Engineering Summative, Quarter Two

Overview

This project involved designing and creating (in CAD) a new binder design, with the goal of appealing to high school students. My binder design focused on durability, rather than individual features.

Model

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Problem Statement

A national school supply manufacturer is losing business in its school binder making. After research of consumer behavior, students and teachers prefer new models that incorporate a more appealing and functional binder’s design. That is unacceptable because its binder is the “key” product that comes along other side products. To this day, their current binder design is generating a sizeable loss of market and profit.

Design Statement

School Supply Student Inc would like to recover value to its 3-ring binder product by redesign a new innovative binder that would incorporate more functionality, structure, digital and interactive elements, and sustainable. Innovate design and document a new 3-ring binder. The new binder must be appealing to high school students and teachers.

Brainstorming

My brainstorming process started with the addition of a clear window on the front of the binder. I also decided to add steel hinges to the outside of the spine of the binder for durability.

In the second sketch of the binder, I integrated a leather strap to the middle of the binder. The leather strap would have a magnet or a button that would keep the binder shut when not in use. This sketch also kept the idea of the steel hinges on the outside of the spine, in the final design I ended up going with buttons intead of magnets.

In the third sketch, the idea arose of keeping both the viewing window, and the leather strap. I decided to split the viewing window in half to make room for strap. I also proposed the idea of a metal lined edge for extra durability. This is also the sketch where I decided to switch to O-rings as opposed to D-rings. The metal side edges were removed in the final design due to concerns of practicality and cost, it was replaced by the binder shells being made of ABS plastic.

This final binder design takes most inspiration from my 3rd sketch. I finalized the idea of the leather strap with a button, and two viewing windows. I also shortened the length of the hinge, so that it would not be right up against the ring base or the viewing window.

Lessons Learned

I learned a LOT when I did this project. My onshape skills really improved, and I learned about organising my files better. I also learned a lot about binders (wow no suprises there David) and their mechanisms. Just looking at the real physical binder showed me more than I thought binders were.

Design Questions

• Q: Does your design meet the design criteria?
  A: Yes, my design meets the criteria of the project. Really the only constraints were that it had to be a 3-ring binder, fit A4 paper, and have 3 new features (Durability, Viewing windows, and the Leather Strap).
• Q: Does your design apeal to high school students?
  A: Yes, at least for me, the most annoying part about binders is that they get broken at the end of every school year, forcing you to buy more. Something else is that the leather strap provides security, as sometimes papers can slip out.
• Q: Does you design incorporate functionality, structure, digital and interactive elements, and sustainability?
  A: Yes, my design incorporates functionality with the viewing windows and leather strap. The structure is improved with the steel hinges on the spine. Sustainability is improved with the durability of the binder.

Onshape Link: