A2 Product Design Project 2011-12

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

A2 Design& Technology

Bertie Johnstone Radley College

Candidate No. : 4201

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Centre No. : 62415

Section A – Performance Analysis

(4 Marks) 2

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Client:

My client is James Johnstone, he is a home owner who has asked me to design a storage device

for Books/DVDs, CDs and a small Hi‐fi system. He does not want a piece of furniture that looks

like a very standard stereo cabinet but a modern concept looking storage device with inventive ideas incorporated into it. My client has specified that the rooms the product may be used in

are not particularly large so the storage solution must be compact with contemporary styling

without being ultra modern.

The cabinet is aimed at the high end market and will be specifically tailored to meet the

requirements of his stereo which is a replacement for one that broke and he would like to preserve the life of it as long as possible. He also specifically said that he doesn’t want it to

look like a flat pack item of furniture but a solid quality item.

Users:

This project can have a diverse range of users from home owners to students

and depending on the materials used it would appeal to many people who

like modern aesthetics and would suit their desired room they want the item

to be in. This products is designed to have a very varied target market to fit into a variety of atmospheres. It does not have a unique use or need a unique user, it is for any person who owns a stereo and would like a dedicated place to store it alongside their

CD/DVD collection. This product is aimed at the high to middle end of the market. The product should have quality of a high end item of furniture but for a fraction

of the price of what one can pay for a top end stereo cabinet.

Project problem/need:

The problem is having a Hi‐fi system which is not used a huge amount and is taking up valuable surface space, solving this problem can be achieved by creating a

place to store the Hi‐fi as well as other items which could fit into cupboards/shelves/cabinets.

The project must be an item of furniture that has multiple uses to stow away a Hi‐fi system as well as being able to hold/display books and CDs. It must not be too

obtrusive or large in a medium sized room. It must have modern aesthetics with new unique features.

Project location:

The project could be suitable for many different rooms depending on the finish colours/materials it is constructed from. A small item of furniture wouldn’t stand out

in a bedroom, study, kitchen or reception room. My client has specified that it is most likely to be used in a medium sized study/living room. Therefore it is important that some degree of significance is taken into account when finalising maximum dimensions of the foot print of the product otherwise it will stand out too much in

the room making it an unattractive piece.

Design Brief:

I intend to design and build a one off prototype piece of furniture that will have unique features and modern looks that will house a small Hi‐fi system as well as

books/DVDs and CDs. It is not to be a large book shelf but at the larger end of cabinet design. This design will be built to meet my client’s criteria.

KEY:

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

Section A:

All boxes with this background colour are

conclusions that I have drawn on individual pages.

All text in these coloured boxes is questions to the client or feedback directly from my client.

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A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Interview: I carried out an interview with my client 14/5/11 on to gain a clearer idea about the product he had in mind for me to make.

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

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What sort of room will this product be used in – please estimate size? o A sitting room/reception room. The room is not modern but a modern piece of furniture would not look out of place and would be good change for the ambience of the room. Lighting is poor so internal lighting in the unit would definitely be required. The room area is approximately 8sq m. o The other room that may house the unit is bigger 5m x 4.5m but is similarly traditional in décor and is also quite dark.

Is there definite scarcity of storage in this room? o Yes, there is little space specifically for DVDs and CD’s are just stacked in inconvenient places.

Is this product replacing one of a similar specification or a new product you would like to have?

o Replacing existing basic TV cabinet which is too small for the purpose and is not of an attractive design (80cm wide x 50cm high x 30cm deep).

What sort of things do you want to be able to store in this product? o DVD’s, CD’s, Hi‐Fi, DVD player (only if a TV was mounted above it or sitting on top). May store some books but they are sometimes not attractive to look at.

The unit would not be appropriate for paperbacks and leather bound books while looking more attractive would not be appropriate for a contemporary piece of furniture. Books would have to be stored vertically to be practical and hardback books may be too large.

Roughly how many of these things would you like to have storage for? o About 100 CD’s although not all of these CD’s are listened to regularly so space for 60 to 80 CD’s would be ample. c. 20 DVD’s but room for up to 50 would be optimal. Both CD’s and DVD’s need to be stored vertically for ease of access.

Do you have a certain use in mind for the top surface? o Possibly TV or photographs.

Are there any features that you unquestionably would like to have in the product? o Lighting is important due to the dark nature of the room. Mood lighting might be attractive but it also would have to produce “practical” lighting to enable the contents to be easily seen. I would like doors to protect the Hi‐Fi from dust but a completely enclosed front may make the unit look too much like an ordinary cupboard. If the Hi‐Fi was enclosed behind doors it would useful to be able to use a remote control without having to open them. Doors that folded into the unit would make the unit more attractive to look at when the doors were open.

Are there any other features you might like to have but feel they might be too farfetched? o A TV which rises out of the unit. Glass shelves. Possibly electric doors, especially if the doors would not allow a remote control signal to pass through.

Do you have any maximum dimensions that you would like to product to adhere to? o No larger than 1m wide, I do not want it to be a high standing cabinet so a maximum 1m high would be best. A maximum depth is to be no more than 0.5m deep as it will protrude too much into the space in the room but the stereo is quite deep and there must be space for ventilation and wires and maybe a power extension. (1m W x 1m H x 0.5mm D) What are the dimensions of your Hi‐Fi that you want this product for? o The Dimensions of my stereo are: 130 H x 220 W x 310 D (mm) o The dimensions of a speaker is (single): 280 H x 167 W x 230 D (mm) Do you have a preference to the materials or certain finish you would like to have on the product? o Preferably not white paint as it tends to discolour. I would like a contemporary finish so possibly metal and glass. Maybe matt black as white may fade. o A wood finish would also be good but must be light in colour to maintain a contemporary feel so may be oak or ash. The idea is for it not to look like a traditional piece of furniture. o Having the cabinet not made totally out of the same material would be nice; I would like to see some metal or glass integrated in the piece of furniture.

If there were similar products on the market, how much would you be willing to pay? o I would normally be prepared to pay around £400 for a similar product from a shop but have in mind that this is going to be a unique product which will be bespoke and therefore will be prepared to pay a premium.

Any further comments?

Legs at the base would be practical so as not to allow damage when vacuuming although dust would accumulate underneath. A lip at the top would allow a greater surface area on the top of the unit but a flush top would look smarter.

Plastic replacing glass in doors would keep the cost down but I am unsure whether it might get scratched easily.

A power extension inside the unit would be preferable to avoid too many cables coming out of the unit.

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

Questions to Client:

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Conclusion from meeting with client and initial client:

From conducting this interview with my client I have learnt that the product is going in medium sized room roughly 8m2, this allows the product to be quite big and not just solely built around the size of a stereo. Although both the rooms are said to be traditional the client is asking for a new modern piece of furniture which will change the feel of the room.

My client has specified the other items that he would like to store in the cabinet; mainly DVD’s and CD’s which are small and easy to store as they have standard sizes for all of the boxes which means any shelves dedicated to them do not have to be adjustable. Books are less important but none the less a minor amount of storage can easily be provided for books with adjustable shelves – this space could have other uses such as DVD players and such like. He has also specified that all CD’s and DVD’s must be stored vertically for practical use.

The top surface must be big enough and strong enough to support a large flat screen TV as there is a possibility of one sitting on top otherwise it can be left clear for photos and ornaments.

Lighting is emphasised twice during the interview so it seems to be a core feature of this cabinet as he expresses that either of the rooms that the product may be used in are both dark and some sort of lighting would be useful – by practical he means no strong colours which will produce less light. He would prefer clear of only slightly tinted light.

Doors are a must, as he has expressed how dust is an issue in his house and it will preserve the life if the Hi‐Fi – if the doors were to be opaque it would be inconvenient so best to have them at least translucent and so that they have mechanisms that allow them to retreat into the cabinet so not to hang open and be in the way.

The other features were just to see if there was anything he might like that he thought was out of the question; having a motorised pop‐up TV or doors would not really be possible as it would take too long to design and build the mechanism for this to happen, however having glass shelves is very achievable.

It is useful to have an idea of size as I now know what sort of scale to design the cabinet to when it comes to designing the initial ideas and investigating existing products on the market. I also have the dimensions of the stereo that the cabinet is to be built around – it is also important to note that space must be kept behind the stereo for wires and ventilation and the stereo has an iPod dock on top so space must be left there too.

My client also has an idea towards what materials and finish he would like on the cabinet, it is useful to have some sort of idea but I will return to material selection after having designed the initial ideas to see what is going to work best.

Having stated a price of around £400, this gives me an idea towards the sort of products I should be analysing when looking at existing products and where I should be aiming to keep my costs around when designing and constructing the final product.

The further comments he has given which will all be useful when designing the initial ideas such as raised legs or a lip around the top surface.

I now have a much more in depth knowledge about what my client wants which hopefully I will meet when designing the aesthetics and features of the initial designs.

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

• Bedroom • Office/study • Kitchen • Living room • Reception room • Lounge • Sizes of the rooms and the itens of firniture it might be replacing

• Ply ‐ Lamination, Veneer • Oak / Ash ‐ Polished, Varnish • MDF ‐ Painted, Veneer • Chrome/Aluminium ‐ polished, brushed • Glass/Acrylic

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

• Lighting Circuit • Electronics • TV/shelf secured to wall • Height of top shelf • Door mechanism ‐ the way the door closes

Clients location Photos of the two possible rooms:

Features: • Cabinet doors • Adjustable/Fixed shelves • Floor standing/wall mounted • Built in power extension • Lip or flush top surface

Known Dimensions:

Safety:

Stereo Storage

Environment:

Storage:

• All woods can be recycled and come from a sustainable resource • Recycle of some plastices ‐ acrylic can be used instead of glass for the doors • Recycling of glass ‐ can be melted down inoreder to be recycled

• Hi‐fi • CD's ~100 • TV • Lighting • DVD's ~ 50 • Books ‐ similar height to DVD's

• Fuirniture being replaced: 80cm W x 70cm H x30cm D • Stereo: 220mm W x 130mm H x 310mm D • Speaker: 280mm H x 167mm W x 230mm D • Room: ~5m2

Extra Features: • Legs • Glass Shelves • Translucent doors • Power extension • Pop‐up TV • Electric doors

50cm

Room 2,

measuring

4.5m x 5m

120cm

250cm 75cm

4m

Analysis Conclusion:

From this spider diagram created from the first interview I had with my client, this highlights the various things I need look for when analysing existing

products and doing my further research. The main features such as the cabinet doors must be widely looked at as there as many different types. There are

also many different ways to mount shelves if they are wood; if they are to be glass the options are reduced, they are also heavier and will need strong

fixings if they are to be adjustable.

Knowing the dimensions of all the items that are going to be stored in the cabinet is very important such as the ranging sizes of power extensions, CD boxes & how much space 100 CD’s will need and 50 DVD boxes require. Books are not as important for storage as they can also range hugely in size, the shelves

can be adjustable to cater for different book sizes or they can lie on their sides.

It is important to have a range of dimensions for TV’s, mainly the stand and the weight of the TV. Although I already have the dimensions of the stereo and

the speakers that the cabinet is being built for, it is necessary that I carry out research for a range of small Hi‐Fi devices so the cabinet could fit other similar

sizes of Hi‐Fi’s.

If the product were to be wall mounted it is vital to research the safety and capability of different wall brackets and fixings, the same research on the safety of any electrical components, door mechanisms or the sturdiness of the design.

When analysing existing products it is important to assess the factor of sustainability in the design as it can range hugely with different materials.

Researching types of lighting is not important at these stages until it is known which general type of lights will be used instead of researching a wide range.

Room 1, measuring 4.5m2

Materials/Finish: Location Possibilities:

Candidate No. – 4201

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

Analysis:

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300cm

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Research into existing products: Researching the

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

designs and features on the current market similar to what my client has specified

Client opinion 1: I like the

design in principle however I am not keen on a white finish as it is likely to "yellow" over time. The storage appears to be general storage whereas I would like different parts of the unit to be dedicated to different items such as CD's. There does not seem to be internal lighting which is necessary given the darkness of its proposed location.

1) Sustainability: Majority of product of MDF, this can be recycled but there are toxic resins used in it and the paint can be harmful to the environment

2) Strengths:  Has a strong structure  Can be built out of a variety of materials giving a wide range of finishes  It is raised off the ground  Can have multiple uses, it is not designed specifically for a TV

2) Weaknesses:  The design does not have any doors to protect the stereo etc.  The shelves are designed to specific sizes nor are they adjustable  Very simple construction method

2) Manufacture: This is probably a light weight product made of a honeycomb structure material with a plastic veneer (melamine formaldehyde) It uses standard components – the aluminium tubing supports Cheap, quick and easy to produce

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1) Manufacture: This is a heavy product and is

constructed of MDF using standard wood joints

(butt joints). Can be machine cut, KD fittings are used to hold together.

1) Strengths: 1) Weaknesses: 1) Other points: 1) Conclusion & why this is useful or not to product:  Minimalist modern  Low and wide item of  60cm H x 185cm W x  This product has glass doors furniture 56cm D 2) Other points: 2) Conclusion & why this is design allowing remote to pass through  60cm H x 170cm W x useful or not for product:  Doors on each end are  Specifically designed as  Cost: £1,499 translucent  This product has no dedicated  Cheap materials are used, 45cm D – this product is a TV stand  185cm wide – much

storage for DVD’s etc.

MDF with a glossy white larger than the client  Can hold a TV  The majority of the larger than required by melamine formaldehyde or  It is larger and more expensive has specified finish is white paint client  Raised off the ground expensive solid walnut than what the client wants but  Cost: £400 – product  Item weighs 86kg  Mainly wood with a  Contrasting colours produced inside clients has aesthetics and other  There is a large amount of without TV glossy painted finish  Multiple storage spaces estimate features the client wants storage for many items  Aimed at an expensive  Glass used in doors is  Has integrated wire  There is not a wide range management  The design is neutral to fit into market tempered of process or materials

many different atmospheres  Sliding glass doors could be

used Client opinion 3:

I don't like the appearance and the idea of Client opinion 2: 4 the secondary sliding glass door to access the

I like the design but in practical terms being so open will mean that dust will collect and stereo. Although very modern it looks too the idea is to keep the CD's, Hi‐Fi etc. clean and dust free. It is also wider than I would

much like an office filing cabinet and too have liked but it stops the TV being the centre piece when other things are being stored

in it. I prefer the wood finish (don't like the white finish as discussed in #1) and do like utilitarian. I am not keen on the metal finish. the look of the legs.

Although it has a very clean look it is not

appropriate for the proposed location. Also

this design is built not to stow the speakers.

4) Sustainability: Client opinion 4: Not keen on the design as

it has a cheap look about it and does not seem  Product uses few materials – to have a style. It is also white which I don't 3) Manufacture:

could be made out of solid wood like. As it is wall mounted there is no option The entire cabinet is built of sheet aluminium

 MDF with a matt white paint can to place a TV on it. The other down side of 3) Sustainability: This product is the least sustainable as it has which has been bent and pressed into shape. It wall mounting is that there is a limit to the easily be recycled no natural materials in it but it is possible to recycle the scrap is fast to produce as CNC machines and jigs can 3 weight that can be stored inside and once it is metal. The aluminium can be anodised of painted for a range  More expensive materials could be used. All components are specifically made

installed it is difficult to move due to the of finish colours. for the product. be used

damage caused to the wall.

3) Strengths: 3) Weaknesses: 3) Other points: 3) Conclusion & why this is

 Design has integrated  Does not hold 4) Strengths: 4) Weaknesses: 4) Other points:  119cm H x 86cm W x useful or not for product:

 35cm H x 50m W x 35cm D ‐  Small but practical design  Has room to store about 40 ventilation for the speakers  The item all metal, many 45cm D – this product

this product is much smaller CD’s but one row is almost  Dedicated storage for CD’s – stereo  Doors are in the way jigs would be needed in is also higher than the than the client specified as a inaccessible enough space for two rows  Has 5 dedicated CD when open order to make this

client requires max but it shows a range  Stereo is not covered by a  It has a door covering 2 shelves each side product  Design id totally  Cost: £1700 – above

 £149.99 – this product is at the door but could be adjustable shelves for other  Doors covering front constructed form  It has many if the what client said, but

other end of the market but is things which the user may not  CD’s are such a snug fit it and side storage with metal features that the client shows the price of a also cheap due to size

want to look at would be very hard to get glass front specified, doors, glass  All shelves are fixed large cabinet with  It is wall mounted which is an

them out if the shelf was  Has a very affordable price which front, lighting  Has an optional  Design is bold and lighting, doors and internal lighting system for £100

would not fit in many atmospheres

lots of storage

 Ventilation needs to researched further

could be reduced for what it is

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full  3 wall mounts needed

option and the speakers are not contained in the design

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2) Sustainability:  Melamine formaldehyde finish is not recyclable  Aluminium can be reused  Walnut is an expensive wood and must come from a sustainable source

4) Manufacture: Consists of two separate MDF boxes the same size finished in matt white paint. Uses mitre joints all round. The shelf clips in using KD fittings, the door hinges at the top and sides towards the wall into the body of the box. Small scale – cheap production

4) Conclusion & why this is useful or not for product:  This product shows on what sort of scale the cabinet could be if re‐designed to be more practical  Lightweight product with great ability to be wall mounted  Wall mounted items such as this protrude quite far out from the wall

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone Further Research: Researching dimensions and standards for features which are definitely to be included in the product which my client has specified.

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

142mm

CD Dimensions:

Hi‐Fi Dimensions: The dimensions of the Hi‐Fi are vital as the cabinet is primarily being built to store the Hi‐Fi that my client owns.

130mm

125mm

It is important to know the dimensions of a

However it is still necessary to have the dimensions of some other Hi‐Fi systems, getting the maximum dimensions and the average for the height, width and depth. The dimensions of my clients Hi‐Fi are: 130 H x 220 W x 310 D standard CD box as this is the main item the cabinet will need to store excluding the stereo [330] (mm), however these dimensions do not take into account the feature of having an iPod dock on top so more

itself. The dimensions of a standard CD box are: space will be required – this research is carried out in the iPod section. From looking at other Hi‐Fi’s of a similar size, 142mm W x 125mm H x 10mm D. The amount of sold in the same range, I Have found that the average size of the Hi‐Fi unit itself is 214 W x 111 H x 330 D (mm) and space needed for 100 CD cases in a row is: the largest dimensions from all of the units were 215 W x 140 h x 359 D (mm).

1000mm with the addition of about 10mm so the

iPod Dimensions: CD’s are easy to get in and out of the shelf.

