Concept Page

Product summary: Children's toys always seem to build up in the house creating mess and disorder in many rooms! Plain, boring storage boxes are produced by a multitude of different companies, however they are rarely aesthetically pleasing or fun and interesting which would encourage the child to want to clear and store their toys away in! My product will be a new and fun way of storage for children Specification: I must make my product within the eight weeks I have been allocated. My product must be new, innovative, and fit its purpose as a storage unit. My product must look like a crocodile, including a head, body and tail. My product must have two storage compartments. I must make sure that my product is made and finished to a high quality.

My product must not be too large, but large enough for a fair amount of storage space to be included.
My cart must not contain any sharp edges or small parts so that it is safe for children to use. My intended users are children aged between 4 and 8, so it must appeal to them aesthetically and as a product. My product must be environmentally friendly, recyclable or reusable. My product must be manufactured in as environmentally friendly way as possible. My cart must be made as low cost as possible. My product must be made as a prototype which could possibly be batch produced for UK manufacture. My product must be painted and decorated accordingly to the assigned shape a crocodile, therefore it should be green in colour. My product should cost approximately 40.

Shreena Patel

Shreena Patel

Prototype Product
1.
I cut out the parts using the band saw and scroll saw. I used glass paper and files to smooth the edges.

3. joints with dowels. 2.

The sanded boxes were glued together. Holes were drilled for the rope. The bases were supported with reinforced corners, The sides were sanded again.

I reinforced the

4.

I cut out, sanded and nailed the jaw together and put it onto the box.

Shreena Patel

6.
painted the base coat and 5. Ionto the carts. I also paintedtop coat and stuck on the eyes. I then varnished it.

I screwed the wheels into place, and cut and tied the rope onto the carts.

7.

I designed and cut my CADCAM vinyl and HIPs scales and stuck them on.

8. Finished product!
Shreena Patel

User Evaluation and Testing

I took the product to its intended environment and I tested it on two children ages 4 and 6.

Shreena Patel

Shreena Patel

The product is safe enough for a small child to ride and sit in.

Shreena Patel

Interview
I asked the children what they thought of the cart. Its really cool It looks like a real crocodile, but not scary ones. It looks funny and nice. It looks like the one in my reading book! I want one!

The parents were also asked about their thoughts on the cart. The comments included; Its very well made The colour is brilliant I think the scales look very effective The shape is innovative

They also suggested some improvements for the cart. They recommended that the wheels be changed to ball wheels and the edges all be rounded for an even safer design. Another thing would be to add a rubber lining to stop damage and reduce sound. A lid to make the product a seat was also and idea. The quoted price of 40 was thought too high and 35 was the suggested retail price.
Shreena Patel

Testing Against the Specification

I have made the product within the eight week I was allocated My product is a new and innovative design which does fit the purpose as a storage unit this was tested with toys and other games. The product looks like a cartoon crocodile with a head, body and tail, where the body and tail are the two storage carts. It is made and finished to a high quality. My product may be slightly too large for a child to pull easily, however it has the right amount of storage space. My cart has rounded teeth and sides but the teeth may still be slightly too sharp. My product appeals to my market. My product was manufactured in an environmentally friendly way. My cart was at the lowest possible manufacture cost. My product is a prototype. My product is painted green with green scales made with CAD CAM. My product may cost 35 due to user evaluations.
Shreena Patel

Modifications
During my project I had to make modification to the product due to problems. These problems are outlined through my prototype and could be overcome in the future.

My first modification was with the material used to make the teeth. I tried to use a long thin sheet of MDF, but found that it snapped when I tried to bend it, so I changed it to bendy plywood which bent easily.

Shreena Patel

My second modification was a change in plan where I wanted the jaw to be rounded at the ends, but I had already attached the bottom jaw, so I used a chisel and hammer to carve out the curve on the bottom jaw.

Lastly I changed the design of the CADCAM scales on 2D design several times till I felt that they looked like scales. I also modified the shape to make them fit together, so that they could be tessellated at a later date.
Shreena Patel

Future Modifications
When I asked my testers, they said that it would be cool if the mouth opened and closed as it moved. I also asked the parents what they thought and they suggested some big rubber ball wheels so that it could be moved better and rolled more easily. Other suggestions included a side that came down, a lid so that it could be a storage and play cart which you could sit on, and rounded edges on the carts so that it was even safer to wheel around. Another improvement would be to use a rubber lining to stop damage to the inside of the cart through the continuous and rough handling it may undergo from objects being thrown into it and also to minimise the sound it would make. The price the suggested retail price was at the 35 mark, so it was less than I stated as the marketing price in my specification. The users also thought that the rope should be red like a tongue.
Shreena Patel

Shreena Patel

Quantity Manufacture
I have made my product as a prototype in the school workshop, but if I was to produce this product in batch manufacture, I would use cell production with small teams organised in an assembly line with each group making a different part with checkers along the line to ensure the continued quality of the product and groups assembling the product along the way. I would use Jigs to make it easier to make. I use a drilling jig for the reinforcement on the sides of the box, and the holes for the rope. I would also use a zigzag jig for the teeth. I would also use a template for the sides of the box, eyes and top and bottom part of the jaws. I will use CAD CAM to make the vinyl and HIPs scales.
Group 1: use the template to cut the side of the carts. Group 2: use the band saw to cut the angles for the second cart.
Group 3: Check the drilling jig to drill the holes for reinforcement and rope. Group 4: use files and glass paper to make all the edges smooth and curved.

Group 5: Check the quality of the product so far. Group 6: Use the template to cut the top of the jaw. Group 7: check the zigzag jig for the teeth.
Group 8: use files and glass paper to make all the edges smooth and curved.

Group 9 : check the quality of the product so far. Group 10: Paint the product with a white base coat. Group 11: paint the sides and top and bottom jaw green with willow creek green 1 from Dulex. Group 12: cut the corners to support the base. Group 13: Stick the carts together using PVA Wood Adhesive. Group 14: use dowel and PVA Wood Adhesive to create the dowel reinforcement to strengthen the box. Group 15: use glass paper to make all the edges smooth. Group 16: Check the quality of the product so far. Group 17: Paint the teeth using Willow creek from 1 from Dulex and a white silk emulsion. Group 18: Nail the teeth and top/ bottom of the jaw together. Group 19: Cut the curved corners of the jaws Group 20: Paint the jaws again. Group 21: do a second coat onto the carts Group 22: Check the quality of the product Group 23: Assemble the product so far. Group 24: Cut the eyes and curved back part out. Group 25: paint the eyes and back part green, white and black Group 26: Stick on the eyes Group 27: Varnish the product. Shreena Patel Group 28: Cut and stick on the CAD CAM scales.

Opportunities for Packaging

Shreena Patel

Shreena Patel

Presentation to Customer

Shreena Patel

 Tired of plain boring storage boxes for your childs toys?

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Shreena Patel

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Shreena Patel

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Shreena Patel

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Shreena Patel

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Shreena Patel

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Shreena Patel

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Shreena Patel

Shreena Patel

Shreena Patel

Shreena Patel

Shreena Patel

Shreena Patel