PROJECTS
Product Design Projects From the Design 4 Studio.
The Green Futures Initiative (Encore Cistern)
We worked along side the Green Futures Initiative to help design and develop their eco friendly water saving toilet cistern.
The world’s most environmentally friendly toilet cistern Encore is the only cistern to use air conditioning condensate to flush the toilet for free KEY BENEFITS • Uses a sustainable water source previously drained to waste • BREEAM and LEED qualifying – a first for cisterns • Can be installed in new builds or retrofitted • Provides an immediate payback
Timloc BUILDING PRODUCTS
We have worked on many projects with Timloc, including the Invisiweep nearly invisible weep vent for discharging water from external walls.
Adapt-Air the pre-assembled ducting to airbrick adapter set from Timloc that helps to meet Building Regulation Part F.
Rad-Seal Face Fix a face-fixed radiator pipe guide and seal designed to provide an air leakage barrier around the point of entry for through wall 10mm plastic radiator pipework and Rad-Seal Recessed the effective, easy, and quick radiator pipe guide and seal designed to provide an air leakage barrier around the point of entry for through wall 10mm plastic radiator pipework.
Drill Vent a product to let your walls breathe with the discreet cavity ventilator and drainage weep.
All the building products we have worked on come with detailed design briefs to follow as well as tight manufacturing tolerances to ensure product weights and cycle times are met for each moulding.
The wealth of knowledge we have on both designing and moulding/manufacturing plastic parts is key to the success of each design.
NHS PPE MASK DISPENSER
Working with the NHS during the Pandemic was a rewarding experience for the Design 4 team. We worked along side the NHS to develop and manufacture a secure PPE mask box suitable for hospital environments.
The face mask dispenser had to conform to the following standards
IPCP compliant stainless steel
Boxes are designed for mask dispensing
Dispenses one mask at a time
Reduces PPE mask box thefts
Can be cleaned with tristel fuse as per IPCP guidelines, which is PH neutral and therefore won’t rust
Sanitised hands before mask removal
Box of masks inserted from the side
Assembly inserted from the top and snaps into place
When box is empty it can only be removed by pressing latch from the inside (press base of carton) and sliding up.
Fits face mask boxes up to - 210mm x 100mm x 90mm
GOKART ELECTRIC GOLF TROLLEY
At design 4 our studio had the opportunity to work with GOKART on their electric golf kart.
PARKER HANNIFIN INLINE FILTERS
Inline filter design and development is an area of design that we have many years of experience in.
We have worked on many inline filters including the OIL-X Evolution range for Parker Hannifin.
MAC ALLISTER POWER TOOLS
The design 4 studio developed a range of power tools for the Mac Allister brand. This included a belt sander, mouse sander, planer, grinder
SKIA SKI TRAINER
We helped Start-up Company SkiA develop their launch product from an initial idea for a “dry-land” based ski training aid to a production reality.
The trainers fit onto all sizes of ski boot and help users learn essential balance skills that improve turning efficiency and develop better skiing technique. They include a series of different sized balance blocks that provide increasingly difficult challenges to teach perfect posture, promote dynamic movement and guide centred pivoting.
The Foot Plate component design cleverly combines a rigid platform with flexible sections that adjust to the shape of any boot.
We developed the design from initial concepts, through test rigs and fully detailed 3D CAD models to working SLS prototypes for extensive performance testing. We designed the product packaging and sourced, supplied and managed manufacture of the production tooling and finished boxed products from our network of Far East partners.
"Design 4 Plastics have been absolutely integral to the development of our first product. Quite simply, the SkiA Sweetspot Trainer would not have happened without them"
SkiA Company Founder.
ROCOL EASYLINE EDGE APPLICATOR
Starting with an open brief to develop a replacement for ITW ROCOL’s aerosol spray line applicator we came up with an innovative, patented solution that offers many advantages over anything else on the market.
