parts such as the shell should be the strongest to keep parts inside lasting for long periods of time.Types of speakers- speakers can come on many forms- headphones, docking stations, high-fi speakers, theatre systems and wirelessManufacture- The product can be made in many ways depending on the products that are used- for metal speakers forming such as forging, plastic can be done with forming process and so on....Technology- It can be made using various special materials and technology to improve the overall style, shape or function of the product. This could help with the space economy of the product(fitting more into a smaller space) and many other important aspects of speakersUser interaction- people can interact with speakers in different ways some include: manual switches, wireless remote, remote sensors, thermochromatic sensors, infrared sensors, and touch screen monitorsEnvironment- A speaker can be placed: on the wall, on ceilings, stand alone, surround sound, outdoor, motorised, or hidden- these would depend of the environment and how the layout of the room would allow.Prices- It can be low, medium or high priced depending on the materials and labour usage- low priced would generally be smaller sized and a worse sound quality, however it would appeal to a larger scale audience. Medium priced would have more around the high hundreds maybe around the thousand in terms of price and high would be for the very rich in the many thousand and more.... these wouldn't sell so much but may give a greater profit. Power source- It can be main power operated using traditional power method however this does cause a tripping hazard and must be looked at carefully, it can also be powered by batteries and recently made touch sensitive chargers which would be good for speakers being constantly moved throughout and environment.Future products- A product can be changed and developed for the better, improving certain aspects and making it better overall. future products will include many new features and aspects as a lot of this can be down to the location in the world as places have much higher technology in places like Japan the US, these places would create something faster than other places in the world.

What i have learned- In task analysis i have learned that i can use many different methods, materials and other ways to create my design in the KEF style. I can change many things to encompass all of the brief and specifications throughout my design. From the task analysis i will further onto the technology and what make KEF speakers, and their identity itself.

AUDIO PRODUCT DECODING


Speakers operate mainly using fixed magnets, electromagnets and sending electrical currents through the electromagnet to produce vibrations which is sound. In the muon (left) acoustic technology is used to create crystal clear sound through its flag ship design. This design uses a powerful four way speaker system to produce this sound, technologies like ACE(a type of charcoal which uses air pickets amplifying the sounds throughout the environment) and Uni-Q are also used in this design.

In the R series(right), Uni-Q is used. Uni-Q is a driver placed inside the speaker (In between the tweeter and the mid-range cone) where the source of the sound is spread out more evenly throughout the environment so the sound can be enjoyed from all areas.

On the next few pages i will be breaking down KEF products and see how they operate inside the box. These will include the technology they use in their systems and how it works to improve their products. i will be looking at 4 products such as the: muon, R series, XQ series and the LS50- all of these designs contain different technology which makes them perfect for their uses and environment.

AUDIO PRODUCT DECODING


With the LS50(right), it uses two main technologies which make it perfect for a compact, high quality speaker in studio quality sound. The first one being UNI-Q and the new ones being: Finite Element Analysis and Computational Fluid Dynamics(sound testing and movement). These processes used in the production of the LS50, gives immeasurable studio quality within a very small space.

The XQ series(left) uses a technology called ‘Aluminium done tweeter’ this type of ‘wave guard’ softens and smoothens the higher frequency waves from the speakers- as well as preventing stray ‘fingers‘ produced within the speakers. The XQ also uses smart connect which controls the output from the input of the speakers making better sound overall. The XQ has a lot of different models however a lot of the technology is replicated throughout the range.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT- On the last few pages i have learned how KEF speakers work technically. I have learned the components and the technology that they use to make their products special. From here i will look on to make my own product through a brief and research and develop my idea through KEF.

PRODUCT BRIEF


For the brief of my product i plan to design something the embodies the style of KEF however encompasses different aspects to the design such a sculptures. I also plan for my design to be extremely aesthetically pleasing to eye and something that should wow people and attract them to the design but also have an specific functionality to the design. My product will include a variety of materials including woods, plastics and maybe some composites as well. while being inspired my KEF i want my design to also be looked at a perspective of architect sculpting using shapes and lines to accentuate the design itself, and almost a work of art with can be admired by people who see it. From my project i plan to achieve a working model manufactured in the proper way that includes inspiration and style from KEF and architecture.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT- I have learned the very brief outline of the design i will be creating. It gives me a starting point to think about the design i will use in the future whether it be headphones, standing, wall, ceiling..... From here on i can look more clearly and focus on what i want create this is where research and furthering my knowledge on speakers will come in.

INITIAL SPECIFICATION (ACCESSFM)


In initial specification this is where i look more finely tuned into the design/ product i will be making, this include the aesthetics, cost, costumer, environment, size, safety, function and material and these will be described in more detail on this page:AestheticsWhen designing my speaker the aesthetics will be modern and fit the profile of KEF, it will be smooth and incorporate different materials giving it texture and character in the environment where it must be placed. The use of composite and smart materials interests me (i.e.carbon fibre) to fit in with the design of KEF and creating a sculpture style product. Cost Due to KEF’s reputation and extensive collection of pricy products, my design will also be a high priced design. The materials, joinings and overall cost of making the design will be of extreme quality- this is due to the clients that buy KEF speakers. CostumerThe main users of my product (continued on page 11) will be a sophisticated character, male or female, very interested in functional artistic art and can be placed anywhere in their specified environment. My user can be of any range as long as the interest of music and art is apparent, and can afford the highly priced product. EnvironmentMy design will be placed in a very minimalist and modern home environment which can be distinguished wherever it is placed in that environment whether it would be on the wall, ceiling or stand on its own SizeIn terms of the product, the design can be any type of size due to the amount of free space in the modernist environment, however i do not plan for my design to be as big as a design as the KEF Muon. It is to be big enough to capacitate the speakers and be recognised in the environment as a stylish piece of gear, that is the only specification for size.SafetyFor speakers, safety must be taken in the electrical and heat insulation of the product, to make sure the user does not get burned or get an electrical shock. Care must also be taken in: tripping hazards, the products durability to stay together and being stable. my product will have none of these so it can form to the environment and become one with it. FunctionThere can be many functions and features for speakers however my design should be mainly aesthetically pleasing and functional in terms of the sound that will be produced. I may include some small smart features such as touch sensitive, but nothing to change the style of the design MaterialsI will use materials mostly including plastics and wood, however to make my design unique i might use some smart materials such as carbon fibre....WHAT I HAVE LEARNT- I may want to experiment with these materials before i decide whether i will want to use them or not , but from here i can see the various options i can have when i want to create a speaker. From here i will look at more areas of the speaker market.

DEFINE TAGET MARKET


KEF has a specific target market which it aims to attract their costumers to all of there designs that they make, on this page i plan to describe the typical market that KEF make their products for.

To begin with, the typical costumer of KEF would be a highly tuned enthusiast of the use and sound of speakers itself, the design, technology, aesthetics would all interest this person. The sophisticated style of the user would have many designs and products in their own home of KEF designs or similar. This in tern would make then a high earner, much above the typical person wages, this can be seen through the Muon which cost around £200,000. However there are a few other cheaper designs so lower earners are not completely left out in the KEF thought.

This type of person would be living spaciously in a modernism environment, using a lot of there own money on things such as cars, art work and expensive decor for their environment. The typical age range of a KEF buyer/enthusiast would be between 20-60, this is an incredibly wide range of ages however its style is age-less and admired by many people due to their sweeping designs and innovative technology and this would be attractive to many people, male or female.

Some jobs that would be occupied by the type of people who buy KEF speakers would include: Architects, graphic designers, Product designers and other creative-like jobs.

This type of person would buy and use only the best of all types of products- such a grooming, clothing, technical and other areas of their life.

LINKSFX


Logical and IllogicalSpeakers have many logical uses in their specified environment while being used correctly, most notably would be the ability to play music as it is the fundamental thing that makes a speaker. Another local example could be the use in television, amps and phones: using speakers for these products are a common thing at the current time and many people do this from various ages in many places. Another use would be its ‘portability’ which would allow someone to move around their design without having to do a lot of work or effort. One more final key point of speakers in a logical sense would be the idea to create an environment whenever the music is played out loud, whatever the music may be, this can depend on the design and the speaker quality.

