Graduation Project Long

Cori Chair
Nicholas Sargent
Exploring my ideas
On this page I will explore some possible ideas that I have had. I really want this project to follow on from my previous project
about CNC routeing so that will be the basis for this project although I would also like to incorporate a second element to
make it different and more interesting than just another full CNC routed piece.

One idea that I have had is to use a material that is not a well used material on a CNC router or coupling a rarely used
material with a material that is very commonly used.
Corian
Acrylic
MFMDF

Another idea is to incorporate a secondary CNC machine such as a laser cutter into the piece that I go on to design as it
unlocks another set of possibilities.
Laser etching
Cutting thinner material for laminating

One more option would be to add a secondary manufacturing technique after I have cut out the pieces on the CNC router as
this could add more depth to the range of products that I could make which would then lead on to much more interesting
pieces of furniture.
Heat Forming
Steam Bending
Laminate bending
Vacuum Forming
Personal Brief
My brief for this project is to use a combination of CNC machining and
another secondary process to create a unique looking piece of furniture.

I plan on turning the manufacturing process on its head by cutting out
the individual pieces and then forming them rather than forming the
pieces and then proceeding to cut them out.

I also plan on using a material that is not always associated with CNC
routing and furniture combined with a material such as plywood that is
widely associated with CNC routing and furniture manufacture. I will
research all of the materials that can be cut out on the CNC router as
well as some of the possible secondary techniques that I can apply after
the pieces have been cut out.

I would also like my product to be customisable in some way as this will
make it appeal to a much wider audience as it is not just one set product
but a range so hopefully there will be a product for everyone.

For this project I will hand in:

Portfolio
Models and Sketches
Full Size Prototype
CAD Renderings


Traditional materials that can be cut on CNC router
MDF Plywood
Hardwood Board
The three materials above are by far the most common materials that are currently cut out on a CNC router. Out of these three
materials it is MDF and Plywood that are cut out 90% of the time. This is generally due to the prices of these materials as well as
being able to buy the materials in large pieces instead of in small pieces such as what the hardwoods come in. Plywood still has
some limits in that the plys cant be made to any size whereas MDF can be made to the same size as the bed of the router which
means it has the most scope when it comes to what can be cut out.

All of these materials are easy for the CNC router to machine up although again the MDF and plywood are easier to machine
than the solid wood boards. However the router does leave a much better finish on both the plywood and the hardwood board
than it does on MDF due to the make up of the MDF. It leaves the edges fibrous so it then takes a lot of finishing to get the edges
smooth.
Less traditional materials that can be cut on CNC router
MFMDF
Laminated Boards
Chipboard
The materials on this page arent used as often as the materials on the previous page but have started to be used more often
recently. Again all of these materials can easily be cut on a CNC router without any special tools or processes. On this page the
easiest material to cut is the chipboard due to the make up of the material, next would be the MFMDF (Melamine Faced
Medium Density Fibreboard) which in theory should be the same as just cutting through MDF, The hardest material on this
page to cut is the laminated boards due to the large amounts of plastic in this material. To combat this the tool must spin
slower and move slower so that it doesnt melt the plastic that it is cutting.

The MFMDF and laminated boards have quite a good finish after they have been machined up on the CNC router whereas the
chipboard has a very rough finish as because of what it is made of it chips and pieces come of in chunks meaning you have to
do a lot of finishing to it. MFMDF and laminated boards are self finishing apart from the edges which have to have edging
applied whereas the chipboard has to have a finish applied once it has been cut out.
Less traditional materials that can be cut on CNC router
Acrylic Sheet
Corian Multi Colour Core Compact
Laminate
The materials on this page a very rarely used on a CNC router although all of them can be without the machine being modified
in any way. Out of all of the materials on this page the Corian is the most widely CNC routed at the moment. The multi colour
core compact laminate is hardly ever used in the CNC routing industry although I can see a lot of opportunities for this material.
Acrylic sheet is conventionally cut on laser cutters however there is no reason that it can not be cut out on a CNC router
although a laser cutter would leave a better edge on the plastic.

All the materials on this page are quite expensive to buy compared to the more traditional materials such as the MDF and
plywood. Acrylic sheet and Corian are still not massively expensive however the multi colour core compact laminate is very
expensive to buy in a thickness that would be suitable for CNC routing (anything over 12mm). 12mm is the standard thickness
of Corian which is fine for CNC routing, acrylic comes in a range of thicknesses from 1mm to 50mm and again anything over
12mm would be fine for CNC routing.
Corian
From my research the material that I really want to use is Corian or another version of this type of material.

It is composed of acrylic polymer and alumina trihydrate (ATH). Corian can be thermoformed by heating it to 300 F (150 C),
allowing unique shapes to be created. Its primary use is in kitchen countertops, bathroom vanity tops, and wall cladding in
showers. Although is now becoming more common in the furniture industry.

Corian can also be laser engraved by a standard laser cutter so a pattern can be added to the surface of the material.

There are also a number of Corian alternatives such as Staron made by Samsung and Hi-Macs which is manufactured by Roann
as well as an alternative called 100 Percent by 3 form that looks similar to the Corian material but instead of having flecks of
quartz it has flecks of plastic making it recyclable.
Corian Furniture
Staron
Staron is a very similar material to Corian but is made by Samsung instead of DuPont. Again the material is a mixture of acrylic
resins and quartz chips, although as well as this Staron also offers a number of materials that have small metal flecks
incorporated into the acrylic resin instead of the quartz chips. They also offer pieces with large quartz pieces rather than just
the small chips of quartz that are offered by the Corian.
Hi-Macs
HI-MACS has almost the same strength as stone, but can nevertheless be worked with and fabricated in the same
way as wood. The Solid Surface material can be sawn, cut, drilled or planed using conventional carpenters tools.
Many mineral material fabricators were originally carpenters or joiners and have come to appreciate HI-MACS as the
perfect partner for innovative ideas. On the one hand, it is simple and easy to handle and, on the other hand, it has
versatile Design Possibilities that inspire creative craftsman to play around with the thermoplastic and translucent
properties of the material, to engrave it, print it and much, much more.

The main drawback to using hi-macs is the limited availability of the material itself as well as the much smaller range
of colours than some of the other materials that I could use.
Chosen Material - Corian
My chosen material for this project alongside plywood is
Corian. There are a number of reasons that I have decided
upon this material and none of the other versions of this
acrylic and quartz based materials.

The first reason for choosing Corian is the availability of the
material over the other materials. It used to be incredibly
hard to come by and was very expensive although now
with the release of some very similar product the
availability has increased and the price has gone down
making it the perfect material for a mid range priced chair.

Another deciding factor was the wide range of colours,
styles and textures that Corian offer there customers.
Anything from block colours of all shades to colours that
resemble marble to blocks that have shiny flecks of metal
in them.

From my research I have also read that Corian is the
easiest of all these materials to work with wood like
qualities to work it. It can be sanded easily as well as
being able to be planned and thermoformed using a
standard plastics oven.
Forming Corian
Corian is an incredibly easy materials to thermoform. To
thermoform it you must use an extracted plastics oven on
which you can set the exact temperature.

This must then be set to 150 degrees as any higher than
150 degrees can discolour and warp the material. For
example if you overheat the white standard Corian it will
then have a grey/yellow tinge to the material that can not be
sanded off so using the correct temperature is very
important.

The Corian will then be left in the oven until it is pliable, this
takes between 25-40 minutes depending on how large and
thick the piece of Corian is.

Once the Corian is pliable you then would take it out of the
oven and form it over the mould you need to use to achieve
the right shape. This can either be a two part mould which
the Corian is formed between or you could a single sided
mould and then use either clamps or a vacuum bag to suck
the piece of Corian on to the mould again achieving the
finished shape that you require.

The Corian will hold heat incredibly well which is both good
and bad, it means it is pliable for quite along time but it also
means that it will take well over an hour to cool back down.
Becker Form Fleece
Becker form fleece is a new material that has been invented by
world leading bent plywood manufacturer Becker KG. The material
is made out of polyester non woven material, because it is non
woven it allows the fleece to be formed in 3 directions without any
tears or weaknesses unlike bending wood which can only be bent in
two directions.

This material can come in a range of colours as all it takes is for it to
be fabric died when the material is first made.

The forms are made by layering layers of the polyester non wovens
and sheet adhesive together which is then heated and pressed into
the final form.

Becker are currently using this material to make small objects such
as the light shades and clocks that are on the right of this page
however they do believe that eventually they will be able to use it
in there furniture production within the next few years.

Becker can currently form shapes up to 2800x1800x700mm and the
material is 100% recyclable. It also has some other interesting
properties such as absorbing noise making it an interesting wall
covering.
Heat forming post routing
There are a number of different ways that I could heat form
the plastic materials that I have outlined over the last few
pages.

The first way would be to use a line bender to put straight
edge bends in the pre cut out pieces. The main limiting
factor with this method is that you can only bend the
material along the lines that are heated up meaning you cant
form one continuous curve along the length of the piece.

Another way that you could heat bend the material is to
warm up the sheet of pre cut material in a plastics oven and
then form it over either a 1 or 2 part mould. The main
advantage of this over line bending is that the shapes that
you create can be much more imaginative, you can put
continuous radii on the pieces and using a mould means
repeated shapes will be much more accurate allowing batch
production or a range of panels to be made.

The third and most complicated way to bend plastic after it
has been formed is to use a heated mould that will soften
and press the plastic all in one process. Although this would
be the easiest way it is the most expensive and our university
doesnt have the facilities to make the mould or use it in our
workshops.
3 axis routing
As the name suggests a 3 axis router only moves in three different
directions, up and down, left and right and backwards and forwards. It
is usually referred to as a flatbed router.

This type of CNC routing is very useful when trying to reproduce flat
shapes over and over again. As you can see by the pictures to the right
there are a number of different flat bed routers in a huge range of sizes
from the standard 8 x 4 bed (2440mm x 1220mm) up to huge
machines that are 3200mm wide and pretty much whatever length
that is required up to 15000mm (15m).

A number of materials can be cut on a 3 axis CNC router such as
plywood, MDF, Hardwood and a number of plastics. This gives the
users a wide variety of applications. Also due to it being able to cut
channels in the materials that it is machining it can make it easier to
attach pieces together, this is something that a laser cutter cannot do.

The price for a standard 8 x 4 machine is around 11,500 and
although this seems incredibly expensive, it is well worth the money
when you look at what this machine can actually do.

I think it would be incredibly interesting to use this machine to
manufacture or part manufacture my final graduation piece.


5 axis routing
5-Axis machines are the most advanced CNC (computer
numeric controlled) milling machines, adding two more axes
in addition to the three normal axes (XYZ). 5-Axis milling
machines also have a B and C axis, allowing the horizontally
mounted work piece to be rotated, essentially allowing
asymmetric and eccentric turning. The fifth axis controls the
tilt of the tool itself. When all of these axes are used in
conjunction with each other, a competent and experienced
machinist can produce extremely complicated geometries
with very high precision.

The extra two axis make it possible to make shapes that were
previously impossible when only using a 3 axis CNC milling
machine. It allows you to cut holes at angles instead of just
straight down and it also allows you to make 3D surfaces on
your materials that can be made on a 3 axis but would still
need to be sanded down whereas on the 5 axis because the
head of the machine can move in all directions.

Due to the machines being able to cut in all directions and
how precise it cuts it will take a lot longer to machine up
some parts than it would if you were to use a more common
3 axis CNC router.
Laser cutting
Laser cutting is another form of computer controlled cutting
but instead of using a rotating router bit it uses a high
powered laser that can cut through a number of materials
accurately.

It can easily cut through acrylic and 3mm plywood easily and
accurately and the other main advantage of a laser cutter is
its ability to etch on the surface of practically any material.

Laser cutters do range in size from A4 beds up to beds of
1300x2500mm which would allow you to cut out a huge
range of pieces/parts to manufacture furniture with. The
CNC laser cutters available to me at university only go up to
400x700mm although this would still be large enough for me
to use in a positive way.

The main thing that I would use a laser cutter for would be to
etch the pieces that I would have already cut out on the CNC
router.

I think that the Corian could look really interesting with a
pattern cut into it as I think it would look like the top picture
on this page. I also think that it would look really good if I
was to etch on either the plywood or on hardwood.
5 axis routing compared to 3 axis
A 5 axis CNC router has a number of advantages over a 3 axis CNC
router which include:

It can model incredibly complicated parts that would otherwise
take either another machine to make them or repositioning it
on 3 axis cutter and cutting it again.
5 axis CNC machines also have very low production times
compared to using multiple machines to make the same
products.
Another advantage is you can set up 5 axis machines to cut
three parts simultaneously cutting down production time
further.

There are also a number of disadvantages when it comes to a 5 axis
router over a 3 axis router.

The main disadvantage is the initial cost of a 5 axis CNC router
which can be upwards of 50,000 compared to 11,500 for a 3
axis CNC router.
They also cost a lot more to run than a 3 axis router with
tooling costs also being incredibly higher.
Another disadvantage is that 5 axis CNC routers are not as
available to the public as a 3 axis .

Potential Situation Living Room
One proposed location for my product would be in the living room. There are many different types of furniture that
are used in the living room from coffee and side tables through to lounge chairs and sofas.

