|
|
 |
Case Study
NEW BUMPERSEAT IS A MUST-HAVE FOR SPORTS ENTHUSIASTS
a journey from "CONCEPT to REALITY"
PDF Version of this report - 52 KB
*Acrobat Reader must be installed on your computer to read this document. Download it for free here.
 Anyone who skies, skates, golfs- in other words needs to change their shoes before setting out to have fun- will love this new product, which came to life thanks to the engineering and design work of GR Technical Services, Inc. of Mountainside, NJ.
The idea came about when John Habeck, a landscaping designer and golfer, realized that there was no comfortable way to change into his golf shoes at the car. And, that the situation must be even more challenging for skiers and in-line skaters, who also typically change their shoes in parking lots as well. He developed an idea for a convenient and portable seat that could attach to the bumper of a car, truck, or RV.
Art Garcia, Vice-President of Sales & Marketing for GR Technical, recalled that, "John had a mock-up of the seat made out of plywood, and a metal pipe. We all thought that the idea was great, but could see so many challenges to make the product commercially viable."
"One of the first challenges that needed to be addressed," according to Geoff Engelstein, Engineering Manager for GR Technical, "was that the seat and the leg would need to withstand both dynamic and static loads. In other words, enough strength for a large person to sit or bounce up and down on the seat. The product design also incorporated a foot pedal, which had to be quite strong and impact resistant."
"Another consideration was the environment," added Art. "This product will be used at golf courses in Palm Springs as well as at the mountains of Colorado. Whatever material we selected, needed to maintain its integrity over a broad range of temperatures, humidity, and UV exposure."
Some other features that needed to be contended with in the design phase were the adjustable height of the seat, so that it could be attached to cars and other vehicles. It was also desirable to be able to fold and unfold the seat, for ease of transportation and storage.
 With all of the performance parameters on the table, (as well as an aggressive cost target), Geoff developed a computer model to create a photo-realistic video to show marketers how the product would perform. He further explained, "From there, we built a fabricated prototype to give us more insight into the product's performance and consumer appeal. Everyone was so impressed, we were directed to go right to the tooling stage on this program."
The BUMPERSEAT is comprised of an injection molded seat with dimensions of 14 x 14 x .156 inches. The 2-piece leg of the seat is an extruded piece of PVC tubing, 4 feet in length, which telescopes out. The seat and leg are attached with a hinge pin, so that the seat height can be adjusted, and the seat can fold up. A rubber bumper is attached to the seat so that it won't scratch the vehicles.
According to Geoff, "There were just a few modifications that needed to be made to our original design, such as additional ribs for extra strength around the weld lines. Essentially, the BUMPERSEAT is designed to hold up to a 500 pound load. We even tested the seat ourselves by jumping up and down on it. Not only that- the product passed an impact test that consisted of running over the seat with a RV."
The material that GR Technical selected for the BUMPERSEAT was a long-glass filled polypropylene. Geoff pointed out that, "The long-glass reinforcement provides strength over a broad temperature range. Polypropylene withstands the oils and salt commonly found in parking lots and around vehicles; it is also a good value."
The BUMPERSEAT is scheduled for introduction to consumers via "infommercials" in May of '99. It is an example of a great idea that was transformed into a commercial product because of the expertise of the designers and engineers at GR Technical Services. From the initial design concepts, through final product testing, all aspects of the product development were carried out by GR Technical, including structural analysis, material selection, design for manufacturability, choice of assembly techniques, as well as finding sources for the various components, including the extruded leg.
Isobel Wayrick, President of GR Technical Services, remarked, "It is standard practice for all of us at GR Technical to "jump through hoops" for our customers. If the customer wants us to jump up and down on his new seat to test it, we'll do that too!"
|
|
|