Speakers can be used in the way thy are not specified this can be due to their shape, size and where it is placed in an environment. In a modern environment space is a precious commodity and with speaker such a the muon which is incredibly large and this is not the function of a speaker to take up space this can also be linked to having lots of different speakers for lots of different things (TV, music, instruments, phones, iPods), however the modern age is to buy a speaker for everything and this is both wasteful and inefficient in space. In some cases aesthetics is a illogical feature as it doesn't effect the sound and so shouldn't be important in a design.... however in real life situations aesthetics are incredibly important and can sell a product purely down to its looks. The use of a speaker being heavy compared to its sounds loudness or quality is illogical as it has to be moved or placed in other places in its life span and if it is too much effort to move it is not good for the user. A most notable illogical use would be its use as storage or seating due to the general shapes and sizes of designs (square and knee height respectively).

NeedsA speaker has to have a power supply to its unit, this is to give energy to the product which is key. Another few needs a speaker has to have is safe in normal use, stability and durable materials: these are needed due to KEF as their products are such high quality and their technology are superior to many others. they should give the base of a great design. For my design i plan for it to be held on a wall using a sophisticated method, aesthetically pleasing and to be easily worked to be turned on and off.

For LINKSFX we can look at the various parts of a design and how i will be putting it to my design. The next few pages will help me to further pin point various things about my design, some examples of this would be: needs of the users, keeping/ scrapping, function against aesthetics and what will make my design stand out and be special compared to all of the speakers on the market at the moment.

LINKSFX


Keep/ScrapMany products just like KEF have very good ideas to use on their design, such ideas would be volume change and volume display, although a small feature it is very useful and functional and can be disguised in many ways..... Another part of designs i would like to keep would be the modernistic style of KEF as a very simple, clean and minimalistic. Designs like KEF often show of the speaker and nothing else on the design, i would like to keep this for my design keeping it simple and effective.

For most typical designed speakers the shape is usually mostly square or rectangular, this i want to scrap on my design as the limitations on the aesthetics are high and is not in the right styling as KEF. A tacky feel/ texture is always a problem on a lot of speakers as the main material is usually polymer plastics which usually if they are not finished well can feel cheap, i want to get rid of this aspect and if i am to use plastics they should be well finished using different processes.

Form VS FunctionCreating a design of speaker that is pretty and very functional can be done, this can be seen in ‘Bose’ and other speakers, however these are usually very expensive and sometimes not the pinnacle of aesthetics and can sometimes be undermined by the technology of the speakers. Of course people want speakers for the quality of the sounds however a lot of the time people will buy speakers because of the style, due to this i want to incorporate both very well to my design.

X-FactorFor my design to be special compared to the many other different types of speakers available right now it can have: extremely creative aesthetics which would just simply draw in people to the style and shape of the design (eye catching), the ability to give the design possibly the versatility in an environment (rather than having a speaker in every room) and finally the possibility of the design to produce light and illuminate the room, this would give a logical use by creating an environment itself.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT- From the last few pages using LINKSFX i have learned that i can do many things to make my design better than many others on the market this could be with keeping the good parts and loosing the bad, looking at what a speaker should and shouldn’t do, what it needs, what is more important aesthetics or functions. From this point onwards i will need to research many things such as: primary research, product disassembled, mood board and many many more......


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Research Plan

QuestionnaireA questionnaire is done by compiling a group of questions and asking it to my target audience that i will sell my product to. I will ask about 12-14 questions which will help me understand what people want from a speaker, this my be aesthetics, functions or features that they want included. It will also give me a idea of what people thing about the basic ideas of my design, for example what will make my design special compared to all the other different types.....

Person and Product interactionIt is important to know how people will use a product like mine and how my product will work around other people. I will look at how people: touch carry, hold, change the volume on various products and see how i can model my design to make it work with people. This can be linked to ergonomics and how people hold it use a product and i will look at this in a very detailed way

Environmental snapshotFrom here i will take a picture of the environment that my design will either be sold or kept, it should represent the style and the design movement. Also for this section i plan to annotate the picture analysing every aspect of where the design is kept, this may also be helpful in the understanding of my costumer and what they are like. I will do this by using using a 360 panoramic view of the environment, this should help people understand my view on the situation and style of my design better. I may use more than one imagine of the environment in a different view just to get a better idea of what I'm looking at.

Product disassembledIn this section i will look at different types of speakers similar to my design and i will break it up into sections to see how it works. Each component that i will break down, i will look at things such as power source, fixings, where the speakers and other parts are placed on the design to benefit the user. Using pictures to look at each part,

Market researchWhen researching my own market for my design i need to know everything from: where products are sold mainly, who are KEF’s main rivals(style/ cost), who will use the product, who will understand it’s concept, how will people know about my design, price ranges and who can afford it and even things such as the production scale and how many will be created

Accessfm of secondary productsFor this piece of research i want to look in detail at a speaker that is similar to what my design will be, and that i wont be able to see first hand. In this section it should help me understand what has made that design so good in it specific specification, and then from here i can apply some of their techniques into my own design to make it better

Mood boardFor my mood board i will be gathering many images that will inspire my design, in terms of many things these may include: shape, colour, style, design movement, size, environment and many more.....

Science of speakersWhen thinking about speakers, it is important to know what happens with things such as the sound waves and reflections of walls and how they interact around an environment. For example where you place a speaker in a room to make sure that you are getting the highest quality sound and least interference to make sure that the costumer is getting the best experience with the speakers Cultural researchFor this section it is important to know the different ways that different cultures use speakers in their environment, and then i can use this to mould my design around. For example people in the UK usually tend to have earphones or headphone to listen to their music, however in foreign places this may be totally different

Secondary

Primary


ACCESSFM of Secondary Product

In this ACCESSFM of a product that i cannot get hold of, i will be breaking down a product into part and analysing it, these include the aesthetics, cost, costumer, environment, size, safety, function and material and these will be described in more detail on this page. From this page i hope to know more about higher end speakers in different aspects.AestheticsThis design has a modernist design with a colour flair added to the design, it uses the colours: red, silver and black which work well together and its aesthetics should work well in a typical modern environment. It usage of these different colours make the design stand out from the rest of the other typical black or silver speakers. Cost This speaker can be found for around £20-30, although the availably of the product is limited as many people are buying this stylish design due to price as well as the looks. Due to the fact this speaker only uses a 5 watt power system this keeps the price lower and able for lower income costumers to but such a design.CostumerThis design should be bought for budget modern costumers. The design which looks very advanced can be bought for a good price, which for some is very important to people especially in this economic downturn. The costumer should be sophisticated and fairly knowledgable about Blox as it has many other great designs on show.EnvironmentThis type of design should be placed typically backed onto a wall or a shelf where the shape of this design can be admired as almost an extension of the room even with the creative colours and angular looks.SizeThe design is 204mm (L) x 85mm (W) x 210mm (H), making it a perfect size for any table design. The height of around 20cm makes it easy to look over, on a reasonably sized table and this in tern means it can be placed in many other locations around the environment depending of what the costumer would like.SafetyThe low centre of gravity allows this design to be safe in many locations and also its colour features makes it so that you would rarely not, see the design to trip and injure the user of the speaker. FunctionSome key features of design include:• Stereo 2.0 (Computer) Speaker set• Plug and Play, no software required• Enhanced 2x 5W RMS full range driver (3”) for optimal clarity and powerful distortion free sound• 3.5mm stereo audio-in connection for connection with a computer or other auxiliary audio devices such as an iPod or Disc-man. • Advanced treble and bass control allow easy equaliser tuning for optimal sound quality• Treble and bass are controlled by vertical adjustment of the speaker positions.• USB powered with detachable USB Power Cable, no adapter required• Magnetically shielded against High Frequency (mobile phone) interferenceMaterialsThis material used in this design would include basic coloured plastics, some metal exterior parts and slight elastomers for the grips and base. The materials on the design are not the main focus, this is down to good sound and a great aesthetic look. Unlike my design which should include some aspects of good quality materials.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT- I found from my ACCESSFM that i need to look at Person/ product interaction as i need to find out how my user should use these different aspects of the design in an ordinary environment and how they act around them psychologically. From this page i will take on board about the materials used so that i can replicate this into my own design.

http://www.boynq.com/promo/pdfdetails/boynq-Black&White-Blox-p.pdf

http://www.boynq.com/promo/pdfdetails/boynq-Black&White-Blox-p.pdf


Person & Product Interaction

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT- For this section i have learned a lot about how people react about different products and art. People like things that look good, are a good brand and are unique. My product should include most if not all of these factors. As i have learned a lot more about how people use products, i want to look in more detail about how different people use products in different ways depending on where they come from, this should be useful to find out who my user will be

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In this Section i will be recording someone using and/or looking at speakers and art work, From this section i plan to learn a lot more about how people perceive and react about a speaker, also to see what they touch, look at and interact with on a design and on a particular piece of artwork.This should help me mould my design to make it more ergonomic when people want to interact with my design, in a speaker aspect and a art perspective.