Most of the products that are situated in the living room could be made entirely or partially out of Corian. For
example a coffee table with a Corian table top. Other materials that could be coupled with the Corian in the living
room include man made boards and hardwoods.

To get my piece to be as saleable as possible I would design it to fit into a contemporary styled setting as I think
that is the most popular style of the moment meaning it will appeal to the most people.

I will do more research into the products that are used in the living room including the sizes and proportions of the
products as I will need this before I go on to start designing.
Potential Situation Dining Room
All furniture that is located in the dining room could easily be adapted to be made either entirely or partly out of Corian.
There is also a lot of scope for products in the dining room from side boards and storage units to dining sets and occasional
tables.

Most dining room furniture is already made entirely of wood which means it would be incredibly easy to convert them into
products made out of wood and Corian. Again I would design in a contemporary style if I was design something for the dining
room. I would want the design to be very sleek and minimal and to highlight this I would use plain coloured pieces of Corian
or just plain white.

Again if I decided to design for the dining room I would have to research all the types of products in more detail so I could
know the dimensions and styles of already existing products.
Potential Situation Garden
There are a number of different products that can be used in the garden of the modern home and they all could be made
entirely or partly out of Corian. It is somewhere I havent designed for before so it could be interesting to research this
area.

One big advantage of using Corian outside is that it is a very hard wearing water resistant material that is ideal for out door
use. I would have to pair it with a wood that can be used outdoors such as teak. There are a number of different products
that I could design for the garden including an outdoor dining set including chairs and a table or I could also design a bench.

If I was to design for this area of the UK domestic market I would have to do a lot of research of existing products for
dimensions and aesthetics.
Existing CNC Products
On this page there are a number of pre existing CNC routed pieces of furniture and
they all have one thing in common, all of the pieces are incredibly square in
structure which is fine for a table but doesnt make a particularly comfortable chair.
This is why I would like to add a secondary process such as heat bending to add an
extra dimension to the pieces.
Existing Bentwood Furniture
I am looking at this page for inspiration
on the types of shapes that I could
possibly making using the secondary
process. The chairs on this page can
also inspire me when it comes to the
design of the side panels of my chair.
Existing Bent Plastic Furniture
Again on this page I am looking at
inspiration for the types of shapes that I
might be able to create out of my
secondary material using the
secondary shaping process. I need to
research how tight I can bend the
curves of my secondary material.
Target Market
The intended target market for this project is the working and middle
tier of the UK domestic market and maybe branching out into the
commercial market in areas such as offices and hotels.

The main reason I have decided to aim my product as this area of the
market is these are the sort of people that buy well designed furniture
that is not to expensive but has a solid contemporary look that I am
aiming for.

This is also a very large area of the market meaning the scope for my
project is very large and could potentially retail to a large number of
people due to not only the products being well designed but also the
mass customisability factor. As you can see from the visuals to the
right it makes up around 40% of the UK domestic market.

This area of have some disposable income which is why I want to
make my product affordable so it is accessible to them but it still will
use high quality reasonable expensive materials. Although this is my
target area other tiers with more disposable income may also find my
products interesting.
Target Market Situation Analysis
On this page I am going to be looking at some potential situations which my product could possibly fit into.
The image to the left is a potential situation my product could
be in. As you can see the room is a very contemporary room
using only a small pallet of colours. These are all things that I
will need to bear in mind when I am going on to design my
piece.

There is scope in this scene for a chair that could be used for a
number of things such as watching the tv that is on the wall
opposite the bed.
Again in the image to the right the style of the room is quite
contemporary although this picture has a much bigger
colour range than in the image above. As you can already
see in the picture to the right some people do have singular
different chairs in one room instead of having four of the
same chair.

In a living room my chair could potentially be used for a
number of things from relaxing and watching TV to doing
working and eating a meal.
Target Market Situation Analysis
From looking at the dining room in the picture to the left
I think I could definitely make a chair that would fit into a
similar situation with similar furniture around it. Making
a dining chair is a very big possibility for what I want to
make and it is definitely possible out of the materials
and processes that I want to use.

As you can see from the image to the left again the style
of the middle class house interior is incredibly
contemporary and again there are very few colours in
the room.
The image to the right is a more traditional looking
middle class living room although there are still
contemporary hints in the room. The sofa and chairs in
the room have quite a contemporary look and again
there are singular different chairs in the room allowing
much more scope in a product.

Again the colour range in the picture is quite low and the
colours that are used are usually neutral tones of white,
grey and beige.
What I Could Design

There are a number of different products that I could make for this
project that could be made out of at least 2 materials and use the
processes that I have outlined:

Chair- A Chair could easily fit the brief that I have set out for myself. I
could make the side out of one material and then the seat and
backrest out of another that can be shaped by the processes that I
have outlined.

Table- I could use one material with the bending processes to for the
legs of this table I could then use another material for the table top to
achieve the look that I require from my brief.

Shelf- I think that a shelf could be a really interesting product I could
use one material that bends to make the shelves themselves as I
could make them have double level shelves. I could then use the
other material to make the brackets for the shelves.

Storage- I could use one material to make the frame of the storage
unit and then use another material to make the front, top and side
panels of the storage unit. I could then use possibly another material
which would be bent to make the legs for the storage unit to make
sure I stick to my brief.
Types of Chairs
Lounge Chair
Arm Chair
Dining Chair
Bench
On this page I have outlined the four main types of chair that I am thinking of designing for this project and I am going to look
at each type in depth over the next few pages although I will outline some of the points on this page.

The first type of chair is a lounge chair, these are usually quite large in size and can be coupled with an ottoman, they usually
have armrests incorporated into the design but not always. The next type of chair is a dining chair, these are much smaller
than lounge chairs, again they can come with or without arms but generally are without , cushions are also thinner than on
lounge chairs. The third type of chair is an arm chair, these are very similar to lounge chairs although as the name suggests
they always have arms. They usually come as part of a sofa suite although can be a singular piece, they are usually simpler in
design than lounge chairs. The final option is to design a bench type piece of seating that could be used for either indoor or
outdoor use. Benches are usually quite simple in design although there are more elaborate designs currently on the market
and again they can come with or without arms.
Product Example Chairs
Here are a collection of chairs that I can use as
inspiration if I choose to design a chair. I have
decided not to look at flat pack chairs that already
exist as I believe that they may influence my designs
to much and I may end up just copying one of the
pre existing designs.

I really like the look of some of these chairs and I can
see how I could convert them into CNC routed flat
pack furniture which is helping me to see what
panels I can and cannot make when using the CNC
router to make a chair.
Product Analysis - Chairs
This is the &Then 210 Chair
and is made out of natural
birch plywood and finished
using matte melamine colour
laminate. Its dimensions are
H 810mm x W 43mm x D
490mm
Seat H: 43omm and costs
290.
This is the Monza armchair for
Plank by Konstantin Grcic.
This is a contemporary styled
piece made out of wood and
polypropylene. The
dimensions of the chair W
530 mm x D 500 mm x H 760
mm and sells for 338.
This is the Makil Chair for Alki
by Patrick Norquet. This is a
simple design with a
contemporary style made
entirely of Oak with a bent
back piece. The dimensions of
this chair are W 570 mm x D
590 mm x H 770 mm - Seat :
H 460 mm and retails for
500.
This is the slab chair by Tom
Dixon and is made entirely of
black lacquered oak. I really
like certain aspects of the
shapes used in this chair. The
dimensions of the chair are L
640 mm x W 470 mm x H
750 mm - H seat 450 mm
and the retail price is 460.
Lounge Chairs - Examples
The chair to the left is made out of bent plywood coupled with
a set of metal legs. One is then finished with a upholstered
cushion while the other is left in its plain bentwood state. I
really like the form of this piece and as with most lounge chairs
it has arm rests and is it a slightly reclined angle so that it is
more comfortable to sit on for long periods of time.
The chair to the right is probably the most iconic lounge chair of all
time the Eames lounge chair. It combines bent plywood with
leather upholstery. It also has a metal base. I really like the side
profile shape of this chair and the idea of an accompanying
ottoman. I think that if I made a lounge chair I would have to use
some upholstery that would take away from the Corian.
The chair to the left again uses two different materials as I have
proposed to in my brief but in this case they are using solid
American black walnut coupled with a grey moleskin upholstered
seat and backrest. Again this design has armrests and if I was to go
on to make a lounge chair I would definitely include arm rests in my
design.
Product Analysis Lounge Chair
This is the De La Espada lounge chair by Matthew Hilton. The dimensions of this piece are
W720 x D870 x H720mm. Seat height 440mm. It has a solid walnut frame that is coupled with
an upholstered seat and backrest, it currently retails for 2274. This is a very traditional
example of a lounge chair made out of the most traditional materials but the form does have
a contemporary twist.
This is the Vitra Repos Lounge Chair And Panchina By Antonio Citterio. The dimensions of this
chair are W740 x D810 x H1100mm. Seat height 400mm. This chair consists of a solid
aluminium frame with a moulded foam seat and feather filled cushion covered in Cosy Fossil
fabric. It currently retails for 3520 on the heal website. I really like how this chair has an
adjustable seat and the accompanying panchina is also a good selling feature.
This is the Arris Lounge Chair by Gala Wright. The dimensions of this chair are W660 x D770
x H680mm with a seat height of 320mm. This chair consists of a solid European oak frame
that attaches to the upholstered foam seat and backrest pads. I t can be finished in a range of
fabrics and leathers. It currently retails for 1518. Again it is made of very traditional
materials but it has a very contemporary twist.
Dining Chairs - Examples
The dining chair above is
made entirely of solid wood
although certain panels
have been painted which
really changes the overall
look of the piece. I could
recreate this but instead of
painting it a different colour
I would use the Corian to
make the seat and backrest.
The chair below is much more
traditional in design and is
made of solid wood coupled
with an upholstered cushion
for both the seat and the
backrest. I could use a similar
side profile as one of my
designs but then instead of an
upholstered seat I could use
Corian.
The above chair again uses two
different materials to make a
complete chair. It has wooden
base which has a moulded
plastic seat and backrest on
top. Again this is an idea that I
could adapt to make out of
Corian as I could bend and form
the seat shape with a two part
mould.
I like the skeletal feel of the
idea below as the back rest
is constructed of a central
column that has ribs that
come off it to form a
backrest. Again this chair
has two main materials one
being stained solid wood
and on being a cream
upholstered seat.
Product Analysis Dining Chair
This is the Vitra DSW Chair by
Charles & Ray Eames. The
dimensions for this pieces are
W460 x D550 x H810mm, seat
height 410mm. It is made of a
maple wood base coupled with
a dyed polypropylene shell and
cost 329. I really like the use
of two contrasting materials
and it is the effect I am trying to
replicate in my design with
plywood and Corian.
This is the Jam Dining Chair by
Calligaris. The dimensions of
this piece are W520 x D550 x
H820mm with a seat height of
450mm. It has a chrome base
with a two-tone polypropylene
seat and cost 162. Again I like
how the two contrasting
materials look together to form
one interesting piece of
furniture.
This is the Vitra Standard SP
Chair By Jean Prouve. The
dimensions of this piece
areH805 x W435 x D500mm.
Seat height 480mm. Powder
coated steel legs and plastic
seat and back rest and cost
365.
This is the Vitra Hal Chair By
Jasper Morrison. The
dimensions of this piece are
W470 x D490 x H790mm, seat
height 430mm. It is made of
a solid plastic shell with solid
oak legs and cost 298.
Benches - Examples
The bench to the left uses two materials again as I have proposed
to. It uses a single side profile made of metal which the seat and
back pieces then attach to, to form the whole bench. This is a
similar idea to the one that I have although my side pieces are
made of plywood and the seat and back rest would be made out of
Corian.
The bench to the left again uses two materials and side profiles but on this
piece the side profiles are inset from the edge of the piece which adds a much
different look to the piece. On this piece the side profile also act as the arm
rests, and the actual seat seems to float .
The bench to the left has a metal frame which the top pieces are then attached
to. The unique part of this bench is that the back pieces can be folded down,
meaning it can be a bench with or without a backrest. I also think that all the
different colours in this piece look really interesting and a similar thing could
easily be made out of Corian.
Product Analysis - Benches
This is the Branch Bench by Blu Dot. The dimensions of this piece are W1524 x
D406 x H445mm. It has a solid oak seat coupled with a steel frame that has been
powder coated black. It currently retails for 499. I really like the simple look of
this bench and the way that it combines the two completely different materials
seamlessly.
This is the Betty Bench by Riva 1920. The dimensions of this piece are W2500 x
H830 x D530mm. Seat height 510mm. Seat depth 530mm. The materials of
this piece are a solid walnut frame coupled with a Utah bull leather seat
covering it currently retails for 4394.
This is the Molletta Bench designed by Riva 1920. The dimensions of this piece are
W2390 x D450 x H430mm. It is made out of solid cedar with a metal spring for
detailing. This bench currently retails for 3692. I really like the interesting form
that this bench has. It has a slight novelty feel although you can see that it is made
to a very high standard and will certainly appeal to a number of different people.
Primary Research - Questionnaire
As part of my research I asked 25 people to answer a questionnaire regarding certain aspects of my proposed
project. Here are the results:
Now that I have gathered this data I can be me sure about the path that my design should go down and it has
helped me move forward with a number of the ideas that I have had about my project. The first thing that I
have taken from this is that people want a chair that isnt necessary one type or another, this is good as it
means it can appeal to a much wider range of people. Having wipe clean panels is a massive advantage of
using a product such as Corian and is making me lean towards a product using this type of material than any
of the others that I have researched. It is also positive to know that people would pay slightly more for a chair
which you could change the panels of instead of buying a whole new lot of furniture.
Production Methods
There are four main types of industrial production methods:

One-off production is when only one product is made at a time. Every product is different so it is labour intensive. Products
may be made by hand or a combination of hand and machine methods.