Having researched the sizes of iPods that can be used with the Hi‐Fi using the dock, I have found that the iPhone 4

is the largest of the Apple Mp3 products. The height of an iPhone is 115.2mm, this space plus an additional 30mm DVD Dimensions: (totalling 145.2mm) must be left as open space above the stereo to enable the user to take the device in and out of There are is also the possibility of having a few the dock. Stereo + iPod = 225mm, additional room for hand totals height to 260mm 135mm DVD’s stored in the cabinet. It must be taken into Speaker Dimensions: account that there are two common types of There are more options with the speakers as they do not need to be covered by a door, so they can be placed at DVD’s, Blu‐ray™ DVD and standard DVD. These have different box sizes to each other: either end of the product. The speakers could either have designated place of their own or fit in a book/adjustable shelf – hence the name of the speakers being bookshelf speakers so they can fit in among books. My client has Standard DVD: 135mm W x 190mm H x 14mm D given he the exact dimensions of the speakers he has; (single speaker) 280 H x 167 W x 230 D (mm). Having looked Blu‐ray DVD™: 135mm W x 171mm H x 11mm D at similar speakers, I have found that the average size of the speaker itself is 151 W x 243 H x 188 D (mm) and the The space needed for 50 standard DVD cases in a size of the largest unit was 180 W x 300 H x 188 D (mm). (Speakers can be used/installed on their side) row is: 700mm with an additional 10mm for ease of access, in this space, 63 Blu‐ray™ DVD’s could Ventilation: be stored.

From the two samples of information shown left and below, ventilation is very important so the unit does not overheat. Therefore ample amounts of space must be left for cooling, some sort of opening would be good in the The space needed for 50 Blu‐ray™ DVD cases in a row is: 550mm with an additional 10mm for ease of access, in this space, 39 Standard DVD’s could back of the cabinet for circulation – the space inside left for cables behind the unit is probably enough space especially if there is air circulation. Depth required = 330mm. be stored.

These two notifications and warnings (see below&

right) are from the user guide that came with my

clients stereo, they clearly state ventilation should not

be obstructed, especially as the stereo will heat up over

the time period that it is being used.

Other things to take note of from these directions is to

put the stereo in a place without dust, hence the

importance of having doors on the cabinet to protect it

from dust and not to store any CD collections too close

to the stereo as if it heats up too much it may damage the CD’s.

135mm

220mm

280mm

171mm

190mm

7

167mm

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage Door mechanisms/types:

TV stands (& sizes):

Doors have been requested as a definite feature by the client so it is necessary to research the different types of door mechanisms available which could work with the cabinet. I have researched 7 different types of door mechanisms which are all possibilities but some more complex to make/install than others however it will be down to the cost, practicality and finally the client’s opinion:

310mm

It is necessary to research the varying sizes of TV stands as there is a possibility the client

would like to put a TV on top of the cabinet. Through my research I found that the size of

stands for very similar sized TV’s can very hugely, on older TV’s the stand is often nearly as

wide as the TV itself and on newer TV’s the stand is very small in the middle. This information

is not that accurate of the varying sizes of TV stands as very few shops/webpages displayed the dimensions of the stand itself so it was hard to gather a large amount of data. I thought

the best solution to this was to ask my client of the maximum dimensions of a TV stand that

he might be likely to place on top of the cabinet. The largest size stand he was likely to place

on the cabinet is: 535mm W x 310mm D.

535mm

This is a flexible roll‐up garage door mechanism, it is good as it takes up very little space and is stowed away when the door is open. This door can easily be scaled down to work with the cabinet and the door could also be made from either wood or metal. This door can be used the other way up as well.

Speaker Dynamics (placement):

From a performance and quality point of view it is essential to look at the best places to build

the speakers into the cabinet to achieve the best sound quality. To achieve this I have studied

speaker dynamics. From this research I have found out that the optimum spacing to have

between speakers is 7ft (2134mm) apart to get the best stereo effect; obviously the cabinet isn’t going to be this wide so the next best option is to place the speakers as far apart from

each other as possible. There are also distances angles that are best specific to where the user

may be sitting when using the stereo, this information is displayed in the two diagrams [Right]

but this is entirely up to the client/user. I also found information about the optimum height to have speakers for the user, it stated that they should be at the users eye level; my client has

stated that he is most likely to be sitting down when using the stereo, also taking into account

that the maximum height of the cabinet will be 7500mm the best place to have the speakers

is at the top of the cabinet alongside the stereo which is not to low so that the user can easily

reach the stereo controls.

These doors open just as conventional doors might, then the hinges of the doors are on runners and the doors are able to retract on to the product so they do not hang open and are not This is solid/rigid type of garage in the way as they hang open. These doors are door. This too can easily be scaled good as they give the user two options where down to work with the cabinet; both look neat. These hinges are special bought runners for the door can easily be components and may provide an extra cost. These made in many materials using a CNC doors are very versatile as they can be used in any router. The only disadvantage with orientation the client might want the doors to this door is the space that is lost at open the top edge when it opens as it cuts into the space.

Power Extensions:

If a power extensions is going to be included and built into the cabinet a space must be left for

it to fit, therefore it is vital for there to be a big enough space for the extension to fit into. My

client specified that he would like a 4x socket power extension included in the cabinet, the size of the average extension is 270mm L x 60mm W x 27mm D. However this does not take into

account the space needed for the plugs and cables as well; so the dimensions for a power

extension in use is actually: 305mm L x 100mm W x 60mm D (the depth is for a standard plug,

not for a larger power adapter – these can vary massively).

Sliding doors are very versatile; they can be made from glass, plastic, metal or wood. Simple runners can be routed into the wood or bearings can be used to give a smoother action and higher quality finish.

These doors are low cost and do not have problem of trying to hide protruding doors when open.

Conclusion:

Research towards TV stands has shown that the cabinet is likely to have a big enough top surface to hold a TV, if not it will be considered in the design, the weight of the TV will also be taken into consideration.

Speaker placement has shown that optimum dynamics can’t be achieved but the speakers will be situated in the next best place possible.

Power extensions can vary so I will build the cabinet area using the dimensions of the power extension that is bought for the cabinet.

Researching door mechanisms has been useful to weigh up the pros and cons; however the decisions about doors will be down the size of the door needed, the cost of the mechanism and ultimately the clients’ opinion.

This door mechanism is the common swing open door with two hinges. This is a simple and easy type of door to use however it has the problem of being in the way when the door is open. This can be avoided is the door is translucent so when the stereo is being used the door does not have to open.

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Sliding doors which roll‐up are good as they also take up little space, these are similar the first garage door mechanism, however the garage door retracts but does not roll‐up. With both these door mechanisms, either of these methods can be used. The amount the door is open can be adjusted but the remainder will still be hidden in the cabinet.

This is a modern type of door mechanism which is seen here used in a kitchen which could easily be used on a smaller scale in the cabinet. This is a high quality mechanism which may add an extra cast and as a slightly unconventional way of opening in a modern way.

However the door is not hidden inside the cabinet when it is open

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage These two handles are used on a modern desk.

Dimensions: 130 L x 10 H x 23 D (mm) Handles can be metal or plastic with many different finishes.

They are easy to grip but could do with more space to get fingers behind and feel a bit thin.

Door Handle Research: There is a huge range of different door handles which all have different sizes which could be used. I have gone into more detail looking at different door handles by looking at the ergonomics of how easy they are to grip/hold and use as well as assessing their aesthetic value.

The door handles range in size as they are from different appliances which are also different sizes so the size of the handle differs proportionately.

These handles are used on cupboards and drawers of contemporary kitchen units.

Dimensions: 160 L x 25 H x 26 D (mm) Handles have a high quality feel and a brushed finish, made of chrome. They are large and easy to grip with plenty of space to get fingers around the back of the handle, they are quite large but ergonomically they are very good.

This handle is simply formed from the cut out of a drawer which would also be used on a cupboard door.

Dimensions: 240mm L x 30mm D This type of handle is very easy to make at no extra cost as no handles need to be bought, they can easily be made in any different form or shape that the client might like.

These two handles are used on a modern TV stand.

Dimensions: 50 L x 30 H x 17 D (mm) Handles can be metal or plastic; these specific ones are HIPS plastic. They are fitted to a cheap flat pack item of furniture are not of high quality. Up close they look cheap but from a distance they give a higher quality modern finish. The ergonomics are good as they are easy to grip and use for the average hand size.

These two handles are used on different appliances, one on a cabinet and the other on a 7ft cupboard – they can also be used on drawers.

Dimensions: 35 L x 35 H x 35 D (mm) Handles are cheap to buy and can be screwed in, they make a product feel a bit cheap as they are very standard components. Ergonomically they are too small for the average hand but they are still easy enough to grip to open the door.

Conclusion: These two handles are used on a 80’s chest of drawers.

Dimensions: 50 L x225 H x215 D (mm) Handles are made of aluminium with a polished finish. They have a simple design which works well, they can be used on cupboards or drawers and they are big enough to get your fingers behind, however they could be a bit wider.

From this research I have found that the size of door handles does vary a lot and that not all will be comfortable to use. It is better to have bigger door handles which are easy to grip and get your hand behind. Also it is best not compromise on the cost of the handles, they are not a very large of expensive component and metal is the best material to use as close up it looks better and has a much better feel to it. Handles which the user is more able to get their hand behind are much better instead of knobs; these handles need to have at least 20mm of space behind them to fit your hand behind. A thinner handle is better, especially on a smaller product so it does not stick out and does not look out of proportion on the product.

9

Section B – Product Specification

(6 Marks) 10

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Section B: Criteria Point Number: Criteria point – explanation/justification

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage Client specified from interview/input Measureable point

1.

Purpose 1.1. To store a small Hi‐Fi in a cabinet as well have storage for a large CD collection and a small DVD collection 1.2. Provide a modern piece of furniture which can be used for ornaments or a TV 2. Form 2.1. The client has not specified much in detail about the form but it will be more apparent once the basic designs have been drawn up,

therefore the cabinet could have a wide variation of forms 2.2. The product can be solid, there is no need for it to be dismantled so no design necessary for flat pack/KD fittings 3. Function & Performance 3.1. CD storage – must have storage space for at least 80 CD’s 3.2. DVD storage – must have storage space for at least 50 DVD’s 3.3. Store a small Hi‐FI behind closed door(s) 3.4. Also incorporate storage for speakers into the product – these must be as far away from each other as possible to give the best

stereo sound effect.

3.5. Must have some sort of lighting system – to illuminate the contents to help the user see the contents 3.6. Doors are important to protect the Hi‐Fi unit from damage from dust or spillages etc. – this would preserve the life of the stereo and obstruct it from view when not in use

3.7. Provide auxiliary storage or other items a user may have the need to store 3.8. It must not exceed 50kg – most be moveable by 2 people 4. Aesthetics 4.1. Must be designed to fit in to a traditional poorly lit room but must be modern – bringing a modern touch to the room 4.2. Wood finishes are most preferable, option of black finish – client has expressed dislike to white finishes 4.3. Aesthetics are the secondary concern [especially the lighting] – the quality and practicality are primary

5. Size 5.1. Max height: 1000mm – keeping the cabinet low, no taller especially if floor standing. (mitigates safety hazard) 5.2. Max width: 1000mm – maximum amount of space there is on each possible room 5.3. Max depth: 500mm – this gives ample room for the stereo unit, including ventilation and cables including space for a 4 socket power extension

6. Ergonomics 6.1. Door handles must be the useable for the average adult hand size 6.2. The stereo must not be placed at the bottom of the cabinet as it is too low for the 95th percentile of the population 7. Materials and Components 7.1. Multiple materials will be used in the design, the main material being wood – the addition of either glass of metal would add to the variation in the design 7.2. High quality materials are used in the build of the product and the surface finish of the materials must have very few blemishes 7.3. Hard woods will last longer and the medium brown colour of the wood is preferred to the light colour of soft wood ‐ not as dark as

the colour of mahogany 7.4.

Components must be high quality and long lasting but also weighing up the price of components such as lighting or door

mechanisms to the quality keeping the overall price within the desired price

8. Manufacture 8.1. Manufacturing techniques will be analysed against how much time they will take to carry out based on the complexity but still

giving a good finish and not compromising on quality – this will save time and also reduce costs if the product went into production 8.2. The amount of energy needed to carry out certain manufacturing techniques will be taken into account – this lowers costs and reduces the amount of energy used in the production line

8.3. If this product were to be batch produced, jig(s) would be used during the manufacture where necessary – this reduces the time taken to produce the product

11

10. Maintenance 10.1. Standard materials/components will be used where possible – this will allow the user to replace parts such as door hinges so the product doesn’t become obsolete.

10.2. If glass shelves are used it will be built around the standard sizes of glass shelves ‐ this saves having specific sheets cut 10.3. The only other component that might need replacing is the lighting system/bulbs which will be made easily accessible – ensuring it doesn’t need specialist tools to change them 11. Market 11.1. This product would be sold to high end one‐off furniture dealers –It is not ruled out, but there is no need for it to be flat‐ pack 11.2. Likely customers for this product are homeowners with reasonably large rooms that the cabinet would suit and who need this product for its specific needs and are looking to buy a high‐end piece of furniture 11.3. The RRP for this product would be between £350 ‐£600 12. Quality 12.1. Built to the highest quality achievable, it is the primary concern for such a high end product – tolerances should be within ±3mm 12.2. Long‐lasting – see sustainability 13. Scale of Production 13.1. This product is being made as a one‐off custom item of furniture for a client who has requested it to be built around his needs and stereo system 13.2. If this product were to be produced on a larger scale it would be best produced in small scale batch production in order to maintain the quality of the design and the end product 14. Cost 14.1. Costs of materials will be kept to a minimum where possible 14.2. The overall cost to build the product must cost no more than £250 – allowing a profit to be made 14.3. Where there are options between certain components or material, the cost of the item will be taken into account if it is a significant difference 15. Safety 15.1. All electrical cables must be obstructed from view ‐ which will increase the overall safety.

15.2. Lighting cables must be totally insulated ‐ having a built in power extension and only having one cable trailing from the cabinet reduces any safety risk 15.3. The product must be designed to be very stable – keeping the maximum height low avoids the risk of the cabinet tipping forwards 16. Packaging 16.1. It does not have to be flat‐packable unit but it would save a lot of money on packaging 16.2. It would be well packaged to avoid any sort of damage – packaging will be kept to a minimum and environmentally friendly packaging solutions will be used 16.3. If retailers bought this product in batches it would be expensive to transport due inefficiency and size of the combined units or even more costly if not flat‐pack 17. Sustainability 17.1. The source of the materials will be considered when finalising materials, ensuring wood comes from sustainable and managed resource (FSC) – manufactured bards will be used where there is the option as they used recycled material which is more environmentally friendly 17.2. When finishing the product, the paints or varnishes used will be analysed to ensure they are not harmful to the environment/the most environmentally friendly is used 17.3. Long lasting product using durable materials so it will not need to be disposed of and replaced which would not be environmentally friendly as it is a waste of materials

Section C – Design & Development;  Design

(10Marks)

 Review

(4 Marks)

 Development

(10 Marks)

 Communication

(6Marks) 12

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Section C: Initial Idea Brainstorm

Roof inspired design with floating shelf

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

Client Feedback:

Choosing from these proposed designs, I prefer designs 2, 5, 6 & 7.

However there are some features which have the potential to be

included into other designs, such as the floating shelf in design #3.

1. I understand the concept but it’s probably not suitable for this house.

2. An interesting shape and good use of space as the top surfaces are usable.

3. I like the idea of the floating shelf but the apex of the unit seems to cause wasted space unless there is storage all the way up each side.

4. An interesting design but does not look space efficient in terms of its storage capacity.

5. An interesting concept but would need space either side to allow the units to slide out. In the photo the front of the unit is too plain although in your drawing there is something on the upper part.

6. Don’t think this would work in my house. The design concept and products with same manufacture technique look quite whacky!

7. Interesting design, I like the ‘Z’ shape, but I am not sure how the storage would work either side of the diagonal leg. The tilted shape would make storage awkward.

8. Not sure I want it wall mounted as it makes it difficult to move from one room to another. Otherwise is quite a standard design.

9. Conventional but practical design in terms of both use and efficiency.

10. Another conventional but appealing design with a slight edge to it with the different leg setup.

11. Prefer more symmetrical design but would work. Looks very wide.

12. Compact design but circular central cavity wastes space and makes storage tricky.

Basic design with possibilities of different orientations

Modular/pod design

2

1

Laminated curve design

6

4 Shelves reciprocate back and forth in main body

5

7

Single metal bar constructing Z shape

8

9

12 11

3

10 Long flat designs accommodate TV’s well

13

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Section C: Initial Ideas – No.1

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

This idea consists of three laminated boxes with one box dedicated to the stereo unit itself which will have a door on

it. These boxes can be arranged in many different formations which are shown by the diagram (right) which shows

all the possible set‐ups using the pre drilled holes.

Multi use flat top surface

This idea was originally inspired by looking at a set of stackable toy boxes where different sizes would fit together in a similar fashion.

720mm

Smaller box will have door

1000mm

500mm

The process to make each box would be laminating all the corners of each box on the same former in order to have the same radiused edge on all of the corners. Once all the ply laminates have been formed into a square or rectangle, the ply ends would be fixed together where they meet using a half lap joint. Here a darker strip of wood such as mahogany would be stuck flush to the surface to hide the join and fuse the ply together.

Box 1

1200mm Box 2

Modular Design: This diagram (left) shows where the pre drilled holes would be on all of the boxes which would allow the user to arrange the boxes in their own formation. They are all drilled at standard distances in and along so all of the boxes will fit on top of each other in the desired fashion.

Client Feedback: Like the simplicity of the design and the fact that it can be constructed in a variety of different shapes. Cost is an important consideration and this design has the advantage of low cost. I like the large storage capacity, but the design doesn’t really have any special features which give it an advantage over any other design. I like the neat idea of only having a door on the smallest cube that retracts into it.

This the standard and most compact set‐up

Glass Shelf

The three diagrams above show a connector bolt (male and connector nut which would be supplied with the product and used to connect each box together easily with two hex keys.

These come in many different sizes but the ones needed for this use can be bought with both bolt and nut for £6 for a pack of 10.

The most connector screws a setup could need is 6.

Highlighted Specification Points: 1.2, Purpose: This is a minimalist design that can be considered to be modern, unrelated to traditional design.

3.1/2, Function: There is a huge abundance of storage for both CD’s and DVD’s.

3.8, Performance: The design uses very few materials due to its minimalism which also ensures it is light and easy to move 7.1, Materials: Wood, Glass and plastic would be used in this design.

8.3, Manufacture: A standard jig/former could be made to produce this product making it quick and easy to reproduce in batches.

13.2, Cost: The total cost will be one of the lowest out of the 4 designs again due to minimalism and structural design.

14

Materials & Justification: The main materials used in the design would be many thin layers of laminated flexi ply which would provide a strong structure once dry. The large shelf would be made from glass as it is structurally strong in large sheets and can be sourced 2nd hand cheaply, the client also expressed desire to include glass where possible. The door of the cabinet can be made from smoked Perspex which is light and reusable and would allow the remote of the stereo to still work.

500mm

This is a close up diagram of the square box which will have a door in it, the door which is best suited to the minimalist design is an ‘up and over’ style door which retracts back into the box when it is open so it is not in the way. This door can be made of a variety of materials.

Sustainability: Materials from a sustainable resource, ply is a soft wood which is fast growing to be replaced, the Perspex door can be recycled and the glass shelf is likely to be reused for the product or at the end of the product life.

No dedicated place for the speakers

NB: Lighting will be designed in the Development section (D) for the final chosen design.