1. In this Video i show someone interacting with a Bose speaker. To begin with the person first interacts and assesses the options he can look at and interact with. From here once the person has been attracted to a design, he looks at the shape and the functions he does this by turning the design and looking at different angles, and also pushing the various buttons to see what the speaker sounds like and what it can do. Once that is done, people generally look at the details of the design by looking at the specifications of the design, things such as: power, cost, technology, accessories. For the design that was looked at, the design was well made with high quality materials and simple yet effective controls for the sound and display. There is a green lit display which shows what is playing, and this would help with the functionality, the design also has a low centre of gravity so that it will not fall over, plus its very modern and sleek looks will attract people to the design.2. Here, i am looking at people interacting with artwork as my design is also inspired by sculptured art/architecture. To begin with someone usually looks at all the art around them and approaches what catches their eye, if they can, people will touch to check the texture and quality. From here someone can do a variety of things, this may include: stepping back to look at a different angle, check other factors of the product like weight, cost etc.

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Cultural research

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT- For this section i have learned a lot about how people react about different products and art. People like things that look good, are a good brand and are unique. My product should include most if not all of these factors. As i have learned a lot more about how people use products, i want to look in more detail about how different people use products in different ways depending on where they come from, this should be useful to find out who my user will be

In this part of my research i am looking how different people from different environments

around the UK will use Audio products and how they will use it differently to other people. I hope

to learn how i can use all the different ways people use Audio products and apply them to my design as my user may come from any of these

environments.

To show this information i have used this connecting venn diagram to show what places do what with their speakers. To find this information i have called up people living in rural and coastal environment and asked them what they do, while

i have written what i do in London (my urban) environment.

UK (London) Speaker culture

UK (coastal) culture

UK (rural) speaker culture

Loud music from cars

Listening while working

Playing music while on the way to Work

Music played publicly

Played at events/ exhibitions

louder music played in headphones

Constant use of music in environment

Music when bored

Playing music in garden with family

Speakers in every room

Quieter music (ambience)

Creating calm/fun environments along the sea

Playing music out loud on phones/iPods

loud Arcade/ club music

listening while laying on the beach (relaxing)

Relaxing at home listening to music

Playing music out loud at home

listening in groups to music

Constant music played

All ages listening to music

Using headphones


Science of speakers

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT- On this page i have learnt in a lot more detail about the science of how my speaker will react in my specified modern environment. And since i have learned the science of the environment and sound waves, i will now start to look at an environment where a speaker may be placed and analysed from there.

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Valuable to my design

In this section i hope to learn a bit more about how sound vibrations from a speaker react around different things in an environment. my results that i have learned will show to the right.

Reflection of sound waves.....

When sound reflects off a special curved surface called a parabola, sound waves will bounce out in a straight line no matter where it hits. Many music arenas are designed as parabolas so the sound will go directly into the audience, instead of bouncing around on stage. If the parabola is closed off by another curved surface, it is called an ellipse. Sound will travel from one area to the other, no matter where it strikes a wall.Reflection is responsible for many interesting features on a room. Echoes are the sound of your own voice reflecting back to your ears, this sound you hear ringing in an auditorium after the band has stopped playing is caused by reflection off the walls and other objects. A sound wave will continue to bounce around a room, or reverberate, until it has lost all its energy. A wave has some of its energy absorbed by the objects it hits. The rest is lost as heat energy across the room.

Absorption of sound waves....

Everything, absorbs sound, one example of air absorbing sound waves happens during a thunderstorm. When you are very close to a storm, you hear thunder as a sharp crack. When the storm is farther away, you hear a low rumble instead. This is because air absorbs high frequencies more easily than low. The best absorptive material is full of holes that sound waves can bounce around in and lose energy. The energy lost as heat is too small to be felt, however it can be detected by scientific instruments.

How sound travels reaches every place in a room....

Since sound travels in a straight path from where it originates from, how does it get around corners? You hear sound because of sound diffraction. Diffraction uses the edges of a barrier as a secondary sound source that sends waves in a new direction. These secondary waves overlap and interfere with each other and the original waves, making the sound less clear. Working together, diffraction and reflection can send sounds to every part of a room.


Environmental snapshotHere i have taken some pictures of speakers in a environment, from this page i should hope to know more about where in a room i will place my design, whether i do or do not like the place where these speakers are placed.

The set of speakers i am using are a stand alone speaker, will and AC cable to power from the mains, it has a docking station which can hold iPod and iPhones, it also shows a light when it is powered on. From the images the design is clearly placed on the floor, it causes little problems with space due to the size and space it has around it, however this is where the positives end. The low nature of where the speaker ids placed means that people have to bend over to control and active the speaker, it also has issues which the tripping hazard caused by the wire on the floor. For the design i am creating i want it to be placed in the opposite place from this picture, so it is at chest height and can be operated simply and quickly without the effort of bending down

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT- On tis page i have confirmed the place where i will be placing my design once i create it. This environmental snapshot has shown me another flaw of using a speaker is stand alone and that has no height to the product. I want to make my design convenient and useful to the user and not a burden if people want to listen to music


Questionnaire

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT- From doing a questionnaire on the product i will be making i have learned many things on what people think about speakers in this day and age. I feel i cant add parts which will really attract people to the design, style wise. It can be said that people are not particularly attracted or blown away by people and i think this is a route that i can exploit. From here i will first analyse my results in more detail and then from there look in more detail about the market i will be selling my product and comparing to my rival products

1) How often do you use speakers?2) How frequently do you move around your speaker?3) Are you looking for something different in terms of a speaker?4) Do you think simple minimalist speakers are still the best on the market?5) Have you ever been stunned or been in awe in front of a speaker, style wise? 6) What do you mostly look for in a speaker?7) (For people who like art) would a artistic sculpture style speaker ever attract you to a design?8) When do you mostly use a speaker?9) Where do you usually put your speakers?10) Where specifically in the room do you have speakers?11) (If living in a modern environment) Do you have problems with space and places to put larger speakers?12) Who is the leading brand in modern speaker design in your eyes?

For my speaker design i plan to ask about 20 people around shops that should sell my design, this includes places such as speaker shops around central London in various locations so i can get a broad range of peoples opinions. From this page i hope to learn a lot about the people who i will sell my product to and what they like/dislike in a design.