Batch production is when a small quantity of identical products are made. Batch production may also be labour intensive,
but jigs and templates are used to aid production. Batches of the product can be made as often as required. The machines
can be easily changed to produce a batch of a different product.

Mass production is when hundreds of identical products are made, usually on a production line. Mass production often
involves the assembly of a number of sub-assemblies of individual components. Parts may be bought from other companies.
There is usually some automation of tasks (eg by using Computer Numerical Control machines) and this enables a smaller
number of workers to output more products.

Continuous flow production is when many thousands of identical products are made. The difference between this and
mass production is that the production line is kept running 24 hours a day, seven days a week to maximise production and
eliminate the extra costs of starting and stopping the production process. The process is highly automated and few workers
are required.

Although the product that I am going to make uses CNC machinery like in the mass production process it is not a fast
processes so would be much better suited to batch production than mass production. This is mainly due to the 2 different
types of material that would need to be machined seperately.

Batch Production
Batch production is when a small quantity of identical or very
similar products are made. Batch production may also be labour
intensive, but jigs and templates are used to aid production.
Batches of the product can be made as often as required. The
machines can be easily changed to produce a batch of a different
product.

Batch production numbers can range from 10 to around 100 but
due to the size of the workshops at my fathers and the number of
people that work there a small batch of 10 would probably be
better.

Due to the use of jigs and other methods it will not take 10 times as
long to make ten products as it would to make 1 this is the main
advantage of batch production over single or bespoke production.

There are also disadvantages such as the machines still need
setting up and calibrating before the next batch can be made
although they will be made in my fathers heart downtime where if
they didnt have something to batch produce the company could in
fact be making nothing at all.

Another advantage of batch production is using up some spare
materials to make variations of the batch product even though the
overall form for each piece will be the same.

Mass Customisation
What is mass customisation?

The process of delivering wide-market goods and services that
are modified to satisfy a specific customer need. Mass
customization is a marketing and manufacturing technique that
combines the flexibility and personalization of "custom-made"
with the low unit costs associated with mass production.

Many applications of mass customization include software-based
product configurations that allow end-users to add and/or change
certain functionalities of a core product. Sometimes called "made
to order" or "built to order.

Mass customisable changes can be anything from changing the
size of a product to changing the colour and materials used in
the product. These options are now much easier to change due
to the increase in both computer aided design and manufacture
and the rise of buying items over the internet.

It is this area that I wish to explore as I believe furniture design
and manufacture could be easily made into a truly mass
customisable area very easily with the advances in both CAD
and CAM.

This applies to the project I am currently undertaking as I plan on
having changeable seat and backrest panels.
Mass Customisation Nike ID store
The earliest and most well known case study for mass customisation is
the NikeID store. The NikeID online store was originally opened in
1999 offering customers the ability to change the appearance by
changing the colours of certain panels of pre existing styles of Nike
trainers. Although orders were taken in store before this time.

As the years went by this process continued to grow and change so
that nowadays you can not only choose the colour of the panels their
was also the option of choosing different materials as well as being
able to have your name or initials embroidered into a panel of the
shoes.

With the success of the trainers in the NikeID store Nike then went on
to release a number of other products into the store from more shoes
like football boots through to personalised satchels and backpacks.

The success of the NikeID brand came from making an everyday item
personal to the buyer for only a small extra cost over the usual cost for
an non individual pair of trainers. And it is this individuality for a small
cost is what makes the trainers so desirable and this is the reaction I
hope to get by making my project mass customisable.

Since the launch of the NikeID store a number of other companies
such as Vans and Adidas have also introduced similar websites
showing the demand for tailored products.
Mass Customisation - Evovlex
Evolvex are a Australia based furniture company who specialise in mass
customisable furniture. There furniture is very minimalist in style using generally
black and white painted panels attached in a square box shape with simple leg
design.

They let you choose aspects of your own products such as sizes or shape as well
as the legs on a table but unlike my company you still have to choose from a list
of sizes that they choose, you also cant change the material that is used in the
Evolvex product from painted MDF. This material I believe doesnt command the
sort of price that Evolvex charge and this is another area where I believe my
business has more potential in the long run.

They are having a lot of success at the moment and I believe that I could
capitalise on the areas that dont specialise in making my business even more
successful.
Mass Customisation - Trend
Mass customization is The Trend of the
Year, As Customers Get To Decide What
They Want:

According to the treehugger website mass customisation is the
trend of the year and is what will be seen through out the design
competitions and exhibitions.

This was first realised at the International Contemporary
Furniture Fair where a number of young and up and coming
designers have designed mass customisable furniture that can
be modified by the client it is being designed by. Jaime and Isaac
Salm of MIO are an example of the designers using mass
customisation in there new products. They designed the naked
cabinets bringing computers and printing technology together to
allow customers to personalize furniture with either their own art
or photography, or their choice of work by artists and designers.

You simply choose the image you want to be printed on your
cabinets and it is made so that you have your own unique
storage system.
How my Product will be customisable
There are a number of ways in which I could make the
product that I am going to design customisable from
allowing the customers to choose the colours of Corian
that I use on their chairs to letting them change the size
and shapes of the chair itself.

For this product I have decided that my product will be
customisable in two ways. Firstly I will allow the
customers to choose the colour of the seat panels that
come with the chair when they first buy it but I also want
the customers to be able to change the seat panels
whenever they want. This means the panels have to be
attached in a semi permanent way that will be strong
enough to hold the panels on when people are sitting on
the chair but it also must be able to be taken apart when
the panels need to be changed.

This also extends the life cycle of the product as any
panels of the chair that are damaged can be replaced
with new panels instead of having to replace the whole
chair for a new one.
Open Source Design
Open design is the development of physical products,
machines and systems through use of publicly shared
design information. Open design involves the making of
both free and open-source software (FOSS) as well
as open-source hardware. The process is generally
facilitated by the Internet and often performed without
monetary compensation. The goals and philosophy are
identical to that of the open-source movement, but are
implemented for the development of physical products
rather than software. Open design is a form of co-
creation, where the final product is designed by the
users, rather than an external stakeholder such as a
private company.

Since the rise of the internet open source design has
gone from strength to strength mainly due to the ease of
sharing files online nowadays either through specially
set up websites such as Open Desk or through much
more widely available resources such as through email
or online storage services like dropbox or skydrive.
Open Desk - About
All of these people together are what
make OpenDesk such an diverse and
successful company and set it apart
from other companies doing similar
things.

The project was borne out of a
commission for furniture for a tech
startup in London, England. When the
startup's sister office in New York
City required furniture, it was decided to
manufacture it locally rather than ship
the completed product. OpenDesk
targets startups along with creative
companies and nonprofit organisations
as a customer base. These types of
organisations typically request flat pack
products, while commercial
organisations prefer fully assembled
furniture and the file sharing capabilities
allow the products the be manufactured
and assembled anywhere in the world.
OpenDesk is a collaboration between 00, Ian Bennink, Joni & David Steiner, Tim Carrigan, Luke Hebblethwaite, and the
teams behind FabHub, WikiHouse and AtFAB. The 00 team is led by James Arthur and Nick Ierodiaconou. Original
photography by WikiGlasses designer Lynton Pepper.
Open Desk How it works
OpenDesk is a global platform for local making. You can use it to
download, make and buy furniture for your work space.

OpenDesk has a global network of makers and a collection of
furniture by a range of international designers. Because that
furniture is designed for digital fabrication, it can be downloaded
as a digital file and made locally on demand, anywhere in the
world.

We call this "Open Making":

Designers get a global distribution channel.

Makers get profitable jobs and new customers.

You get designer products without the designer price tag, a more
social, eco-friendly alternative to mass-production and an
affordable way to buy custom made products.

We're focusing first on furniture and particularly work space
furniture because it's the best fit for current digital fabrication
technology. However, furniture is just the tip of the iceberg. As
new technologies develop and local making capacity increases,
we want to see great design being made locally all around the
world.
Open Desk Designer and Products
Joni Steiner
Joni is a member of the zero zero collaborative studio which
consists of architects strategic designers, programmers,
social scientists, economists and urban designers practicing
design beyond its traditional borders.

Joni is a qualified architect and designer with the YAYA
shortlisted architecture and strategic design firm 00:/ (zero
zero). Part of the TED Prize winning WikiHouse design team,
he was Lead Designer for Bristol Urban Beach, offices for
the Association of Photographers and the Manor Works
enterprise & community centre in Sheffield. Joni developed
the original range of open-source furniture for Mint Digital
and Hub Westminster and continues to evolve this with Open
Desk.


Despite his background working on cultural and civic
projects, Joni likes nothing better than getting his hands
dusty in a CNC shop.

Joni has a number of products that are available on the Open
Desk website including the Caf table and the stool that are
to the right of this writing.

Open Desk Designer and Products
David Steiner
David is product designer with an inherent interest in
production processes, he graduated from the Royal
College of Arts in Design Products in 2013 and is currently
based in north London.

Like his brother Joni, David is also part of the collaborative
design studio zero zero although he is more of a product
and furniture designer than his architect brother.

Nearly all of the products that either one of the brothers
designs is a collaboration with the other brother.

David and Joni have enjoyed a lot of success with there
Edie range of furniture which Launched in the UK through
the Design Museum's Future is Here exhibition, the pieces
are designed to be simple to finish and put-together, with
cutting sheets mastered to create "air-fix" style snap out
pieces -- aimed at folks who enjoy the satisfaction of
finishing something by hand. This range was originally
designed for their 18 month old niece before it developed
into this full range of furniture.
This is the Edie set of furniture.
Open Desk Designer and Products
Denis Fuzii
Denis Fuzii is a Brazilian architect, designer and founder of the So Paulo based architecture firm Studio dLux.
He is also the developer of Studio dLux's furniture.

Denis set up the dLux studio while still studying at the University Centre of Fine Arts in Sao Paulo.

He bases his products on the vibrant urban youth culture of Brazil and says that he is not afraid to dare to find
new situations in our work that reflect the modern single and behaviour of our city.

He designs his products to be simple to put together but also colourful and vibrant to set them apart from other
CNC manufactured furniture.
What are Ergonomics?
The word "Ergonomics" comes from two Greek words "ergon,"
meaning work, and "nomos" meaning "laws." Today, however, the
word is used to describe the science of "designing the job to fit
the worker, not forcing the worker to fit the job." Ergonomics
covers all aspects of a job, from the physical stresses it places on
joints, muscles, nerves, tendons, bones and the like, to
environmental factors which can effect hearing, vision, and
general comfort and health.

Ergonomics is about designing for people, wherever they interact
with products, systems or processes. We usually dont notice
good design (unless perhaps, its exceptional) because it gives us
no cause to, but we do notice poor design. The emphasis within
ergonomics is to ensure that designs complement the strengths
and abilities of people and minimise the effects of their
limitations, rather than forcing them to adapt. In achieving this
aim, it becomes necessary to understand and design for the
variability represented in the population, spanning such
attributes as age, size, strength, cognitive ability, prior
experience, cultural expectations and goals. Qualified
ergonomists are the only recognised professionals to have
competency in optimising performance, safety and comfort.
Sitting Anthropometrics
Examples of angles
The angle between the seat and the backrest of a chair is
one of the most important aspects of the whole project as
it directly effects both the comfort of the piece as well as
the overall look of the chair.

Different types of chairs have different average angles
between not only the seat and the back rest but also the
angle between the floor and the other two components
of the seat.

As you can see from the diagram to the left the one
described as chair is probably a dining chair, it is very
straight up and the angle between the seat and backrest
are around 90 degrees.

The second chair is the lounge chair, the main difference
is the angle from the floor to the seat and backrest
although the angle between the seat and backrest is also
slightly bigger at around 100 degrees.

The third type is a reclining chair or a chaise lounge which
have huge differences such as the angle between the seat
and backrest being around 140-150 degrees although the
seat angle to the floor is around the same as the lounge
chair.
Possible seat and back angles
90 95 100 105
On this page I am researching a number of possible angles between the seat and back rest of a chair. Most chairs have a back
angle of between 99 and 101 as this is considered the optimal angle for both support, comfort and posture.

I have drawn out angles from 90 to 105 so that I can asses a full range of angles. The first image of the right angle looks
to upright to be comfortable and through research I have read that it is bad for posture. The next two angles look much
more suitable for sitting on and would offer more support as well as being much more comfortable. The last image
shows an angle that I believe is to big. It would by far be the most comfortable angle to sit on but it would offer virtually
no support so if you sat on the chair for a long time it would become uncomfortable to sit on.