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Section C: Initial Ideas – No.2

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

This design works on the abnormality of the design, it has a heavy but sleek metal base with two box steel legs which hold the upper shelf at an opposing angle of 45o to the

base with no other supports – this gives it an unbalanced look which is remarkably sturdy. The extra storage capacity on the underside has been added in as an idea taken

from initial brainstorm #3 there the shelf unit is supposed to look like it were floating as it is only held in place by thin metal wire.

MDF painted/veneer or solid hard wood

1100mm

Balanced wine rack

Washer

Box steel legs

Suspension cables x8

45o

The storage unit will be constructed from the same material as the top unit, the corners will be joint using butt joints on the 90o corners and half mitre joints on the acute angle joints. The lower right corner will be at 45o which will match the angle of the base. The box steel will be MIG welded to the steel base also at 45o.

800mm

This idea was originally inspired by a wine bottle holder which uses only one leg as a stand and the weight of the bottle to counter it.

Wire Clamp

The second storage unit is the selling point of the design, this feature was lifted from design #3 which the client had displayed an interest in the feature which now works well with this design to provide more storage but retaining the ‘Z’ shape.

The upper left diagram shows where cables would go in order to keep this unit hanging away from the main body of the design, the idea is to make it look like it is floating beneath it. In total, 8 thin cables will be used to suspend the unit. This is an ample amount when using steel cable.

The upper right diagram shows how the different parts used will be assembled going from left to right as the cables are attached. The cable will go through small holes in the wood/steel and then a washer will be threaded on to the cable, after that a small wire clamp to hold it all in place on both sides.

Client Feedback: I like the “whacky” design of this one although it looks as though there is less storage capacity than the design above. No. 1 design has the advantage that all of it can be used for storage whereas the bottom and the right hand side of no.2 are not usable due to the design. I like the hanging section which is a clever feature but I am not sure how it is going to hang. I understand that there are 8 cables. I can see that the vertical cables will have tension provided by gravity but I do not understand how the diagonal cables will work as there won’t be any tension. The door is a definite advantage to keep dust away from the stereo unit however I wonder if an “up and over” door will look better and more subtle.

Steel cable for suspending storage unit

Wire Clamp

4mm x 10m £7.75

Double layer storage

750mm

Door Type: Having carried out research on different types of doors, I decided that a door which comes out then up would work with this particular design to cover the main stereo unit, as it is an uncommon type of door mechanism to have and would provide another different feature to the product. It is out of the way when it is open and it could be made from either wood or plastic with the option of being opaque to allow the remote to work.

Highlighted Specification Points: 2.2, Form: This particular design is very solid due the main frame being made out of box steel welded to heavy metal base.

3.8, Performance: This design could easily exceed the weight limit stated by the client if the design is over engineered.

4.1, Aesthetics: The general shape of the design is traditional (boxy) but has a modern design aspect.

6.2, Ergonomics: This design will easily meet ergonomic specifications as the stereo unit is easily high enough for many people to reach but not for children on a safety front.

8.3, Manufacture: To speed up the process a jig can be used for welding the legs to the base to ensure it is at an angle of 45o.

15

Materials & Justification: Depending on weight and cost the two storage units have the flexibility to be made from MDF and be veneered/painted or if the cost and weight is still kept low it could be made from a solid hard wood with a better quality finish which is longer lasting.

The base and the legs will be made from Steel which is easy to work with and easily welded. The high weight will be used to its advantage providing a sturdy platform for the product.

The cupboard door can be made from either

500mm

Steel base plate

Sustainability: MDF is a man‐made recycled board made of waste materials so it’s more environmentally friendly than cutting down hard wood trees which take a long time to grow back however the resins used for veneers are toxic and if used will not last as long.

Steel can be easily reused as scrap or even melted down to be moulded into a new product.

NB: Lighting will be designed in the Development section (D) for the final chosen design.

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Section C: Initial Ideas – No.3

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

This is the most unique design due to the main feature of the storage unit not being in a fixed place but being able to move from side to side. To enable this to work, heavy duty runners Glass protection

will be used both on top and underneath the main frame to allow it to move smoothly. There is a large amount of standard shelf storage, the stereo is high up and the speakers far apart front over stereo for improved stereo sound quality. However there is a slight flaw in the design; statistically the footprint on the product is very small, this is not true of its entire size as the whole product

is about 3 times the size of the footprint in width. Then, once installing this in the desired location it needs even more space either side of the cabinet as it reciprocates back and forth

needing space to be able to slide into.

Client Feedback: This is an intriguing and innovative design but I am concerned about how it will look when in situ.

Although the contents on the shelves will be protected when behind the “door” it seems that when not covered they will be exposed to dust. I am impressed by the amount of storage space which is huge and on this measure probably scores the highest. I presume that due to the design it can be floor standing but will also have to be fixed to the wall which means that it is not so easy to move once installed.

End View or runner and frame joint

Aluminium front plate

400mm

Runners/Rails

Storage

Wood frame

900mm

The frame will need to be very strong to support the entire weight of the storage unit so it will have to be made out of solid wood, most likely oak or ash. The 90o corners of the frame would be best to use a lap joint with dovetail nailing or wood screws (right). Whereas to reduce weight the main storage unit will be kept light using materials such as MDF.

In total 4 rails will be needed to provide stability, not to cope with the weight as the rails are capable of holding 91kg each so there is ample strength. These are designed for suspending large French doors with thick glass that weigh over 100kg. The rails will cost around £10/m of rail.

The diagram (right) shows how a rail might be fitted to the top of the frame and to the storage unit.

Rails may not be needed on the underside if just 2 rails will be able to suspend the weight, then just runners/guides will be needed.

Door Type: (below) This is an unconventional door, there is no actual door but the frame acts as a door. This is derived from the idea of using flat panel sliding doors but instead the whole front is covered by one large door.

When the storage unit is in the middle the stereo unit is sealed off behind the frame but is still visible behind a glass window. In order to be able to touch the stereo or any CD/DVD stored in the centre behind the frame the unit can be pushed in either direction.

The entire design is one big door, the idea derived from my door research as the centre section which remains stationary acting as a door as the shelf unit slides through it.

Side walls provide door seal

Main stereo unit

Foot print of frame

NB: The design of the runners on the main picture are incorrect, they do not need to stretch to either end as the unit would fall over. It only needs to move far enough for the stereo to be fully exposed.

1250mm

NB: Lighting will be designed in the Development section (D) for the final chosen design.

Highlighted Specification Points: 1.1, Purpose: This is one of the best designs for storing the actual stereo with the most suited facilities.

3.6, Performance: It isn’t so much a door but a cover but as explained it is sealed and does the same as any door would.

3.7, Performance: There is a very large amount of auxillary storage due to the length of the main storage unit.

7.1, Materials: The main materials are all wood but sheet aluminium is used for aesthetics only.

7.4, Components: The rails used in the design are high quality and long lasting but as of this they are quite expensive for individual ones as they are engineered for much larger doors.

13.2, Cost: The costs which are unavoidable is the use of solid oak and the rails.

14.3, Safety: Somehow the base must be made stable enough that when it is free standing the unit will not fall over or lean to one side when pushed to the maximum length it will slide.

16

Materials & Justification: The size of the design may need to be scaled down to keep the weight low as it is a large product. The main storage unit will be made from MDF or even chipboard which would have to be veneered in the same wood as the frame.

To maintain strength in the frame it would have to be made from a solid wood which would also provide extra weight which is needed for stability.

A small amount of glass would be also be used for the window in the frame.

500mm

Sustainability: Using solid hardwoods is not as sustainable as using soft woods but the wood is supplied by a firm which uses FSC sources for its wood.

The bulk of the materials are man‐made boards, either fibre or chip board which reuse waste material to make other useful products.

Materials would be kept to a minimum so not to waste any unnecessary materials.

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

Section C: Initial Ideas – No.4

This design is focused on the flowing aesthetics that is all one long length of ply with smoothly

radiused corners. Like the inspirational design pictured, it is probably not necessary to have so

many substantial legs but they have multiple uses also incorporating the lighting system which is unique to this idea which as far as I know are my own initiative. This is the only tall thin design and it might need to be higher than the client specified so it is in proportion. This also has ample storage for CD/DVD’s and more auxiliary storage for larger items.

The aluminium legs have two purposes in this design.

1) They are providing extra structural strength to the unit as the laminated ply may not be able to support the weight of the Hi‐Fi etc. or the possibility of a TV on top.

2) Tubes will have a gap cut in them on one side and an LED strip light inside, this will provide a light source illuminating the contents of the shelves. (Shown left) The strip lights will cost £37 for 10m.

Inspirational idea

Top

This idea is similar to other products alike but they stood alone with strong enough laminate structure to not need legs, here the legs are multifunctional acting as the lighting source.

Aluminium end disc flush to surface on top of leg

Flat useable top surface

LED strip lights/tape

LED strip lights/tape

Tube

this product is a large amount of lamination of many thin sheets of flexi ply which once finished would have a strong structure. The aim would be to make the whole product out of as few lengths of ply as possible; so buying ply sheets in the longest length they come but this would still be hard to achieve having to mould each corner separately on the same former. Using a standard former for each corner would shorten the production process.

Bottom

Polished tubular aluminium legs

>1000mm

Aluminium tube

Processes: The main process to make

Aluminium

Left side of unit

Light

The aluminium tube will cost £37 for 10m.

The polished aluminium will provide a good finish.

Aluminium tube

Tall auxiliary storage

Door Type: Form the research, there is

Client Feedback: This is an interesting design but possibly not that appropriate for the proposed location – it would actually be too tall and thin as I am looking for a design with a wider ratio like the other 3. The lighting design is very innovative and would work well; I think this type of lighting could be used across different ideas. I like the retracting door which is a tidy feature. I don’t imagine it is possible to make the whole frame out of one length of wood. Surely you can’t use the depth of the shelves as CD’s and other stuff alike will topple out of the open ends.

possibility to use a variety of different doors, the client may have an opinion but I felt that a door that also retracted into the unit was best.

Here the door only covers the main stereo unit and opens horizontally to then retract between the stereo and the left speaker.

This door would best be made out of wood or Perspex but not glass as sourcing the right size door mechanism/braces for glass would be time consuming and expensive.

Highlighted Specification Points: 1.1, Purpose: This is designed to be the perfect width for the Hi‐Fi unit.

2.1, Form: This is one of the largest variants in the form of the design being a different shape and very different production process.

3.5, Function: The lighting system is unique and when directed in the correct direction will illuminate the spins of the CD/DVD’s very well and is very efficient.

3.8, Performance: This is one of the lightest designs not using dense materials and light aluminium save large amounts of weight.

6.2, Ergonomics: The ratio of the design would work better with added height; the stereo would be at the best height for the user.

8.2, Manufacture: The only energy large amount of energy needed to make this product is the electricity for the vacuum during the lamination process.

13.1, Cost: This design would be one of the cheapest to produce due the simplicity of the design and the lack of lots of materials.

17

750mm Bottom of leg goes through to act as foot

Materials & Justification: There is not a huge range of materials used as there are few other substitute materials which are workable in the same processes or give the desired sort of finish. Flexi ply would be used for the main body of the storage unit as it can be easily laminated.

Aluminium is inexpensive and easy to work as well as providing a good finish when polished which will work well for this purpose and it is light.

The shelf in the large storage area could be made from MDF finished with white paint.

500mm

Sustainability: Flexi ply is a sustainable material to use as it is soft wood which is fast growing and cut down in controlled plantations where the supply is monitored by the FSC. Aluminium is a common metal which is easy to extract with little energy and can be easily recycled.

MDF is also sustainable as it is recycled wood as opposed to forested use for the purpose where hard woods could be used.

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

Preliminary Review of Initial Ideas Specification heading

Idea 1

Idea 2

Idea 3

Idea 4

 It has ample storage to store the necessary small Hi‐Fi, CD’s and DVD’s that have been specified.  Depending on the modular design that the user chooses, they may or may not be able to place a TV on top of the unit.  The client has expressed that he likes the simple design but looks for individual features on each design.  The product comes in three different parts/boxes but these cannot be reduced in size any more.  There is no specific location for CD’s but there is storage for over 80.  There is also large capacity for over 50 DVD’s.  There is one smaller dedicated box for the Hi‐Fi with a door.  It is the users’ choice where to place the speakers but there is no ‘incorporated storage’ for them.  No lighting system has been designed to work with this design.  There is auxillary storage in multiple places.  This is a light product and would probably weigh in at around 25kg

 It fulfills all the required purposes to store a small Hi‐Fi, a large CD collection, a small DVD collection and the ability to have a TV places on top  It is also a modern design as stated on the original specification.  My client thinks this product has the most unusual design which is one of its best assts.  The product cannot be separated at all and the metal base gives a very strong structure  There is plenty of storage for CD’s in the top main section of the cabinet  There is just enough space in the secondary storage area for a small DVD collection  There are more detailed designs which show how the door covering the stereo would work  It is recommended to place the speakers at either end of the unit for best stereo quality  No lighting system is yet to be designed  The auxiliary storage is limited by the acute angle in the secondary storage are writing off some of the storage  With a heavy base and light material used elsewhere this unit would weigh in the region of 40‐45kg  This does have a modern aspect to the design with the unusual angles and ‘floating storage’ facilities  The majority of the finish could be wood or paint and the mild steel replaced with stainless steel giving a brighter finish for a poorly lit room

 This design has the most storage capacity for CD’s, DVD’s and any other miscellaneous items.  It has dedicated storage for the stereo incorporated into a modern design which still leaves a flat top surface where a TV could stand.  My client expressed that he liked the innovation that went into the design.  Base of structure may be a little unstable but could be attached to a wall to stabilise it.  This product provides the most storage for CD’s, DVD’s and other auxillary items than any other of the proposed designs due to the width of the design  There is no typical door but there is a sealed section specifically for the stereo unit  It is recommended to place the speakers at either end of the unit for best stereo quality  No lighting system is yet to be designed  It would be possible to split this unit into 2 sections but in total it would weigh over 50kg but the design could be scaled down

 It fulfills all the required purposes to store a small Hi‐Fi, a large CD collection and a small DVD collection.  A TV could be placed on top but it would be too high to be at a comfortable viewing angle.  The client said the design was ‘interesting’ but was not what he is looking for.  This is a solid structure and it has aluminium legs far added support.  There are three different shelves that can be split up into CD storage, DVD storage and auxillary storage or overflow, this fulfils the storage requirements.  There is dedicated stereo storage but it could be improved for better speaker dynamics  An innovative lighting system has been unique designed for this product  This is one of the lightest units that have been designed due to the materials and the size of it, it would weigh in the region of 20‐25kg; well within the required weight

 The unit has a traditional shape to the main design but the features and mixture of aluminium and glass with light wood colours will bring a modern and enlightening feel to a dark room.  This is the most practical design

 This unit may look a little out of place in a traditional room with polished aluminium and a very light wood colour but there are options for the finish.  With a lighting system the unit would not be too dark in a black finish  The width and depth is comfortable within the boundaries specified, 750mm wide by 500mm deep  The height would need to be over the specified 1000mm  Door handles have not been chosen at this point in the design.  The stereo is high up in the design and would be the easiest to reach for an adult and is out of the reach of small children

1.

Purpose

2.

Form

3.

Function/ Performance

4.

Aesthetics

 Minimalist is the new modern design and the product can be finished in a variety of ways in order to suit many different environments.  It would be a very large area to paint so it would have to be a wood finish.

5.

Size

 In the setup shown in the picture above the height is 1000mm, the width is 1200mm and a depth of 500mm.

These dimensions are within the specified dimensions given by the client.

 The width is 1100mm at its widest and 800mm tall and a standard 500mm deep, these dimensions are well within the specified maximum dimensions

 The width of the unit is on the maximum limit of 1250mm, the height is 100mm below the maximum (900mm)  Depth is 500mm

6.

Ergonomics

 Door handles have not been chosen at this point in the design.  It is the users decision where to place the stereo but the square box is dedicated to it but it depends where the box is.

 The stereo is placed high up in the unit which is easily in reach for all percentiles of the population.  Door handles have not been chosen at this point in the design.

 The stereo is easily high enough so not to have to bend over but the unit must be able to slide with minimum effort  Door handles have not been chosen at this point in the design.

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A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

7.

Materials/ Components

8.

Manufacture

9.

Maintenance

10. Market

11. Quality 12. Scale of Production 13. Cost

14. Safety 15. Packaging 16. Sustainability

 The main structure of the design is all wood but glass has been used for the main shelf.  This design must be made of soft wood in order to laminate it; 3mm sheets of flexi ply will be used. This will either have to have a wood or painted finish but is cheaper and more sustainable  This design would take a long time to construct as all the corners need laminating which takes time. It will be complex where the ends of the laminate have to be joined.  This design is too large to use a vacuum bag to laminate it so cramps would be used which require no energy.  Small components like the connector bolts can be supplied with spares, however the door is a standard component but not easily replaceable.  The glass shelf is very long and is not a standard size.  The product can be separated into three sections but there is no possibility if being flat packed.  There should easily be a profit margin if sold for £550 or more (see 13. cost section)  This product is to be used inside and if finished well will last a long time.

 The design uses MDF, which is a material that uses waste material that would otherwise be discarded.  Mild steel is used through much of the product – this can be very easily recycled.  The door mechanism is designed for much larger doors so should last a long time.  To reduce time, jigs could be used in the manufacture for all the welding to make sure the correct angles are achieved. Also for the secondary storage box which has the same 45o angle in the corner.  The main storage compartment has relatively few complex joints and is easy to construct.  There should be no need for any maintenance on this design as it’s not separable. Only the door mechanism might need replacing but it will be easy to get hold of.  The lighting system may well be built in; LED’s should not need replacing.  This design would be easily constructed for under the specified £200 as the materials are cheap and there are few auxillary components.  At £350 a profit should still be made on the product  Welding certain parts of this design will mean that it will be much longer‐lasting than some wood joints

 If more of this product were to me made the same formers could be used.  There is no possibility of using manufactured boards; flexi ply is the only option.  The large shelf could cost anywhere in the region of £20 if standard of £100 if custom  The flexi ply for this product may cost around £150.  The majority of the different modular set ups are very stable and have a low centre of gravity but some not so much.  As stated the product has the ability to be split up into 3 sections but no smaller than the 3 boxes.

 In batch production the same jig for all the welding jobs could be used.  The strength of the design is in the base so weaker manufactured boards can be used on the remainder of the product.  The metal would cost about £20 in total  The wood would cost about £60 in total  With a heavy base and strong joints it will be a very stable product with the ability to hold a lot more weight

 Design will come apart easily to aid materials separation and thus recycling.

 All of the materials used on the product are recyclable when it comes to the end of its life.