INTERVIEW INTERVIEW AUDIOAUDIO






Questionnaire Cont.1) How often do you use speakers?From the information i have found it can be clearly said that most people i asked in the interview used their speakers on a daily basis while the other minority of using it weekly and monthly were much lower. Using these results i will have to make sure that my design is easy and quick to use for people who want to listen to music and also have longevity so it can be used constantly over long periods of time without breaking or becoming warn, to do this i will make my design out of strong and durable materials and make sure that the components are easy to use.2) How frequently do you move around your speaker?For my project i wanted to make my design special and have a feature that will wow people, and make the style have a versatility throughout the environment, most people said when they use a speaker they usually always move it. From here my design plans to be easily moved, even if mu specification says it is to be a wall design.3) Are you looking for something different in terms of a speaker?Almost all of the people i asked in or around a speaker shop said they would like something new and fresh, this is a clear indication that people want some new and creative to come out that will make people more interested, my product is planning to be more aesthetically pleasing, and from these results i can see am on the right track.4) Do you think simple minimalist speakers are still the best on the market?From the results i have gathered, there is not a complete decisive decision on this question meaning, i can still use a minimalist theme with a twist and with these results people should like it.5) Have you ever been stunned or been in awe in front of a speaker, style wise? This is one of my most important questions as i want my design to have this feature in abundance, people do not see speakers as art for the most part, however i want to change this by downing peoples eyes to my design, it does not have to be all bright colours and be completely crazy but to have that effect in a modern style design for the best i can so it can blend in the rest of the environment.6) What do you mostly look for in a speaker?Obviously from the results there are three clear main points to a speaker which attract people most to the design. The sound quality is what makes most higher priced speakers special and i want to do this by looking at the environment and seeing how the sound reacts to the walls and objects, for this i have already looked at sound waves itself and that can be sorted when i am making my design, for the stye and price i must make sure that my materials are both cost efficient but also look good and if these is a good balance then this should not be a problem for my costumers. 7) (For people who like art would a artistic sculpture style speaker ever attract you to a design?There is a complete success in this question in terms of what i would want people to say, my design will be in a sculpture style and should attract people who like form and function, my only concern is that a lot of people who do not like art may be put off, and so create quite a small niece market which i do not want.8) When do you mostly use a speaker?Most people who use a speaker generally use it while they are relaxing, this type of speaker usage would work well with the design i am making, as it can be moved around the environment with relative ease. While the rest of the results are mostly spread i can tell that a particular minority like to use speakers for when they are bored and when they use instruments, this tells me a lot about the type of person i plan to make my design for with them being quite creative but can also be bored if the conditions allow it. 9) Where do you usually put your speakers?As expected most people put their speakers in the living room, as most people ill do this i will plan for my design to be able to fit into a living room and become a feature of the room with the style of a sculpture.10) Where specifically in the room do you have speakers?Most people tend to put their speakers on a desk/table, this is not a particular surprise as most speakers on the market right now are mostly stand alone design which need to be placed on a flat surface, and a desk is a perfect option. For my design i want people to put my design in all sorts of places for people to enjoy music, and so people do not have to waste space on flat surfaces11) (If living in a modern environment) Do you have problems with space and places to put larger speakers?The majority of people who i asked said they did have problems with placing larger speakers in their homes, as i want my design to be placed in this type of environment i will have to make it either space efficient or can be placed in different places in a home, from this question i have learned more about my user as well.12) Who is the leading brand in modern speaker design in your eyes?Out of all of the options Bose came out on top with this question, from here i will look in market research, to see what makes them so successful with so many people. i will then use what makes them special and apply it to my design, so that in the future if my design is produced it should attract and entice many people to the style and flair.

INTERVIEW INTERVIEW AUDIOAUDIO


Market Research

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT- I have decided from this page i will not take any of the information that i have found out in, and not use it. This is due to the fact i have realised i am not planning on putting my design into any of the markets of KEF and their competitors as my design is sculpture orientated with a speaker subject, the one thing i will take from this page is how people may find out about my design in the future and the production of the project.

+ Aesthetics

+ Function-Aesthetics/

function

From this page i hope to learn if my design will be placed into this market and if so how will be successful to my design. If we look at how my design will be in terms of all the other speakers on the market, i can tell that a lot of other products should be more technically advanced with KEF and bang&Olivson leading the line.However for my style i plan for it to be far more aesthetically focus and very attractive to many people, this is the main focus on my design, i will also have one part of my design which should separate all the other designs to mine. The people who will use my design (explained in previous pages) will be sophisticated and have an interest in art and speakers, this is a particular market that hasn’t been explored. When i market my product to let people know about my design i will try and advertise the design on stylish and/or modern websites to show people what the product will be related to, such things as art gallery websites and high end design companies as an example. The production of my design should be a relatively small one, with the accessibility of the design being fairly limited making it rare, which in tern makes it more well known for the people more interested in speakers. My design could be placed on websites such as the Tate modern.

Creative

Creative

My design

My design

Bang&Olivso

n

Bang&Olivso

n

BoseBose

SonySony

LGLG

BeatsBeats

KEFKEF

Olympus

OlympusGear4Gear4

Beatbox

Beatbox

Panasonic

Panasonic

AppleApple

Samsung

Samsung

Technika

Technika

Logic

3

Logic

3

Gear head

Gear head

Phillips

Phillips

Yamaha

Yamaha

Klipsh

Klipsh

B&WB&W

PSBPSB


Mood Board

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT- In this page i know know what my design should be inspired by and what roughly my design should be looking like in terms of the style. I will take most the style inspiration from the sculptures, the technical and functional features from the speakers and the general shape and how they use speaker parts from the sculptured speakers.


Product disassembled Cont.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT- Taking inspiration from Apple, as they have had a rise of %268 in sales over the past yeah, apple headphones are very simply made with a stylish design. With most things, simple is good and lots of people will like it. From this page i know that i must not go over board with all different types of features and just keep to one main part to my design and use only the fundamentals. From this page i feel i can go and start the design of my product as i have learned a lot from these research pages, i will explain that in the next page.

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For this first product i will be disassembling, i will want to find what makes this product successful and the how will i use that feature in my design. This is a very cheap form of audio which is around £1, and once it has been disassembled we can clearly see why this design is so cheap.

From image grouping 2 we are breaking down the mechanics of the head band which keeps the headphone on the head. Since breaking up this components i found that the alternating headband is controlled by a simple snap fit component to fix the two together to begin with, and then a slightly resisted with a resistive gel and rough plastic bumps to control the length. Although a simple feature it is effective, very durable and very tough to undo. For this feature i may not use it in the main design of my speaker, mainly due to the idea i am not designing a headphone.

From image grouping 1, i disassembled the main component of the headphone which can be seen to the right. Once i took of the initial shell which was held by another snap fit fitment, i found all of the connections between the main magnet and the actual headphone wiring and so one, this is another basic fitment that once seen can be said to be very easy to break with very little force. The while product uses very cheap plastic and very few other materials for the structure. The one thing that i may use for my design is the use of their very compact use of all the components which make it a lot lighter and space efficient, which would be very useful for my design which should be placed where space is limited and where the design may have to be moved throughout and environment.


Product disassembled

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT- From this page i know i will use the space conserving features as well as the docking station idea, from here i will assess all my information and them start to design my idea through various media. I will probably use components from the designs i have disassembled to create my design as i know they will work and have a certain manor of Finnish which is accepted in the industrial world

On this page i will be taking apart a speaker which has all the typical features of a speaker, this includes: More than one speaker, docking station and other features. From this second disassembling i hope to apply some ergonomic features as well as some functional ones.

Looking at image grouping 1 we can see that i have taken apart the basics of the speaker and looked at the frontal area in which we can see 4 main speaker ports where sound will be produced, this was protected by a very dense plastic grill which is very useful as it can give a longer working period which i may use in my design, it also does not effect the sound which is an added bonus. We can also see that the frontal area which contains the speaker and battery container is held together by an adhesive and slotted fit which firmly holds together this component.

From image grouping 2, i broke down the design even further with the use of screwdrivers, chisels and a hammer due to the strong fitments. By taking it all apart i saw how the speaker, battery pack and the control panel are all as single part and joined together at a later date by wiring it all up. This would save cost and space in a design such as this. However the one part of this design that i would use would be the docking components which simply folds outwards quickly and cleanly.