I will choose an angle between 95 and 102 for my chair as I believe that will offer the best compromise between
comfort and support.
Weight my chair must hold
To make my chair a saleable product and to make it appeal to the largest number of people I need to make sure that
my chair can hold as much weight as possible.

As my chair is designed for the adult population of the UK it is the average weights of these people that I must look
at, as I want my chair to be as strong as possible without having to add extra strengthening that will take away from
the overall look of the piece.

I have used the charts underneath to gauge how much my chair would need to hold to cater for as many people as
possible. To do this my chair will have to be able to hold slightly more than the heaviest weight that is shown on this
page which is 14st 9lb (93kg). I would like my chair to be able to hold 19st (120kg) to include those people that are
over the average weight in the UK today.
CAD - Solidworks
SolidWorks is a 3D mechanical CAD (computer-aided
design) program that runs on Microsoft Windows and
is being developed by Dassault Systmes SolidWorks
Corp., a subsidiary of Dassault Systmes, S. A. (Vlizy,
France). SolidWorks is currently used by over 2 million
engineers and designers at more than 165,000
companies worldwide.

It allows users to get a good idea of a project they are
undertaking in a 3D form in the correct materials
without having to actually make the piece or a scale
prototype.

It also allows you as a designer to alter the materials
that your products are made out of really quickly and
easily and allow you to view your product in a number
of finishes with just a few clicks of the mouse.

This helps the designer to achieve the exact product
they want easily and efficiently cutting the time of the
designing process down.
FTF Design Studio
FTF design studio is a new york based design studio that is
currently run by two designers West Chin and Roseann
Repetti. There studio has just released a range of Corian
furniture including three different tables.

This company was established in 1992 but only came to the
for front in design in 2006 when released there first piece of
Corian furniture. Since this they have been featured in a
number of major publications such as GQ magazine, Vogue
and Interior Design magazines.

There furniture has a clean and minimal appearance which
is what identifies there pieces. Along with Corian they also
use a range of other high quality materials such as Walnut,
Oak and Bamboo.

There signature piece is the CU side table known for its
clean lines and simple appearance. It is made entirely of
Corian and can be customised to the clients particular needs
changing both the size and colour of the piece.

They have also just released a new range of furniture called
the Jane collection.
FTF Design Studio Corian Pieces
The table above is the CU
table the dimensions of this
table are H350 x W350 x
D360mm. This particular
version is made out of matt
snow Corian although it can
be finished in a number of
other colours of Corian. I
really like the simple look of
this piece although it would
only fit into a small number
of homes although with the
different colour options it
can fit into more situations.
The table below is the XY
dining table. The
dimensions of this piece are
diameter 1370mm by a
height of 750mm. This
table has a Corian base and
a round glass top. The base
is matt white with a bright
coloured accent inlaid into
the side. I really like the
look of this table and the
coloured accent really
brings another dimension to
the look of the piece.
The table above is the FTF
Standard table. The
dimensions of this piece are
915 x 2440 x 740mm
making it a very large table.
The frame of the table is
made out of stainless steel
that has a satin finish, the
top is then like the other
pieces on this page is white
matt Corian. One big
advantage of a Corian table
top is that it can be whiped
clean very easily and
without damaging the table
top. This table could fit into
a huge range of situations.
The table below is the
glacier desk, the dimensions
of this piece are 1500 x 750
x 850mm. Making it a large
clean workspace perfect for
anyone. Like the Standard
table this desk has satin
finished stainless steel fram
with a white matt Corian
top. It has plenty of storage
at the back of the desk for
any papers although a
drawer could be useful for
storing items such as pens
and pencils. Although the
usable space is brilliant as a
drawing or designing desk.
Competitors - IKEA
One major competitor that I would have look at when
designing my product would be IKEA.

IKEA are a huge competitor as they can offer the same
level of customisation that I am looking at offering but for a
lower price. The main downfall of the products at IKEA are
that they are made out of inferior materials and this is
hopefully be where the quality of the product that I design
will shine through.

So although my product will be much more expensive than
that of IKEA I would hope that my product would feel better
made and of a higher quality than the IKEA product and
also last a lot longer than the other product.

So although IKEA may be able to match the chair I make in
how it looks from the outside they would not be able to
make it to the same quality using the same high quality
materials, this is what I hope would draw people to my
product over other cheaper products.

IKEA is the biggest furniture retailer in the whole of Europe
selling hundreds of thousands of products every year from
chairs and tables to blankets and cushions.
Interior Surface Specialists - Sheffield
Interior Surfaces focus upon consistency and quality is at the
core of every project they undertake.

Everything is created within their purpose built 3,500 sqm
manufacturing facility based in centrally within the UK in
Sheffield.

Their team of craftsmen are made up of some of the most
experienced experts in their field, their knowledge of surface
materials and their capabilities is second to none. This
expertise gives ISS the confidence and skill to help and advise
any client upon the most challenging of designs.

They pride themselves not only on their hands on experience
but their teams work ethic, from directors to delivery they
ensure their clients needs are surpassed. This process is
clear to be see inn their customer case studies as we let our
clients honestly appraise our work and service.

As with any good recipe the end result is dependant upon the
best ingredients sourced from the most trusted suppliers and
our industry is no exception. Over the past 20 years they have
surrounded themselves with suppliers and sub-contractors
who have the same trusted work ethic they have, which gives
them the edge in terms of supply and choice of materials and
skills available to them and their clients.
Ian Whitehead Commercial Interiors
Ian Whitehead Commercial Interiors runs alongside the ISS
but works with larger corporations rather than the individual
clients that the ISS deal with.

Ian Whitehead specialise in commercial refurbishments such
as bar and cafe interiors right through to leisure centres and
university interiors.

They can undertake all aspects of the manufacturing process,
from design development and fabrication, through to supply
and installation of a full venue fit out and offer state of the art
in house manufacturing and finishing facilities.

This combined with their teams of skilled joiners, upholsterers
and polishers allows them to provide bespoke solutions within
restricted timescales. With a dedicated single point of contact,
all aspects of clients projects whether it is new build,
refurbishment or fit-out are all professionally managed.

The main difference between this company and its sister
company ISS is Ian Whitehead offer a complete service. They
will design, manufacture and install their pieces as well as find
an furnishings, furniture or other items that the client requires
in their project. This is what sets them apart from many other
companies operating today.
Interior Surface Specialists - Services
Interior Surface Specialists offer a huge range of services
within their field. They work closely with each individual client
so that each piece can be made exactly as the client requires
it. They do this by holding personal consultations with any
client before their tailor made item is produced.

They also offer a number of different processes that can
completely change the look of your Corian. The first 2
methods are very common in the Corian industry and they are
the bending and forming of Corian with the use of heat.

They also use a 5 axis router which can cut the Corian either
before or after it has been formed so they can create a huge
number of shapes.

Another service that they offer is the CNC engraving of the
Corian and also the manufacturer of the plugs that can then
be used to fill the engraved Corian. They use material such
as mother of pearl as well as gold leaf to create elaborate
panels. They also have machines that allow you to print
directly on to the Corian giving the customer any pattern they
want.

They also offer customers the option of not only using Corian
in their pieces, they also specialise in using wood and other
mediums and have specialist craftsmen trained in each area
so that they can offer the best quality products possible out of
the materials that they use.
Primary Research - Visit to Ian Whitehead
To get a better insight into the Corian business as it was the
main material I wanted to use in my product I decided to visit
Ian Whitehead Commercial Interiors.

To arrange my visit I first started emailing a contact at the
company named Jim who agreed that I could go and visit the
company so that I could get a first hand look at not only some
of the products that they make but also at the different
machinery that they use and the process from start to finish.

I arrived at Ian Whithead and the first area that I was shown
around was the office. In the office I was shown a number of
samples of different materials that were all derivatives of
Corian. Some of which I had heard of before and had
samples on but others that I had never heard of, he
introduced me to Avonite which is very similar to Corian
although it is translucent instead of being opaque like Corian.
It is also made of at least 40% recycled material making it
more ecological than Corian.

Another item that Jim showed me was a Corian squirrel nut. I
had been having trouble with how I was going to connect my
seat and backrest to the frame as I didn't want it to show on
the front of the panels and this simple fixing has answered the
question of how to attach my panels (further research on its
own page)
Visit to Ian Whitehead - Workshop
Jim then decided to take me on a tour of the workshop where
all of the piece Ian Whitehead make are manufactured. First I
was showed the stores of Corian that the company hold and
was told that I was allowed to take some samples so that I
could test the moulds I had created for the backrest and seat
panels of my chair.

He then proceeded to show me the rest of the workshop, he
started with the oven and vacuum bag that they use to form
the pieces of Corian over their moulds. They also showed me
there moulds and told me that MDF was the best material to
form over as long as it has been sanding sealed to make it
smooth.

He then showed me their large 3 and 5 axis CNC routers
which they use to cut out their pieces of Corian both before
and after the moulding process. They also use the machines
to engrave and carve any detailing into the Corian panels.
Once I had seen all of the machinery Jim told me that if I
needed any help machining any of my pieces for my project
that they would gladly help me whether it was using the
routers to cut out my mould or using the forming facilities to
bend my pieces. He also told me that he could order the
Corian I required for my final price as he could get it cheaply
and quickly from the supplier.
Ian Whitehead Specialist Equipment
The main piece of specialist equipment used by Ian Whitehead that I saw on my trip is their Combitherm machine
which allows them to heat and form there Corian all in one place.

The machine consists of a specially made oven that is only just wide enough to fit the Corian in. This allows 12mm
Corian to be heated into a malleable state in just 4 mins compared to it taking 12-15 mins in a conventional fan oven.
This means that the time of manufacture is greatly decreased.

The machine also consists of vacuum forming machine on top of the oven. This means the material in the oven only
has to travel a very small distance before it is formed meaning that it does not have any time to cool down which could
affect the final formed shape of the panel, this ensures that all panels are formed exactly how they should be with no
defects.
Corian Furniture
Squirrel Nut
Squirrel nut is the name of new insert that is made out of
Corian with a stainless steel insert into which a bolt can be
screwed into.

It is effectively a t nut for Corian that allows you to attach
Corian to other materials in a non permanent fashion
without it showing on the outer face of the panel.

They come in a range of bolt sizes although the Corian plug
is the same size for all. To insert it into the Corian you must
drill a 20mm diameter hole 8mm deep. The insert is then
placed in this hole and a special Corian based glue and
filler is used. You can then sand off the excess adhesive
and or Corian plug so that the squirrel nut blends in with the
rest of the Corian to form one seamless piece.

The insert comes in 4 standard bolt sizes that are M4, M6,
M8 and M10. I will use the M6 size bolts as they are the
most readily available and plenty strong enough for what I
require them to do.

I will use them to attach my Corian back rest and seat panel
to the plywood frame, and as I want them to be able to be
interchanged this is the perfect way to attach the pieces
easily in a non permanent way.
Specification
Here are a number of specification points that I will try my
hardest to stick to as this will make sure I fulfil the brief to its
fullest potential:

The first and most important point is that my design needs to
be able to be cut out easily on a CNC router with use of one
other process to make the product.

The product that I make must also be small enough to fit on
the CNC router which can hold material up to 1220x2440mm.

I must use a wood based material whether it be hardwood,
softwood or manmade board as these are the materials the
CNC router can cut and then one other material preferably one
that can be cut on the CNC router.

The product that I make could be customisable as this is a
main selling point of my product, the product must be
adaptable to each individual clients needs in a least one way.

The products much be constructed using easy joints and
knock down fittings as I want my product to be able to be
made by me before it is sent or made by the client when they
receive the product.


A want the finish to be non toxic and hard wearing as I dont
want it to be harmful and I want the furniture to last as long as
possible.

The chair must be comfortable enough to sit on for relatively
long periods of time although it is not designed to be sat on
for 6 hours at a time like a sofa or padded arm chair.

I must create some accompanying products in CAD as a range
has much more potential than an individual piece.

The products that I make need to be easy enough to transport
whether they are still in flat pack form or have been assembled
by me and then shipped to the subsequent address. This
means that all piece must fit in a medium sized van and no
single piece must be too heavy for one man to lift.

These specification points will help me to limit my project and
make it the best that it can be in these specification points.
These points will make sure that I do not come to a problem
that I can not over come later in the project.
Initial Ideas
On this page are a
number of quick designs
that I drew up at the very
beginning of the project.
Exploring the different
types of chairs that I
could design.

