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Student Designer
University Product Description and Principal Function(s) The key outcome was an exploration of form using non traditional materials. Using a fabric to cover the car affords benefits of consumer engagement by allowing the car to be self assembled over a ‘flat pack’ framework of interlocking structural elements.The fabric allows complete and seamless integration of interior and exterior components, with the skin forming seating elements within the package space. Further aiding the self assembly nature of the vehicle are the self-contained electric in-wheel motors, creating a simple ‘bolt on’ drivetrain solution. Careful consideration of components within the car systems was necessary to avoid complexity. Why does the product represent design excellence and why do you believe it deserves an Australian Design Award? My submission of the T-Rex for the Australian Design Award – James Dyson Award relates to my vision for the future of automotive design. This vision is one which minimises waste at all stages of the design process and product life.Modern day vehicles are very complex. Ecology and economy of production are primary parts that must be linked to automotive design. Traditional approaches to construction results in many thousands of components needing fabrication. By simplifying and consolidating these components by parts reduction, massive savings, both environmentally and financially, can be achieved. My idea is to involve consumers more in the process of creating the product. My goal was to create a sense of accomplishment, engaging consumers the fundamentals of what makes machines work, and ultimately instil a sense of pride and admiration for automobiles. This was achieved through designing a self assembly, “flat-pack” kit. The key outcome I was eager to gain was increased product life i.e. allowing the car to become part of the consumer rather than a disposable commodity, which many low cost cars have become. I rethought parts and materials used to make a car. Without sacrificing the spirit of the car, I set about a process of elimination until only a skeleton remained. I further extracted questionable gadgetry as “more=better” really only equals waste. The use of textiles liberated the ‘skin’ of the vehicle which was then able to gain surface transitions which would be difficult to achieve seamlessly in traditional sheet metal processes. The simplification allows not only reduced production costs and material usage, but also yields reduction in vehicle mass - contributing to operational efficiency – simply integrating multiple components affords the user the ability to assemble the product themselves. Technologies such as in-wheel motors contributed significantly to simplification by allowing ‘bolt on’ engines. The Tweel (tyre technology derived from Michelin) allows a degree of ride compliancy to be integrated into the tyre itself reducing parts count further. With traditional cars, engineering and structural elements are often hidden from view, with the sheet metal ‘covering’ bearing little resemblance to the actual skeletal anatomy of the car. The consumer only admires the outer ‘skin’ beauty. However, in functional terms which are likely to contribute to driving enjoyment, it’s the engineering structures which contribute most to the cars strength, agility, stability and overall drivability. The sheet metal skin of traditional processes in this respect has little function other then affording styling and to protect the occupants from the elements. In my solution, interconnected structural elements provide necessary protection, whilst fabric provides protection from the elements, with cost savings in tooling parts, and weight savings leading to overall operational economy. The traditional kit car presents the consumer with all the parts of an assembly car, and the consumer ends up assembling all the bits. I feel that my product differentiates itself from tradition through its simplification of structure and skin. In this way, structural engineering of the vehicle has a direct influence the aesthetic form. |
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