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Research Report

-What i wanted to find-

-What i researched-

-What i have found-

-What i wanted to find-

-Conflicts with research-

-What i will pick to use-

-What i will take from this-

-What next-

Development


Further Specification

-old spec and then new spec

In my Further specification this is where i look more finely tuned into the design/ product i will be making, this include the aesthetics, cost, costumer, environment, size, safety, function and material and these will be described in more detail on this page, from here i will develop my initial specification:AestheticsWhen designing my speaker the aesthetics will be modern and fit the profile of KEF, it will be smooth and incorporate different materials giving it texture and character in the environment where it must be placed. The use of composite and smart materials interests me (i.e.carbon fibre) to fit in with the design of KEF and creating a sculpture style product. When designing my speaker the aesthetics will be modern and fit the profile of KEF, it will be smooth and incorporate different materials giving it texture and character in the environment where it must be placed. I will use some composite materials in my design, it should show and emphasise sculptured design as well as a modern minimalist feel. Cost Due to KEF’s reputation and extensive collection of pricy products, my design will also be a high priced design. The materials, joinings and overall cost of making the design will be of extreme quality- this is due to the clients that buy KEF speakers. My design will be a medium to high priced design, with the joining, materials and overall quality being good. The finishes should be extremely high and a smooth texture should be consistent throughout the product. It should be attractive to KEF costumers.CostumerThe main users of my product (continued on page 11) will be a sophisticated character, male or female, very interested in functional artistic art and can be placed anywhere in their specified environment. My user can be of any range as long as the interest of music and art is apparent, and can afford the highly priced product. The main users of my product (continued on page 11) will be a sophisticated character, male or female, very interested in functional artistic art and can be placed anywhere in their specified environment. My user can be of any range as long as the interest of music and art is apparent, and can afford the highly priced product. EnvironmentMy design will be placed in a very minimalist and modern home environment which can be distinguished wherever it is placed in that environment whether it would be on the wall, ceiling or stand on its own My design will be placed in a very minimalist and modern home environment which can be distinguished wherever it is placed in that environment. I will be placing my design to conserve most space in an environment either on a wall, ceiling or shelfs. It should stand out but not to the scale where the design look ridiculous. SizeIn terms of the product, the design can be any type of size due to the amount of free space in the modernist environment, however i do not plan for my design to be as big as a design as the KEF Muon. It is to be big enough to capacitate the speakers and be recognised in the environment as a stylish piece of gear, that is the only specification for size.In terms of the product, the design can be any type of size due to the amount of free space in the modernist environment, however i do not plan for my design to be as big as a design as the KEF Muon. It is to be big enough to capacitate the speakers and be recognised in the environment as a stylish piece of gear, that is the only specification for size.SafetyFor speakers, safety must be taken in the electrical and heat insulation of the product, to make sure the user does not get burned or get an electrical shock. Care must also be taken in: tripping hazards, the products durability to stay together and being stable. my product will have none of these so it can form to the environment and become one with it. For my design there will be minimal issues with the safety as it will be placed in an area which should not be in the way of the user. As before my design should look as if the design becomes one with the environment, and look aesthetically pleasing while doing so FunctionThere can be many functions and features for speakers however my design should be mainly aesthetically pleasing and functional in terms of the sound that will be produced. I may include some small smart features such as touch sensitive, but nothing to change the style of the design. There can be many functions and features for speakers however my design should be mainly aesthetically pleasing and functional in terms of the sound that will be produced. I may include some small smart features such as touch sensitive, but nothing to change the style of the design. MaterialsI will use materials mostly including plastics and wood, however to make my design unique i might use some smart materials such as carbon fibre....I will use materials mostly including plastics and wood, however to make my design unique i might use some smart materials such as carbon fibre....

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT- From my initial specification my further specification is not too different in comparison as i am only changing things such as aesthetics, cost, environment and safety slightly. From this new specification i know that my design will be very creative and ensure that i show all my inspirations that i have seen (sculptures, art, KEF and modernism)

Old

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Initial Design Sketches


Initial Design SketchesOn the next few pages i will be creating some designs and concepts that follow my further specification, which follow below. On the designs due to the lack of colour that will be used, i have highlighted certain parts to talk about.

What my design must have in my initial design ideas and concepts:-Wall design/ reasonably sized-Style related to KEF (smooth/ sharp design)-Looks like a sculpture (Architecture)-Maybe a specific function-Various materials used in harmony -sometimes the use of carbon fibre








Initial Design Concepts


DevelopmentAesthetics- squaring up

Aesthetics- The Shard

When i first looked at my design that i plan on creating, and more importantly the aesthetics of the design, i saw the idea as a very soft style with the use of all the smooth curves and the

general roundness of the design. From here however i did say in my initial specification it would stand out in a modernism room, and I'm not sure the level that it is at is striking enough to the

eye. So clearly i had to change something. So what i did was to start sharpening and edging of my design to, almost make my design more viscous to the eye. I started with a side profile of

the design and added now views and details to give me an idea of what i was working towards, and clearly from the results(left) the design is certainly more striking with not one curved edge

and pointed edges as three separate locations. From what i have changed from the design i feel it has improved it, not only to follow my specification more throughly but it also looks much

more attractive, and this is what i wanted to achieve.

From the start i always wanted my design to be inspired somewhat by architecture and the shapes that are created in the real world, while the initial ‘squaring up’of the design has helped improved my vision of what my design would be like, i would want to also used a certain case study to almost use as a direct link to another aesthetic change. The shard, which is near complete in London has always interested me due to its pyramidal shape and stunning angles it can be seen from, and as this is what i want my design to be like, i plan to use some shapes and visual aspects of the shard to help my design. The first part of this structure that interests me would be the tip of the shard(left). I have taken construction images and zoomed closer to see the detail and clearly from the images there is the steel top which gives a very blade like feature and gives a certain danger to the design, i will probably use this feature however the construction methods will have to fit in for me to incorporate this. Secondly is the open space between the struts in the building itself, using this on my design would give it a raw and almost unfinished edge just like a sculpture would have and this could be done with the the use of a clear material


DevelopmentConstruction- Initial Structure

Construction- Bolts and Screws

Moving on from the previous idea of the initial structure, rather that the use of adhesives all over my design which would be mostly weak and a long process, i would prefer to use bolts and screws to create a more

permeant joint to al the main components of the design. There are many different types of bolts i can use, for example a dome head bolt which would suit well with my design as it would give a different dimension and a different texture which may make my design more interesting if people were to look closer at the more detailed parts. From the top right image, and the

top right of the picture the idea of a 90 degree steel joint which would

make complex angles strongly fixed to the design

Before i went any further into my development i wanted to get my initial structure or the skeleton of my design

completed so once the basics are done i can focus on more of the details and parts that will characterise my design. From the left, my design will have straight edges all over

the design, this should help with joining processes and also making it more sturdy and so the longevity can be

extended. Another point that i will make would be the idea of balance of the whole weight is to be put on a section of the wall, this means my design will either have to have a very strong wall joint or have a relatively light weight with all the materials added together so that it will not fall of

the wall at any point. But due to my idea of the shard and different materials i want to incorporate my wall design

will have to be strong instead.


DevelopmentConstruction- Adhesives

Construction- Wall Joint

Here i have created wall joint prototype to where i will be able to

place my design over, it may be simple but this means i can make it

incredibly strong from strong materials. To begin with i used one sheet of a bendable material, here i

used thick cardboard as it can be easily bent and shaped. Then cut diagonals on the corners and then fold them over, if this process it joined strongly, this means my

design can be slotted into the wall joint and can be permanent or

temporary depending on preferences. However it needs to be strong so i will make it in sections

and join them together using strong joins like a dove tail. This will

improve the longevity.

Although i did say adhesives were a longer and weaker process to joining larger sections of my design together it

doesn't mean that the smaller parts cant be joined using using the different methods on the left. Adhesives such as cement,

epoxy resin, PVA and glue gun glue sticks can all be used differently on different materials to ensure the bet stick, i will

most probably use all of these to give my design the best overall quality. Glue gun glue sticks are very versatile and can used on most materials however it may not be strong enough

to hold non porous materials. The strongest adhesive would be cement however this would severely weigh down the design

and so i will have to look for different adhesive later on.


DevelopmentConstruction- Model

Usability- Card Model

Continuing on from the development of construction i wanted to look more in detail about how my design will hold together when it is being build, and although this model is only a 2D representation using lightweight wood sticks, it gave me an idea where the stressful parts of the design are and where the key point are if it was to break at any point. A key area of this model was the parts joining the two curved segments of the design up, it was fairly flexible even when i had glued it down meaning this is the part where more industrial joints or adhesives were to be applied. Another section would be the top of the lower curve, this was also quite delicate but from here i know that a strut would go from he tip down through the design so this would not be a problem.