 This product would be very large to package and transport which would add a lot more cost

 Hard woods are less sustainable and more expensive, 18mm ply will be used all round with the possibility of using hard wood veneers.  High quality heavy weight runners will be used  Small amounts of glass and aluminium will be used for aesthetic purposes.  There are no processes in the construction of his design which require a large amount of energy.  The construction is simple but will take a long time due to the scale of the product.  If the shelves are adjustable, jigs can be used for where the holes are drilled for the shelves.  The size of the window in the frame will be built around standard sizes of glass so it is cheap to replace or transparent acrylic could be used.  The runners may well be cut to a custom length but should not break on such a small product.  This is a very large product and may have a smaller market as it needs quite a big room.  It will be near £200 to make (expensive aux. components) so RRP would be over £400  High quality runners will be used capable of holding a lot of weight which will mean they last longer  To speed up any production line, jigs can be set to help cut materials to the correct size.  The frame would cost in the region of £50 for fairly substantial ply wood  The remainder of the wood would cost about £45  The small sheet of glass could cost anywhere in the region of £10‐£40  There is a possibility of attaching the unit to the wall to stop it falling over but if the base is heavy enough it should stay upright.  This product can be separated into two parts but this could make packaging even more expensive as the main section would not be smaller  All of the materials are either recyclable or reusable.

I have decided to take ideas 2 and 3 into the next stage for the detailed review as my client likes these two ideas the most and they both comply closely to the original design specification.

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 Hard woods are also not a possibility for this design; sheets of 1.5mm flexi ply will be used for the laminating wood which will make the product light weight.  The Aluminium legs are a contrasting material which gives a high quality look.  This product is too big to fit in a vacuum bag so cramps would be used on former; this requires little energy but will take a long time.  Jigs can be used to show where holes must be drilled for the aluminium legs to save time measuring it out each time.  There is very little maintenance that can be carried out on this product, there is no glass and the lighting system is built in.  It is only the door mechanism that might break and this will be made readily available.  This is the smallest of the products and may appeal to a wider range of customers.  This could be constructed for under £100 so when sold for £50 or more there is a large profit margin  There are few joints in this design and therefore little which is liable to breaking  If more of this product were to me made the same formers could be used.  Due to the whole product being made out of flexi ply, it would cost about £50 for all the wood  The aluminium tubing for the legs would cost about £15 in total  This quite a stable design as it has the aluminium legs which double up as feet raising it off the ground.  This product is not separable but this is stated as not being necessary in the design specification  Depending on which glue or resin is used for laminating the wood it may or may not be recyclable. Aluminium is easily recyclable.

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

Detailed Review of Preferred Ideas Idea 2: (Diagonal)

Idea 3: (Slider)

 A solid non‐separable piece of furniture designed to be used for storing a small Hi‐Fi system.  A sturdy base and legs welded at 45o made out of mild/stainless steel to support the storage areas. o Designed at angles to give the design some flare and a different feature.  One small primary storage compartment on top and a secondary larger storage compartment hanging below, both made out of light weight wood.

Form

 To store a small Hi‐Fi system behind a close door in order to protect it from dust, spillages or other damage.  It has just enough storage space for 80 CD’s and 50 DVD’s  There are dedicated places for the speakers.  There will be a lighting system of some description.

Function

 This product has a modern design using different materials but at the same time is not finished in a way which narrows its customer base.  It is a light weight multipurpose storage facility to have in many different sorts of rooms.

User requirements

 The whole unit must weigh less than 50kg so it is easy to move by 2 people – this unit will weigh about 30kg.  It has a small footprint of 750mm x 500mm and a larger top section which is 1100mm x 500mm. It is 800mm high which separates it from being at table height.  It has a long width to ensure the best stereo sound effect which is achievable.

Performance requirements

 The use of steel for the base and legs means that that the base of the product is very strong and cheap to make.  MDF is used for all the wood sections which means it too is cheap to make and it is a light weight material which compensates for the weight of the steel  Steel cables are used to suspend the secondary storage box, these cables have a high strength to weight ratio and the thinnest are undoubtedly substantial for this job.

Material and component requirements

 This product is designed as a one‐off piece of furniture but jigs could easily be made to cater for batch production – a jig for welding the correct angles of base to legs would drastically speed up production time.  It is estimated that this product would cost in the region of £150‐175 for all the materials and the components which allows for a large profit margin.  Components: o Door mechanism o Steel cables and clamps

Scale of production and cost

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 A non‐flat pack item of furniture which can be separated into 2 pieces (which would not reduce the size of it by much) which is marketed as a piece of furniture used primarily for storing a small Hi‐Fi. This rectangular design provides practical space with spare capacity for larger objects.  The frame around the main shelves and the main storage shelves are all made from light weight wood to compensate for the size of the product.  It has the ability to store a small Hi‐Fi system in a sealed area which protects the unit from dust, spillages and other damage.  It has more than ample storage for more than 100 CD’s and over 75 DVD’s, more than most people require.  It still has storage capacity left over for larger auxillary items such as books or magazines.  There are dedicated locations for the speakers at either end of the unit.  There will be a lighting system of some description.  This design takes a conventional design shape and adds a unique feature allowing it to reciprocate from one side to the other which is its main selling point.  The design changes are kept to a minimum with simple aesthetics so to have a wide potential market.  It has an increased amount if storage and therefore increased practicality.  The whole unit must weigh less than 50kg so it is easy to move by 2 people – this product would currently be over that limit nearing 60kg.  It has a very small footprint of 400mm x 500mm and a much larger main section (true minimum amount of space needed) which is 1250mm x 500mm. It is 900mm high which keeps it to scale with the length of the unit.  Its wide ratio ensures the best stereo sound performance.  The product would be made out of solid 18mm ply wood as wood with enough structural strength must be used as it is the main material though it is a soft wood which is a light wood which is relatively cheap.  Aluminium is only used for aesthetic values and there is very little of it.  Glass is used to allow the stereo remote to work while the door is shut.  The runners are designed for large glass doors so should be able to run smoothly even when the storage is full and it is very heavy though they are not assisted.  This product is designed as a one‐off piece of furniture but jigs could easily be used to speed up the production time. They can be used to aid cutting the materials to the right length and a different jig guiding where the shelves should be placed at the correct height.  It is estimated that this product would cost in the region of £200‐250 for all the materials and the components which allows for a profit margin it was sold at the upper end of the RRP boundary  Components: o Runners

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

 From user group feedback, they concluded that the design was retro but in a contemporary fashion – reminiscent of the 1970’s. The raw combination of wood and metal together would improve the aesthetics.  Overall they liked the design but commented that it has too many sharp corners – as a safety point of view and if veneered as a finish it would be liable to peeling – A glossy finish would look good.  It was pointed out that the storage space is limited and is less than there looks to be due to the angles of the design; however it was good to add the second storage box below and if a user has even more items that don’t fit in; magazines etc. can be stored on the base.  They recommended that the cables for the stereo and maybe an extension are run down the legs.  They liked the size of the product and assuming a high quality finish would be prepared to pay about £650‐700 for this sort of product.  They were worried about how sturdy the cables for the other storage area were if they were knocked; maybe thin solid metal bar (studding) may be a better replacement.  As another feature that was not mentioned, they would like to have a built in power socket extension which is accessible for the use of laptops or phone chargers.

User Group Feedback

I like the “whacky” design of this one although it looks as though there is less storage capacity than the design above. No. 1 design has the advantage that all of it can be used for storage whereas the bottom and the right hand side of no.2 are not usable due to the design. I like the hanging section which is a clever feature but I am not sure how it is going to hang. I understand that there are 8 cables. I can see that the vertical cables will have tension provided by gravity but I do not understand how the diagonal cables will work as there won’t be any tension. The door is a definite advantage to keep dust away from the stereo unit however I wonder if an “up and over” door will look better and more subtle.

Client Feedback

 This Product is easily recyclable as the wood simply needs to be detached from the metal and both materials are widely recycled. It is most likely to be screws holding the different sections together.  Wood will be MDF which is sustainable as it a man‐made manufactured board which reuses scrap wood to made it.  The only significant amount of energy used in the manufacture of this product is the electricity needed for MIG welding.

Issues of sustainability

 The feedback from the focus group was that the design was a unique concept that they had not seen before and they liked. They said that if they were to have it in their house, it would stand out as an item of furniture – in a good way meaning it may almost be a centre piece, not just an auxillary stereo cabinet.  They liked the sleek contrast using glass, aluminium and wood on the front of the product.  They commented on the conventional and simple layout/shape which they liked as it increased the actual storage capacity.  They would prefer not to see the runners and only have them on the bottom; if the idea works smoothly they would be prepared to pay up to £850 for the product (also due to larger size).  However it was noticed out that extra space would be needed either side for the slider to work and again worried that too much weight in the shelves may create too much resistance to push the unit.  This them provoked worries that the unit would not be stable and would need good ground clearance. Also due to the small footprint and large weight it would damage carpet floors.

This is an intriguing and innovative design but I am concerned about how it will look when in situ. Although the contents on the shelves will be protected when behind the “door” it seems that when not covered they will be exposed to dust. I am impressed by the amount of storage space which is huge and on this measure probably scores the highest. I presume that due to the design it can be floor standing but will also have to be fixed to the wall which means that it is not so easy to move once installed.

 This product is almost entirely constructed from wood which means that the majority of it is easy to recycle.  Parts like the aluminium font plate and the glass are less easy to separate but the runners are likely to be screwed on so it takes few tools to take them off.  There are no processes throughout the construction of this design which need a considerable amount of energy.

Justification of Idea selected for Development: My client has decided to take idea number 3 into development, it is not perfect and does not totally adhere to the original specification but it came out on top of the idea number 2 having completed the detailed review that is what development is for. From both my client feedback and user group feedback they used the words innovative, unique and intriguing which shows they have not seen any other products like this which makes it good design to produce. There is a lot more storage on a similar size design due to its efficiency which is a primary concern being one of the main functions. Also due to the longer width of the unit it has better stereo dynamics as the speakers are placed further apart.

Having discussed the two designs with my client he said he liked this idea more but hope fully it would be scaled down in development in order to adhere to the specification however there could be room for variation. I feel that there is a great deal of potential and scope for this design to be improved in the development process.

21

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Section D: Development

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

My Client would like to see this idea taken further into the development stages and see how it develops

further to his liking. My preference was to take Idea 3 further into the development stages but This design has

plenty of scope and could change dramatically and many flaws in the design which will have to be re‐worked in

order for it to be constructed. My client has already expressed his desire for practicality and efficient use of space; to any sweeping curves added to the design are likely to impede on the storage capacity.

Main faults in the design to be focussed on:  The door mechanism and movement  Addition of lighting  Shape of main body  Scale of entire unit

Shape of main body: Although square/rectangular shapes are obviously preferred I still felt that I could explore some other main shapes to see is they could match the efficiency of the original design and maybe my client may just take a liking towards some of them. The designs that follow might present more of a challenge but would also determine the materials which will be required to build the main body of the unit.

The first 6 drawings are in plan view; the last 2 are looking from front on:

All these designs would result in having to design and construct my own rail mechanism as none are made like this that can be bought off the shelf

Client Feedback: Interesting designs but none the most practical, I like number 3 due to its quirkiness with the pivoting door. However, storage would be difficult due to the shape but the speakers would work well. Idea number 6 would work well in the corner position of a room although the unit would be very deep for storage purposes. I like the attempt at changing the front on design for idea’s 6 & 7 but as you have said the top surfaces are made defunct. However I still prefer the original shape.

Conclusion: Most of the designs have complex curves in which would make the manufacture stages much more difficult especially designing how the door will move. Designs 6 & 7 would change the dynamic of the cabinet as it would not fir in to as many varied environments.

My favourite design is number 3 as it will take up a small space and still have ample storage which is curved, less material would be needed as there are no sides. The door would be easy to manufacture as it does not require a rail but just pivots from the centre.

The speakers would have a wide range but if they were positioned badly the dynamics would not be good as there would be a blank area in the middle.

I am going to stick with the original basic shape where smaller aspects and finer details need to be modified.

22

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

Sliding door mechanism:

Client Feedback:

There are many methods of enabling the door to slide, the aim is to find a solution which is not too bulky but sleek and out of sight which will provide a smooth and simple motion. Also the weighting/balance of the whole unit needs to be assessed as it moves through the centre.

I am sorry to see the design move away from the original idea but practical considerations dictated that a more conventional approach was appropriate. I can see how the weighting would be a problem but the use of rails would be unsightly. I would be good if there was an illusion of the door wrapping around the whole cabinet.

Here the drawings are looking at how the main cabinet will move through the centre unit.

Either there can be runners on the top or the centre unit takes all the weight or wheels on the bottom of the cabinet which just moves through the stationary centre unit Runner on the top taking all the weight and a self‐ lubricating material on the bottom which the cabinet can slide on Reciprocating flexible cable organiser that could be used as unit moves through the centre unit

I decided it would be better if the centre unit remained stationary and the main cabinet moved through it. In this design the cabinet is running on a pair of manufactured rails which are placed beneath it. This makes it bulky and lowers the aesthetic quality

23

In the designs below there is a new possibility of the centre unit moving which does not surround the whole cabinet. Wheels could be fitted into the bottom of the centre unit to allow it to move or it could be hooked over and hang on top of the cabinet.

However if the centre/door unit is not going to surround the cabinet it could be mounted on rails inside the front of the cabinet.

Conclusion: Taking a holistic view of these designs, it would be better if the centre unit became more of a door and was mounted inside the main cabinet but still had a reciprocating movement. This would have many advantages such as reducing the weight and materials and eliminating the problem of the weight distribution.

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage Early research and early CAD: Having decided how the door mechanism will work I carried out some research to see if there was a

possibility of buying a pre‐fabricated rail/runner for the door instead of having to make my own. The products from Screwfix® were the best I could find but they are not the best as mainly they are the wrong length for the design and will probably work out more expensive overall and be more complex than a design I could create.

I also drew the current design similar to the initial idea to gain an idea of the proportions of the design to see if it will work well and a definite design to work off as a base.

There is a window on the door so that the remote will work even when the door is in the way of the stereo.

This sliding ball race is 914mm long costing £29.99. It is designed to convert hinged internal doors to sliding doors.

Highly durable and smooth running ball race type for heavy use. Requires no rebates or bottom track.

Includes all parts. Quick and easy to fit. Max. weight 35kg. Min. door thickness 22mm.

This wardrobe gear wheel set is designed to Allows 3 doors to be fitted as sliding wardrobe doors when used with Wardrobe Door Gear (only one door is needed to move in this situation). It costs £7.75.

There is a space left at the rear for the power extension so there is only one cable trailing from the cabinet.

The cupboards on the sides are another use of the extra space which can be used for storing smaller accessories such as remote controls.

24

This wardrobe door gear is 1830mm long. Ii costs £21.99. For 2 doors to bypass each other (wheel set allows 3 doors to be fitted). Nylon wheels run in strong aluminium track which can be cut to size.

Quick and easy to fit.

Includes all parts. Max. weight 20kg. Door thickness min. 16mm, max. door height 2190mm.

The door is mounted on runners inside the cabinet but runs in front of the cabinet as if it were on the outside.

There is an extension over the top to give the impression that the door surrounds the whole cabinet.

The strip at the rear on the top is a self‐lubricating material with a low coefficient of friction to help the door slide and support the extension.

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

Early CAD:

These CAD aspects show a front on view and all the dimensions in detail from the initial design and the necessary heights required for the shelves to fit the minimum size of contents in such as DVDs/CDs.

Client Feedback:

Conclusion:

I feel the side cupboards would spoil the lines of the design and are unnecessary. Also I don’t feel comfortable with the current design of the top especially how it does not overlap the sides as it usually would on a cabinet or table top.

This is still the very early stages and is only a projection of what the final design might look like. The edges of the top can easily be extended to overlap the sides and the doors excluded form and future designs; they will only create more problems during manufacture as they are so small.

25

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage Early Model:

This is evidence of the very simple model created using masking tape on a wall just to

The picture here shows me sitting next to the model for scale to show how in a reception room the cabinet would be below shoulder height. A standard cabinet/bookshelf is normally either 1000 mm high or below 750mm so it is supposed to be a much smaller unit but at 850mm it looks between the two.

visualise the dimensions. As you can see here the width has remained the same but the height has been reduced from that of the CAD above. This still gives the designs the same proportions but ergonomically the design is not high enough. Although my client mentioned scaling the design down I do not think it would be a good idea as it feels a bit odd when it is so low as seen in the pictures.

Here you can see that the model makes the dimensions look too small as ergonomically it is not at a comfortable height.

This model is 850mm high by 1250mm wide.

When standing next to the model it is below waist height which is too low and it does not seem like a full size piece of furniture.

If one were to lean over the cabinet; again it is too low and you have to bend over to put an arm on it.

I ‘m proposing that if the dimensions are reduced the cabinet becomes too small which justifies the larger size that my client was unsure about.

Also due to the reduced height it makes some of the shelves become quite small and be little use for storage towards the bottom due to lack of height.

The top shelf in this is also bigger than required at 290mm high in order to make it easier to place in iPod in a dock on top of the stereo but this extra height is needed more lower down to increase the height of the other shelves so will be reduced but still allow enough space to easily place a device in the dock.

1250mm

Client Feedback:

290mm

140mm

210mm

210mm

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I do not want to reduce the dimensions any more as it changes the type of cabinet which is made. I am reluctant to make keep the original dimensions but the proposed reduced height now looks too low and almost uncomfortable especially if it was a ‘centre piece’ of furniture in a room. However I would still like to keep the proportions of a rectangle.

Conclusion: The quick and inexpensive method of constructing a full scale model was a good thing to do as it gave both me and my client a good idea of the full scale of the proposed reduced dimensions. Having assessed this model my client has decided to increase e the size of the cabinet he would like; the specified dimensions to meet are 1250mm wide x 100mm high x 500mm deep.

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

Door design:

How the door design has developed and become more of a design feature and not so much a door.

Also in detail of how the door mechanism will work which I intend to construct myself.

Araldite (Resin)

The drawings in the top right display how the door could be attached to the top of the cabinet as the top extension hooks over the rear of the cabinet. One design uses a runner on the rear and a self‐lubricating material such as nylon on the top to support the weight of the door. The other design uses overlapped nylon on the rear to take the stress of the door and a runner on the top to take the weight and allow it to move.

Top Extension

The window in the door was originally designed to be square and only show the stereo through it, but due to the small availability of pre‐cut glass the optimum size of glass I can buy is 360mm x 260mm which means the window will have to be in a portrait orientation and the user will be able to see half of the CD shelf contents through the window.

Top securing block

The early designs for the door had an extension of the door across the top of the cabinet to give the impression the door is wrapping around the cabinet but this has been subtracted for the following reasons: there were problems in the design of how to support it, the product would not be able to be flat packed & the weight distribution is offset when attempting to remove the door.

FINAL DOOR DESIGN

These drawings show how the wheel will be attached to the door and the possibilities of different runners which could be used for the runner, Also the design of the top securing block used to fit into the top runner.

I have designed my own solution which would allow the door to reciprocate as I was unable to find a pre manufactured runner from a retailer which as compact enough and the correct length.

The top securing block is also able to be adjusted vertically which means the door is not permanently fixed in, it can be removed for moving around and enables the product to be flat packed or doesn’t have to be used at all.

