DEVELOPMENT:Function

DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

HOW DOES YOUR PRODUCT WORK?

Explore different ways in which your product can

execute a certain function

Research on different technological aspects of

electronics, mechanisms and structures

Show how these technology can be applied to your

product

Justify the use of the function you want in your

product

CASE STUDY 1:

A designer wants the product to be fixed to a table,

yet it has to be portable. How can this be achieved?

THINK OF QUESTIONS FIRST..

What type of table is it? (study table, dining table,

coffee table etc)

What type of material is the table made of? (wood,

metal, plastic etc)

Who is the user for and what is the environment

like? (office worker, home owners, school etc)

What are the dimensions of the table? (length,

breadth, height, thickness of table top etc)

RESEARCH ON DIFFERENT WAYS OF SOLVING

THE PROBLEM

What are the ways of attaching a product to a table?

F-clamp?

clip?Clothes peg?

Velcro? Nuts and bolts?

ARE THERE OTHER SOLUTIONS?

Sometimes the solution may be adapted from other

products that have a different purpose altogether.

Carabiner clip

Chain clipTable cloth clip

CASE STUDY 2:

A designer wants to create a product that can wipe

the food scraps off the hawker centre table

efficiently. How can this be achieved?

THINK OF QUESTIONS FIRST..

What are the types of food scraps that are normally

found on a hawker centre table?

How fast should the table be cleaned?

What are the current cleaning solutions available?

Which method of cleaning is most effective?

(wiping, mopping, vacuuming etc)

How is the product able to clear the food scraps

without dirtying the table/floor?

RESEARCH ON DIFFERENT WAYS OF

CLEANING

Using a damp cloth (which types of cloth is most

suitable for cleaning?)

Using a brush (which types of bristles are most

effective?)

Using a blower/vacuum

Using a cleaning solution ( what are the different

brands?)

Using a portable dustbin ( Should it be easily

carried by the user?)

AFTER SELECTION OF CLEANING METHOD

How to attach to the product?

How does the user hold the product? (1 hand, 2

hands?)

Can other functions be included in the product?

Is the product easy to use or is the product so

complicated to use?

Is the number of steps required to clean the table

reduced when using the product? If so, in what

way?

CASE STUDY 3:

A student wants to design and make a dustbin to

dispose of litter. How can the student develop on this

function?

1. Refer to the design specifications

2. Explore different ways to dispose of litter

3. Select one way that is most suitable and justify

your answer

Based on my design specifications, my product is able to dispose of litter

at the void deck.

What are the different ways in which these can be achieved?

1. Pedal bin mechanism

http://www.technologystu

dent.com/rmprep09/ped1.

html

2. Sliding door

mechanism 3. Hydraulic lid mechanism

So which mechanism is most suitable for the product?