Next was a more solid model giving me a better understanding

of how someone may use my design and how i might change some aspects of the design so that people can find it more

natural to find and use some of the attachments that may be

added. To begin with, image top, this gives a perspective of how

someone may see my design(walking down stairs) and from this view i could clearly see

an opportunity to add the controls to may design while not spoiling the aesthetics, or even adding to the aesthetics. Using

the image on the left we can see i have added small markings on the card to show some places where buttons can be placed,

this gives a greater usability of the product as they don't have to

walk directly in front of the speaker to change volume, song

etc... and so the sound of the speakers will not be distorted by someone standing in front of the

speaker


DevelopmentUsability- Anthropometrics

Usability- Ergonomics

Ergonomics are a key point in any design that has been carefully been planned out to work around a human, my design is no different as i must take account of the different sizes to allow my user to use my design comfortably and with ease. As my design is wall mounted i will have to take some

measurements to see how my design will be placed(height on wall). An average sized man is around 5,10 ft tall and a woman 5, 5 ft tall, this

means my design will have to be around 6 ft of the ground so that it is not in the way and keeps itself spaciously efficient but also so that all people can

reach the design and change certain aspects without issues or problems so that my market does

close up on the taller/shorter

Now anthropometrics focus on the sizes of the human body rather than making a product fit around a human, i have already looked at the

height of someone in ergonomics and how they must be able to use the design but here i plan to change my design so than everything is natural,

one quick example will be the measure of someones arm and then use this information so

that the design is no wider than this (0.8 metres), this would improve my design as it would allow

people to reach around and make it more accessible from different angles so that it is not

constantly in the way .


DevelopmentUsability- Placing of Speaker

Usability- Card model con.

Again i am going to look at card model however this time i have zoomed in more to see how

someone may approach, now for the bottom image the place where the controls may go shows there is only room for around 6 buttons, that gives enough

for on/off, volume and track change which is perfect, however on the other side i plan to put on

additions for the movement or removal of the speaker just to allow easier accessibility Placing my speaker in a suitable location in a typical

modern home is very important to what i am trying to achieve in the development, as i would like my design to be aesthetically enjoyed from most areas in the room and

also from the sound to be heard and finally for it to be specially efficient. On the is simple CAD(computer aided

design) image of a typical room i have put on green circled areas in and around the room which would be effective for all three of the criteria however the red areas are places where they do not fit either one to none. Although every

home is different it still will always have a key vocal point in a room which anyone can exploit. This a key part that i will use and always relate back to as this will ensure that

my design is core to a room


DevelopmentMaterials- Clay

Materials- Carbon Fibre

Like i have said before leading up to my development, i have always

planned to use carbon fibre in my design as it is a very stylish,

modern material. And from the left i have tried out over some basic

moulds to see how it works. Carbon fibre is done in layers with releasing

agents being applied first to the mould then we apply around two

layers of carbon weave with hardener, all one at a time after

allowing to dry. Although the process may be simple, to do well it

is very difficult this is why it was good for me to practice with

different things before i am to start make it fully. From this i will only

use carbon fibre on a small part of my design, so that room for error is low and so it can be done well and

to a high standard. To use this i may apply this material to the tip of

the design giving it a shine and sharpness.

Another material that i wanted to experiment with was clay, although it may be a rather unorthodox material for such

designs for speakers etc, the shapes and textures that can be created would give my design something special about it, but

this all depends on how practice went. On the left we have some images of a test run on the whole model, and the mess was terrible with all of my mould covered in dried clay and

was fairly awkward to get off. After using clay i feel it is quite a rough edgy material that probably will not fit my design as it must take time, patients and lots of resources to make clay

attractive to the eye.


DevelopmentMaterials- Steel Rods

Materials- Polishing Plaster

Using steel pure can be tricky however using steel rods for a design can be generally very easy and also look good if the

finishing of the material is done to a high standard. With this test i have got three lines of steel rod. The first one is rough

with no finishing it is ugly and very dirty to the eye. The second has been sanded with course sand paper to technically give the

rod a ‘grain’ which looks very edgy but also quite clean. And finally the bottom two images have had a full finish done in

them which the use of smaller grain sand paper followed by wet and dry then moving onto buffering and then finally polishing.

Now this last process takes and long times and does give a good shine to the steel rod, however it does just remind me of

the KEF Muon which is very clean and sophisticated, on the other hand i would like my design to be a little shaper so i will

go with the middle method of steel finishing

I have never thought of using plaster before as for most times the quality of finishing is not good enough for nice designs, however after seeing what polished

plaster looks like when done well it looks like something that would work with my design. For

polishing plaster it is very simple all that needs to be done is: sanding a steel trowel this removes

imperfections, wiping trowel with tack cloth then rubbing in short strokes with polish, wipe wall then

wax the wall. This process is very simple and yet we can see from the images the finish looks good on all different surfaces however this is not regular to use on product especially speakers so i will have to see

what happens later in manufacture.


DevelopmentMaterials- Wire

Materials- Aluminium sheet

I have used wire before and is excellent for finishing of designs giving it and extra shine on a corner for giving a plain material some texture, it is used in different parts of architecture especially bridges making it perfectly suited to my design, i will use

wire however in small moderation and only for finishing touches

Aluminium sheet can be worked on in many ways but the most interesting method for me is cold

forging with a hammer, this can give extraordinary shapes in the metal and can also be moulded around rough shapes to create delicate textures like for example to the bottom left. I will

try and use aluminium in my design where possible as it gives shine and it finishes well.




DevelopmentMaterials- Clear/ Matt Acrylic

Materials- Rubber

Earlier in my development i discussed the influence of the shard on my design and the the raw nature of the open structure interests me, well here in materials I've looked at the use of

either completely clear acrylic, glossy acrylic or lightly transparent acrylic. From here i have

placed all these materials up against light, dark, wood, plastic backgrounds to see which would suit best, now at the moment i will not be able

to make my choice till i see the structure later in my development however the clearly acrylic

seems to look good in all conditions.

I would like to use an elastomer in my design as it would

give a bit of variety as most of the

materials i will use are very cold and un textured, however if

i was to use an elastomer for the

buttons for the base of my product it would definitely show more of a

quality in terms of a material that other manufacturers of

speakers like Bose, KEF and Sony use all

the time. Touch sensitive can also be added if available.


Specification Check

AestheticsWhen designing my speaker the aesthetics will be modern and fit the profile of KEF, it will be smooth and incorporate different materials giving it texture and character in the environment where it must be placed. I will use some composite materials in my design, it should show and emphasise sculptured design as well as a modern minimalist feel. Cost My design will be a medium to high priced design, with the joining, materials and overall quality being good. The finishes should be extremely high and a smooth texture should be consistent throughout the product. It should be attractive to KEF costumers.CostumerThe main users of my product (continued on page 11) will be a sophisticated character, male or female, very interested in functional artistic art and can be placed anywhere in their specified environment. My user can be of any range as long as the interest of music and art is apparent, and can afford the highly priced product. EnvironmentMy design will be placed in a very minimalist and modern home environment which can be distinguished wherever it is placed in that environment. I will be placing my design to conserve most space in an environment either on a wall, ceiling or shelfs. It should stand out but not to the scale where the design look ridiculous. SizeIn terms of the product, the design can be any type of size due to the amount of free space in the modernist environment, however i do not plan for my design to be as big as a design as the KEF Muon. It is to be big enough to capacitate the speakers and be recognised in the environment as a stylish piece of gear, that is the only specification for size.SafetyFor my design there will be minimal issues with the safety as it will be placed in an area which should not be in the way of the user. As before my design should look as if the design becomes one with the environment, and look aesthetically pleasing while doing so FunctionThere can be many functions and features for speakers however my design should be mainly aesthetically pleasing and functional in terms of the sound that will be produced. I may include some small smart features such as touch sensitive, but nothing to change the style of the design. MaterialsI will use materials mostly including plastics and wood, however to make my design unique i might use some smart materials such as carbon fibre....

Here i have met the specification due to the research in the sculptured and modern industry for example the shard and geometric shapes.

While looking at materials such as carbon fibre and steel, this has gone along with this section

Due to the research in clay, ergonomics and anthropometrics, this has been met

When i had looked at the environment to see where my design will go, i have fulfilled this

section

In ergonomics i have looked at how a human will fit around certain sizes, this has been met

Due to the research on the wall joint, the product should be safe and will not cause health

issues

I have looked at aesthetics in detail and the development onto elastomers is key in meeting

this section

I have used an abundance in materials like carbon fibre etc... However , i have not looked at the use of wood yet

which is something i will have to look at


Development Section 2Materials- Finishing Off Materials

Materials- Joining

When i finally start to create my speaker design, the finish of the materials that i am using, such as steel, wood and carbon fibre all have a certain look and texture when i

use them, however as my design will be a sculpture style i want my design to be finished off to the highest degree. For wood (pictured right), i experimented with the use of wet

and dry and varnish. With wet and dry it gives the wood a certain crisp-ness to the wood making it sharper and more defined, however the wood pictured far right i have added a varnish, this makes the wood a more complete colour and more consistent. From this i

will only use wet and dry as it resembles sculptures to a higher degree. With metals such as steel only finishes such as wet and dry, buffing and polishing are available to me.

