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Consumer Electrical Equipment Design

Bortz Product Design (BPD) used 3D design software SolidWorks to design a range of double adaptors and power-boards for Australian manufacturer Avico Electronics. The rendering tool PhotoWorks was used to create presentations that accurately and effectively describe the finished designs.

The brief was to design a range of adaptor products that had a distinct image, one that could not be confused with any other brand. This image had to cover the entire family of double adaptors (vertical, horizontal, left and right), 4 way and 6 way power-boards with and without surge or line protection as well as future products. The designs also had to incorporate the Australian Standards and recessed plug sockets.

After researching competitors' brands, rough hand concept sketches were presented to the client. The curved concept was selected almost immediately. The concept was to create a product that had some personality. One that was fun, had curves that were easy to hold, in fact that wanted to be held. The features of safety and ergonomics and those that Standards imposed, were to drive the look and feel of the product, not be tacked on.

Then came the moment of truth, what would the product really look like when it was dimensioned to conform to Standards?

A selection of the hand-drawn conceptual sketches initially presented to the client.

Any designer knows that hand sketches can fudge reality quite conveniently, making the impossible look fantastic. Sketches are a quick way of generating ideas. They give a broad outline to how the product could look, but omit specifics.

So how do you visualize the real thing, without having to make one? For this SolidWorks and PhotoWorks were used.

SolidWorks and PhotoWorks allowed us to build the products, check they conformed to Standards and had a family image without leaving the computer.

Modelling of the adaptor base shape.

Before starting to model any of the products, careful analysis of the common features was assessed. The bulge, recessed socket and terminals as well as the cheeky face detail used in the sockets were all recurring items. These items would be used multiple times through the use of pattern and mirror functions.

SolidWorks' ability to create multiple configurations using design tables to set features instances (how many times it is used) and dimensions as well as suppress or un-suppress selected items, allowed us to make huge time savings in the design process. Using the configuration manager, it was easy to create the 4 and 6 way power-boards and their variations using the same parts.

Multi travel adaptor– a new addition to the family.

Multiple photo-realistic images of all the products were produced for product assessment and later for marketing purposes. The client was also able to discuss the product as we whirled it around the screen, checking dimensions and possible interferences.

Usually at this point in design we go into some form of rapid prototyping. On this project we went straight to 2D product specification. This was an unusual step, as was the fact that the toolmaker was not going to be using any of the 3D information we had generated for the project! We were confident that the information that we were able to convey through the power SolidWorks' 2D drawing facility as well as PhotoWorks' realistic and accurate supporting images, would make it a breeze for the toolmaker.

Line protection and night light concept images generated in PhotoWorks.

When the first off tool samples arrived, there were very minor modifications, mainly to the surface finish of the product. We were happy, the client was happy and when entered for the Australian Design Awards, the judges were obviously happy too awarding it a Design Mark.

Promotional brochures of international versions of the adaptor generated in PhotoWorks.

BPD's client is expanding into new markets and products require design changes in order to comply with different international standards and safety codes. Since the original design is fully documented as a 3D SolidWorks model, updated design changes can be made with minimal additional work and in a very short turnaround time.

Company Profile
Sydney (Australia) based Bortz Product Design specializes in the contractual design of major and small appliances, consumer and industrial products, electronic enclosures, street furniture, security products, cycle gear, luggage for high profile clients. Clients include NEC Information Systems, Harcor Security Seals, Avico Electronics, Smart Silicon Systems, Zener Electric, Leda Security, VFJ, Mits, Bradley, Stylus and The Galore Group.

BPD took on SolidWorks and PhotoWorks in 1997 after researching the market for the the best value 3D modeling software and consultation with Sydney-based SolidWorks dealers InterCAD Pty Ltd. SolidWorks replaces the 2D drawing software originally used at BPD.

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