Easyline Edge can produce 50, 75 or 100mm wide lines from a single aerosol can thanks to our clever spray nozzle design and easily variable applicator geometry. The lines produced are kept clean and crisp with replaceable spray masks and a battery powered airflow system that directs paint over-spray back within the line. The handle adjusts to suit the user and the rear legs can be folded in to allow marking close to walls and racking.
We developed the design from concepts, through test rigs, fully detailed 3D CAD models, rapid prototypes and development injection mould tools to fine tune the spray nozzle. We managed manufacture of all the injection mould tools and product assembly for the initial production batches.
“The team at Design 4 have helped us create the market leading product in Line Marking, massively increasing our sales”
ROCOL site safety product manager
RAINWATER TERRACE WATER BUTT
Rainwater Terrace water butt is a new concept in rainwater collection promoting the reuse of valuable rainwater and “grow your own” sustainability.
The unique patented modular design has distinct advantages over other water butts on the market. Rainwater Terrace® not only saves the householder money by reusing rainwater in the garden, its unique integrated plant growing system makes it an attractive addition to any home.
Transportation is not an issue as all the parts nest within each other creating a compact package that’s easily transportable in a small car.
The Rainwater Terrace® is built to last. Injection moulded in heavy gauge UV stable plastic, these strong durable components have excellent impact strength and are manufactured to perform in all weather conditions. Requiring no special tools or complicated plumbing Rainwater Terrace® is very simple and quick to install.
Located above ground it can be installed on completion of a new-build and requires very little maintenance (If any!). There are many rainwater collection systems on the market; none have the finesse and visual impact of the Rainwater Terrace®
Rainwater Terrace water butt comes in 4 sizes/colours including black, black/dark green black/bright green and black/duckegg blue
Rainwater Terrace water butts come in a range of sizes and colours to suit the space available.
Ideal Industries In-Sure Enclosure
Designed for use with In-Sure Push-In, In-Sure Lever and SpliceLine connectors.
• No tools required for fast installation
• Fits through a 50mm hole for spot light or similar installations
• One enclosure suits multiple installation requirements.
• Maintenance free
MAGLOC DOG LEAD CONNECTOR
We worked on developing the new improved Magloc Dog Lead Connector which included various stages or CAD and prototyping to test the designed components.
PLASTIC TOTE DESIGN
We have worked on several plastic totes that are used in automated warehouses which are used for packing goods in for example for online food shopping.
These totes have to be designed to very high tolerances to fit to the robotic grid systems that they run on as well as been capable of taking extreme loads.
GPR MOUNTING SYSTEMS
Trailer design and manufacture for 3D Scanning equipment.
COVE-X DISCREET AIR EXTRACTION
The Cove-X air extraction system is a modern design that incorporates an energy efficient LED light that is located in the ceiling of a bedroom or landing to replace the existing light fitting. A sensor located behind the light bezel continually measures the humidity within the living space, when this reaches a certain level it activates the quiet/silent running fan located up in the loft space. Air is then pulled through the unit via two discrete (covert) vents located around the light. When the humidity levels drop the sensor turns the fan off.
WHITEFURZE PLASTIC HOMEWARES
We have worked on many plastic homewares for Whitefurze including dishracks, draining trays, washing up bowls, storage boxes / caddies, washing baskets bins and plantpots.
RECYCLING BINS, BOXES & CADDIES
Working with Coral Products and several local councils we developed a range of bins, boxes and caddies which were aimed at making it easier for the user to recycle and the collection staff to collect and empty the recycling containers.
The range of kerbside collection boxes were designed to be as flexible as possible in terms of how dividers lids and nets could be used with them so that the boxes met the recycling needs of the local authorities.
Within the range we developed both indoor and outdoor caddies for recycling food waste. These caddies were designed to be lockable as well as manage odours from waste food.
The stacking, nesting and palletisation of these products was key to the designs. All the products needed to nest together in the most efficient way to keep costs low and ensure the smallest carbon footprint for distribution.
The range of kerbside recycling products were designed and developed over a period of 2 years, we were involved in all stages of design and testing as well as sourcing of additional components used including springs, specialist screws and carbon filter material.