However as before in my development i have looked at this therefore i will only use wet and dry as it gives the material an edginess. And finally the use of plastics, now all

acrylic sheets come pre-finished and so not much can be done. I will however sand the edges and clean the acrylic with window cleaner to maximise its finish.

Woods Plastics

MetalsWoods

Plastics Metals

When connecting woods to plastics, the main type of permanent joining would be bolts and screws with the availability of adhesives and other types of joints(dove tail). On these two materials slight flaws such as scratches or marks are a big problem as they would show heavily. So because of this i will use carefully the use of adhesives such as epoxy resin, and if done correctly will look clean and be strong.

As my design will be using so many materials and process i decided to look at joining all of these different materials together.....

For woods and metals, a very efficient and strong method is the use of screws and bolts to hold these two together. After practicing with the use of bolts it seems the only valid and strong option as much of the strong parts of my design will be made of these two. It will also give me a chance to use the new finishes and using them together from the development above

And finally for the last two different materials, now plastics and metals are rarely used together due to their contrasting styles of construction, however such joining as sheet-metal nuts or rivets are a valid option rather than adhesives again, such joining as wielding would not work, so from here i will be using these two methods


Development Section 2

Construction- Sized Model

Construction- speaker placement/ Arrangement

For practicing, viewing and changing the actual size of my design this will help me understand more about my design and will allow me to make mistakes in

this product rather than my actual product. From Doing this sized model i have realised that the angles of the design and the corners are very important so

later in my development i will have to look at this in more detail. Another point i will have to change will be the idea that it would be in three parts (page 36),

but from now it will only be in two main sections with the top and bottom sections. This will help reduce the error i could make in measurements and

make it easier to join one the parts are made.

At this stage i will need to look at where speakers will be placed on my design to allow maximum effectiveness.

Since my original idea was to include 3 sets of two speakers placed on the area to the left, this my have to be reduced as the size of my design will be be big enough to old all of them, from this point i have placed new rings of

colour orange to tell where they will be placed. This allows all speakers to be seen and also allow the sound to travel in all sorts of different directions to be heard all over the

room



Construction- Wire Placement

Construction- Inside View Construction

As my designs main focus is to be as aesthetically pleasing as possible the idea of wires must strongly be considered. Even if my design turns out to be battery powered there is still connector wires that will be a

possible problem. From this i have identified on the far right where the initial wire will come from the speaker, then on the immediate right shows where the wire will trace on a smaller scale and clearly shown on the left

is the direct route it will take. From practicing this route it will able me to hide the possible viewing point

and so keep it looking well finished and clean.

Due to the fact my product will have some open sections where someone will be able to look inside it, i must

consider the way it is laid and and how well it must be finished. After looking a

various sculptures inside and out, i noticed that from all views it does have

an artist point to it, and i must incorporate this too, as this is the case i will have to finnish both sides of my design and to put materials must as

metals and woods to complete and fill out the design. This has changed from my original idea and so a lot more time would have to be spent on this aspect.


Development Section 2Construction- The joint of the sections

Manufacture- Joining design (Basics)

From the multiple images of my design, there are clearly two main sections to the design, however there is also the joint to the wall mount which must also be considered. The idea of the sections would make it easier for me to create the design and join it together in sections. Looking at the two largest sections, as they will be made of steel rods of some kind a clear strong

wield would be done to solidify this joint and make it permanent rather than the use of bolts and screws. The use of tungsten gas wielding would allow there to be a solid joint all

along the two sections where they meet, this would able me to make both sections separately and join them at the last stage,

saving time on working around them.

From the beginning from a purely one sided view of one panel of my design that there is a lot or room to attach

and join parts of my design together, and over the manufacture i will be going into more detail. So from

the basics of joining my design this is the lower section split up, and here i looked at the gaps where the struts

of material would leave space and from a sculpture point of view this gives me a lot of choices with what i

want to do with this space, but as i have already looked at architecture in the shard i must keep this open to

follow my other research. But for this part of my research i plan to keep my design simple with minimal

amounts of struts to keep joining to a minimum and also to follow my modernism design movement.


Development Section 2Manufacture- Different order of Constructions

Manufacture- Template/ outline of design

etc....

Obviously the order i create my design will be very important as the whole design will be fairly heavy with all the steel and will need to be constructed

slowly and carefully so that everything will be balanced rather than before where i thought i could create it all at once. To begin with i will create my

sturdy wall joint, followed by the lower section, this will allow me to judge what the weight will be like,

then the top section followed all all the smaller components of the design like the speaker switch

etc...

For my design i needed a template for my design where i can follow various parts of my design without making a mistake (such sections as general shapes, amounts of edges, width, general sizes, speaker placement, wire placement and also how the design will be pieced together. Also on this cardboard and MDF model i have circled in red where the major stress point will be and this is where extra care will be taken in terms of the joining processes and the materials finishings if there are any. Although i have used a thermoset glue, it has helped me practice and understand the problems i will have with wielding the design such as the tighter angles and the areas where there is minimal surface area and i will have to be more though rough with the joining.


Development Section 2Manufacture- Ways of constructing wall mount

There are many ways in which i can construct my wall mount which will be attaching to my design making it a wall mounted product. I can use more modern and traditional methods of wall mounting with images bottom right, they use finely tuned materials to be able to hold as much weight in as little space as possible, however i have already created one prototype in my development which has already worked well so i plan to use this design, although i have changed one small thing to give my design just a little more stability, it is a small V shaped piece of material screwed into the wall piece and then a diamond shape on the speaker side, rather than just laying all of its weight on the bottom of the wall joint, i have also looked at the idea of a twisting wall mount however this would cause problems from how rectangular the back of the design is, so i will not be using that idea.


Development Section 2Manufacture- Ways i could make the frame/ structure

On this page, as my design will basically be a frame sculpture i have looked at different types of framed structures, buildings etc... and from all off the types of frames they are incredibly well balanced and strong at every point, i have looked at weaker parts of my design already but now it is just the balance that i need to focus on, to achieve this the top section of my design my have a less mass to reduce pressure on the bottom section, this would keep the centre of mass lower and the overall weight of the design would be severely decreased. I have also been looking at the image and framework above of a wooden home and from research i have found that there are 10 main strong beams/ columns of wood holding the structure up with the smaller beams giving stability and shape, i would like to use this idea but i would use more like two or 3 main struts to hold the design up and the rest to give it its shape.


Development Section 2Manufacture- Ways i could make Base (wall to main body) Joint

For my design i did want a midpoint between the wall mounter and the actual design itself, and even since my design will not be going on the floor i have created a base. For this section coloured orange on the sketch to the right it would act simply to hold the main design all together. The elastomer that i plan to place in this position wouldn't need much thought in terms of joining as firstly it wouldn't be seem plus rummer is an extremely good material to be bolted which could work with all different types of materials. It would also give a certain amount of texture and class to the design when being touched or being looked at. Another thing i have thought about is the idea when it is not attached to the wall it must be laid down on the floor, however to make sure that the design can be picked up and can rest on the floor i will plan for the last bottom part highlighted green will be slightly longer and heavier so that the situation named above can be sorted, this would also help the usability of the design.



Manufacture- Creating sharp clean edges

Key Inspiration:Keppel Bay, Singapore ‘World Architecture Festival 2012 Award Nominee’

A final Manufacture that i would like to look at with my design would be the idea of sharpening the metal on my design with the use of files, sanding and buffing to make it, not just to make it look better but also when I'm joining this material it becomes a lot easier to join and makes the joint even stronger. Practicing this on aluminium it also works, this also makes the design have more emotion and feeling to it. This could be linked back to different materials i have used and how i have also finished them to be much sharper, and the way the design is going this will also contribute to it.


Specification Check


My design has looked at making my design sharper going against my further spec. however

i have used a variety of materials and plan to use them also.

