industrial design power tool project 2010 andrew bowenandrew bowen

1100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004 1

What you will find here:

In these next several pages you will find a project which

I completed in the sixth semester of my junior year. This

particular project focuses on the redesign of a power

tool which was randomly assigned to each student,

mine being the belt sander.

During the first half of the project we each paired up

with a fellow student to cooperatively gather research.

After that we took our findings and set out to create a

concept for better product.

If you would like to see the complete project including all

engineering and material analysis, please ask. I would

be happy to show it. Thank you, and please enjoy…

Power tool project

project background

1100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004

research

market analysis

In our initial

research we begun

by looking at the

current belt sand-

ers on the market.

We did this to

understand not

only their functions

and features but

also who their

target market was

and at what price

range they were

sold at. Thus know

what market gaps

may exist.

Low

$ 50 - $80

home User

High

$151 - $250+

industrial strength

Medium

$81 - $150

hobbyist

Old Fashion

Innovative

Extreme Traditional

2

1100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004 2

additional product research

Within our research many topics were explored. This was done in most part to gain full knowledge of all factors that affect the use of a belt

sander. Among these the most extensive and revealing was analysis of all user tasks / actions, along with patient research.

research

First Interiewee: Jesus

Job title: Industrial Wood Worker

Past experience: 30 years of wood working

Problems with tool: Even Surfacing, controling tool, and fatigue from weight.

Sugestions for redesign: A way to get perfect flat surfaces, adjustable speed, reduce weight, and

a way to get into small or angled surfaces

Second Interiewee: Eddee Edson

Job title: Artistic Wood Worker

Past experience: fiber glass boat construction, industrial furniture and cabinet maker

Problems with tool: No shut off switch, cord management, and getting flat surfaces.

Sugestions for redesign: Trigger and not on/off switch, better configuration of cord and dust

collector, slow introduction to surface, and cleaning and debris management.

Third Interiewee: Steve

Job title: Student Shop Advisor

Past experience: Wood worker, Floor installer, and shop owner

Problems with tool: Lack of power when doing hard surfaces, too small of a plate, managing dust and cord.

Sugestions for redesign: High power and mangement, larger sanding area for hand helds, possible

air for larger sanders, vaccum attachment.

1100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004

user interviews

research

4

insights: using vacuums for better dust collection.

use of filters on collectors

insights:the difficulty of creating round shapes

interviewees had customs jigs andtechniques.

insight:tensioning arm and tracking crank offered opportunities for better comfort

insight:need for cases that matched the tool.

insight:variety of sizes in belt sanders power sources, and motor configurations.

insight:need for comfort and control with quality handles and features such as speed control

1100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004 5

interview and research insights

research

1100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004

existing design study sketches

research

By studying and then sketching existing products on the market this helps to study not only the over all forms but also the details and

features they poses. Form doing this we can see easily start seeing why some belt sanders are preferred to other, and in the end many

ideas came about as to how to make a competitive more ergonomic and aesthetically appealing product.

6

1100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004 7

proposed solutions

digital leveler / even surface indicatorlonger mid sander plateprevent user from placing rear roller down firsteasy to adjust alignment dual fan collectiondust exit tube is large enough to attach vacuumdust collection located at back and again on top

dust blower / blow dust out of the wayfront narrow to not obstruct viewhandles at the rear so hands don’t block viewbody angles down at front

adjustable dust collectordust collector located on left side or backcollection reservoir’s shape should be narrowdust collector should stick out as little as possible

centered motor configurationhandles centered over sanding platemotor located between rollers

even surfacing

1

interfering dust

collector

4

unbalanced weight

5

2 inefficient dust

collection

3 visibility of

surface

problems solutions

Producing this problem and solution diagram revealed not only all functions and features that the concept should embody but also shows visually how they are connected and affect one another. In doing this it also became apparent what parts of the proposed solutions would be the primary features to advertise and make note of.

primary solutions

secondary solutions

research

1100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004

possible motor configurations

ideation

8

direct Drivedriven directly

by the motor

smaller motor

needed

wheel is aligned

directly with

motor

top

side

hypoid Aligned

motor and gears

are aligned with

wheels

more balanced

1

2 2

1

top

side

ideation

chosen motor configuration

91100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004

top

side

dropped Motormotor is placed

between wheels

more balanced

less material

needed

from the three proposed motor configuration setches where explored to see how the motor configuration

would look with body and different details. after doing this the dropped motor configuration was chosen.

2

2

ideation

final concept one

101100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004

explored metaphor: a snake’s head

using the snake as my second metaphor

I looked at the qualities of having a low

center of gravity, sleek form, and power

coming from the front. users will be

attracted by its low stance clear visibility

along with its unique styling.

ideation

final concept one

111100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004

ideation

final concept two

12

Ideation

explored metaphor: Snail

The snail posses many admirable traits

that belt sander could be modeled after;

including, stability, longevity, persever-

ance, and in many cultures wisdom.

Users will be drawn to its many ways of

using the handles as well as its con-

cealed motor, rugged looks, and wide

surface area.

1100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004

ideation

final concept two

131100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004

Implementation

141100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004

Habu : A slicker way to sand

In many ways a belt sander can be a difficult

power tool to use. Most people have little

experience in using a belt sander and for

some it can be down right intimidating. This

is mostly because most belt sanders can be

hard to control and easy to get away from

someone. Accompanying this they have the

ability to create an even surface just as easy

as creating a very uneven surface making

matters even worst.

The Habu belt sander is designed to not only

reduce intimidation and appeal to the aver-

age home user but also make sanding easier

through its innovative features. This design

intends on resolving several major problems

users have with belt sanders including getting

level surfaces, lack of adequate dust collec-

tion and visibility of surface, as well as inter-

fering dust collector container.

Implementation

151100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004

Delivery of innovation

161100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004

design improvement one

Dust blower for better surface visibility

by directing excess air out the front of the sander this would

improve the use of the tool in two ways:

by giving better visibility of the surface that needs to be sanded.

removing any left over dust that the collector did not gather

dust blower nozzle

Delivery of innovation

171100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004

design improvement twobalanced motor configuration

motor belt drive

positioning the motor between the rollers on the

belt sander would improve the use of the tool in

three ways:

weight would be balanced more evenly in the

center of the tool giving better control

the weight would also be directly over the sand-

ing plate where it needs to be applied

allow for a more compact design and added

room on top for visual clearance

Delivery of innovation

181100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004

design improvement three

assistance in creating a level surface

integrating a digital leveler and designing a

handle with a ground level base plate would

improve the use of the belt sander in two ways:

the base plate of the handle

would prevent the user from a

common error by introducing the

rear rollers first and thus improperly

use the sander.

digital leveler interface

uneven surface even surface

the digital leveler would assist the

user in knowing when the surface

they are sanding is even so to prevent

over sanding.

Delivery of innovation

191100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004

design improvement fourincreased and adjustable dust collection incorporating and additional fan and allowing the

dust collection container to adjust would improve

the performance of the belt sander in two ways:

an adjustable and easy to remove dust container

would prevent interference of space or sight for

the user.

dual fans

dust collection

increased in dust management by having dual

fans; one that sucks up dust and one to blow it

away.

removable dust container

adjustable dust container

1100 E Lemon St. Apt. C217 Tempe, Arizona 85280 email: akbowen@asu.edu phone: 480.233.6004

thank youplease contact me for any questions or opportunities