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Client Feedback: With the very first designs there would be a lot of upwards load on the runner on the rear side, it is better with the ‘overlapped’ nylon. I like the idea of not being able to see the wheels/mechanism. The extension of the door covering the top would not be practical for packaging/transport and also renders the top storage space redundant. I see there being too much stress in the top join if unsupported and is likely to break. The runners which require a grooved wheel would be more complex to manufacture. Therefore the squared rail would be preferable. The best way fixing the securing block would be using wing nuts to allow it to be loosened using fingers not tools. As regards to the window, it would be better if the whole CD was visible or none at all i.e. being mounted landscape.

Conclusion: The first designs to attach the door to the cabinet would not have worked due the lateral stresses placed on the components and many construction problems were solved by removing the top extensions for justified reasons which my client has agreed and added to.

The door design has changed dramatically to a much more simplified unit which should work well with a simple mechanism and adjustable securing method.

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage Full scale door (height only):

This is the quick manufacture of a full scale door to test the dimensions and see how easy the sliding mechanism is to manufacture and how well it works. The results were

positive with the manufacture being much simpler than I had expected and the mechanism running very smoothly – with increased weight the mechanism will improve and with

more width on the door it will not topple and get caught so easily.

START

I cut down two damaged off cuts of MDF and used some 20 x 20 pine to make the model door as well as fitting the correct M6 bolts to the inner facing side of the door which are for the wheels and securing blocks.

From a cylinder of nylon I then turned the two wheels to the desired size (9mm wide) on the metal lathe and drilled centre holes in them before fitting them to the door.

I had to make two sets of wheels as the 1st pair were too small and did not give the door enough clearance

I cut channels into some scrap MDF oak veneer and fitted 12mm alloy channels with an inside width of 9mm which I fitted the wheels into, the wheels with the bolts through them (see right for how they are fitted to the wood) and sitting in the runners with enough space for them to rotate easily.

The top securing block finished and attached to the door by two standard nuts so it can be easily loosened/tightened and adjusted.

Conclusion: With the smaller wheels in the runners not even the bolts alone have very much clearance over the wood.

A side on view of how it is all assembled

I have not decided what the top securing block will be made out of but for the purpose of a model I used some 8mm scrap wood which fitted well into the runner and worked well.

Once the larger wheels had been attached there was a small gap between the door and the base but it is enough clearance for it to run smoothly.

Due to the model being so thin and light it got caught in the runner very easily but with added weight and a wider stance it became sturdier. This proved that the mechanism I have designed will work with the final product without being complex.

The door will be a good size and both the wheels and the top securing block have been made to the actual size required.

A rough diagram of the top securing block to work out the dimensions before it is made.

The finished door fitted into the rails which are the same as what will be used in the production of the cabinet. The motion was smooth with little resistance.

Finished overview of the door, it is the same depth as the real door will be, the only dimension which is different is the width (the model is 100mm thinner).

FINISH

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A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage Joints solutions and feet: These drawings show how the shelves

will be joined to the sides and how the corners of the main unit will be joined when using the MDF veneer.

Also a solution to the feet, the cabinet will stand on the two sides which are strong enough to take the weight of it.

However the ends need to be protected as the veneer will splinter off if the cabinet is slid along any surface; either a metal or hard wood strip will be used.

On the bottom of the foot the best way to hold the cherry strip on is with glue and nails, by using dovetail nailing it will be the most secure and then use a centre punch to sink the nails so there isn’t the possibility that they will protrude and scratch the floor they it is on

Foot Solutions:

Shelf Joints:

Main Joints:

The shelves could be fixed in permanently which would enable more possibilities for the lighting or they could be free and removable which would be better as it would mean the unit could be flat‐packed reducing transport costs and would reduce the weight of the unit once assembled as the shelves don’t have to be in when moving the unit which would make a considerable difference to the net weight.

The dovetail housing is a strong joint to use but is unnecessary as although it looks good it would not be seen as the shelves would be inserted from the rear.

Using a screwed butt joint would not be the best solution as the screws would be seen on the outside of the cabinet and this would reduce the overall aesthetic quality.

However using a butt joint with batons is a strong possibility as it is not complex to make and would not be seen. It is secured from the inside but the shelf does not have to be screwed down allowing it to be taken out.

A housing joint is also simple to manufacture and would hold the shelf well.

Although due to the tightness of the joint it may damage the shelf as it is being assembled.

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For the main joints (shown above) the lap joint and the butt joint are both joints that would hold the cabinet together well but they are unsuitable for the purpose due to the material being used. These joints are good for solid wood as they show the end grain but since I am going to use MDF which has no grain. The butt joint could be used with a cherry baton fixed to the perimeter but the joint itself would need screws or nails from the top which would not look good and would split the MDF which as no grain. The only other suitable joint is to use 20x20 pine batons on the inside of the joint and a 20x20 cherry baton on the outside to cover the MDF. Although to improve the aesthetics of the cabinet my client has said he would like there to be a lip over the edges of the top so the cherry baton should overlap the edge.

Client Feedback: My preferred joints would be either dovetail or butt joint with batons because it is permanent fixing without having screws visible in the side panel and if the dovetail joint was visible the aesthetics would be good. The adjustable shelf pins and the housing joints could mean that the shelf would be susceptible to falling out.

Looking at the butt/lap joint for the corner there is a danger of the nails piercing the outside edge of the side panel and evidence of the nails on top would not look good. The baton joint is a neater fixing as the nails are invisible.

The foot with the flat U shape would not work because of the restriction of the height of the bottom shelf. A wooden foot would be better as I am likely to have it on a wooden floor.

Shelf Pins are a possibility as they are cheap to use and fit also giving plenty of flexibility to the user of the shelf positions. However this can make the product look cheap and drilling all the holes for the shelf pins is very time consuming. If the holes are not at the same heights the there is a high chance of the shelves being unstable.

Conclusion: Batons used but without screws on the underside into the shelf so the shelf can be taken out when the unit is being moved in order to make it lighter.

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage Lighting solutions: There are two main types of lights which I could use which would fit in the cabinet and be small enough so not to be seen. There is one design using traditional tubular fluorescent lights and two involving LED strip lights.

For the first LED design it involves using two sheets of wood for the outside of the cabinet and fitting a copper strip between the two sheets. Then holes would be drilled on the inside sheet of wood down to the copper strip, in the hole a shelf pin is placed which will be in contact with the LED strip which is on the bottom of the shelf when it’s fitted. This is done on either side to make a complete circuit. This is a good design as there are no wires visible and is simple for the user. However some of the problems with it are if it goes wrong it will be hard to fix it. It will also be very complex to make and a large amount of scope for it to go wrong. Using two different sheets of wood is unnecessary and unsustainable.

For the second LED design there will be aluminium tubes at the front of the shelves both for aesthetic qualities and to support the front of the shelves; the LEDs are place inside the tubes which have slits/holes cut out of them which direct the light towards the contents of the shelves instead of there being a general light. The wires are only on one side and go under the shelves to the rear. The 1” tube is counter sunk into both sides; it is held by friction and is able to be twisted to direct the beam of light.

LED tape is good to use as it’s cheap and efficient. It can also be cut into many varied lengths.

Fluorescent tube lights:

If tubular lights were used they would be fixed to the bottom of the shelves on their side edge to reduce their height. However they would still take up a large amount of space due to the size of the fittings. These lights are old technology and for this reason would not be in keeping with the aim of being modern and also consume large amounts of electricity. If there are left on for a long time they produce a lot of heat; as they would be so close to the contents of the shelves they might damage the contents. They are also expensive to use as it costs £10.99 for one 600mm light fitting excluding the bulb which is £4.99. I would need 6 of these fittings for the whole unit. The fittings do come in varied sizes but unlike the LED tape the lengths can’t be customised to fit your job.

For these reasons I am ruling out using tubular light as a suitable option.

Using LED’s:

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Client Feedback:

Conclusion:

I do not like using fluorescent tube lights because the fittings are too big.

I like the internally wired design as there are no visible wires but the design is too complex.

The in-tube lighting is very clever but there is a danger that too much light would be lost inside the tube and the width of the beam would be restricted.

Cutting a groove out of the tube could be very difficult but the advantage is that the light beam can be aimed at the contents of the shelf.

The tubular lights have been ruled out both by my client and me.

Both of the LED light designs are possible to do but due to time constraints the internally wired design would take too long to manufacture and there would be an added cost for the use of extra materials.

I am going to attempt to make the design where the LED’s are placed inside the tube which hides them from view and enables the light to be directed in the desired place.

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage Lighting solutions cont’d: Here is further development of designs using the LED strip lights however having carried out a test in the workshop

none of the options available to cut the slits in the aluminium did not work leading to 3rd final solution.

Alternative next best solution:

This was the original design was to cut slits in the aluminium tube which would reduce the amount of light emitted from the LED’s, it would also all the beam to be directed as the LED’s were inserted inside the aluminium tube on a long piece of plastic to keep them rigid. However the process to cut the slits out of the tube was questioned so I attempted to make a test light which was full scale to see if it was possible.

To my disappointment as I really liked the original design I’m not able to manufacture this design. The problems are explained in the next stage.

There is no method available to me which will allow me to cut the slits out of the tube which will direct the light. The two ways available to me are to either use a milling machine or a grinder.

Using the milling machine does not work as the job must be held tightly in the vice as it is worked. Therefore the tube would collapse in as the milling machine cuts away the necessary segments.

Then I tried using a grinder to take away a segment of the aluminium tube but as shown in the pictures below this did not work; mainly due to aluminium being a soft metal and it would not grind cleanly

I modified the chosen design in an attempt to keep it as similar as possible to the original.

Still using the aluminium tube below the shelves the upside down diagram shows how the LED tape will be stuck directly onto the shelf behind the aluminium tube which will hide the actual LED’s from sight to the glare can’t be seen from the individual LED’s.

Once the shelves have been oiled the adhesive on the back of the LED tape should stick very well to the clean surface.

The shelf is at no point attached to the aluminium shelf; the aluminium tube is held at each end in the sides of the unit and the shelves are supported at the front by the aluminium tubes.

This is a diagram (right) of how all the lights had to be connected through a connection block as between the 3 LED strips measuring 1160mm they required 2 power supplies in order to achieve their full brightness and incorporate a switch.

Conclusion: Although I have had to test many methods of manufacture which to my disappointment have not been successful, the final solution cuts out a lot of processes and therefore reducing the overall manufacture time. The final solution will also give a very similar affect to the original design but is much simpler.

One advantage of the finalised design is that if the LED’s were to brake under any circumstances they can be easily accessed in order to be replaced although LED’s have a very long life time (much longer than filament or fluorescent lights.

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A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Material research & Justification Wood for main Cabinet:

There are few alternative materials for the main body of the

cabinet. Woods are also the most cost effective. It is easier to cut

by both hand and machine. There are many more options for different types of finishes.

MDF with veneer: It is good to use as it is considerably cheaper that solid wood and being a manufactured board comes in many large sizes which will save time. Can be bought in different densities and will be lighter than the other substitutes. There is a large variation in the different veneer finishes that are available such as oak, cherry or ash – solid woods which my client would consider. However the edges would have to covered/protected.

Standard 5mm MDF will be used for the backboards which will be painted black and are out of view.

Plywood: Also a manufactured board, which comes in many large sheet sizes. It comes in thicknesses of 12mm, 15mm, 20mm and greater which would work for the cabinet. It is engineered to have high structural strength and is relatively cheap. It can be painted or have clear finish but it does not have an intricate grain.

Solid Wood: It would have the same aesthetic qualities as MDF veneer but much more dense and expensive due to it being the least sustainable. It also only come in long plank lengths 150mm x 16/19/25mm wide so would have to joined together which would take a long time.

Evaluation: Using MDF with a veneer is the obvious solution as it will have high aesthetic qualities with a low price and high sustainability.

MDF veneer only comes in 19mm thickness which is 1mm less than designed which will not make a difference. The open edges on the front and sides will have to be covered by a solid wood baton 20x20 (sanded to 19mm) of the same solid wood.

MDF with Cherry veneer which will have a red colour when finished.

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage Wood for Door:

Metal for Tubes:

Plastic for wheels/securing block:

The door will either be painted or made out of a different wood to the main cabinet so that it stands out as individual feature.

MDF: Standard MDF boards could be used either 12/15mm thick.

This would be the cheapest option and then it could be painted however there is little time to surround the MDF with a solid wood to stop the edges splaying so it is not the best material to use. Also if the edges of the door are rounded it is not very competent and would not finish well having been radiused using a router.

Plywood: Can easily be painted a different colour and is very easy to work with and doesn’t have any of the problems faced with when using MDF. Is still cheap and comes in the necessary thicknesses. Plywood edges do not need to be protected and can be radiused using a router. It has a medium density, less than solid wood still providing enough weight for a smooth mechanism.

Solid Wood: Again the same problems are encountered as with the main cabinet, solid wood is much heavier, and expensive – an unnecessary cost. Would also need joining together as they are supplied in long plank lengths 150 mm wide. If a wood grain look is desired MDF with a veneer could be used.

Evaluation: The best wood to use with a smaller part than the main unit is plywood with low costs and high strength which can easily be painted a variety of colours. The best colours would be a contrasting white or black – an eggshell finish would be best, not too shiny and not a matt finish which would accumulate dirt as the door is used over time.

Although the lights are no longer able to be fitted inside the tubes they will still be seen as an aesthetic feature and will be supporting the fronts of the shelves. There are lots of metals which can be bought in tubes.

Stainless Steel: It is quite a hard metal therefore not very easy to work with but is widely available. It can scratch quite easily but needs little polishing/finishing with high aesthetic qualities. It is quite expensive at £16.25/metre so it’s probably not the best to use as >3.5m is required.

Aluminium: Aluminium is a very malleable metal and very easy to work with the tools available in the workshop. Due to it being quite a soft metal so it can be scratched easily but is also very easy finish with sandpaper and metal polish or could be sand blasted. It is the cheapest of the metals that are available for the tubing at £5.25/metre it would only cost about £20 for all 3.5m.

Brass: It is a very soft alloy and easy to work. It would give a very different finish to the other metals matching the colour similar to the cherry (orange/gold). However it is not widely supplied and is very expensive at £25.25/metre which is an excessive cost for its use.

Evaluation: Considering the very minor use of the tube and it needing very little work due to changes in the design; aluminium is clearly the best choice of metal to use for the tubes as it is well stocked by most suppliers and cheaper than the others by large amount.

Plastics have changed dramatically as the technology supporting them has evolved. They are available in many sizes/thicknesses/forms.

Soft plastics are preferable for use as they are much easier to work and cut and have a lower coefficient of friction than harder plastics i.e. acrylic.

7‐ply plywood used to make door

Aluminium tube

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Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) ‐ Teflon: It is the most expensive of the plastics that could be used but this is mainly due to it having such a low coefficient of friction – 0.015. Similar to Nylon, it can only be bought in thicknesses of 8mm, 12mm or greater. 3mmm of the plastic would be wasted and this could be quite expensive due to the high price of Teflon.

Nylon: Nylon is an affordable plastic which is easy to work and still has a low coefficient of friction of 0.1. It can be bought in small sheets but comes in thicknesses of 8mm, 12mm or greater. This can still be used but there would be some waste material having faced it off the correct thickness. It is good for low to medium levels of stress and is quite resistance.

Acrylic: Would be very hard to work when it has to be so thick – 9mm block. It is better when used in thin sheets. Both Teflon and nylon are self‐lubricating whereas acrylic is not with a coefficient of friction of 0.4 – it would not produce such a smooth motion but is the cheapest of the three options.

Evaluation: The best material would obviously be Teflon but it’s the most expensive by some margin and is the least resistant when looking at longevity. Acrylic will not the most workable on machines that I have planned to carry out the processes on, therefore nylon is the optimum material to use.

A section of Nylon bar

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage From the wood supplies catalogue, a list of the possible veneers available on MDF. My client chose Crown Cut Cherry:

Client Feedback (materials): I like the idea of being able to use the MDF with a wood veneer on it as it would reduce the cost. When looking at the different woods I am concerned about both the colour and the grain. I would like a clear but subtle grain in the wood; I would consider the steamed beech, the cherry, both of the oak and the sapele. However I don’t like the look of the texture of the sapele and would like to avoid traditional oak furniture.

Therefore between the beech and the cherry I prefer the redness of the cherry wood and the slightly more defined grain.

For the door I have little preference for the material but I think a black paint which is not matt would be good especially as it will be handled a lot.

For the metal tubes I would not have chosen brass anyway as I think it is better to have a contrasting colour of metal. I would think using stainless steel would be less work but aluminium would keep the overall cost down.

As for the plastic for the wheels, again I have little preference.

Clearly which one works best and is reasonably priced. I think nylon was the right choice to make but will it not wear down quickly over time?

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A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Further research & Justification

Finish:

There are 3 possible wood finishes that could be used on the main unit. All 3 cost in the same region and it will cost about £25 to cover the whole area.

Varnish: Would give a clear and shiny look to the unit while also providing a thin hard protective layer over the wood. This would be a long lasting finish and would not need any further maintenance of need to be reapplied.

Wood oil/stain: Wood oil would give a clear but dull finish and depending on the type would bring out the colour of the cherry to a much redder colour.

It is the easiest to apply and would also not need to be reapplied if the item is only used inside.

Polish: Giving a clear and shiny finish but would have to be worked hard to give it a shiny finished effect which would be desired. It would also need to be reapplied over time as it fades which makes it high maintenance for the consumer.

Conclusion: The best finish to use is a wood oil/stain which will give the cabinet the most colour and is the easiest to apply in large quantities when about 13m2 is in question.

Having tested two types of oil/stain (Sadolin & Danish rustic oil – see picture below) the Danish oil brought the most colour out of the cherry and I think is the better one to use.

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

Shelves: There is the option of using glass for the shelves, not only is it hard to find in the desired dimensions it is also very expensive and the stronger it is the more the price rises. However would mean the shelves would have to held in using shelf pins which means a significantly less amount of wood work is needed to hols un the shelves. Although it would present a lot more problems associated with the lighting; the wires would be very easily visible and due the original light design been scrapped there are few options of where to attach the lights.

Using wood for the shelves avoids all these problems and they are not as delicate and overall a much cheaper option which would not be a determining factor of the overall dimensions.

Therefore the MDF veneer will be used to make the shelves.

Window: For such a small sheet of glass it is much cheaper to find a pre‐cut sheet as getting glass cut and finished to custom dimensions is very costly until the point where you are making a very large order for a batch.

Having spent a lot of time researching suppliers which sell standard size sheets of glass at affordable prices, I came across IKEA selling glass for furniture ranges as replacement shelves. I found a sheet of glass for a furniture range called ‘Billy’, it was designed to be a shelf but measures 360mm x 260mm costing only £4 so this was the obvious solution.

Switches: There is a range of 3 possible switches I can use which are stocked in the department and are easy to wire. They are all similar prices (30p) but as seen from the pictures (right) the white one is the least protruding and has the ability to be fitted flush to the wood making it the most aesthetically pleasing.

Therefore I believe the white switch is the best one to use.

