Outdoor Furniture Report Materials and Structures 2

26/03/13

Holly Fairfull Product Design Year 2

40063931

Contents

Introduction Research and Inspiration Aesthetics Ergonomics Change Control Form Company Policy Design Review

Introduction This report specifies a design proposal for a picnic table to be principally sited at Excelsior High School Grounds, Norwalk, California. These grounds are host to The Festival of Colors, celebrated in California in March. The picnic bench is designed to be a comfortable seating and eating area for the festival goers. There would be multiple benches around the grounds in a variety of colours. It would be suggested that the benches stay there permanently to the grounds and used all year round for the schools own use as well. The benches would be stabilized through water or sand filtered into the rotationally molded table component. The seat components would have hooks screwed onto the middle underside so that users could hang there bags and coats underneath to keep them sheltered, and off the ground. All materials, design and construction methods conform to the relevant British and EN standards for ergonomics, structural loading, materials, construction and finishes. The booth is designed to look, modern, fun and inviting. The colors that the bench is design in will match the colors of the powder that is thrown during the festival – Blue, green, pink, violet and yellow.

Research

• Circular Tree Seat • Material and Manufacture – Stainless steel, extruded and bent. The

material choice is modern looking and is durable; it is easily cleaned and wont rust. The stainless steel may have a slight brushed finish just to smooth it off for public use.

• Method of placement – The seating has been bolted into the ground through small plates at the bottoms of each leg. It may have been a more secure choice to add concrete bases where the legs are, for weather purposes but the bolts will do the job but may loosen over a period of time.

• Gabriel and Company Outdoor Seating • Materials and Manufacture – Stainless steel, CNC laser cutting

machine for the seating component. The arm rest/leg components have been die cast with a black paint finish.

• Method of placement – There is no evidence of any bolting of concrete bases; therefore I would suggest that the seating is simply secured to the ground by its own weight. Stainless steel is a heavy material and this is definitely an ok method of placement, however, bolting may have added more stability to the seat considering the legs are quite narrow.

• Falco Picnic Table • Materials and Manufacture – Galvanized steel frame, parts extruded

and welded together. Treated hardwood seat and table cut and screwed to steel frame.

• Method of placement – The picnic bench is secured to the ground under a concrete base. This is a very secure way of attaching the bench to the ground and will keep the bench stable for a long period of time.

The picnic table has been designed for, and inspired by the Festival of Colors in Los Angeles. This event is claimed to be ‘The worlds happiest event’. The festival is celebrated across the globe, originating in India where it is called ‘The Holi Festival’. Coloured powders are thrown about to shower and paint people in bright colours. There are strict rules on the colours used at the festival, only blue, green, pink, violet and yellow are allowed to be used and will otherwise be confiscated. The festival powder can be bought online or on the day. The powder is environmentally friendly, containing cornstarch, permissible food grade dyes and fragrance. The festival also includes live music, yoga and food. The Holi Festival is celebrated with special importance in the North of India. It solemnizes the love of Radha and Krishna. The spraying of coloured powders recalls the love sport of Lord Krishna and his devotees. The festival brings home the lessons of spiritual and social harmony.

Inspiration

Design Development & Material

The Festival of Colours picnic bench table component would be rotationally molded with HDPE. I chose this plastic for a number of reasons. It is a thermo plastic, therefore any waste material at the end of the production process can be recycled, as HDPE can be melted down and reused, unlike thermosetting plastics. HDPE is also available in all the colours that the benches would need to be. High Density Polyethylene is also low cost, lightweight for transportation, highly weather resistant and easily kept clean. Thermosetting plastics cannot be melted down again and remolded, this is not ideal for waste at the end of production. Thermosetting plastics are also more brittle which would not work well with the picnic bench structure. The coat/bag hooks down the middle underside of the table will be pressure die cast from stainless steel. Stainless steel is used widely in outdoor furniture. Its strength properties suit the component well since it could be subject to heavy loads (bags with coloured powder in them or food bags) The 3 hooks would be screwed onto the underside of both seat components through plates attached to the hooks with 40 mm stainless steel flat head screws. The seat components will be bent exterior grade plywood. The aesthetics of the plywood and the HDPE will compliment themselves with each other and will create an overall, modern, clean aesthetic. Plywood is a durable material and has a good strength to weight ratio, which is perfect for the seat component. It is also very cost effective. Exterior grade plywood is perfect for outdoor usage as it is water resistant and durable to general wear and tear. The seat components would be joined to the table component through a simple slot mortise and tenon like joint. The ply seat component would be secure and leveled in this joint through rubber leg components. Three of these would be screwed to the bottom of the seat on either side and two in the middle. The rubber feet will be standard components bought in.

Aesthetics  The varying colour of the table components in the design makes the design fun looking and modern. The grain of the plywood suits the plastic material and the colours well. The colors selected will match the colors of the powder used in the festival, which adds continuity to the whole event. The benches are meant to look interesting and inviting to the festival goers. If the picnic benches were to stay in the school ground (where the festival is held) permanently, the aesthetics of the design would also suit the ‘school look’.    

