Morphologic research of consumer liquid containers

Course: Research methodology Tutor: DR. Cornel lusting Presented by: Gil Kaufman H.I.T program in integrated design

Abstract
Objectives: to develop an objective and accurate research tool in order to compare shapes of plastic containers. Discover Prove and present in a visual way the characteristics existing in the design of container. Methods: Mapping most of the products available in big supermarkets. The Mapping is in terms of size brand and category ( soap, shampoo, detergent, ext' ) - Image processing the photos of the products. Analyzing the design of the products by superimposing the processed images. Results: in the non food department of the Supermarket were found 5 major groups of containers. Photos of all product have been produced and processed. Later 4 groups of processed images have been superimposed , the superimposed image is presented and analyzed. Conclusions: the research tool of image processing + superimposing has been found to be objective direct and precise. - The design elements have been pin-pointed.

Introduction:
In our supermarket we are exposed to a vase amount of packages. these packages are an outcome of big design efforts. Some design has been developed gradually over the years. And some designs are changed every few years in order to gain visual impact and compete with the neighboring products on the shelf. However - Some designs are plain simple copies of the leading products in the market. In the supermarket we can find many categories of liquids: detergents, softeners, beverages, washing soap. Body Soap. it is assumed that every category has its own design conventions and formal language . in the following two pictures a container was striped From its graphic identity and relocated in un irrelevant informant. This was done to check if the bare shape can alone indicate the real category of the container.

Defining the Subject of research:

Function: Plastic container for liquids Material: polyethylene, Pet Manufacturing technology: blow-mold

Contour

Brand name

Label

Volume

Category

Assumption:
By developing a research tool that extract the shape of the products we hope to pin point in an objective and definite way the morphological characteristics: common curves and features, areas of differentiation. It is assumed that the frontal profile of the container is enough to capture the characteristics and essence of the design.

Research plan:
1. Locating the scene for the research: the source for the raw data collection Large supermarket such as Mega. Big verity of up to date commercial and relevant products. 2. Mapping the raw data. all the relevant products by brand, type & volume . all this 3. By analyzing the map we can deside where to focus our research. 4. Data Collecting. acquiring frontal images of the product. Means of production: photographing, scanning, ready images from the internet. 5. Image processing. Tracing the form of the containers. Translating the images to contoures. 6. Superimposing the processed images of each category . By doing so we will try to discover an average image

Research tools and process:

Frontal photos of the selected products have been obtained from different sources: from the internet, privet data base and actual photos of the product.

Computer used in the research: home PC with window XP Software used: Adobe Photoshop 7.0

Body of research
Step 1: collecting the raw material was done in the department of a mega supermarket. All products have been inserted in a list. Step 2: mapping all the product by tablet: function, volume, brand Step 3: identifying and choosing the biggest groups in each category. 0.75 liter kleen Palmolive Sano Fairy St moritz Sod yaakobi 1 liter Palmolive Sano 2 litter 4 litter

Dish soup

softener

Badin Sod Sano Kleen Leanor Persil tide Kef Hawaii Krema Dr fisher Neka life Kef Hawaii Krema Dr fisher Neka life

Badin Sod Sano Kleen Leanor Persil tide Kef Neka Dr fisher

Badin Sod Sano Kleen Leanor Persil Tide Ariel

soap

detergent Fantastic Kleen Sano St moritz

bleach

Fantastic Kleen Sano St moritz Fantastic Kleen Sano St moritz

Fantastic Kleen Sano St moritz Fantastic Kleen Sano St moritz Clorox Sod

Step 4: acquiring frontal image for all product in each group.

Step 5 : producing the contour

Step 6: superimposing.

Step 7: Graphic experimentation.

Step 7: Graphic experimentation.

Step 7: Graphic experimentation.

Step 8: Visual Analysis.

Step 8: Visual Analysis.

Step 8: Visual Analysis.

Step 8: Visual Analysis.

Step 8: Visual Analysis.

Conclusion:
1. Design Conventions in container has been found captured and measured in this research 2. Some product categories include more conventions in their design then others. Dish soap Have more conventions then softeners. Softeners have more conventions then liquid soap. 3. The research tool succeeded to capture the similarities or differentiation in the design of containers in resolutions of 0.1mm. 4. It is believed that a designer who specializes in the design of containers have to know the conventions and morphologic codes exist in this field.

Implications:
1. This research methodology could be used to study the shape and design of other products. For one example are shoes. If we would like to examine how the form of shoes change as a person grows along the years. By implicating this method the graphic outcome of the superimposing can help us reveal unique information: change in proportions', the pace of change along the years, ext.

2.

The graphic process was found to be tedious and time consuming. But since the process is computer based it is believed that by a minor investment in software the whole process can be fully automated. A series of photos would be inputted and by one command the superimposed image would be outputted.