Further research into different possibilities for components ad finishes:

Runner: Due to the specific length of the door runners I have to make my own mechanism to allow the door to reciprocate back and forth. From the development designs previously shown it is clear that a strip of metal is needed on the top and bottom for the wheel to run in and the securing block to fit into. Aluminium is the most easily available metal in the form of an alloy channel. It is also cheap and light making it good for the use as a runner.

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Client Feedback: I like to look of the Danish oil and would agree that the best finish is the one which brings out the most colour.

I don’t want to have both a glass window and glass shelves; since we have decided on a glass window in the door I would agree with your decision to have Cherry veneer shelves.

The first switch (black) looks cheap and is often found on electronic products which are made of cheap plastics and will not be seen.

The metal flick switch looks as if it is a switch one would find on a homemade electronic product and not a large quality cabinet so I do not want to use this one.

I like the white plastic switch the most as it looks good and will be almost flush to the wood.

I do not think using tubular lights will be good as they get very hot when they are used for a long time and would be very close to the contents of the shelves which could damage. Since the LED’s come in a range of colours I think a warmer white is better than an artificial white LED light.

Lights: There are two possible types of lights that can be used now the original design idea associated with the lights can’t be made.

Tubular lights: Short traditional tube lights could be used but they would be larger and much less energy efficient making it much less sustainable if the lights are on for a long length of time. I thought they might be cheaper but they are much larger units and aren’t the cheapest solution at £12.50/metre when just less than 3.5m are needed.

LED Strips: LED tape worked out much cheaper at £7/metre. They will need to be cut and soldered together to get the right length but that is there advantage how their length can be so easily altered. They are also very efficient and use little electricity and produce very little if any heat. They are also self‐adhesive sticky‐back tape making them easy to fit and are only a fraction of the size of tubular lights. They also come in many different light colours including a warm luminescent white like a standard bulb which my client has said he would prefer instead of the standard LED white.

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage Final Design:

This is the final design having had all the changes in development applied to the

design before it is made into the computer model for 3rd party manufacture.

These designs are drawn to scale and with all major design features

Evaluation of final design:

The main shape of the cabinet has remained the same having explored other possibilities but there have been some significant alterations to the design either because my client has not taken to the original design proposed or as the design would not actually work/be constructible.

I have made an effort to reduce the cost by carrying detailed research into the components and materials used. I also paid attention to the overall weight by using manufactured boards of wood instead of solid wood. The majority of the cabinet is made of out of MDF which is considerably lighter than solid woods such as cherry. The shelves are also removable so if the unit had a need to be moved once constructed the shelves can be removed to reduce the weight.

There is a large amount of storage space as my client has requested and on the dedicated CD/DVD shelves alone there is well over the required amount of space.

The top space also has the option to be utilised for all ornaments or a TV.

Client Feedback (finished design):

Conclusion:

As my first impression I had expected a sleeker design but I’m sure once I see the cabinet in the flesh and with the correct colour finishes it will look very good.

I like the contrast which will be created between the materials by having the aluminium tube against the wood and the then the jet black door on the front.

The door design having being heavily modified now allows the top to be used which would have been a large waste of available space if this weren’t the case.

I like the addition of an accessible switch on the side which will not spoil the aesthetic qualities and means the lights are not permanently on when any appliances in the cabinet are being used.

I am not so content with the shape of the window; it seems an odd shape as it allows half of the second shelf to be seen through it.

I am with the final design and believe I can manufacture it to a high finished standard which will allow it to be suited to many different environments.

However in personal preference there are two aspects of the design I would like to have changed; I prefer a design not to be so square but as my client has stressed compromise on efficiency of storage space if you want to experiment with the design. Also it would increase to overall cost of the unit as the production processes are much more complex and time consuming. Secondly I would like to have continued to develop the design of the door as I now feel that the door has little purpose and does not protect the contents of the cabinet.

While it is a nice design feature it has become obsolete during development and further solutions could be explored which would make more use of the door or the door could be changed it does more to serve its primary function as a door.

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A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage CAD Model:

CAD model (with rendering) which has been constructed to have an accurate design on the cabinet before it rd

party manufacture. goes in to manufacture. There are also dimensional drawings for 3

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Bertie Johnstone B Knox

18.10.11 20.10.11

Radley College Design & Technology Department 37

Stereo Storage 2.9

Bertie Johnstone B Knox

24.10.11 25.10.11

Radley College Design & Technology Department 38

Side of Unit v1.2

Bertie Johnstone B Knox

20.09.11 20.09.11

Radley College Design & Technology Department 39

Door Unit v2.2

Bertie Johnstone B Knox

22.10.11 23.10.11

Radley College Design & Technology Department 40

Top securing block & Wheel v1

Section D – Planning

(6 Marks) 41

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage A Gantt chart showing the timescale that my project will be constructed according to my time plan seen over the next few pages:

Cutting templates made before any stages of the manufacture went ahead to ensure the material was cut up as efficiently as possible:

Estimated prices before manufacture:

Material MDF Cherry veneer Aluminium Tubes Nylon Alloy Channel Pine Batons Cherry Batons MDF (5mm) Plywood CUMULATIVE: TOTAL:

Price £100.00 £12.00 £10.00 £5.00 £20.00 £20.00 £5.00 £10.00 £182.00

Component Glass Lights Power supplies Screws Bolts Nuts & washers KD fittings Switch

Price Other £4.00 Nails £28.00 Wood glue £8.00 Araldite £4.00 Primer £2.00 Paint £2.00 Danish oil £2.50 Brushes £.30 Wiring £50.80 £298.90

Price £1.00 £5.00 £5.00 £15.00 £20.00 £6.00 £4.00 £10.00 £66.00

This pricing is an estimate pre‐production; however it is important to take note that the estimated price is over the £250 which was stated in the original specification. Cost of minor components and materials will be taken into account at every stage of production.

42

Production Plan No. 1

2

3

Part Name

Manufacture of model to test mechanism and dimensions

Cutting up all MDF veneer to size

Pine batons for joints and shelves

Task No

Task Description

Materials

Equipment

Quality Control

Health and Safety Batch/Mass Production

1.1

Making Nylon wheels x4

Nylon

Metal Lathe, 6mm drill piece

Continuously check the dimensions of the wheel using digital vernier calliper

Eye protection is very importan whe using lathe

1.2

Make top secureing block

Wood (test)

Band saw, hand drill

Set saw fence accurately

Only quailified personnel may Could be cut using CNC laser cutter use band saw.

1.3

Bore channels for runners in base MDF board and top piece

Hand router

1.4

Cut aluminium runners to size

1.5

Comment

30

85

Had to make another set of wheels as 1st pair were too small

20

25

Nylon will be used for the actual door

Hand router can only be used CNC router can be used to cut much After initial cut, slowly widden channel 1mm at a under supervision of qualified longer chnnel sections to the correct time so not to make the channel to wide for runners adult width

20

20

Hack saw, metal file

Cut the alloy 2mm too long then file back the sharp Wear eye protection, be ends to length aware of sharp ends on metal

10

10

Cut wood to fill void between two 20x20 pine sides of door

Tenon saw

Ensure all cuts are prpendicular to wood so they fit Apron together

A jig and bad saw can be used to speed up process

25

15

1.6

Cut MDF boards for front and back 15mm MDF of door

Wood saw

Place scrap wood beneath job to keep edges along Apron cut smooth

Use band saw

20

25

1.7

Assemble and test

x2 6mm spanners, hand drill, 8x1 wood screws

Ensure all edges are flush and the bolts on wheels are not done up too tight

15

30

The more weight added to the door, the smoothr the mechanism worked

2.1

Check sheets od MDF cherry veneer for any damage

Lasers con be used to pick up any signs of damage

5

15

2 corners showed slight damage on one board but they can be avoided

2.2

Calculate most efficient way to cut 19mm MDF cherry up borads veneer

CAD

Have 5mm between each cut out to account fo the width of the blade

Use automated CAD

20

35

Took longer than thought o to find best fit

2.3

Mark out on boards wher to cu t wood

19mm MDF cherry veneer

Pencil, tape measure, set square

Measure each dimension twice to be sure of no error

15

15

2.4

Cut out all MDF veneer to size (shelves x3, sides x2, top & bottom)

19mm MDF cherry veneer

Circular table saw, jigsaw

Set Saw fence to ensure accurate lengths.

Only quailified personnel may CNC router can be used to cut many use table saw. Ensure the out of one large sheet safety guard's in place

60

90

Some cut outs had to planed down to size -­‐ taking off mm to increase accuracy

3.1

Cut out all lengths of pine batons 20x20 pine needed

Tenon saw, bench hook, set square, tape measure

Sand the ends of each baton for clean finish

Eye protection, apron

15

35

Had misjudged the amount of batons needed

3.2

Mark out on sides, top and bottom MDF Cherry veneer Pencil, tape measure, set square where the batons wil be

10

15

3.3

Drill clearance, pilot and counter MDF Cherry veneer, Hand drill, wood drill pieces, counter sink Place scrap wood beneath pine when drilling sink holes in pine and MDF veneer 20x20 pine drill piece, hand clamps clearance holes.

Eye protection, secure job to CNC drill used work bench

25

40

3.4

Screw pine batons on to sides, top Side, top and Electric drill, hand clamps, wood screws and bottom bottom MDF boards

Eye protection, secure job to work bench

15

20

3.5

Screw top and bottom boards to either side

Side, top and Phillips screw driver, wood screws, hand bottom MDF boards lamps

10

25

3.6

Temporary structural assembly

All 4 sides, MDF back board

20

60

3.7

Check shelevs also fit

3x MDF cherry veneer shelves

5

15

4.1

Cut ply wood for inner and outer side of door

12/15mm ply

30

20

Aluminium alloy channel

19mm MDF cherry veneer

Check for any signs of damage on corners or the veneer peeling off

Electric drill, hand clamps, wood drill piece, counter sink drill bit, wood screws

Table saw

Be aware of splinters and sharp edges

Measure each dimension twice to be sure of no error

Check the unit stands square

Set fence on table saw

43

CNC lathes can be used to speed up the production process

Time Time (Min) Taken

A jig and bad saw can be used to speed up process No need to mark out if robots are used

Secure job and wear eye protection

Wear eye and ear protection

No need to experiment if all fits together

Fence would be constsntly set for continous process

Had little lateral strength so was hard to assemble fully at such an early stage.

4

5

Door unit

4.2

Cut wood to fill void between two 20x20 & 20x40 pine Tenon saw, bench hook sides of door and glass surround

Ensure all cuts are prpendicular to wood so they fit Ensure clothes and fingers out A jig and band saw can be used to together of way, wear an apron speed up process

30

30

4.3

Drill clearance, pilot and couter sink holes in pine and plywood front and back

20x20 & 20x40 pine Hand drill, 3mm drill bit, 6mm drill bit, and plywood counter sink drill bit

Take care not to drill throught the front side of the Eye protection plywoood

40

30

4.19

Mark out holes for M6 bolys for nylon securing block

12/15mm ply

Ruler, set square, pencil

10

20

4.6

Drill holes for bolts top and bottom and fit with nylock nuts

12/15mm ply

Hand drill, 6mm drill bit

10

30

4.7

Mark out and cut hole for window 12/15mm ply front and back

Ruler, set square, pencil

Mark out very carefully on both sides

30

30

4.8

Router plywood around perimetre 12mm ply of hole for the glass to be recessed

Hand held router

Make temporary fence with scrap wood to get best Only use under suervision of CNC router cut qualified adult, eye protetion

10

10

4.1

Make corners square to fit glass and inner frame

Chisel

Square to rounded corners

Keep hands behind the blade of the chisel at all times

5

5

4.11

Cut out inner frame and cut mitre 15x10 pine joints

Tenon saw, bench hook

Ensure the saw if set to 45o

Ensure clothes and fingers out of way, wear an apron

20

20

4.12

Fit inner frame to inside of window 15x10 pine hole

Glue, 25mm pins, hammer

Ensure pins go in vertically and do not pertrude out Apron of either sied of plywood

Unecessary with clearner cut

20

20

4.13

Put filler in gaps along cut of jigsaw 15x10 pine and inner frame

Wood filler, marking knife

Apron

Unecessary with clearner cut

10

10

4.14

Sand down the frame and the filler 15x10 pine so flush with pine door front

Air disc sander

Ensure it is totally flush

Eye and ear protection, ensure extraction is on in sanding rrom

Unecessary with clearner cut

15

15

4.17

Paint inner facing edges of pine black

20x40 pine

Paint, brush

Paint with the diretion of the grain

Apron

5

5

4.21

Assemble door for further productoin

All door materials

Hand drill

Make sure it all all fits torether easily

Eye protection

20

20

4.24

Router all edges of door to give rounded ergonomic finish

Finished Door

Hand held router

Go slowly around the edges so the router dies not jump ang ruin the edge

Only use under suervision of Use table router qualified adult, eye protetion

10

10

4.25

Sand all sides of door before painting

Finished Door

Air disc sander

Sand smooth and flush, especialy the sides

Eye and ear protection, ensure extraction is on in sanding room

20

30

4.27

Dis-­‐assemble and fit glass into door

Glass window

Hand drill

Eye protection

20

20

4.28

Secure glass with pine batons in void

20x40 pine

Hand drill

Eye protection

10

10

4.29

Re-­‐assemble door and fill screw holes on rear & sand

Finished Door

Wood filler, marking knife, hand drill, sanding block

Eye protection, apron

35

40

5.1

Mark out depth and height of channel known from model onto base and top

MDF cherry veneer

5

15

5.2

Set up hand router and carry out test

Scrap wood

5

10

12mm ply

Pencil, ruler, tape measure, set square

Hand router

Eye protection

Tighten well for the final time as the door is sealed

CNC drill

CNC drill

Measure each dimension twice to be sure of no error

Check the hand router is not cutting too deep

Door Runners

44

Hand router can only be used No need to set up router after under supervision of qualified another job adult

Had to plane toe 20x40 pine to 20x30 as there was not enough room for the bolts at the top

The more weight added to the door, the smoother the mechanism worked

5

6

7

8

5.3

Bore channels for runners in base/bottom shelf and top piece

MDF cherry veneer

Hand router

Hand router can only be used CNC router can be used to cut much After initial cut, slowly widden channel 1mm at a under supervision of qualified longer chnnel sections to the correct time so not to make the channel to wide for runners adult width

20

35

5.4

Cut aluminium runners to size

Aluminium alloy channel

Hack saw, metal file

Cut the alloy 2mm too long then file back the sharp Wear eye protection, be ends to length aware of sharp ends on metal

15

15

5.5

Glue and clamp in to place

Araldite, G Clamps

Clean off any excess glue and ensure rails sit flush

Do not get glue on clothes or skin

10

30

6.1

Mark out all lengths of Cherry needed

Tape measure, set square, pencil

Measure each dimension twice to be sure of no error

15

15

6.2

Cut all 9 lengths of cherry and sand 20x20 cherry (x9) ends

Tenon saw, bench hook

30

30

6.3

Cut mitre joints on necessary corners

Angle saw

Ensure the saw is acctually set to 45o

10

10

6.4

Cut biscuit joints in all batons and 20x20 cherry (x9) MDF veneer

Buscuit machine, G cramps

Ensure the blade is set to correct depth and height -­‐ Ear defenders, eye protection carry out test

60

45

6.5

Join top batons with mitre joins

20x20 cherry (x3)

Framing/mitre clamp, glue, biscuits

Ensure mitre join is flush on each side

20

30

6.6

Glue and cramp all batons

20x20 cherry (x9)

Glue, Sash cramps, biscuits

Wipe off excess glue and use newspaper to stop it sticking to the desk

60

50

6.7

Chisel off excess glue and sand 20x20 cherry (x9) flush sides, shelves, Top & Bottom

Chisel, sanding block and paper (100,180,240)

Careful not to chip the wood too deep or sand through the veneer

Keep hands behind the blade of the chisel at all times

180

380

6.7

Cut cherry batons for feet

20x20 cherry

Tenon saw, bench hook

Ensure clothes and fingers out Use of table saw of way

10

10

6.7

Plane to 10mm thick

20x10 cherry

Electric plane

Accurately check height of blade

Ear defenders, eye protection Plane already set at correct height

10

10

6.8

Glue and dovetail nail to bottom

20x10 cherry

Hammer, 25mm pins, glue, centre punch

Use dovetail nailing and use centre puch to sink the mails well in so not to scratch floor

20

20

7.1

Cut aluminium tubes to length and Aluminium Tube file ends

Circular drop saw, metal file

Check length with tape measure

Eye protection

35

30

7.2

Parallel turm one end in lathe

Aluminium Tube

Metal lathe

Take off small amounts at a time to test fit

Eye protection

Correct size drill bit will be available

45

35

7.3

Test holes sizes in gash wood

Gash wood

Electirc hand drill, 25 & 26mm forstner drill bit

Continous testing not needed

20

10

7.4

Drill holes in sides

MDF veneer sides

Electirc hand drill, 25 & 26mm forstner drill Drill from both sides to stop one side splaying or bit splitting veneer

Process not required

45

30

7.5

Test to see if tubes fit

Aluminium Tube

Loose fit on one side and friction fir on the opposite side

10

10

7.6

Clean/sand tubes

Aluminium Tube

Wet & dry sand paper (320/600)

Use wire brush to get rid of any deep scratches

60

40

7.7

Polish tubes

Aluminium Tube

Metal polish

Wash hands well having used polish

60

15

8.1

Cut wood for CD stop

MDF veneer

Tenon saw, bench hook

Measure out and mark clearly

Ensure clothes and fingers out Cut using jig with table saw of way

10

10

8.2

Drill holes in sides and on CD Stop Sides and CD Stop

Electric hand drill, 2mm drill bit

Ensure not to go all the way throught the wood

Eye protection

20

20

8.3

Attach x4 corner braces

x4 KD fitting corner x8 1/4" screws, phillips screw driver braces

5

5

8.4

Cut Cherry baton to 1170mm

20x20 cherry

Tenon saw, bench hook

Measure out and mark clearly

Ensure clothes and fingers out Cut using jig with table saw of way

10

10

8.5

Plane top light guard to 10mm

20x20 cherry

Electric plane

Accurately check height of blade

Ear defenders, eye protection

20

10

Door Runners

Cherry Edge Batons and Feet

Aluminiun Tubes (x3)

CD Stop & Top light Guard

20x20 cherry

20x20 cherry (x3)

Cut using jig with table saw Ensure clothes and fingers out Use of table saw of way

45

Eye protection

CNC drill

Cut whole length of baton at one time

Hand router must be used very slowly

Araldite must be mixed well

Test was much quicker than thought

To sand flush and get rid of glue took a very long time

Took time to ensure CD stop was vertical

Using table saw would waste less wood, option of 10mm or 7mm

8

9

10

11

12

CD Stop & Top light Guard

Back Boards (x2)

8.6

Nail and glue to underside of top

20x10 cherry

Hammer, 25mm pins, glue

Clear off all excess glue

15

10

9.1

Check material from store and mark out dimensions

5mm MDF

Tape measure, ruler, pencil

Measure out and mark clearly

15

15

9.2

Cut on table saw

5mm MDF

Table saw

Set saw fence accurately

9.3

Drill holes around edges and in rear of cabinet

5mm MDF (x2)

9.4

Sand smooth

9.5

Only trained personnel may use the table saw

Cut in large batches without need to set up saw fence

10

10

Electric drill, 2mm drill bit, countersink drill Use centre puch to mark hole, ensure it goes into bit pine batons on rear

Eye protection

CNC drill

25

25

5mm MDF (x2)

Air disc sander (180)

Extraction on in sanding room, eye & ear protection

10

30

Paint with primer ten black

5mm MDF (x2)

Primer and black paint, paint roller

Apply in many thin coats for best finish

Apron to be worn

Spray painted

60

90

10.1

Make Nylon wheels x2

Nylon

Metal Lathe, 6mm drill piece

Continuously check the dimensions of the wheel using digital vernier calliper

Eye protection is very importan whe using lathe

CNC lathes can be used to speed up the production process

30

55

10.2

Mark out dimensions on sheet of Nylon Board Nylon

Pen, ruler, set square

Carry out measurements twice for assurance

No need to be carried out, use of CNC milling machine

10

10

10.3

Cut top securing nylon block x2

Nylon Board

Band saw

Set saw fence accurately

Only quailified personnel may Also carried out by Milling machine use band saw.