The types of chairs that
stand out to me most on
this page are the
designs which have a
frame with the
secondary material set
into it such as the one in
the top right and the
ones in the two bottom
corners of the page as I
believe this has the most
mileage in terms of how
I design my product to
keep it within the brief
that I set out at the
beginning of the project.
Initial Ideas
None of the ideas
on this page use a
frame as I stated
on the previous
page although I
still think that the
design at the top
of this page could
look quite
interesting with
one large section
of Corian that is
bent in the middle
to form one
complete seat and
back rest. From
this page on I will
focus more on the
shape of the side
panel I might use
rather than the
overall form of the
chair at the
moment.
Initial Ideas
Initial Ideas
The idea to the left is an
interesting shape that would
work as a chair but is not the
standard 4 legged shape you
would expect. Although it
looks interesting I would
worry that the frame would
not be strong enough to hold
the weight of a person by
only the back supports. I
dont really like how this chair
would look from the side.
The chair to the left is very
similar to the one on the far
left but without the arms. I
much prefer this shape of
chair compared to the one on
the far left but I still dont
think it would make a nice
looking chair. I also dont
think that the chair would be
very comfortable to sit on.
The chair to the right is a
very simplistic design and I
think could make a really
simple and interesting piece
of furniture. The main worry
with this piece would be the
amount of weight that would
be going through the front leg
section and if I was to make
this section thicker it would
ruin the whole aesthetics of
the rest of the chair.
The idea to the right is very
similar in design to the one
on the left except this one is
much more angular and has
a more relaxed seat angle.
Again my main concern for
this piece would be the
amount of weight that would
be going through the front
legs of the chair and again
making this section thicker
would ruin the look of the
piece.
Initial Ideas
The idea to the left is quite
similar to the ones on the
previous page except I have
given the chair a second leg.
This will make the whole
chair structure a lot stronger
and I also think that it
improves the overall look of
the piece but I dont really
like having the extra piece of
wood at the bottom
connecting both legs.
The idea to the right is
exactly the same as the idea
above but instead of having 4
legs it just has the 2 back
legs. Again I dont think that
this would be strong enough
to hold the weight of a full
person and it is not a very
nice looking chair and looks
like a childs high chair which
is not the look that I am going
for.
I really like the look of the
chair to the left and I think out
of all the ideas so far it is the
best looking piece as well as
being plenty strong enough to
hold the weight of a full
person. I would just have to
test whether the floating back
rest would be strong enough
although I have seen chairs
with a similar design before.
Again I really like the look of
the chair to the right. It would
be strong enough to hold the
weight of a person but also
looks different from a
standard chair. I think that
the seat and back rest angle
would also be comfortable
enough to sit on for a
relatively long period of time
making it a much more
saleable design.
Initial Ideas
I really like the style of the
chair to the left although I'm
not sure it would be strong
enough in this state to hold
the weight of a adult. One
advantage of this profile
would be that it could easily
be used to make a single
chair or extended so that it
could make a bench for more
than one person.
The idea to the left is the
same as the one to the far
left but with extra support
material to make it a much
more usable piece. This
could definitely hold the
weight of an adult and I
also think it is a much
more interesting design.
The other sections could
also be utilised as storage.
I really like the shape of
the chair to the right. I
like the idea of it being
one continuous shape
for the legs. I have
added a small kick back
at the bottom left of the
frame to stop the chair
falling over backwards.
Again this could easily
make a single chair or
multiple ones could
make a long bench.
I really like the shape of
this chair although I do
believe that some of the
proportions need looking
at if I decide to go on
and use this design.
The top section where
the arms are is much to
big and go back much to
far, I also think they
should be at more of an
angle than they are in
this picture.
Initial Ideas
The sketch to the left is a
very quirky and
interesting shape. It
definitely stands out from
the other designs that I
have drawn although I do
think that the market for it
would be incredibly small
just because of how odd
the shape is. The
backrest would also be
incredibly small which
may make the chair
uncomfortable.
Again I really like the
chair design to the right
and I think it is a very
feasible design. I think it
has a lot of potential as a
sellable piece of furniture.
I really like the shape of
the arm rest although
again I think the backrest
could be a little bit small
although with
development this could
easily be rectified.
I really like how this chair
to the right looks. It is a
more curvy chair than
most of the other designs
that I have come up with.
The biggest floor with this
design is that there is no
where for a backrest to
go without totally
changing the overall look
of the piece. The seat is
also much to angled back
and it would be hard to
get out of.
The design to the right is
very similar to one on a
previous page the main
problem with this design
is that it could fall over if
there is to much weight
leaning backwards on
the chair.. I also think it
is a rather bulky design
that has a lot of excess
material to do the same
job.
Initial Ideas
On this page I have achieved four initial ideas from one initial shape that is on the bottom left of this page. The first
idea on this page is a very bulky full framed design but it does not have the elegant look that I want my chair to have,
so I decided to then to get rid of some of the bulk. On the second design I have removed some material that connects
the arm to the back rest and this has made the chair look less bulky but there is still a lot of materials that doesnt need
to be there. On the third design I have left in the material that attaches the arm to the back rest but instead I have
removed the material that connects the back of the seat to the bottom of the piece that runs along the floor. On the
fourth design on this page I have removed both lots of material that were removed on the two previous designs. I
think this however this was a step to far. It has made the chair look to flimsy and it could easily break where the seat
meats the front leg and arm section.

My favourite design by far on this page is the third design along I think it is a good combination of amount of material
and the strength that material offers.
Solidworks Images
The chair on this page is a very standard and simplistic in design but again with the use of Corian for the seat and back
rest it stands out from other chairs of a similar design. I dont really like the look of this chair, it is to boring and I dont
think it allows the Corian to stand out. I also think that the gap between the backrest and seat is to much and it could
really make it really uncomfortable.

I dont like the armrests on this chair and in my opinion the chair would look better without them. They look very out of
place and I'm not sure they would be strong enough to support much weight. I also think that it wouldnt be very
comfortable as I think the back rest is to straight up and it would be incredibly uncomfortable to sit in for along period of
time.
Solidworks Images
On this page is one idea that I have had for this project. The sides of the chair will be made out of 30mm plywood which will
be plenty strong enough to support the weight of not only the Corian but also the weight of the person that will be sitting on
the chair. The Corian pieces are made out of 12mm Corian that have been heat bent to form a more ergonomic back and seat
rest. I really like the shape of the side profile of this chair and I like the way that the backrest is solely supported by the
armrest. This will be strong enough to lean against but it will have a small amount of spring in it that will make it more
comfortable to use.

The only thing that I dont like about this design is that the side profile goes up at the back and I think it would look more
professional if the arms went up at an angle and the back rest supports then came down back towards the seat. It also will
look a lot more interesting than this very simple style.
Chair Development


The chair to the left is a very basic looking
chair design, although I do believe that it is
still quite an interesting shape. I think this
chair is much to low down to the floor and
also to wide. I also want the Corian to
come over the side panels on the seat as
that is where the Corian will be attached to
the main frame.







The idea to the right is a very similar
design to the one on the left of this page
but to make it look more interesting I have
cut out a gap between the arm rest and
the back panel and backrest. This will give
the arms a bit of spring although I think it
is the back more than the arms that need
to have a bit of flex. Again this chair is far
to low and would be uncomfortable to sit
on because of this fact.
Solidworks Images
The idea below is my favourite idea that I have developed so far. I like how this chair looks compared to the others that I have
designed as it is functions perfectly as a chair but it has a much more interesting form than some of the others that I have
designed.

Having the cut out section in the side panel so that the back is only attached to the chair by the arms. This gives the backrest a
bit of spring making the whole chair more comfortable to sit on. There are a few things however that I believe I need to change
on this idea to make it a more viable product.

The first thing is to look at the overall dimensions of the piece as at the moment as I believe the height of the chair is much to
low and this would make uncomfortable to sit on. I also think that backrest could possible be slightly higher and longer as this
would make the whole chair for comfortable to sit on.
Initial Models
On this page I am going to start looking at some of the models that I have made, as these give me a better idea of
how the product would look in real life, it also gives a much better 3D representation than any of my drawings.
The chair to the left is a very
interesting design. The shape of
the frame is similar to a normal
cantilever chair but it also has
armrests attached to the front of
the seat section of the chair. I
really like the look of this chair
although it does look incredibly
simple and like a number of
chairs that are already on the
market. I think I need to make
the over all shape more
interesting to make my design
stand out.

The chair to the right is a much
more interesting shape and I like
how the armrests double up as
the supports for the back rest. I
think the chair to the right is
much to thin to sit on at the
moment although this could be
rectified very easily. I also think
the armrests would be much to
high but again this could easily
be changed.
Initial Models
I am going to continue to look at some initial models on this page looking and good and bad points about each design
and what might need to be changed.
The image on the left again
is a very traditional looking
chair design. Personally I
think this design has to
much unnecessary
structure, there is no need
for the wood along the
bottom of the legs as it is not
really adding anything to the
structure of the design of the
chair. Although the rest of
the chair looks quite nice.

The chair on the right is a
very different looking chair to
the other ones on these
pages. The main structure
of the piece is completely
different and it also has an
all in one back rest which
again is something really
different, although it would
be incredibly difficult to form
a piece of Corian as big as
this would need to be.
Initial Models
I am going to continue to look at some initial models on this page looking and good and bad points about each design
and what might need to be changed.
The image to the left again is a
cantilever chair but this time
the arms are attached to the
back rest. I think this design
looks a lot better with the arms
attached to the back rest than
the one on the previous page
that had a gap between the
arms and back rest. I do really
like the overall look of this
chair although I'm not sure
about the strength of wooden
cantilever.

The chair to the right is a very
odd shape and I dont really
like the shape of it. There is
no need for the small pieces of
wood that stick up over the top
of the seat and I also think it is
very boring to look at and
wouldnt be a good use of the
materials that I have. I do
think this shape could be
improved with just a small few
tweaks.
Initial Models
I am going to continue to look at some initial models on this page looking and good and bad points about each design
and what might need to be changed.
The image on the left of this text
is the same as one of the
cantilever chairs earlier in the
models but with a complete
bottom section frame to make it
stronger, although I do think it
has taken something away from
the design. I dont think the full
frame on the bottom looks nice I
would rather it just have 4 legs
like a normal chair. I also think
that the arm rests need to be
higher than they are now.

The image to the right is a
complete cantilever chair that
doesnt have any arms. I think it
is a very boring design that has
been done multiple times before
so it is not a route that I want to
go down with my project, I want
the shape of my chair to be
unusual and unlike any that are
currently on the market will still
functioning as a chair.
Chosen Design - Initial Model
On this page is the fifth scale
model of the idea that I wish to
take on and develop to become
my final chosen product.

I have chosen this design for a
number of different reasons,
firstly the shape of the frame is
different. I like the idea of the
back rest portion of the chair
being held up solely by the
arms of the chair.

I do think that the chair needs a
lot of work to make it a truly
well designed chair. The first
thing that I will have to look at is
the dimensions of the piece as
at the moment I believe the
arms of the chair are too high
away from the seat, I also think
the seat looks rather shallow so
this again will have to be looked
at during the development
stage of the product.
Chosen Design - Drawing
This is a drawing of the chosen design that I want to take forward and develop into a fully functioning well made
product. There are a few aspects of this project that I will have to develop to make it into the product that I really
want it to become. The main thing that I will have to look at is the proportions of this chair as at the moment the
chair looks to clunky and bulky and the seat doesnt look wide enough at the moment. Although I am very happy
with the overall shape that I have created.
Full size test - 1
As you can see from the pictures below I mocked up a full scale frame so that I could get a better idea for the size of
the piece that I was going to create as well as the proportions of it. As you can see from the pictures below the frame
at the moment is much to short. The seat height of this chair is only 370mm whereas from my research I found the
average seat height to be around 420-470mm. I also got various people to sit on this test model and everyone that I
asked to sit on it said that it was much to short. From these tests the other feedback that I got was that the backrest of
the piece was to close to the front of the chair meaning that you were perched on the front of the seat rather than sitting
comfortably on a chair. I am also considering adding a third support for the real chair to make it more stable.
Full Size test - 2
This is the second full scale model that I made this time the whole frame is larger as the previous one on the page before
this was much to small. The new seat height for this model is 450mm which is well in the seat height that I discovered
during my research at the beginning of this project. Again I got people to test the frame for the chair by sitting on the
supports that held it together. This time everyone that I got to test my chair said that the height was fine so I decided that
this is the height I will make my real chair at. Again in the feed back that I got from people sitting on the frame the
backrest was to far forward meaning that it wasnt comfortable to sit on. So although the seat height is fine I will have to
again put the back rest slightly further back to make the chair more comfortable.
Seat Shape Research-Shapes and Eras
Possible Seat Shapes
The seat shape to the
left is a very basic
square shaped seat.
Personally I dont think
this will look very good
and I have also decided
that I want the side
panels to be angled
and this will keep them
straight. I also think it
would look incredibly
boring and badly
designed.
I much prefer the shape
of the seat to the right
than the seat above.
Initially you can see
that the two sides of the
panel are angled as I
want them to be. I also
think that having
rounded corners on the
seat panels will not only
make the panel comfier
but it also looks nicer.
I dont really like the
shape of the seat panel
to the right. I dont
think that the rounded
portion at the front of
the chair would be very
comfy to sit on for long
periods of time as it
would dig into the back
of your legs. I also
dont think t would look
very nice with my chair.
I do like the shape of
the seat panel to the
left and as you can see
it is very similar to the
one on the bottom left
of this page but with an
extra cut out v at the
front of the seat. This
could make it easier to
line up the seat on the
mould although it may
bend funny and not
look as nice.
Possible Seat Shapes
The seat shape to the left is
a very different seat shape
to the others that I have
looked at on the previous
pages. Personally I think
that this seat would be much
to long so it would dig into
the back of your legs if you
sat completely back on it.
The only way I could use
this shape is if I bent the
back piece of the seat over
the frame and down the
legs.
The seat shape to the right
is again a very different
shape. This seat shape
would be comfortable to sit
on as the extended parts of
the seat would support
underneath the legs of the
person sitting on the chair
although it could dig into the
back of the users legs. I
cant see me using this seat
shape as it isnt a very nice
looking seat panel.
The seat shape to the left is
a very well known set shape
and used on a huge number
of todays chairs. I do really
like the shape of this seat
panel although it would be
hard to make it work with my
chosen frame as the sides of
the seat are rounded. I
counted really make a flat
sided version of this seat as
it would lose nearly all of it
shape.
The seat shape to the right
again has rounded sides
which means it would be
hard to adapt it to my
chosen frame although it is
possible unlike the seat
panel that is above. I think it
could make a really
interesting shaped seat
although I am afraid it is not
a very contemporary design.
How to form the Seat
On this page I am looking at ways that I could
form the seat to make it more comfortable to sit
on for long periods of time.

