Motorized kitchen Product
This project involves choosing a motorized product and improving it through reverse engineering. The existing small consumer home appliance or power tool will be redesigned to improve its usability and aesthetics to greater benefit the user.
​
​
Project Goals:
​
-
Conduct history, product, and market research on chosen product
-
Find/understand consumer needs, user experience and interaction
-
Learn how product works by dissecting it through product tear down
-
Create Human Factor Task Analysis
-
Ideate / carry through improvements in final product
-
Utilize 3D Cad Modeling and rendering
.jpg)
exploring
form
Exploratory Sketches+
Perspective
Existing Products: Handheld and Stand up
​
Exploring Product Forms
In Perspective
History /
USEr focus /
Market research
brief history
1950-Today
1810
1858
1870
1930
USER FOCUS &
STORYBOARD
Self Analysis
Type of User: Occasional User
I don’t typically open cans more than once a week, so I would be someone who uses this on occasion.
Information to find:
-
What is biggest trouble/difficulty with a can opener?
-
What is the most inconvenient part of using this device?
-
What aesthetic qualities are you looking for in this product
Storyboard / User interaction points
User Profiles
Market research
SAFETY / user issues
On similar models, I identified some main negative user experiences found in Amazon reviews
​
​
​
​
Complicated
Frustrating
Hard to assemble
Difficulty attaching
Safety hazard
(sharp part)
Broken
Weak motor
Dull
Poor usability
​
​
Competitors on market
$
$$$
Price range: 12$ to 30$
​
Key Differences: Brand name, stronger magnet, easily removable parts, other features (bottle opener/knife sharpener), less bulky levers, auto shut off
taking product apart
Large box holding motor components and more gears, connected to cord.
Cord has a hole to go through to the back side. Cord could technically be stored inside the device
Large gear moved by heavier motor (lower for weight distribution purposes + closer to cord)
Exploded view / parts list
human factors task analysis
Ideating Opportunities for Improvement
Improve Safety
Better can cutter for smoother edges
Smaller & Compact
More compact for storage purposes
Cleaner Process
Eliminate need to touch messy can lid
Better Usability
More simplistic process and less parts
taking product apart
Thumb slides into space while fingers squeeze the clip to open, enabled by axel and coiled wire.
​
smaller & Compact
clip-on solution
A weight is placed on the back side (equivalent to 2*weight of heaviest can opener) to stabilize product.
visual concept
cleaner Process
A magnet is attached to a grip where you simply pull up to release the dirty can lid without mess.
lid release solution
visual concept
improve safety
side cutting solution
.jpg)
Ideally, the can pushed in will hit a button, triggering the blade to come out and can will be cut.
I observed how the Kitchen Mama product leaves no sharp edge by cutting from the side instead of from the top, so I used that concept in my product.
*screenshots from video*
other
features
.jpg)
Stainless Steel Option:
Sleek & Sustainable
Comfortable Finger Grip
Knife Sharpener
Bottle Opener
Brand name
& identity
Ideation
I wanted to create a name that looked curved with “c” similarly to cans- clip, canopy, cancan, etc. A name that isn’t too complicated while also not too simple.
I wanted it to be relevant in the way of referring to either a can or opening one- (canopy) so the user would better understand the product.
chosen name design
Out of all the names, Canopy felt reliable, safe, and fluid. The font I chose was a completely rounded smooth font, to incorporate an elegant and minimal style. I thought by connecting the last two letters “p” and “y” it would resemble the top part of a can.
finalized brand concept
font & Color palette
f
f
final
renderings