20

10

10.4

Reduce Nylon sheet to correct thickness for runner

Nylon Board

Milling machine

Eye protection

CNC Milling machine

30

90

10.5

Make slots in nylon

Nylon Board

Milling machine

Eye protection

CNC Milling machine

60

60

10.6

Assemble on door and test

Blocks and wheels

x2 6mm spanners, hand drill, 8x1 wood screws

Ensure all edges are flush and the bolts on wheels are not done up too tight

15

25

11.1

Apply 3 coats of oil to sides, shelves, CD stop and Top & Bottom

Cherry Veneer

Danish Rustic Oil

Wipe on in thick layers, final layer is thin

200

240

11.2

Cover glass on door

Door

Masking tape and newspaper

Cover the perimeter of the glass very carefully to avoid getting any paint on glass

20

45

11.3

Paint door

Door & back boards Primer & eggshell black paint

160

160

12.1

Mark out where to attach lights

12.2

Fit sticky back lights

LED stip lights

12.3

Test hole size for switch

Gash wood

Drill, 20mm forstner drill bit

Use scrap to protect rear side of hole

12.4

Drill hole for switch and fit

Left side

Drill, 20mm forstner drill bit

Use scrap to protect rear side of hole

12.5

Secure all wiring

Cable ties

Ensure all wires are out of sight

12.6

Wire switch and lights into connecting block and test

Connecting block

Wire strippers, flat head screw driver

Ensure it is wired the correct way round

13.1

Final assembly

All parts

Clamps (x2), Phillips screw driver / drill

13.2

Test with client in situ and photograph

Whole Unit

Camera, Tripod

Securing Blocks & Wheels

Oil & Paint

Fitting Lights & Switch

Use of digital dimensions read out on machine to .00 mm (300x more accurate than 3mm tolerance) Use of digital dimensions read out on machine to .00 mm (300x more accurate than 3mm tolerance)

2 coats of primer followed by 3 layers of black paint

Avoid getting in eyes and mouth

Avoid getting in eyes and mouth

Pencil, ruler, clamps (x2)

Nails not needed but quicker than clamping

Was painted with high gloss black first time round and had to be sanded back to primer

Use of auto feed on the lathe gave a much better finish

Had to make new parallels for the vice of the milling machine

The more weight added to the door, the smoothr the mechanism worked

15

15

15

15

Eye protection

10

10

Eye protection

10

10

15

15

Some wires are hard to access

Ensure lights are not plugged in when wiring

20

30

It is quite complex wiring due to use of two power supplies

Min people required = 2

60

90

Requires two people

120

150

Experimenting with lighting and filling unit was time consuming.

Use ruler to ensure light are straight

Product Testing 13

Testing

Total Time =

46

Estimated: 2445 mins

Total: 3090 mins

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage An example of two flow charts showing the construction process

in detail of the wheels and top securing blocks:

Final cutting list of all the material: Name of Part Main: Inner door Outer door Back board (small) Back board (Large) Sides L+R Top Bottom shelf CD Stop Shelves Batons: Top support Lower 2 shelves Top shelf Bottom shelf Rear top+bottom L+R rear sides Door void sides Door void T+B Glass surround sides Glass surround T+B T+B window surround L+R window surround Bottom +3 shelves Top sides top front Feet Side L+R edge Top light shield Other: Tubes Nylon securing block Nylon wheels Glass (pre‐cut)

The flow diagrams show the intricate process of making the wheels and securing blocks where constant checking of the dimensions is very important to ensure the final product is correct and not wasting materials by going too far past the required dimensions that the unit becomes useless and has to be re‐made. Many decisions had to be made throughout production in order to assure the top quality of the end product.

For many stages where a decision had to be made there were two options, often if the part had been cut too small and was not good for the use or could not continue to be worked more than one step back in the process had to be taken. However if the part was still too big it could be continued to be worked until it was the correct size,

47

Dimensions (mm)

Quantity

Summary

‐ Birch faced ply (12mm) Birch faced ply (15mm) Ply (5mm) Ply (5mm) Cherry veneer MDF (19mm) Cherry veneer MDF (19mm) Cherry veneer MDF (19mm) Cherry veneer MDF (19mm) Cherry veneer MDF (19mm) mm Pine (20x20) Pine (20x20) Pine (20x20) Pine (20x20) Pine (20x20) Pine (20x20) Pine (20x20) Pine (20x20) Pine (20x20) Pine (20x20)

‐ 85x400 950x400 290x1170 500x1170

‐ 1 1 1 1

‐ 1x board of 12mm ply 1x board of 15mm ply

480x955

2

480x1210

1

480x1170

1

160x1170

1

380x1170

3

‐ 400 400 150 400 1170 845 850 360 340 360

‐ 2 4 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

Pine (10x12)

340

2

Pine (10x12)

235

2

Cherry (20x20) Cherry (20x20) Cherry (20x20) Cherry (20x10) Cherry (20x20) Cherry (20x10) ‐ Aluminium tube (1"D)

1170 500 1250 500 955 1170 ‐ 1190

4 2 1 2 2 1 ‐ 3

Nylon sheet (12mm)

80x50

2

Nylon cylinder Glass (5mm)

9mm 360x260

2 1

Material

1x board of 5mm ply

2x board of 19mm MDF cherry veneer

‐

11100mm of 20x20 pine

10010mm of 20x20 cherry

‐

Ikea

Section E– Making;  Tools & Equipment

(9 Marks)

 Quality

(16 Marks)

 Complexity

(9 Marks)

48

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Manufacture Diary: (In chronological order)

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

I started by checking the material when it was delivered to the workshop to check the quality and ensure there were no blemishes on the material. It was all ok apart from one corner of the MDF with veneer which had been damaged and was splayed. Luckily I did not need all of the material so could avoid using that corner. I than marked out all the main pieces the MDF boards had to be cut up into in order to reduce the size of all my material. This was cut out using a table saw or a jigsaw (shown above) when the boards were too big to be cut using the table saw. The edges which were cut using the jigsaw were not as straight as those using the table saw so I left a little extra to the edge could be planed smooth so the boards would join together well. Having cut out all the main pieces I marked out and cut up all the 20x20 pine which was required in the necessary lengths. I then marked out where the pine was attached to the cherry veneer MDF and screwed them on.

Here is an image of the two sides having had all the line attached which will support the sides of the shelves when they are added. Having completed the top pieces and cut out the shelves I was able to put them together and see for the first time the full scale of the cabinet at such an early stage in the manufacture. Then I moved on to adding the pine batons which the backboard will be attached too as it can’t be screwed into the MDF as it has no end grain. The last picture in this section shows how the pine batons act as large modesty block KD fittings but are stronger, spread the load more and are more aesthetically pleasing.

I then moved on to making the door as it is a major component of the cabinet. I cut the front and rear out of 12mm birch faced ply and then attached a surround of 20x20 pine batons which act as spacers for the void in the door. Then I removed the pine batons in order to mark out and cut out the hole for the window using the jigsaw.

I drilled holes in each corner to start the cut and give the corners a rounded edge. Having cut the window out I used a hand held router to cut around the window in order to make a recessed edge which the glass will sit in to it is flush on the inside edge and can easily be secured. Then I made to surround for the glass using 20x20 & 40x20 pine (above). This would stop the glass falling out or slipping.

Due the window hole being cut using a jigsaw the edge was nit as straight as I would like it so I made a frame to fit on the inside of the widow hole out of pine which I attached using glue and pins. Any gas would be filler using wood filler.

49

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

Here I am sanding the frame I fitted inside the window flush with the front

surface as the pine I used was thicker than the 12mm ply wood and the places where filler was used needed to be sanded down. All major sanding jobs were carried out in the sanding room

with extraction facilities and a vacuum table. The second picture is the finished article with the frame sanded flush to the edge front surface. Next I made the wheels for the bottom of the door out of nylon which I turned on the metal lathe and drilled a centre hole using a 6mm drill bit in the tail stock of the lathe before parting off the finished wheel 9mm in. The wheels were then attached to the rear side of the door which I had already drilled holes for the M6 bolts. Nylock nuts were used to secure the wheels as there is no need to take them off.

Before drilling the holes for the M6 bolts at the top which the top securing blocks would be attached to I had to plane down the 20x20 pine around the perimeter of

the door and the top of the glass support as there wasn’t enough space between them to fit the bolts in. Having done this I drilled to the holes in the rear side of the door using a hand drill. Before I

was able to make the top securing blocks on the milling machine I had to make some new parallels for the vice of the milling machine as I was going to machine such a small job there weren’t enough to make it sit high enough. I took the nylon down to the correct height and width before taking 3mm off the thickness as it was 12mm thick nylon board which needed to be 9mm. The two nylon securing fitted well on the top of the door and moved up and down with ease. The door is now complete and I removed all the nylon components and taped up the bolts before applying the first two layers of primer.

st

The 1 paint I used was a high gloss black which was too shiny so I had to sand the door down to the primer and apply an eggshell black

In this stage of production I used a hand held router to cut a channel into the top and bottom which I then fitted a length of alloy channel which was stuck in with araldite. The 2nd picture also shows how bent the length of 20x20 cherry was before using biscuit joints. I cut the biscuit joints in the middle of the cherry. The cherry on the top was attached using mitre joints so I cut the ends off at 45o with an angle saw.

50

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

I used a mitre clamp to join the cherry on the top panel to join the cherry on the three sides of the top panel. I used sash cramps to hold the other sherry strips

onto the sides while the glue set.

The third picture shows the excess glue that comes out of the joint when pressure is applied. Once dry all the excess glue had to be taken off first using a chisel and then sanding the edge totally flush so it blends well with the rest of the wood. The 5th picture shows the alternate dovetail nailing that I did to fix the foot to the bottom of the sides. Then I used a nail punch to ensure none of the pins were sticking out and in danger of damaging the floor.

The final picture shows some test runs with a router for the decorative edge I will apply around the top panel.

I moved on to making the aluminium tubes to support the front of the shelves. I cut them to the desired length using the circular drop saw and then filed the ends to get rid of any sharp edges.

Since the tube was 1” diameter and the forstner drill bits available were in metric units I had to take 1mm off one end of each tube so they would fit in a 25mm hole on one side and 26mm on the other. I fitted the switch into a 2mm diameter hole and wired ensuring to insulate the connections with shrink wrap. The LED tape was easily cut to the desired lengths using scissors.

The LED tape only came in 500mm lengths so I had to join each length together. Once in the desired length I also had to solder on the correct wires self‐adhesive side and stuck the lights down with the guide of a ruler. The into and then sticky back pads which hold the wires in place.

together by making a u‐shape section of wire and soldering them for the application and then peeled back the tape protecting the next photo shows the connecting block that all the lights are wired The finished cabinet without the shelves in.

51

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage Quality of Manufacture:

This page looks at the accuracy of my construction processes which

have led to a very high quality end product.

These photos show the high quality of the bottom channel and the door wheels.

The door overlaps the top and the bottom as it reciprocates from side to side. The cherry baton is perfectly flush

The top securing block was made using a milling machine with a digital readout to aid accuracy. The

with the rest of the shelf. The alloy channel is also countersunk flush to the surface so the contents do not get

readout was accurate to 3 decimal places which meant that the accuracy was 3000x my tolerance.

caught on it.

Both of the top securing blocks are almost exactly the same and fit perfectly into the top channel and guides the door as it slides very smoothly along the channel.

The switch is countersunk into a 20mm diameter hole so it is flush with the surface

All the wiring the cabinet has been tied together and secured out of view of the

and less

user. There is no wiring that needs to be done by the user on assembly. The right

obtrusive.

hand picture show the 2nd shelf and the CD stop which join tightly together.

View from the rear of the cabinet as the backboards are

I cut the cherry baton for the front of the sides 2mm too short

also finished to a

so had to neatly fit a small chock into the gap and sand it flush.

high standard and

I also took 1mm off one end of all the aluminium tubes so they

well secured.

would fit better in the 25mm hole as they are 1” tubes. For the

These pictures show the quality of the decorative routered edge on the top panel and

foot I used a piece of 10x20 cherry and joined it using dovetail

the inside top corner where the pine batons meet and the backboard is attached. You

nailing.

are able to see how white the pine batons look in contrast to the black backboard.

52

Section F – Evaluation & Testing

(10 Marks) 53

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

Testing: rd

I carried out my testing in three parts; firstly I asked a 3 party user the following questions of what they thought of the product having had no input into the design. Secondly I placed the cabinet in a likely location where it might be used and filled it with all the necessary/relevant items associated with the product. Having done this I assessed the cabinet’s ability to store all the items and its practicality. Thirdly I carried out a tolerance test where I measured

all the major dimensions and highlighted any incorrect dimensions with justification for why this has happened. Having competed testing I carried out an evaluation of the product by seeing if it adhered to all the spec points.

Test Area

Test Question

Purpose Form Function & Performance Aesthetics Ergonomics Materials & Components Manufacture/Quality

Result/Comment

What's your first impression of the unit, does it fulfill its On first impressions the unit looks very impressive. It will work purpose as a stereo cabinet with auxillary storage? well for my stereo and also to store CD's/DVD's/books.

Would the fact that the product is sold as flat‐packed unit for It might deter me as I am slow assembling flat‐packs but usually self‐assembly deter you? have someone to help me!

Does the cabinet cope with your requirements for capacity Yes, the capacity is sufficient and the lighting helps to see titles to store CD/DVD's? How would you rate the usefulness of etc. It is also an attractive feature the lighting?

How versatile do you think the product is for use in many I think it will fit well in different rooms in my house. The colour different environments? scheme is quite neutral which means it is easier to position.

The unit is quite big but has been well considered so the stereo Do you feel comfortabe with the ergonomics of the unit? is in easy reach from both standing and sitting positions.

Do you have any comments about the materials or The materials appear hardwearing and of high quality and I think components from a longevity perspective? will stand the test of time What do you think of the overall quality of the unit?

The finish of the unit and all the details are of superb quality

Are there any problems that you see occuring in maintaining the cabinet?

What do you think is the target market group for this product?

At a cost price of £221.78 (excluding labour), how much would you be willing to pay for such a bespoke product?

There could be problems with dust accumulating in the running track at the base of the unit The target market is for 30‐70 age group with larger living spaces

Safety

Are there any areas to you where safety might be an issue?

No assuming the lighting is insulated and fitted correctly

Packaging

Do you have any preference to how this product should be packaged?

With minimal shrink wrap and using recyclable materials

Sustainability

How long do think this product would last?

I think the design will not date and the construction and finish is of a very high standard so I would expect it to last for ever!

Maintenance Market Cost

54

User Rating (out of 10)

9 8 9 9 8 10 10 7

I would pay up to £600

10

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Testing cont’d:

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

The cabinet looked very good in its testing location and immediately looked like part of the room as if it had always been

there. With its soft colours and calm design it made a subtle statement in the room as a centre piece.

One of the main aspects I needed to test was the cabinet’s capacity to store 80 CD’s and 50 DVD’s. As part of my testing I filled the dedicated CD shelf to full capacity and it comfortably stored 110 CD’s. I also filled the dedicated DVD shelf to full capacity which managed to store 80 DVD’s. Both of these were well over the required amount.

Overall testing went very well, however there were a few small things which were spotted by my client and a third party user;  The back stop on the CD shelf had been fitted too far forward and therefore the lighting was not effective and was lighting up the tops on the CD’s. This is a very easy fix; the CD stop has three places it can be fixed in. I moved the CD stop 40mm further back and the lights now work very well to light up the contents of the shelf, especially the CD’s and DVD’s.

 It was mentioned to me that the light coloured pine batons on the rear which the backboard is screwed to look to be white against the black of the backboard. In order to fix this I painted the pine batons which were visible with a dark Sadolin wood stain so they now look the same colour as the cherry. (See Improvements for picture of fix fix)  The top strip of LED’s can be seen when sitting down or standing at a distance; there is nothing in front of them to stop the user seeing the glare from the LED’s [there is no aluminium tube beneath the top as it does not need supporting]. In order to prevent this from happening I will install a 10mmx20mm cherry strip in front of the lights to block them from view. The strip will be hardly noticeable as it will be part of a cherry baton. (See Improvements for picture of fix)  My client drew to my attention the bottom shelf which currently has no support beneath it was bowing under the weight of the contents. It was hardly noticeable but it was affecting the movement of the door. In order to fix this I will make a centre foot which will support the bottom shelf from the middle but will not be visible from the front.

(See Improvements for picture of fix)

Tolerance Testing: Part Name

Dimension on drawing (mm)

Actual Dimension (mm)

Variation (Set Tolerance = ±3mm)

Depth of sides

500

501

1mm

Door Height

950

955

5mm

Window Height

320

318

2mm

Window Width

215

217

2mm

Justification/Comments This is a very small amount out on such a large piece, this is due to the multiple times the side was altered having not calculated the additional 20mm cherry strip 5mm is above the set tolerances but does not affect the movement of the door – there is a smaller gap between the top t=of the cabinet and the door.

The window is smaller on the actual door than on the designs as I had not accounted for the need of a frame inside the window cut out in order to have a smooth edge running all the way around as using a jigsaw does not give a perfect cut.

Clockwise from top left: CD stop to far forward and the lights shining on the top of the CD’s.

Pine batons at the rear looking white in contrast with the black.

Space at rear behind CD stop for power extension.

My client using the cabinet.

My third part user using the cabinet.

Conclusion: Photos showing the versatility of the stereo cabinet; can be purely used for stereo and other ornaments on top (left) or can be used as a TV stand with capacity for a DVD player as well as for the stereo (right).

Overall the testing went very well as both my client and user liked the product. They also gave me some very useful feedback of some small problems which could be easily fixed. The photos show how well the neutral colour schemes fit into the desired location of my client. Two bits of info which should be highlighted are that the user felt that the product being flat‐packed may deter buyers but she would still be willing to pay £600 without seeing my clients estimate.

55

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage Point Number: Criteria point – explanation/justification

point

1.

2.