I really dont want to leave the piece of Corian
flat as it will not only be uncomfortable but it is
also not showing the full capabilities of the
Corian.

I also know that I will need the bits that go over
the side panels will have to be flat so that I can
use the squirrel nuts to attach the seat panel to
the outer frame to make the complete chair.

I much prefer the three designs on the right
hand side of this page as they are really
showing off the Corian. Out of all three the one
that I like the most is the one at the top right
corner. I think it shows off the capabilities
enough although the two ideas that are
underneath are a bit to elaborate and would not
really be in keeping with the contemporary
theme of my product.
Possible Backrest Shapes
On this page I am looking at some of the possible
back rest shapes that I could use for the backrest
panel of my chair.

When thinking about the backrest of the chair I
have to think about how comfortable the backrest
will be as well as how it looks and how it will be
attached to the side panels of the chair.

Looking at the designs on this page I like the
backrests that are on the inside of the side
panels as the best as they seem to flow better
than the other ones. The ideas that I dislike the
most are the ones that are attached directly to
the back of the frame as I think these look like
the back has just been glued to the frame.

The backrest also needs to be slightly curved as
this will make the backrest more comfortable to
sit on.

For all of the reasons above I have decided that
the type of backrest that I am going to go for is
the one at the bottom right of this page as it fits
on the inside of the sides and it is also slightly
curved making it more comfortable.
CAD of Final Design
On this page I have the three orthographic views. I have took these
images for a number of reasons.

The main reason is so that I can get a really good idea of how my project
will look from every angle so I can address any problems with it before I go
on to make the full size piece.

It also helps with the proportions of the piece, from these images I think
both the look and proportions of this piece are about right. This means that
I will now go on to make this piece with the proportions that I have decided
on with this model.
I will now continue to develop certain
aspects of this piece, the main one
being the colour of Corian that I am
going to use for the seat and back piece.
I think the white Corian that in have
rendered this model in looks good
although I think it could look equally
good in a number of other pastel colours
of Corian. My favourite of the other
colours at the moment is a pastel mint
blue so it would be nice to see what this
looked like on my piece.
Forming Corian - Stats
Before I formed any of my Corian pieces I
read through the guide to bending Corian by
Willis (http://4willis.com/pdf/corian/Ch16-
ThermoformingCorian.pdf) which outlines
everything about the process from the
temperatures and times that the Corian
needs to be in the oven for shown to the
right as well as maximum curves that should
be attempted with the different sizes of
Corian.

It also tells you some helpful pointers about
any moulds that you manufacture to bend
your Corian over. As you can see from the
picture to the right it encourages users of
Corian to make a two part mould as this is
the best way to form the Corian, they also
give pointers on not having straight sides on
the edges of moulds as when the Corian
cools and shrinks it could grip onto the edge
of the mould and make it so you cant
remove the mould from the piece itself.
Corian Bending Extremes
After looking at the page of bending restrictions
of Corian I decided to do my owns tests to see
whether I could use bends tighter than the ones
specified or whether they would break or crack
my Corian if it was over bent.

So I undertook the test to the right which I
single piece of Corian that was bent around a 2
inch curve instead of the 3 inch curve specified,
I also decided to use a straight edged mould to
see if when the Corian was bent around it, it did
stick on to the mould or if I could remove it from
the mould.

As you can see from the picture to the right I
did manage to bend the heated up Corian
around the mould that I had made. I heated
the Corian for only about 30 mins not the 45
specified on the temperature sheet on the
previous slide and the Corian was still
incredibly malleable. The Corian did not crack
or split at all and it was still easy to remove the
bent piece from the mould, so I know now that
the stats on the previous page are more
guidelines than set rules you have to abide by.
Corian Practice Bending - Jig
This is the practice bending jig that I made to practice
bending the Corian to make the seat panel for my
chair. As you can see from the pictures to the right I
have made a section in the middle of the mould that
will raise up the centre portion on the seat.

This will not only make the seat more comfortable to
sit on it will also make it a much more interesting
shape to look at.

I decided on this shape from looking at a number of
pre existing chairs and the seats that they had
attached to them. This was a relatively common
design and I believe that it will work really well with
the design of my chair.

I was very unsure about how well the Corian would
bend over the sharp point that I have added to the
front of the mould.

I also wanted the shape to be one that couldnt be
achieved out of some materials by making it a
compound curve which lends itself to the Corian
material.
Corian Practice Bending Results
This is the results of bending a piece of Corian
over the bending mould that I showed you on
the previous page.

Firstly I had to heat up the Corian in a plastics
oven at 150 for around 20 mins. This makes
the Corian malleable enough to bend over the
mould that I had created.

Once I had bent the piece of Corian over the
mould you have to allow the Corian to cool
which takes around 1 hour.

As you can see from the pictures to the right this
was an incredibly successful test as the shape
has transferred really well to the piece of Corian.

I have also put a fillet on the edges of the seat
which will not only make it more comfortable to
sit on but it will also make it easier to move
around the room as there will be no sharp edges
on any parts of the chair so it wont hurt your
hands to move it.

Overall I am really pleased with how the seat
panel looks and how it feels to sit on so I will use
this seat in my final chair.
Final Corian Mould - Seat
To mould the seat for the final full scale model I used
the same mould as I had used for my test piece as it
had been so successful.

The only change that I made before I formed my seat
section for the final model was to decrease the
sharpness of the part of the mould that sticks up into
the piece of Corian. This was mainly due to the initial
test as I thought the bend in the centre was to sharp
and made the whole seat section look to angular it also
really distorted the sides of the piece so I thought that
reducing the height of the hump in the centre of the
piece would distort the sides of the piece less.

I then have a number of different pieces of wood that fit
on the top in certain places that are then clamped in
place to achieve the finished form that I require. This is
another improvement that I made after the initial
moulding as I had noticed that the quick clamps had
dug into the work in some places and I didnt want
these dents on my final piece.

These small pieces of wood worked incredibly well and
I have no bumps or deformities in my piece.
Practice Corian Mould - Backrest
This is the practice mould that I used for
bending the practice piece for the backrest
of the full size prototype of my chair.

I used this single part mould to bend a test
piece of Corian to see if I needed to make a
two part mould or whether I could just use
this single mould along with quick clamps to
bend the piece.

When I started to use this mould I quickly
realised that this mould would not be strong
enough to with stand the pressure of
bending the piece of Corian for my back
rest.

As I applied the pressure to my Corian and
the mould I could see that the mould was
bending in the middle. As I continued to
apply pressure it snapped in half and you
can see the snap on the pictures to the right
although I have glued it back together .
Once this test had failed I decided that I
needed to make a two part mould that would
be strong enough to bend my piece of
Corian.
Final Corian Mould - Backrest
This is the finished mould that I am going to use to
form my final backrest for my full size prototype.

The main change that I have made from the last
mould to this mould is to make it a two part mould
instead of it being a single sided mould as I thought
this would be a much more accurate way to bend the
pieces.

It will also ensure that the Corian will bend around
the tight corner that I want it to bend around as from
my research the Corian shouldnt really bend around
a corner that is this tight. I had to close the mould
using quick release clamps to get enough pressure to
close the mould fully.

This mould worked really well in the end and the
Corian did manage to bend around the tight corner
that I wanted the Corian to bend around, so that I
could end up with the exact shape that I required.

I had to make this mould using a router so that I
could make a gap of exactly 12mm in between the
two separate parts of the mould as this is the exact
thickness of the sheets of Corian.
How to attach the Seat
On this page I am looking at 3 ways that I could attach the seat panel to the rest of the chairs frames. I am
primarily looking at how the seat will sit in relation to the side panels.

The idea on the left sets the seat above the side panel and this would create 12mm step from one level to another
and I dont think this would look very professional. The next idea in the centre has the seat set slightly below the
side panels and again the step doesnt look very good although I think it does look better than the first idea. The
last idea on this page not only has a step from the Corian down to the frame but it is also inset a little bit. This is
the worst of the 3 ideas as you be able to see the struts that run underneath the seat in the gap down the side.
How to attach the Seat
The two ideas on this page are the better ideas of how to arrange the seat panel and the side panels of my chair.

The first arrangement on this page has the top layer of Corian overlapping all of the support and side panel of the
chair. This is a good idea as it eliminates the stepped look that the ideas on the previous page had but it will also
cover up the end grain of the ply which I see as a decorative feature.

The second idea on this page makes it so the top of the Corian runs level with the top of the side panel section, this
is achieved by placing the top of the supports 12mm lower than the top of the side panel. This is my favourite of all
the ideas as it eliminates the step as well as still showing off the plywood end grain. It is also similar to how the back
panel will be fixed on so the style will be uniform through out the piece.
How to attach the Backrest
Below are the two possible ways that I have looked at for how to attach my backrest to the side panels of my chair.
The first way to attach it is by going through the side panel from the outside and into the squirrel nut that is placed in
the outside face of the Corian backrest. The other option is to attach the seat from the inside of the side panel and
through to inside of the Corian backrest.

The way that I have decided to attach the backrest to the side panels is using the first joining method on this page to
go from the outside of the panel through to the outside of the backrest. I have chosen this method as it reflects the
method of how the seat panel will be attached and I dont want the piece to look odd by having the pieces attached in
different ways.
CorelDraw File
As explained earlier in my project CorelDraw is the software used to program the flat bed router and above is a
image of what the software looks like as well as showing the work that I have undertaken. On the screen is the
profile of the side panels and supports for my chair, this shows how you can tesalate certain shapes to fit as
much work as possible on an 2440mm x 1220mm board as possible to waste as little as you can.
Key Shot Renders for seat colour
On this page I am looking at the different colour options that I could have for the Corian sections of my chair. The first
option that is on this page has the white Corian panels, and this is an option I will definitely make as it is the easiest colour
of Corian to get hold of and will go in the most homes. The second colour option is called Mint Ice and I think it looks
really nice with the plywood side panels, I also like the third colour option on this page which is called grape green as
again I think it goes well with the plywood side panels. Both of these colours would make nice alternative panels to the
white panels. All these colour options could be sold separately for customers to buy if they wanted to.
Key Shot Renders for seat colour
Again on this page I am exploring the different colour options that I could choose for the seat and backrest panels of my
chair. The first option on this page is called Black Quartz, it is mainly black but it does have some silver speckles in the
plastic I like the look of it but it may make the chair look cheap. The second colour on this page is called Royal Red and
I really like how this colour looks with the plywood side panels and it stand out more than the pastel colours on the
previous page, the same can be said for the third colour on this page which is called Imperial Yellow. This colour option
is my favourite option on this page and I really like the colour with the plywood panels. All these colour options could be
sold separately for customers to buy if they wanted to.
Grey Scale Seat Colours
I really like the idea of having a greyscale range of panel options for my chair obviously starting with the white and
ending with the black quartz off the previous pages. The lightest colour panels on this page are the ones on the left
which are Clay coloured, the second lightest shade of grey on this page is the middle chair which is Seagrass colour.
The darkest shade of grey on this page is called Beryl Blue. I really like how this range of products look and I think
they could sell really well as they would fit into a huge range of homes because the colours are quite plain. All these
colour options could be sold separately for customers to buy if they wanted to.
Chosen Corian Colours for Prototype
On this page I am going to look at the two initial colours
of Corian that I have picked as well as why I have
decided to pick them as well as some other possible
choices for the future.

The first colour of Corian that I have decided to make a
set of seat and back panels out of is the Glacier White.
The reason for this is that white is a neutral colour that
is popular with a huge number of people and it also
goes with a huge number of other colours meaning that
this colour will appeal to a much larger amount of
people.

The other colour of Corian that I have chosen to make
a set of panels out of is Summer Sky Blue. This is a
much more style conscious colour choice than the
white. According to vogue home dcor the in colours
of this season are pastel shades of blue and teal which
is why I have chosen this colour. I would release
panels in the years trend colours as the panels of the
chair are interchangeable and could be changed by the
user once every year if desired.
Side Panel Orthographic Drawing
On this page I have the orthographic projection of the side panel of the chair that I have decided to use for my
final chair. I have decided to make this orthographic projection as it will help me with the manufacture of my full
size chair, It will also help me with the sizes and angles that will be necessary in making my CorelDraw file that
will go on to program the 3D router.

