In my first semester at Sheffield Hallam, we were assigned a live brief set by Wilkinson's to design a pet product; for which I was recently released from the non-disclosure agreement.
As one of the primary aims of the project was to make the dog lead more ergonomic, I began to quickly make some rough mock-ups out of blue foam. Refining the form and profile of the product with each iteration, and asking a selection of different people to hold the model to give feedback.
The main challenge of the project was in designing the gradual braking system. Taking inspiration from climbing equipment, I made several quick mock-ups of the mechanism out of cheap materials, before I settled on the most effective one. I then assembled a functional prototype, which works as the final product would.
After producing my working prototype, I decided to use CAD to create the aesthetic model, as CAD is invaluable for resolving how the product is to be manufactured. I created the model using Solidworks, and rendered the model using Keyshot 7.
I was selected out of 60 coursemates to present my project to Wilko's design and buying team, which gave me great experience in presenting my ideas in a professional manner.