 

       

Ergonomics  The dimensions of the design are taken from anthropometric data and from research in picnic table dimensions. The dimensions that have been selected allow people in the 50th percentile and people below and slightly above these dimensions to use the picnic table. The length of the table is enough to fit up to 3 male adults of the 50th percentile on either side. The male 50th percentile dimension for ‘Hip sit’ width is 361mm. If children were using the table then obviously at least 4 children could sit on either side. The backrest is sized to the male 50th percentile ‘Shoulder Sitting Height’. The table’s width is dimensioned based on the male 50th percentile elbow to finger measurement that is 480mm. This would mean that a male of the 50th percentile could reach the middle of the table with his elbow on the edge. This means it would be easy for anyone smaller to also reach the middle. The height from the bottom of the chair component to the seating part is taken from the male 50th percentile ‘Seat Height’. I chose to take the dimensions for the design from the male 50th percentile as if it was any smaller it would be uncomfortable for men to use the bench and at the size that it has been designed at women will be able to comfortably use the picnic bench. If I had taken dimensions from the male 99th percentile I feel the bench would have then become too big.

Change Control Form  

   This change control form would be used for documenting a change someone would request to be made in the product. The form provides the space to describe the change, the reason for it, and what the change would affect in terms of the project deliverables and documentation, as well as what resource time would be needed to implement and validate the change. There is also space to track all the change impacts to completion. The change would then need to be officially signed off.  

CHANGE REQUEST INITIATION: Originator: Manufacturer Phone#: (+44) email: Date Submitted: System/Product/Service Name: CONFIGURATION ITEM: Software: ___ Firmware: ___ Hardware: ___ Documentation: X

Other: _______________

CHANGE TYPE: New Requirement: ___ Requirement Change: ___ Design Change: X Other: _______________________

REASON: Legal: ___ Market: ___ Performance: ___ Customer Request: ___ Defect: ________ Other: Unclear Instructions

PRIORITY: Emergency: ______ Urgent: X Routine: ______ Date Required:

CHANGE DESCRIPTION: Spacer to be engraved with ‘front’ in 6mm Helvetica on the front face. Attachments: Yes TECHNICAL EVALUATION: (Use attachment to explain changes, impact on other entities, impact on performance etc.) Received By: Date Received: Assigned To: Date Assigned: Type of Software/Hardware/etc. Affected: Files Affected: Drawing No1 A Documentation Affected: Section # Page # Date Completed Initial Requirements Specification ___________ ________ ______/______/______ _______ System Design Specification ___________ ________ ______/______/______ _______ System Test Plan ___________ ________ ______/______/______ _______ Training Plan ___________ ________ ______/______/______ _______ User System Reference Manual ___________ ________ ______/______/______ _______ System Maintenance Manual ___________ ________ ______/______/______ _______ Other (Specify) ___________ ________ ______/______/______ _______ TIME ESTIMATES to make the change: (Use attachment if necessary.) Lifecycle Stage Est. Time Act. Time Date Comp. Remarks Analysis/Design __________ __________ ____/____/____ ___________________________________ Coding/Testing __________ __________ ____/____/____ ___________________________________ Acceptance __________ __________ ____/____/____ ___________________________________ Total Hours: ________ ________ ______________________________ Project Impact Analysis Needed: Yes / No (If yes, include impact on budget, resources, schedule, risk etc.)

APPROVALS: Change Approved: ______ Change Not Approved: ______ Hold (Future Enhancement): ______ 1. Signature ____________________________________________ Date: ____/____/____ 2. Signature ____________________________________________ Date: ____/____/____ 3. Signature ____________________________________________ Date: ____/____/____

   

                                   

 

Structural Analysis  

   

         

   

Cantilever  

Angled slot, push-in joining method.  

Wind  

Compression  

Compression  

Compression  

Tension  

Tension  

Tension  

Tension   Tension

 

Company Policy

The product material will be sourced in the USA and manufactured in the USA in acceptable, legit working conditions. Manufacturers and workers will be paid fairly. The materials will be used as sustainably as possible, with any waste being recycled. Sourcing and manufacturing in the USA will also minimize transportation costs, which in turn reduces pollution. Reducing transportation and recycling waste materials ensures that the company, have as low a carbon footprint as possible.    

Design Review  

Overall the design is interesting looking, unique, modern and fun. Its materials compliment each other well and the variation of colors on the table components make each picnic bench original. The block of colour makes the design vibrant and aesthetically pleasing. The structure is simple and elegant. The hooks under the seat and a secondary function to the picnic bench and in turn keep the users belongings safe, off the ground and dry. The way the product is secured to the ground (simply by filling the rotationally molded table component with water or sand) means that it will not damage the ground and also means that it should be easily disassembled if the picnic benches were only to remain on the grounds for the length of the festival. The exterior grade plywood seat components are smooth and natural looking. The only issue that may come with the design is the cantilever on the seat starting to wear after long periods of holding heavy loads.