Now that I have the Solidworks file I can use the CorelDraw software to trace the images above to recreate the
chair in CorelDraw so it can be cut out on the 3 axis router.
Orthographic Drawing
On this page I have the orthographic projection of the entire chair that I have proposed to make. These drawing
will help me in a number of ways. As you can see from the pictures I have the final dimensions of my piece
written on the pictures so that I know the exact sizes of my panels when I make them. It also helps me to
visualise how the piece will look when it is fully and also work out how the different panels interact with each
other.
Exploded View
On this page is an exploded view of the four main components of the
chair. This allows me to see how these pieces interact with each
other as well as what the individual pieces should look like before
they are placed together as one fully functioning chair.

This helps me as if I have the four main components looking like this
before I assemble the chair the chair should look as I want it too
when it is fully assembled.
How the Corian seat will be finished
On this page I will look at how the edges of the Corian will be
finished to ultimately help me decide for my full size
prototype..

The first image at the top on this page shows the Corian
completely unfinished there has been no fillet or chamfer
added to the edge. Although this looks really crisp it could be
dangerous as it will leave the Corian with sharp corners and it
could also dig in to your legs when your sat down.

The second image on this page shows the Corian with a small
fillet on its edges, this combats the edges being to sharp
without taking away to much from the crisp look that I am
going for. This is the finish that I think I will go for on my final
model.

The final image on this page shows the Corian with a large
fillet on the edges. Although this would make the chair more
comfortable to sit on it would really take away from the crisp
look that I want my chair to have. This is because there would
be big gaps where the edge of the Corian meets the ply due
to the material that is taken away when a fillet is applied.
How the Corian seat will be finished
On this page are another 3 ideas that I could use in the
manufacture of my final prototype for how I will finish the
Corian.

The first idea on this page shows the Corian with a small
chamfer. This again would make the chair more
comfortable to sit on as it would eliminate the sharp
corner on the edge of the Corian but it would still look
professional as the gap would only be incredibly small.

The second image on this page shows the Corian with
large chamfers on its edges. Personally I dont like how
this looks and like the large fillet it would leave to big of a
gap where the Corian meets the plywood, and for the
gap that it would create it would not warrant how little it
would improve how comfortable the chair would be.

The last image on this page shows what they Corian
would look like with a large fillet on one side and no fillet
on the other side this still doesnt combat the large gap
that would be left because of the fillet that is along the
top edge.
How the Corian seat will be bolted to the frame
On this page I am looking at how the seat will be attached to the supports that are underneath the seat itself. As
outlined in a previous page I will be using a Squirrel nut but on this page I am looking at how the bolt will sit in
relation to the supports.

The first image shows how the bolt would look with no counter sink, I think this looks unprofessional and
unfinished as you would be able to see the bolt sticking out of the bottom of the support.

The second image on this page shows the bolt with a standard counter sync, this means the top of the bolt
would sit flush with the bottom of the support.

The third image shows the bolt with a deep counter sync, to achieve this I would use one drill bit for the shaft of
the bolt and a larger one that would accommodate the bolt head so you wouldnt be able to see any of the bolt at
all.
How the Corian seat will look from below
The drawn image to the right is a
visual representation of the
bottom of my chair will look.

As you can see from the image
you can see the supports for the
seat portion of the chair and
where the bolts will both through
the supports and bolt into the
seat panel itself.

The holes on the supports will be
counter sunk so that the whole
bolt is below the surface of the
supports. However I mustn't
counter sink the hole to deep as I
will not be able to use the alan
key to tighten up the bolts into the
respective squirrel nuts in the
underside of the Corian seat
panel.
How the supports will be attached to the frame
On this page I am going to look at some methods of
how the seat supports can attach to the CNC routed
side panels of the chair.


The top diagram shows how it would be attached if I
was to use a standard butt joint. I have shown on
this diagram the surface area which can be glued
and as you can see it is a relatively small area
although the glue is incredibly strong. I would not
use this method as it has the smallest surface area
out of all of the joining methods I am going to look at.


The next joining method would be to use a dowel
joint. This not only increases the surface area that
can be glued but it also allows you to locate where
the supports will go more accurately. Two dowels will
also ensure that the supports do not twist when I
attach them to the main body of the chair.
How the supports will be attached to the frame
On this page I am going to continue to look at some
methods of how the seat supports can attach to the
CNC routed side panels of the chair.


The top diagram shows how it would be attached if I
was to use a mortise and tenon joint. Again this
massively increases the surface area of the gluable
surface. As with the dowel joints it also allows the
supports to be located in the side panels accurately
and will stop any twist.

The bottom joining method would be to use biscuit
joints to attach the supports to the main body of the
chair . As with the previous two pages the biscuits
allow you to locate the supports accurately. This is
an incredibly strong joint as the biscuit expands when
glue is added so not only does the surface area
increase it also has extra pressure on the inside
keeping the two separate pieces in place.
Chosen Joint - Dowel
The joint that I decided that I was going to use to attach
the seat supports to the two individual side panels of
my chair would be a dowel joint.

As you can see in the picture to the right I will use two
dowel joints next to each other in my piece as this will
stop any twist of the supports, it also increases the
surface area of the joint further again making it a
stronger joint.

I am going to use 9mm dowel to make my joints as if I
use any smaller than this it will not offer the strength
that I require in my joint and if I was to use a dowel any
larger there would not be enough room on the supports
for the holes that would be needed.

I would then glue in the dowels and the surfaces of the
supports to make it an incredibly strong frame that the
two Corian pieces can securely sit on.

So in total with the three supports that sit underneath
the chair there are 12 dowels that are holding the
whole frame together which is plenty strong enough to
hold a fully grown persons weight.
Using the dowel joint
In the image to the right you can see how I have positioned to
dowels that I am using to attach the supports of my chair to
each side of the frame.

As you can see from the picture to the right I have made sure
to spread the dowels out as much as I could to maximise the
amount of weight the chair can hold by spreading the weight
out as much as possible.

I had to make sure that I was very accurate when I was drilling
the holes and inserting these dowels as I had to make sure that
the gap from the top of the support to the top of the frame was
exactly 12mm so that my Corian sat on top of the supports as I
want it too.

You can see from the picture how I had to mark up the side
panels of my wood so to ensure that my chair would all fit
together as I needed it to. I first measured out the area of the
support on the side panel and the because I made the width of
the side panel exactly 52mm the gap above the supports is
exactly 12mm as it needs to be.
How to finish the bottom of the legs
On this page I will look at how I will finish the bottom of the legs of my chair, this is a very important detail of my
chair and I must got it right to not hinder the overall look of the piece.

The first option on this page is to not round the bottom of the legs at all and keep them square. The main
advantage of this is that it maximises the amount of chair that is in contact with the floor making it a more stable
chair, although some may consider that it doesnt look as nice as some of the other options.

The second option is to put a small fillet on the bottom of the legs, this still allows a large proportion of the leg to
be flush to the floor although it would tie in more with the rest of the design of the chair.

The worst of the options on this page is the third drawing, if the feet of the chair would be completely curved on
the bottom a very little area would actually be in contact with the floor. I also think it is the worst looking of the
three options that I have put forward on this page.
Other Options Weight reduction
Another option that I have as I go on to develop the
product is to reduce the overall weight of the product by
reducing the weight of the heaviest components which
are the seat and backrest panels.

I would reduce the weight of the panels by routing out
areas of the bottom of the panel. I would have to leave
ribs of full thickness material to make sure that the
strength of the material remains, as if the structural
integrity is lost then there is no point in reducing the
weight of the panels.

Reducing the weight of the panels would have a few
benefits towards the project as a whole. One obvious
benefit is that the whole weight of the chair would be
reduced, this would mean that the chair would be easier
to move around the customers house it also means that
the shipping costs of the chair would be lower as the
amount of weight being moved would be a lot less.

The main draw back as I said earlier is that it could take
away a lot of the strength of the chair so for my initial
model I will leave the seat without any routed out areas
and experiments could be done at a later time.
Full scale drawing
I have drawn out this full scale drawing so that I can constantly check back to it and make sure that all
aspects of my chair are correct as I go through the manufacturing part of my product.
Possible Adhesive
These are the 3 adhesives that I have
looked at using to attach my Corian
squirrel nuts into the Corian panels for my
back and seat panel.

The top adhesive on this page is a
specialist Corian glue that sets with the
same qualities as the Corian itself, the
main draw back however is that it is very
expensive to buy.

The second adhesive on this page is
traditional PVA glue, the main problem
with this is it wont fill the gap around the
squirrel nut. It also wont be a very strong
fixing so it is possible the squirrel nuts
could get pulled out.

The last adhesive on this page is chalk
caulker. This is a medium between the
other two adhesives. It will be strong and
will fill the gaps and is cheaper than the
Corian glue but it wont leave the good
finish that the Corian glue will
Chosen Adhesive
The adhesive that I have chosen to use to attach my
squirrel nuts into my seat and back panels is the Corian
glacier white two part adhesive.

The main reason that I have chosen this glue over all of the
choices is that it is the best and strongest fixing for
attaching Corian to Corian hence it is the best choice for
attaching my squirrel nuts into my panels of Corian.

The main advantage of this adhesive over the others listed
on the page before is that it doesnt only act as a glue it
also acts as a filler.

This is because when the adhesive dries it has the exact
same qualities as the Corian itself. It dries as hard as the
Corian and fills the gap around the edge of the Corian.

This glue is also incredibly easy to apply to the area that
you need to use it. It comes with a nozzle that mixes the
two parts of the adhesive as it travels down to the end of
the nozzle. It then has a small hole in the end of the nozzle
allowing accurate application of the glue. Once you have
finished with the glue you can take of the nozzle and re
apply the cap to use the glue again at a later date.
Possible Finishes
On this page I am looking at the 3 possible finishes that I could use for the plywood side panels of my chair. The first
finish that I have looked at on this page is sanding sealer. This finish leaves a nice even finish on plywood and has a
number of good properties that make it very useful. The major one being the fact that it is water repellent meaning
any small spills on the wooden parts of the chair wood not damage the chair at all.

The second type of finish that I could use on the wooden parts of my chair would be a wax based product such as
the beeswax in the picture below. This would slightly darken the colour of the wood and would offer minimal
protection but it would also need to be re applied every few years as it does where off quite easily, it can also rub off
on clothes and ruin them so I dont think I will use this finish.

The third type of finish that I have listed on this page is a satin varnish. This would offer nearly as much protection
as the sanding sealer but with more of a shine to it than the sanding sealer has but it doesnt have the water
resistance which is what I think would swing the decision.
Chosen Finish
The finish that I have chosen to use on my product is a matte
sanding sealer which has many positives making it the best finish for
the job.

The first positive is that after you have applied the first layer of
sanding sealer you can sand back the sealer and it leaves your work
feeling incredibly smooth and highly finished. This process can then
be repeated a number of times as long as each time you use a
higher and higher grade sand paper until you dont need to sand off
the sealer as it is already smooth.

Another advantage of using sanding sealer as your finish is that it
makes the surface of your piece water resistant which for a table that
could have water spilled on it is very important so that it doesnt ruin
the table.

Also because it is a matte finish it does not give the cheap look that
gloss varnish can give a piece and it also keeps it looking
contemporary.

There is one negative of this finish however, as you have to spray
the pieces up before you assemble the product you have to not
spray any areas that are being glued together as the glue cant soak
into the wood when there is sanding sealer on it which means the
glue wont work as well, you can combat this by adding masking tape
to any areas you need to glue before you spray up the piece.
Financials
On this page I will look at how much this product would cost me to make in single batches and in multiple batches of
10, this will give me a good idea of the retail price that this chair would have to sell for to make a profit and how
much it would be sold for by a third party seller.
Price for one chair and one set of seat and back
panels:

1 x 8x4 sheet of 15mm birch faced ply 36

1 x 500mmx500mm Corian for seat 40

1 x 250mmx700mm Corian for backrest 28

1 x Tite bond 5

1 x Sanding Sealer 5

5 x Sandpaper 3

8 x Squirrel Nuts 15

1 x Corian Adhesive and Gun 35

Total per Chair: 167

40% Mark up by me 234
Price for ten chairs and ten set of seat and back
panels:

7 x 8x4 sheet of 15mm birch faced ply 252

1 x 500mmx500mm Corian for seat 360

1 x 250mmx700mm Corian for backrest 252

2 x Tite bond 10

10 x Sanding Sealer 30

20 x Sandpaper 12

80 x Squirrel Nuts 140

3x Corian Adhesive and 1 Gun 55

Total per Chair: 111.10

40% mark up by me 156

100% mark up by third party seller 312
Other products in the range
There are a number of other products that could develop
to make a full range of products to go alongside the chair
that I have already designed. The obvious product to
make next would be an accompanying table to go
alongside the chair, whether this be a small coffee table
that you could use it with in a living room or whether it be
a dining table that could go alongside a number of these
chairs to make a complete dining set.

To make sure that the table would match the chair there
are a number of things that I will have to keep in mind
when designing them.

The main thing would be to use the same materials or
complimenting materials to the ones that I used in the
chair (ie Plywood and Corian) this is especially important
in the dining table as they would go together to make a
dining set.