With the processes and materials i plan to use the cost will be high

From images and development my design looks like a modern speaker which sound be liked by

my costumer

i have looked a lot about where it will be placed and it satisfies this section

i have done this by doing a sized model and and looking briefly at sizes

my design i out of the way however it is very sharp and could hurt someone if it it too low

down the wall

the function will be its wall feature and being able to see inside the design, it fulfils the criteria

here

i have used steel, aluminium, woods, plastic etc although not carbon fibre on a working model



Components- Parts in Wall Joint

Components- Wire conclusion

When looking at the wall design in terms of the components that i will use to create this section, i wanted to break up this part and see how the design well be pieced together. For this part it is very simple with splitting the design up into 4 simple sections and joined into two when the small parts on the top of the images are placed into the design. This gives my design simplicity which in term will make it easier to create and so able to be made in a higher quality. For the section to the bottom right it is one component however it will formed or moulded making it stronger in the longer term and also a better finish with no seams etc...

As before i have looked and developed the direction of all the wires, i now have though of a final point on the design to place this holder for an iPod/ mp3 player, this would be placed on the underside of the bottom part of the design so that it does not effect the style of the speaker but also not the clutter the rest of the design with unnecessary parts and components. The components of this holder will be made from sheet aluminium to fit in with my design, this will keep that aesthetics consistent and clean.



Components- Panels

Components- Measurements*(mm)

For this component i am looking at i want to look at the panel and how it may be seen and joined. To begin with from the sketch to left my plan is to place a panel of some sort of sheet material to cover some of my design, this my be acrylic or sheet metal. However were i want to focus on joining this section together- i can join this together with the use of adhesives but that will be messy- so instead i plan to pop rivet or drill which would work on steel rods well.

700

50

100

250

300250

300110

45

100

250

200

200150

100

350

For this development rather than looking at one individual component of my design i wanted to look as them as a whole unit in a working format. From here i looked at the specific measurements to make my design work properly in a real life situation. Clearly From the diagram to the left i have left out measurements for the inside construction, partly due to the fact it is hard to measure this distance but also as the inside is not as important as for the measurements as it only must have a strong core and not necessarily a particular pattern to follow.



Components- Angles to product

Components- The switches i will use and how they will be used

For my design to work and to be joined perfectly i have looked at the angles of my design so that it can look sleek and modern but also to be stable to hold its own weight once it has been built full and to its maximum mass with all the components and this will only happen with this development. For my angles i have given most strength through the use of angles with the green circled area, as this would be the section where most of the weight would be forced on and the lowest angle difference is the best. When looking at joining my product in more detail i have looked at compound joints where i will have to look at what angles i will have to make the two pieces of metal so that they join together to make the total angle (images right). I have measured and calculated *C, however to create this angle i have to cut the angles into the two materials first, i can use the equation to the right to do this accurately for all my angles

3

21

4

For these components i have tried switches 1 and 4, and looked at the others 2 and 3- and from looking at what would look best on my design and would complement my style the most, numbers 1 and 2 would fit with the materials of steel rods and sheets- and as before i have said how the switches will be lined up vertically along the side of my design i plan to change this so that they group the design in 2’s allowing easier accessibility and putting these components into the design. One this i have noticed is the use of joining switches to my design which would be done now with all the switches on one panel which would be then laid into the side of the design blending it into the design and making it easier to work with.

Total 360

A

B

360-A-B=C

C



Components- Mid joint to the main design

Components- speaker

This is the design of speaker i will be using for my design as it uses the right colour scheme and it is the correct size to fit into my design also- For this component it has a diameter in length of around 90 and a diameter of depth of around 40mm, this size now gives my an idea of the sizes to cut out for the panels they will fit into, however i must watch out at the design is curved and the hole will have to be inch perfect. I will have to use a precise type of equipment to measure the diameter so that i can cut the correct size of hole.

At this point i am looking in more detail in the mid section of my design where the wall joint will be joined onto the main design structure- and so this part has to be as strong as possible! to do this i plan to create a dove-tail joint which is incredibly strong and then covering it on an elastomer to fulfil one of my previous criteria. Using this sort of method just makes the whole process a lot simpler once the components are created. It is also a more professional method of joining.



Components- Frame

Components- Frame continued

At my final stage i have used 3 different types of joining methods to see what is best for this component- The first using MIG wielding(top of triangle), this was a relatively quick process but left large bulks of material and often was difficult to clean up. The second technique(left of triangle and right) we have used a braising to joining the components and this was the quickest to join but also the quickest to sand down after. And finally to the right of the triangle using an acetylene torch to melt the material together, however this blew a hole into the steel which is a risk i’m not going to take. In conclusion i will be using the brazing rod as it is the easier and quickest for of joining.

My final two pieces of Development come from the main feature of my design which is the frame and i wanted to use this last as the rest of my development can work around this main already rather than working the other way round. For the frame i could use squared rectangular or circular types of steel rod however the decision will always be made on how easy it will be to make the shape of my design and the ability to join the product up in a physically strong way. And from the clear example on the right the use of square hollow tubing is the best and the edges can be lined up but also can cut to fit into shapes and the shape of my design

BRAZING

MIG

*PRACTICE




Specification Check


I have kept aesthetics constant throughout by looking at the components and the processes

and materials that i will you for them.

Using a range of materials has kept my design at a reasonably high price, i have achieved this

criteria.

My costumer will be into sculptures, and from the components i have added, it still looks like a

sculpture.

My design has not changed where it will be placed nor have i changed how it will be placed,

i have completed this criteria previously.

On measurements i have carefully decided on how large the design will be, and the structs as

well.

Wires have been carefully mapped on the design and that will be the only issue with safety here.

My design has no specific function, i have not looked at this section, i have not completed this

criteria.

In components i have completed this criteria


Final Design

Sketch


Use of plain Use of plain colours and colours and sharp edgessharp edges

The use of The use of various various

materialsmaterials

Clean cut Clean cut sculpture designsculpture design

Wall connector Wall connector

on the backon the back

Used in Used in orthographic,

orthographic, about to holdabout to hold

On the wall so

On the wall so away from most

away from most interactioninteraction

The use of

The use of buttons on the

buttons on the side.side.

Various

Various

materials

materials


Product Placement

Sketch

On this page i have inserted my design into an environment where it would fit and also an environment where my costumer would be living. From the images the colour scheme on the design fits in with a white and extremely modern place which has fit all of all specifications.

⥢

⥢


Market Placement

Sketch

On this page i have placed my design in a market where my design will be respected and admired by the people who visit this site, The Heatherwick studio website can be linked to my design due to its function aesthetics and innovative style.


Orthographic (mm)

Sketch

700

180

400

450

250 700

300

400

The engineering view gives me the chance to see my design from 3 main perspectives and measurements are shown on the Image.


Cutting list

Part Number Description Material Length(mm) Width(mm)Thickness(mm

)Quantity Cost £ (rounded/total)

1 Wall mount- back MDF 700 300 30 1 10

2 Wall mount- sides MDF 70 70 30 2 -

3 Wall mount- bottom MDF 300 60 30 1 -

4 Wall mount- sides 2 MDF 60 60 30 2 -

5 Wall mount- bottom 2 MDF 300 50 30 1 -

5 Wall mount ‘V’ MDF 100 100 15 1 -

6 Sheet Metal layover Aluminium - - - 6 5

7Wall mount screws(self

tapping)- - - - 4 -

8 Mid-joint Diamond MDF 100 100 15 1 3

9 Mid-joint slide fit MDF 1 -

10 Mid-joint ‘L’ Pine 900 300 20 1 -

11 Frame ‘Struts’ Steel 13790 10 10 27 28

12 Frame Panels Aluminium(sheet) 300 - 1 15 5

13 layover Tip Carbon Fibre 50 50 5 1 5

14 Sheet layover- Frame) Acrylic - - - 10 15

15 Acrylic screw joints - - - - ≂42 -

16 Speaker *Combination 130 130 40 4 28

17 Audio holder Aluminium(sheet) 100 70 5 6 2

18 Audio holder filler Foam - - - 5 -

19 Wire decor Bendable 5000 - 5 1 2

20 Switches Polymer/ *Combination 30 20 10 5 3

21 Bottom Feet Elastomer 10 10 10 4 1

22 Electrical Wire - 1500 - - 1 -

- = This means costs are covered earlier in the table or are negligible in price


Cutting list- Disassembled

- = This means costs are covered earlier in the table or are negligible in price

Part Number

1

2

3

4

5

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

Documents

A2 dt year 2 folder unit 2 full