Consumer / EMSA
Fold &Go
Fold & Go was developed for the MSc Industrial Design Engineering module ‘Consumer Products’ at the University of Twente. The project is carried out in collaboration with German plastic product manufacturer EMSA.
Collaborating with amazing people
This is a group project. I collaborated with Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Management, and fellow Industrial Design Engineering (IDE) students. My role involved designing the product, creating prototypes 3D CAD models, producing renders and animations, and delivering the final presentation to EMSA representatives.
Sustainability on our minds...
One mutual interest each member of our team shared was sustainability. We decided to focus on creating a sustainable product. to assist in the reduction of one use, disposable food storage materials. As a group we defined our brief;
To design a mobile, easy to clean
lunch box with size adjustability for compact storage when empty.
To design a mobile, easy to clean lunch box with size adjustability for compact storage when empty.
Scenarios and Personas
A problem scenario was developed to frame the design challenge. Three personas embodying our target group were also developed to focus our design objectives.
Scenario
Consumers want to take their home made lunch with them, without having it compressed. The consumer would like to save space in their bag when the lunchbox is empty and they do not like to throw away the packaging of their lunch everyday, so the lunchbox must be durable.
Mick
Age: 30
Work: Insurance Agent
Family: Single, no children
Location: Enschede, NL
Character: Heath Conscious, Environmentally Friendly
Goals: Accumulate sufficient savings for security and leisure; Career progression
Frustrations: Lack of time for leisure activities
Jeroen
Age: 21
Work: Graphic Design Student
Family: Single, no children
Location: Amsterdam, NL
Character: Heath Conscious, Environmentally Friendly
Goals: Achieve good results and graduate
Frustrations: Lack of time for leisure activities
Femke
Age: 53
Work: Lawyer
Family: Married, Two Children
Location: Enschede, NL
Character: Organized, Health Conscious, Environmentalist
Goals: Accumulate sufficient savings for security and leisure; Career progression
Frustrations: Lack of time for leisure activities
Questionnaire
A survey compiled of 5 luch related questions was conducted with a total of 31 participants. The questionnaire results indicated people would like to have a lunch box which is not compressing their food, is environmentally friendly and is easy to carry. The ideal lunchbox must not take up a lot of space when empty and must be very easy to clean. The survey found 18 of the 31 participants use a lunch box to transport their lunch, while the remaining 13 participants use non-reusable materials such as plastic bags or tinfoil.
COLLAPSABLE
The product must be collapsible when empty.
SUSTAINABLE
The product must be re-usable.
EASY TO CLEAN
The product must be easy to clean.
Ideation
Following the questionnaire, and guided by the personas and scenario, the idustrial design engineering students began the ideation phase. I designed and presented the plate concept.
Plate Concept
The plate concept was developed to transform the practice of eating lunch at the place of work or study. Eating lunch from a lunch box can be a solitary or even isolating activity. The plate concept is a lunch box that transforms to an open eating platform to emulate the traditional dining experience from a plate. The user is encouraged to recreate the dining experience with colleagues and share their meal time.
Prototyping
Low-fi prototypes made from paper and cardboard enabled us to test out the product dimensions in terms of mobility and capacity. The prototypes also allowed us to test the functionality of the concept. The outward folding corners allow the user to fold the box with one hand. The motion is simple and intuitive.
Morphological diagram
Following brainstorming and investigation a morphological diagram was developed to determine the optimum combination for the product details such as the closing and sealing mechanism along with the clasping mechanism and hinge type. These decisions were made in collaboration with the Mechanical Engineering team to ensure a feasible the manufacturing process. The Industrial Engineering and Management students were also involved in the decision process to ensure cost management. It was determined producing the product from plastic with a second silicon component would ensue to high a production cost. A
Final Concept
Fold &Go
Fold & Go is a versatile food container for modern, sustainable lunch times.
Consumer Product Design Motivated by Quality and Sustainability
Fold & Go is an innovative lunch box designed to offer a viable alternative to single use materials such as plastic lunch bags and tinfoil. The Fold & Gocan be used as a traditional lunchbox. It can also unclip to fold flat and provide an eating platform for the user. The product can be folded in half to contain any remaining food particles. The compact Fold and Go can then slide into a bag pack, occupying minimal space. To clean, the fold and go can be folded in a reverse position to expose the soiled surfaces, it can then be placed in the plate rack of a dishwasher.
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