Have you ever talked with someone who just bought a product that he or she didn't need, and the person's answer as to "why" went something like this: "But it's so cute!" or "It looks really cool"?
We're a species that responds positively to beautiful people and things--be it hotels, cars, or gadgets. Think of products that already have great usability reviews--like iPods and iPhones. Yes, the technology is incredible, but the technology alone doesn't sell the product (think of all the different colors iPods come in).
Getting customers to fall in love with your products--even products that are geared towards a B2B audience--is not an easy task. At ThermoFab, we understand this. So in this month's newsletter, we thought we'd share the four key areas you need to think about before your part goes into production.
Love at First Sight & Product Design
Will customers fall in love with your product's design? Here are four key areas to consider from the outset:
1. Usability. This may seem obvious, but your product's main use--e.g. a medical cart in an operating room--isn't necessarily its only use. Has the product been designed to be serviced and cleaned easily? Have all critical design points been considered, such as indoor/outdoor use and temperature fluctuations? Have you thought about the components inside the part? For example, delicate electronics may require that the thermoformed part receive EMI shielding to protect it from electromagnetic interference. Finally, will your product work as it's intended to? Again, this may seem obvious, but we've seen many designs on paper that don't translate well into reality. If you're unsure about the design you're envisioning, get a design assessment.
2. Flexibility. Does your product's design represent your brand in color and style? How easy will it be to change this design as your brand evolves? Like anything else, brands develop, logos change, and colors adjust to societal trends. While your product might not experience these changes every year--or even every five years--your product should be designed with flexibility in mind. Having the attitude "we'll deal with it when it happens" is not a wise business strategy (and will likely cost you more money in the end).
You should also work with a manufacturer that has flexibility in the way it manufactures your product. A thermoforming company that has everything under one roof--design, tooling, painting, etc.--will provide greater flexibility to the customer who requests things like design tweaks and order adjustments.
3. Materials: The right material makes all the difference and works hand-in-hand with usability and flexibility considerations. Most plastics form well, but some form great. These are the ones we most often work with:
- Flame-retardant ABS
- Acrylic/PVC
- ABS
- PVC
- GE Lexan
- Bayer Polycarbonate
- Acrylics
- Starex
4. Aesthetics: Ah, yes beauty. As we mentioned above, we humans like to gaze upon beautiful things. Don't underestimate the value of your product's look and feel. For example, a medical office filled with sharp-cornered equipment and medical carts is going to be less soothing to patients than an office filled with curvy, smooth-edged products. Yes, it's subtle and perhaps even subliminal, but the reality is you need to consider these types of aesthetical elements if you want your product to keep on selling.
What's nice about thermoforming is that you can more easily achieve these sophisticated looks. In fact, we do many product redesigns for this reason. We take functioning products that were manufactured in the days when sheet metal was the main option, and create a contemporary-looking product that ends up selling more units based on this design change alone.
Case in Point:
Sleekness Added to "La Bella" Enclosure
Product Comes Up a Winner for Ikonisys
Ikonisys is a "leading provider of non-invasive, cell-based diagnostic Solutions." Its Ikoniscope® Digital Microscope System provides technology that could lead to early diagnosis and treatment for a variety of health issues.
The challenge was the industrial looking box that housed the unit and the control unit used to run it. At least, it was a challenge until ThermoFab entered the picture.