Design Specification of a Bottle Opener - Essay Example

Design Specification of a Bottle Opener Other (s) Design Specification of a Bottle Opener Introduction A bottle opener is a simple device that is normally used to remove bottle metal caps, corks or plastic stoppers from bottles. Bottle openers are critically important for businesses such as bars and soft drink beverage outlets. This report critically presents the design and the design specification of a bottler opener based on the consideration of the contemporary customer requirements in terms of function, aesthetics, performance and cost. Task 1: Market Research In order to explore and identify the needs of bottle opener users and our potential customers, we carried out a comprehensive market research using questionnaires and focus groups as our primary research methodologies. A sample of 12 potential consumers of bottle openers and 6 registered retailers were selected and presented with a list of questionnaires related to their desired bottle opener designs and their experiences with various designs. On the other hand, the use of focus groups in our marketing research involved bringing together small groups of selected participants under the guide of a moderator and taking them through a spontaneous and unstructured discussion in order to provide critical information related to the potential design parameters of a bottle opener. The two methods were particularly chosen due to their relative cost effectiveness and simplicity. The market research involved collecting information from a selected sample of consumers and retailers of bottle openers so as to provide a better understanding of the current requirements as well as identify some of the preferred design features. The research revealed that customers and retailers require bottle openers which are aesthetically appealing, durable, light, convenient and safer to use. Task 2: Major Design Parameters of the proposed Bottle Opener Based on the analysis of the responses from the selected sample of potential customers the full list of the design parameters identified from the market research include: Elegance and attractiveness Ergonomics and user safety Affordability/Cost Quality/ Durability Environmentally friendly Efficiency Convenience However, the major design parameters identified from the list included Ergonomics, environmental friendliness, efficiency and Aesthetics. This is particularly due to the frequent break down of commercial bottle openers reported by many respondents both in the questionnaire as well as in the focus groups. As a result, a simple, hardy and efficient bottle opener is necessary in highly sought by many customers. On the other hand, with regard to aesthetics, many young professionals and other consumers are increasingly looking for attractive bottle opener designs that of various shapes and colors that can also be used as car key holders, included in nail cutters or can be worn as part of one’s belt buckle. These design parameters are critically important particularly in view of the fact that most of the contemporary bottle openers that are sold in shops in most cases are unattractive and too expensive in relation to their designs. Design Specification Aesthetics and Ergonomics: The aesthetic design of the proposed bottle opener will consist of elegant decorative designs to enhance its attractiveness. An attractive and functional shape is necessary to make the tool functional and aesthetically appealing (Erin 3). On the other hand, a well-designed bottle opener should not only be safe but also comfortable to hold by the user. For example, the handle of the proposed bottle opener will be made from mild steel with a plastic coated handle to provide a comfortable grip when being handled. Quality: The designed bottle opener will take into consideration the durability as well as the efficiency of the final product. This will also save costs, as mechanization will not be used during its manufacture. The bottle opener will consist of a stick and nail combo. The materials required include a small block of hardwood, Three-inch common nail and two, 8 mm diameter, magnets. The tools required include, a coping saw, sand paper, drill and hot glue. Additionally, the bottle opener will be coated with shiny surfaces to help in the reduction of the rust formation and make them strong enough not to break when in use. Environmental Friendliness: To ensure that the designed bottle opener is environmentally friendly, a small but powerful magnet will be attached to its base to help catch falling metallic bottle caps (Erin 5).The magnet hole for holding opened bottle caps must be near the opener end. This will be particularly a significant an improvement over the traditional bottle openers that allow bottle caps to scatter around thereby polluting the surrounding environment. Possible design Solutions 1. Little key shaped bottle opener One of the possible design solutions is a little key shaped bottle opener. However, although this design provides a highly portable and aesthetically suberb opener, it has lower ergonomic value and is not very efficient. Potential Optimum Design Solution There is a wide range of potential design solutions that can effectively be incorporated in the proposed bottle opener design to ensure it complies with the customer requirements. Some of the possible design solutions include: Using cheaper local materials such as wood and nails to make the bottle opener Including a mechanism of catching falling bottle caps Curving the edges to concentrate the pressure during use and improve its efficiency The purely wooden handle provides a comfortable grip. Fig 2: The design and form of the proposed Bottle Opener The use of locally available materials is particularly intended to reduce the cost of the proposed bottle opener. This will in turn reduce the production cost of a bottle opener thereby making it cheaper. On the other hand, the ergonomics of the designed bottle opener will be significantly enhanced by Coating the mild steel handle with a plastic coated handle to provide a comfortable grip and reduce the likelihood of injuries when in use. Final Design Report Bottle openers are popularly used by businesses such as bars and other beverage outlets to remove bottle metal caps, corks or plastic stoppers from bottles. Although there is currently a diverse range of aesthetic designs of bottle openers, their functional elements have largely remained the same. For example, most of the traditional bottle openers act as specialized levers whereby a point on the bottle cap is used as a fulcrum on which to pivot. Bottle openers are occasionally designed to universally open the top of soft drinks bottles. These soft drinks are either consumed at homes locally or in various business premises such as hotels and restaurants. Form and design The design of the bottle opener will take into consideration the major parameters such as Ergonomics, environmental friendliness, efficiency and Aesthetics that have been highlighted by the customers. The bottle openers will come in a wide range of colors and resilient finish to suit the varying needs of the target customers. This will be particularly intended to make the tool more functionally and aesthetically appealing. Additionally in terms of the quality and durability of the designed bottle opener, long lasting and highly durable materials such as steel and wood will be used to ensure highly efficient and durable product. On the other hand, a small magnet will be placed at the base of the device to help catch falling metallic bottle caps and protect the environment from being littered by bottle caps. Fig 2: The Bottle openers should come in different colors Cost With regard to its cost, the proposed, the final product is designed to have a production cost between £0.40 and £0.50. As a result it will be easier to sell it at between £1.00 and £1.50 thereby allowing between 50% to 100% profit be bottle opener sold. The relative lower cost of production will be particularly achieved by using cheaper locally available materials during the production. The market research revealed that most of these soft drink lead openers are designed and manufactured using heavy metals thus making them expensive in shops. For a bottle opener to be cost friendly, it should be made from materials being that are not only locally available but are also cheaper to access. As a result, the proposed bottle opener will make use of locally available materials to reduce its production cost. The proposed cost is fair to many and will make the product to sell more because most potential customers are willing to pay up to £2.00. Works Cited Erin, Freuchtel. How to Make a Wooden Handle Bottle Opener. 2013,Web. 12 February. 2014. Read More