Transcript Building a Better Ice Scraper - Department of Engineering

Building a Better Ice
Scraper
A Product Platform Case
Study
Current Ice Scrapers
Innovation Factory Scrapers
Ice Dozer
Getting Started
Identified Problems with Existing Ice
Scrapers
 Created Initial Sketches
 Performed a National Survey
 Initial Proposal
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Ice Dozer
The Players

Created Partnerships
• Emerson, Johnson,
Mackay Industrial
Design (EJM)
• Delaware Valley
Industrial Research
Center (DVI)
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Received Additional
Funding
Created Concept
Sketches
Ice Dozer
Details, Details, Details.
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June 2001
• Final sketch is chosen
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Three Part Design
• Blade
• Handle
• Plow handle
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Focused on the Blade
separately
Focused on design for
manufacture
Ice Dozer
Prototypes
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By July 17, 2001 had a finalized design
Tested prototypes on August 14 & 15,
2001
Post Testing
Ice Dozer
Mold Problems

Received first shots of the mold
• Problems

Received second shots of the mold
• Problems

Re-tooled and fixed problems
Ice Dozer
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
Went from design to production in little
over a year
Effective hot point
Mini Dozer
Concept Development

Assumed a three
unit family from
the beginning
• Ice Dozer
• Mini Dozer
• Extreme Dozer

Tried to reuse parts
from the Original
Ice Dozer
Mini Dozer
Platform Development

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Designed to have several models
Yellow handle is a platform for future
features
Mini Dozer
From Concept to Product
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Conceptual Development began around the same time as
the Original Ice Dozer
Final design was selected
Identified the blade’s connections could be used differently
Launched 4.15.03
Tucker estimates saving up to 6 months in development
time during the Mini Dozer project.
Extreme Ice Dozer


An Ice Dozer for
larger vehicles
owners
Uses the same
blade as the Ice
Dozer and Mini Ice
Dozer
Extreme Ice Dozer

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Produced several concept sketches
Created a wooden mock-up
Ice Dozer Family Line


Pictured a three unit family from the
beginning
Platforming covers a $20 range easily
Snow Mover
The Beginning


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Started as product
that would re-use
the flexi-blade
Performed market
surveys
Wanted to launch
the Ice Dozer and
Snow Mover
together.
Snow Mover
From Concept to Product

Isn’t part of the Flexi-blade family
• Looks can be deceiving
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First Functional Unit 2.1.02
Ready to sell Mid-February
Ice Scraper Evolution