Client specified from interview/input Measureable

Purpose 1.1. To store a small Hi‐Fi in a cabinet as well have storage for a large CD collection and a small DVD collection 1.2. Provide a modern piece of furniture which can be used for ornaments or a TV

Form 2.1. The client has not specified much in detail about the form but it will be more apparent once the basic designs have been drawn up, therefore the cabinet could have a wide variation of forms 2.2. The product can be solid, there is no need for it to be dismantled so no design necessary for flat pack/KD fittings Function & Performance 3.1. CD storage – must have storage space for at least 80 CD’s 3.2. DVD storage – must have storage space for at least 50 DVD’s 3.3. Store a small Hi‐FI behind closed door(s) 3.4. Also incorporate storage for speakers into the product – these must be as far away from each other as possible to give the best stereo sound effect.

3.5. Must have some sort of lighting system – to illuminate the contents to help the user see the contents 3.6. Doors are important to protect the Hi‐Fi unit from damage from dust or spillages etc. – this would preserve the life of the stereo and obstruct it from view when not in use 3.7. Provide auxiliary storage or other items a user may have the need to store 3.8. It must not exceed 50kg – most be moveable by 2 people Aesthetics 4.1. Must be designed to fit in to a traditional poorly lit room but must be modern – bringing a modern touch to the room 4.2. Wood finishes are most preferable, option of black finish – client has expressed dislike to white finishes 4.3. Aesthetics are the secondary concern [especially the lighting] – the quality and practicality are primary Size 5.1. Max height: 1000mm – keeping the cabinet low, no taller especially if floor standing. (mitigates safety hazard) 5.2. Max width: 1000mm – maximum amount of space there is on each possible room 5.3. Max depth: 500mm – this gives ample room for the stereo unit, including ventilation and cables including space for a 4 socket power extension Ergonomics 6.1. Door handles must be the useable for the average adult hand size 6.2. The stereo must not be placed at the bottom of the cabinet as it is too low for the 95th percentile of the population Materials and Components 7.1. Multiple materials will be used in the design, the main material being wood – the addition of either glass of metal would add to the variation in the design 7.2. High quality materials are used in the build of the product and the surface finish of the materials must have very few blemishes 7.3. Hard woods will last longer and the medium brown colour of the wood is preferred to the light colour of soft wood ‐ not as dark as the colour of mahogany 7.4. Components must be high quality and long lasting but also weighing up the price of components such as lighting or door mechanisms to the quality keeping the overall price within the desired price Manufacture 8.1. Manufacturing techniques will be analysed against how much time they will take to carry out based on the complexity but still giving a good finish and not compromising on quality – this will save time and also reduce costs if the product went into production 8.2. The amount of energy needed to carry out certain manufacturing techniques will be taken into account – this lowers costs and reduces the amount of energy used in the production line 8.3. If this product were to be batch produced, jig(s) would be used during the manufacture where necessary – this reduces the time taken to produce the product

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Point Number: Criteria point – explanation/justification

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

56

Purpose 1.1. The cabinet does have storage for a small Hi‐Fi as well as plenty for CD/DVD’s 1.2. The design is neutral but with a modern side having a sleek profile with no add‐ons. The top can be used for TV/ornaments.

Form 2.1. The function is definitely put in front of form as the design has created the maximum capacity for any items the user wishes to store in it.

2.2. The cabinet looks to be a very solid unit but is bought as flat‐pack for home assembly – this was the most practical solution to transport.

Function & Performance 3.1. The cabinet can hold 110 CD’s on the dedicated shelf 3.2. The cabinet can hold 80 DVD’s on the dedicated shelf.

3.3. The Hi‐fi unit is behind a door but it is not totally sealed like it would be in a cupboard.

3.4. The speakers can be stored in multiple places and either landscape or portrait; but are best in on the top shelf and as far from each other as possible >1000mm.

3.5. The lighting system is very bright and works very well lighting up the contents of the shelves.

3.6. The Hi‐Fi unit is protected from any sort of spillages but is not totally protected from dust but the amount of dust settling on it will be massively reduced.

3.7. There are two additional shelves with no dedicated purpose where other items can be stored.

3.8. Without the door on the cabinet’s net weight is less than 50kg (door is taken off when moved). If it is still too heavy the shelves can also be removed which will dramatically reduce the weight further.

Aesthetics 4.1. The design certainly isn’t traditional and the colours aren’t too loud.

4.2. The cherry is finished with clear Danish oil which expresses the colours of the wood.

4.3. The aesthetics have been compromised, the quality is very high and design is very as practical as possible.

Size 5.1. The max height is 985mm 5.2. The max width is 1250mm, my client agreed with this increase having discussed the ratios in development 5.3. The depth of the cabinet is 500mm but when the door is fitted it increases the width to 515mm. This isn’t over the whole cabinet and does not cause any problems.

Ergonomics 6.1. There are no door handles on the door as it slides, the door can be gripped anywhere on the sides.

6.2. There is dedicated place for the stereo but it is recommended it is at the top.

Materials and Components 7.1. There are many materials used in the construction but there are 3 main ones which can be seen; cherry, glass window and aluminium tubes.

7.2. All the materials have been finished to a very high quality with natural oil 7.3. Hardwoods have not been used in the product as they are expensive, heavy and take longer to work. MDF with a high quality cherry veneer has been used as a substitute 7.4. The LED’s are high quality products with a lifetime warrantee and the door components I made myself out of durable nylon Manufacture 8.1. Processes such as using hardwoods would increase the production time as the wood only cones in thin planks unlike manufactured boards which come in large sheets and don’t need to be joined together 8.2. Many of the processes that could be done without the use of power tools were carried out by hand to reduce energy but with a larger scale of production more processes would have to be automated/carried out with power tools 8.3. I used a jig in production when making the wheel to ensure that they were both the same size. Jigs could be used for other processes such as cutting out the hole for the window as this took a long time to mark out.

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage 9.

Maintenance 9.1. Standard materials/components will be used where possible – this will allow the user to replace parts such as door

hinges so the product doesn’t become obsolete.

9.2. If glass shelves are used it will be built around the standard sizes of glass shelves ‐ this saves having specific sheets cut 9.3. The only other component that might need replacing is the lighting system/bulbs which will be made easily accessible – ensuring it doesn’t need specialist tools to change them 10. Market 10.1. This product would be sold to high end one‐off furniture dealers –It is not ruled out, but there is no need for it to be flat‐pack 10.2. Likely customers for this product are homeowners with reasonably large rooms that the cabinet would suit and who need this product for its specific needs and are looking to buy a high‐end piece of furniture 10.3. The RRP for this product would be between £350 ‐£600 11. Quality 11.1. Built to the highest quality achievable, it is the primary concern for such a high end product – tolerances should be

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

9.

9.1. A standard component could not be sourced to enable the door to move so I can to make the sliding component myself.

The glass used was a standard size sheet costing only £4 9.2. Glass was not used as a material for the shelves.

9.3. The lights should not ever need to be replaced but if there was a fault causing them to be replaced it can easily be done 10. Market 10.1. The cabinet can still be sold as a high‐end product but is also transported flat‐pack to save costs 10.2. The cabinet can be used in quite small rooms but it may take up too much space of dominate the environment.

10.3. With a cost price of £221.78 the cabinet can easily be sold at this price level with a big enough margin 11. Quality 11.1. All the tolerances were with one exception were within 3mm 11.2. My 3rd party user believed this product should never break unless handled without due care as it is quite a robust design

within ±3mm 11.2. Long‐lasting – see sustainability Scale of Production 12.1. This product is being made as a one‐off custom item of furniture for a client who has requested it to be built around his needs and stereo system 12.2. If this product were to be produced on a larger scale it would be best produced in small scale batch production in order to maintain the quality of the design and the end product Cost 13.1. Costs of materials will be kept to a minimum where possible 13.2. The overall cost to build the product must cost no more than £250 – allowing a profit to be made 13.3. Where there are options between certain components or material, the cost of the item will be taken into account if it is a significant difference Safety 14.1. All electrical cables must be obstructed from view ‐ which will increase the overall safety.

14.2. Lighting cables must be totally insulated ‐ having a built in power extension and only having one cable trailing from the cabinet reduces any safety risk 14.3. The product must be designed to be very stable – keeping the maximum height low avoids the risk of the cabinet tipping forwards Packaging 15.1. It does not have to be flat‐packable unit but it would save a lot of money on packaging 15.2. It would be well packaged to avoid any sort of damage – packaging will be kept to a minimum and environmentally friendly packaging solutions will be used 15.3. If retailers bought this product in batches it would be expensive to transport due inefficiency and size of the combined units or even more costly if not flat‐pack Sustainability 16.1. The source of the materials will be considered when finalising materials, ensuring wood comes from sustainable and managed resource (FSC) – manufactured bards will be used where there is the option as they used recycled material which is more environmentally friendly 16.2. When finishing the product, the paints or varnishes used will be analysed to ensure they are not harmful to the environment/the most environmentally friendly is used 16.3. Long lasting product using durable materials so it will not need to be disposed of and replaced which would not be environmentally friendly as it is a waste of materials

12. Scale of Production 12.1. The cabinet was made as a one off prototype but the construction process was easy enough to be carried out on a larger scale 12.2. When working with wood and high quality materials the production process is slowed and in order to retain quality the product could only be produced in batches.

13. Cost 13.1. As a substitute for using large amounts of solid wood, manufactured boards with veneers were used which greatly reduced the price 13.2. The overall cost to build the product was £221.78 excluding labour 13.3. There were many supplier of LED tape so I had to carry out research to find the best deal from suppliers, managing to source the lights at £7/m 14. Safety 14.1. All the lighting cables are secured out of view on the bottom of the shelves.

14.2. The cables are all insulated and the circuit is joined together using a connecting block at the rear. There is a standard switch to operate the lights which is very safe.

14.3. The feet of the cabinet are located on the edges running the depth of the whole cabinet to provide maximum stability 15. Packaging 15.1. The cabinet has the ability to be flat‐packed 15.2. Packaging has not been designed but is were to be sold on the market it would be securely packed to cope with all the weight 15.3. A flat‐packed product is much more efficient to be transported as many can be shipped at the same time 16. Sustainability 16.1. All of the scrap wood/off‐cuts produced were recycled, the supplier of the wood was FSC certified.

16.2. The Danish oil used is a natural oil so does not harm the environment 16.3. The materials will last a long time and since this is an indoor product there will be no problems of the wood degrading.

Maintenance

57

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage Final Evaluation:

To evaluate my product I broke down the individual costs of the cabinet to see which areas could be analysed further to reduce the

cost. I also got feedback from my client about the whole design and manufacture process which he has witnessed and got comments reviewing my cabinet from a potential user and a 3rd party craftsman.

Potential user ‐ Caroline Mathias (home owner): I think that this stereo storage unit is very attractive and would look good in both contemporary and traditional homes. It has a lot of storage space which has been well thought out and the lighting adds an extra dimension. I like the contrast of the black sliding door with the mellow colour of the wood, and also the glass window to allow a remote control to

3rd party ‐ Graham Baxter (professional carpenter by trade): I was very impressed when I first saw the cabinet, I had underestimated the quality of the end product which has been produced for an A level product. I thought it looked very professional and well finished with some good construction techniques. Bertie obviously has a good knowledge of the skills required to build this sort of product.

I am very pleased with the end product and it is great to see such positive feedback from my client, a potential user and especially a professional carpenter.

During the construction process I had never fully calculated the costs. My estimate pre‐production was over the guideline cost set by my client in the specification so I was satisfied to see that the overall cost of making the cabinet came in under the guide price by £30 so there is still money which could be spent to add to the cabinet. If I had used hardwoods as the main material there would have been no way of keeping the cost below £250.

58

Component Glass Lights Power supplies Screws Bolts Nuts & washers KD fittings Switch

Price Other £4.00 Nails £28.00 Wood glue £8.00 Araldite £2.40 Primer £.66 Paint £.92 Danish oil £.52 Brushes £.30 Wiring £34.80 £221.78

Price £.10 £2.00 £2.00 £7.00 £14.53 £16.66 £3.99 £.50 £46.78

Conclusion:

Price £80.91 £6.72 £5.05 £5.70 £8.92 £21.60 £6.52 £4.78 £140.20

My client with the cabinet which he has guided through the design process and watch develop and be constructed. Now with the cabinet in situ.

Client Feedback: I am pleased that despite the many refinements to the original design the final product has not seen any significant change. The door which is now only over the front of the cabinet as opposed to wrapped round the whole unit is far more practical as it frees up the top for storage purposes. The craftsmanship and build quality is extremely good with a lot of attention to detail not only on the components but also the finish such as the decorative edge on the top panel. I am impressed that the project came in under the budget as it certainly does not appear that any compromises were made in production. I would be willing to pay £450 on the market.

Although the original plan was not for a flat‐packed design I am pleased that it has turned out that way as it will be more flexible. However if the product was sold on the commercial market assembling it might be a problem for some less practical consumers. I like the mixture of materials with the contrast of the cherry and aluminium and the black door. The lighting has worked out very well although the design has changed. The spines of the CD’s are very well lit and the light source is not visible. My initial fears that the LED light would be too “cold” were unfounded.

The cabinet fits in very well in its intended location and performs all the required functions beyond expectations.

Material MDF Cherry veneer Aluminium Tubes Nylon Alloy Channel Pine Batons Cherry Batons MDF (5mm) Plywood CUMULATIVE: TOTAL:

Potential user ‐ Caroline Mathias: Using the cabinet in situ.

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

Life Cycle Assessment of sustainability:

Raw Materials:

MDF is quite a sustainable resource to use as it is made of reused wood shavings and other small wood particles which are compacted and stuck together using a synthetic resin but is used in such small quantities it is not harmful to the environment. The veneer of the MDF is of a high quality and will be durable over a long period of time; its life span can be enhanced if it is well looked after and finished with quality oil to high standard. Pine is also a sustainable wood to use because as a soft wood it is fast growing and all the wood I have used was supplied from a certified FSC resource. Aluminium was a good metal to use as it is a very abundant resource on earth and if there is and waste it can be melted down in the workshop and used to cast other products.

Manufacture: The MDF cherry veneer boards were cut up as accurately as possible with as little wastage as possible; evidence of this was displayed in the planning section with the cutting template for all the wood material. All of the offcuts were either used as gash wood for testing of processes or dry runs, if they were not of any use they were reused by others in the workshop and any smaller pieces were recycled. The nylon used came in much larger cylinders or sheets than were required so once I had the components I needed the material was placed where others were able to use it.

All the materials used in testing for models were dismantled completely and the materials that were in good condition could be reused for smaller items by other people. All the screws used were placed in back in the boxes to be reused.

Distribution: When the product is fully constructed it is quite large but fortunately as the design progressed the unit is able to be full flat‐packed for easy transportation.

This also means more of the product can be shipped in bulk at the same time which as an economy of scale it will reduce shipping costs and require less loads therefore saving fuel/energy. However it would have to be packed into multiple boxes of different sizes; if it was all packed into a single box it would be very heavy and require a minimum of 2 people to lift it at all and there is a high risk that the box would split due to the cumulative weight.

Use: The product needs little maintenance throughout its life such as oiling as it is an indoor product. However it does require the use of electricity of the light are to be used.

Although the LED’s require a very small amount of electricity it can be counted as a negative impact on the environment as 78% of the UK energy mix is made up from burning fossil fuels to generate electricity.

End‐of ‐Life: My product will have an extended life cycle due to the lack of maintenance, the quality of materials and the strong construction; however when the product reaches the end of its life it can be easily dismantled, separated and recycled. All the wood can be reused immediately or recycled to make other manufactured woods. The aluminium can also be reused in its current form or melted down and recycled to make other products. Similarly with the glass it can be melted down and recycled. Although all the electrical components will have to be disposed of in the most environmentally method available.

59

A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage Improvements and review: 1.

As with any prototype product there will always be tweaks which can be made to the design once it has been manufactured which will improve the product. Between my client and myself we have come up with some problems which were made after testing as they were only apparent in the testing stages and some more major changes to the design that would be applied if it was to go into production.

Original hole the tubes are fitted into.

2.

The new hook which the tubes slides into only on one side as the opposite side remains in a hole.

5.

Changes made after testing: 1. A foot had to be constructed to go underneath the centre of the bottom shelf as it was bowing under the weight of the load when the cabinet is fully laden with items.

2. The 3rd party client pointed out to me the pine at the rear of the unit on the inside which can be seen when in use appears to be white in contrast with the black backboard so I added a wood stain to make the colour closer to the colour of the cherry.

3. The top set of lights could be seen when sitting down and produced a glaring light. Therefore the addition of a cherry strip to obstruct them from view was necessary.

Original

New

3.

Future improvements to be made: 4. The size of the window needs to be reduced, the glass would need to be sourced/cut to size so the window is more square and only the stereo can be seen and not half of the CD’s.

5. The construction process needs to be simplified if it is going to be supplied as a flat-pack item for home assembly. It is especially hard to get all three of the aluminium tubes in place while holding the sides in which secure them. It would be best if they could be fitted once assembled.

6. The current LED’s only provide a warm white light; it is possible to fit a single LED tape which can provide many different colours of light.

7. The door is currently present as a feature with little function but returning to earlier versions of the design the shelves could come to the front of the unit and two walls either side of the stereo would mean the stereo space is sealed when the door is in the centre position.

8. The door assemble process needs to be reworked as the door is totally sealed before it is painted; therefore the glass has to inserted before it is painted and it requires great care to avoid getting paint on the glass. The door should not be sealed on the rear so the glass can be inserted afterwards or replaced if broken.

Tube fixed at one end slides into opposite side after full assembly.

7.

4.

Walls placed either side of the stereo cavity

8.

A small amount of paint which got on to the glass

Shelves come all the way to the front

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A2 Commercial Design – Bertie Johnstone

Centre no. – 62415

Candidate No. – 4201

Design Unit 4 : Commercial Design

Unit 4 A2 Commercial Design – Stereo Storage

Bibliography:

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Research: o Pictures of stereo and speakers from Richersounds.co.uk Existing Products: o http://www.furniturebycsn.co.uk/BDI‐8729‐White‐OPB1138.html o http://www.yousharez.com/2009/11/14/modern‐fuerniture‐tv‐stand‐design‐of‐furniture‐entertainment‐ space/furniture‐tv‐stand‐modern‐white‐lacquer‐tv‐stand/ o http://themagazine.info/products/‐/489.html o http://www.furniturefashion.org/the‐marina‐modern‐home‐theater‐tv‐stand‐from‐bdi o http://furniturestocks.com/modern‐furniture‐tv‐stand‐in‐walnut‐color‐design.html o http://themagazine.info/products/‐/489.html Further Research: o Pictures of stereo and speakers from Richersounds.co.uk o CD/DVD boxes from Wikipedia.org o Apple iPhone & dimensions: Apple.com o Speaker dynamics: richersounds.co.uk o TV picture: LG.com Sliding door o Types of doors: Garage Door 1 Garage door 2 Kitchen unit Retractable cabinet Standard cabinet Roll up sliding cabinet Development: o Possible door runners: www.screwfix.co.uk o Fluorescent tube lights: amzon.co.uk / lightingstyle.co.uk

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