Another thing that I will have to do is continue to design in
a contemporary style and in a way that can be cut out on
the CNC router so that all products could be cut out at the
same time.
Packaging
The image to the left is an example of the
sort of information that would be written on
the side of the box telling the customer
what is in the box as well as having some
warnings on the box about the contents
inside.

As you can see from the image the box
would tell you exactly what was inside. So
it would tell you whether there was one set
of panels inside or two as well as the
colours of the panels and the number of
chairs.

It also gives you some technical
information such as the dimensions and
weight of the piece which will be
necessary for the people that would be
moving the products in the boxes as
without this information someone could
seriously injure themselves when moving
the product if they expect the product to
be lighter than it actually is.
Potential Sellers - Nest
Nest is a high quality furniture sales company that
specialise in selling mid and high range products, and this
is the sort of place I could definitely see my chairs being
sold.

The first shop was established in 2002 in Sheffield and
quickly established itself as a firm favourite with design
buyers.

Nest.co.uk now operates a highly successful website with
over 15,000 product options and will continue to work hard
to bring the very best interiors available from their
worldwide resource of furniture and lighting
manufacturers.

This would be a huge platform for my product and would
allow a huge number of people to not only see but also
purchase my product.

It would be the perfect way to access the target market
that I set out at the beginning of this project i.e. the
working and middle tier of the UK domestic market, having
a website also allows access from customers in all
domestic brackets of the market.

Potential Sellers - Heals
Heal's has been designing, making and selling quality
furniture for more than two centuries now, so it's no
surprise that they're known as 'the home of modern
and contemporary designer furniture'.

Starting out as a bed-makers in 1810, and later
embracing the ideals of the Arts and Crafts movement,
Heal's has a long history of collaborating with
prominent designers.

They're as passionate today as they've always been
about introducing new ranges, discovering stars of the
future and pushing the boundaries of outstanding
contemporary design. Heal's may be 200 years old, but
they've no intention of slowing down just yet.
Manufacturing
On this page I will outline how the product that I have
designed would be made in the real world and all the
processes that would take place to go from raw materials
to a fully functioning piece of furniture.

All of the panels for my chair from the plywood side panels
to the Corian seat and back panels would all be cut out
using a 3 axis CNC router. The main reason for using a
CNC router to cut out all the panels for my chair is so that
they are always exactly the same this is very important as
different back and seat panels may have to fit the same
frames as they are completely interchangeable. It also
allows me to pre drill all the fixing holes that I will use to
assemble my product from the holes for my Corian
squirrel nuts to fit in to the holes that will be used to fit the
supports for under the seat using the dowels as I outlined
earlier in my portfolio.

Another option for fixing my supports to the sides of the
frame would be to use domino joints. These joints would
be stronger than the dowel joint as like biscuit joints the
domino will expand in the joint wedging the two separate
pieces of the frame together. Although these joints would
have to be cut after being taken off the CNC router.
Manufacturing
Once all of the pieces have been taken off the CNC router
some of the pieces have to be laminated together to reach
the desired thickness needed to make the chair
structurally sound.

Firstly the pieces for the side panels would have to be
laminated together (to 15mm thicknesses to reach the
desired 30mm thickness) the same has to happen with the
supports that go underneath the seat panel.

Once the panels have been laminated together the next
job would be to sand the panels down to eliminate any
obvious joins between the two panels. This would more
than likely be done using a combination of disk sanders,
bobbin sanders and palm sanders to achieve the optimal
result.

The panels would then be hand sanded to a smooth finish
before they are all attached together using one of the
joining methods that I outlined on the page before. I
would also use a strong adhesive such as Titebond as
extra strength in the joints to make sure that the frame is
strong enough to hold the weight of a fully grown human
being.
Manufacturing
Now the wooden frame is finished manufacturing would
now turn towards the Corian sections of the piece.

You would first take the two panels that had been cut out
using the CNC router and place them in the oven section
of a combitherm machine that would be used to get
Corian in a malleable state. Once the Corian is malleable
enough to form it would be taken out of the oven section
of the combitherm and placed on top of the moulds in the
vacuum bag section of the machine.

The machine would then be switched on which would pull
the vacuum bag tight over the Corian and its
corresponding mould forming it in to the desired shape.
The vacuum would also help to cool the piece of Corian
cutting the waiting time to around 10 minutes and not the
hour it takes to cool without the use of a vacuum bag.

Once the Corian pieces have been taken out of the
vacuum bag they are ready to be made into the working
panels for my chair.

The first thing that would have to be done to these panels
is that they would be needed to be sanded down to make
them as smooth as the other panels of the chair.
Manufacturing
Once the panel has been sanded down you would put the
bent Corian piece on the assembled chair frame to make
sure it is going to fit as it needs to.

As long as it does fit as it needs to you would now use the
Corian adhesive to attach the Squirrel nuts into the Corian
sections of the chair. After 20 minutes when the Corian
glue has set any excess glue would need to be sanded off
although it does fill in any gaps that are around the
Squirrel nut itself.

Once this has been done a finish must be applied to the
plywood parts of the chair. The finish that would be
applied would be spray on sanding sealer using a proper
spray booth and gun.

Now that the wood has been applied with a finish the
whole chair can be assembled by bolting all of the panels
of the chair together through the frames and into the
Corian panels of the chair.

A polish can then be applied to the wooden and Corian
sections of the chair to give it all a slight shine and make
the whole piece look clean and finished.
Transporting the piece
On this page I am going to look at how much it would cost to transport my piece both flat pack and fully
made as well as how much it would cost to ship just a second set of panels. Below is a break down of how
much it will cost to send each of the three options to the 3 different sets of destinations with UPS.
UK Europe Worldwide
Flat Pack 15 50 90
Assembled 20 70 125
Corian Panels 8 24 37
Product Life Cycle
On this page I am going to look at the life cycle of my product from the designing stage right through to the
eventual disposal at the end of its life.
The design process of this product
was carried out by one designer,
who has also carried out a lot of
market research and prototyping to
make the finished product as useful
and appealing as possible.
The manufacturing has also taken
into account a number of points
that are very important in the life
cycle. Such as manufacturing it in
a way that it will last a long time by
using strong joints and materials
that should last at least 5 years.
The end of life for this product is
very interesting. You could re use
parts of it by purchasing new seat
panels for the frame or a new frame
for the seat panels. The plywood
and Corian sections can both be
recycled allowing them to be made
into new products.
Once the customer has the product it is up to
them to use it as they see fit, if they look after
the product it will continue to look and work as
it does now for a good number of years.
I have allowed for my project to be
distributed all of the world to reach
as many people as I possibly can
and make my product as
accessible as I can.
Family of Products Coffee table Ideas
The idea to the left is for any accompanying coffee table to the chair that
I have already designed in this project. This table uses 4 separate legs
with wooden supports underneath the two table surfaces to create a fully
functioning coffee table. I really like the form of this table and I think it
would go quite well with the chair that I have already made for this
project.
The idea to the right is trying to use the Corian to make a really
interesting design that is very different from other table currently on the
market. The Corian table top is formed to also create some magazine
storage underneath the table top giving the table a very unique form. It
would however be incredibly hard from my experience to create this
curve in Corian.
I think this table to the left would again go very well with the
chair that I have already made. Again I have utilised the
Corians formability by bending the piece that makes the
secondary shelf to match the curve that is cut out in the side
panels of the table. This shape would be much easier to form
than the curves in the design above.
Family of Products Coffee table
I decided to CAD render my favourite design from the previous page so I could get a better idea of how the table
would look if I was actually go ahead and make. Overall I really like the shape of this table as it is quite interesting
and I havent seen this idea be used before. I have rendered it in the same materials that my chair is currently made
out of so I could get a better idea of how they would look together. If I was to go ahead and make this product I think
that I would bend the ends of the Corian over on the table top to match the curve of the legs.
Assembling the Finished Chair
1.
2.
3.
4.
1. Is the frame with no panels in it. 2. Shows me inserting the bolts that hold on the backrest. 3.Shows me
placing the seat panel on top of the supports. 4. Shows me tightening the bolts that hold the seat panel in place.
Finished Product Pictures - Details
Finished Product Pictures Whole Piece
Product On the Nest Website
Cori Chair
280
This is an example of how my product would look on one of my potential sellers sites. I think it looks
very in place on this website and I could definitely see it going into production.
Finished Product Pictures Being Used
Project Story
Name of Designer

Nicholas Sargent

Grad Project Title

Cori Chair Constructed of usual and unusual materials.

What is the big headline theme/context for your project?

Using unusual materials on an everyday product making it customisable.

Write a short paragraph to support your headline theme/context

In this project I have designed and made an everyday project using a material that is hardly ever used in the furniture
industry and tried to turn into a material that looks totally in place with its surroundings. This material also allows me to make a
number of panels of different colours making the chair truly customisable.

Why do your think it important to do the project you chose?

I think that this is an important project to choose as not enough people today are allowed the exact product that they want
for a price that they can afford this right is usually reserved for the upper tier of the domestic market who can pay for what every
product they want.

My product allows users to have a chair that is an interesting contemporary shape but it also allows them to have any
colour of seat and backrest that Corian currently offer, meaning that everyone can have a chair that fits into their house in
whatever situation they want.
Evaluation
On these next few pages I will refer back to my
specification and see whether I abided by all of the points
that I set out at the beginning of the designing stage of
this project I will also look back on the project as a whole
and go through what I thought went well, what I thought
went badly and anything that I would have changed or
improved about my project.

Firstly I will look back at my specification points and see
which ones I stuck to and see if there was any that I
didnt.

The first point that I outlined in my specification was that
it needed to be made using a CNC router which it was
the side panels and supports were all cut out using the
CNC router and the back and seat panels would have
been as well if the queue on the router at university had
been shorter so I had to make the executive decision to
instead cut them by hand.

The second point was that the wooden components
needed to fit on the bed of the CNC router on one sheet
of material which they easily did as I was only making a
single chair.

The third point on the specification was that I needed to
use one wood based material and then one other
material, which I did by using plywood and sheet Corian
to make my chair.

The next point that I had on my list of specification
points was that I wanted my product to be customisable
in some way and it is. I have made it so that the back
and seat panels of the chair can be changed so you can
have more than one colour of seat panels for the same
chair.

The next point was that I stuck to was to only use simple
joints and knock down fittings in the manufacturing of my
chair. I did this by using simple dowel joints to attach the
supports to the two side panels of the chair. I have also
used knock down fittings i.e. Corian squirrel nuts to
attach the seat and backrest of the chair, this allows the
panels to be changed easily.

The finish that I have used on my final piece is non toxic
as I specified in my specification. I used sanding sealer
on the wooden parts of my chair and the Corian is self
finishing and non toxic as it is used to make kitchen
surfaces.
Evaluation
I also specified in my specification that I needed to
make the chair comfortable to sit on for a long period of
time but not as long as you would sit on a sofa or
settee. I think I have done this, you could comfortably
sit on my chair for an hour without aching or being
uncomfortable.

I have also made a range of other products that could
be sold alongside the Cori chair as a range of furniture
has much more sales potential than just one singular
product.

The last specification point that I made was that the
chair must be easy to transport and I believe that it is.
It could easily be sent to a customer as a flat pack chair
and assembled by the person at home or it could even
be sent as a complete chair as it isnt overly heavy or
large meaning transportation wouldnt cost that much.

I will now go on to talk about the good and bad points of
the project and anything that I would change if I were to
undertake the project again.

Firstly I will talk about the parts of the project that were
difficult and what I think went badly.

The most difficult thing about this project was bending
the Corian to the desired shape using only the
equipment that we had at the university. In a perfect
world I would have been able to use a combitherm
machine like they would in industry. Although this was
one of the hardest things that I did during this project I
am incredibly happy with the results and what I
managed to achieve out of Corian.

Another very difficult part of this project was again to do
with the Corian and this was inserting the squirrel nuts
into the bent pieces. The actual process was incredibly
easy but it was placing the squirrel nuts in the correct
place so that it lined up perfectly with the holes that
were in the frame. I had to make sure that this was
perfect if I wanted to be able to take these panels off
and replace them with other ones. Although again I am
very happy with the results of inserting the squirrel nuts
into my Corian as the whole project fits together
perfectly.
Evaluation
On this page I will now talk about the aspects of the
project that I thought went well as well as what I would
change if I was to undertake the project again.

Firstly I will talk about the parts of the project that I
believe went well, I believe the whole design process
went incredibly well and I am incredibly happy with the
shape and look of the chair that I have designed. Im
also happy with the shapes that I managed to bend out
of Corian as I was very sceptical of using a completely
new material that I new virtually nothing about.

I am also very happy with how I used the CNC router
and the pieces that I got cut out on that machine. It
would have been incredibly hard to achieve the shapes
that I needed to without the use of a CNC router without
having to attach different pieces altogether to make the
side panels of the chair.

One aspect of the chair that I would change if I was to
remake it from scratch again would be that I would
make the arms of the chair slightly shorter so that the
backrest would be a little bit further forward than it is on
the current chair. This would also allow me to make the
seat a little bit shorter which means it would cater for a
slightly larger group of people as at the moment very
short people do not find it that comfortable to sit on
compared to taller people.
Overall I am incredibly happy with the overall project from every angle whether it be the initial designing
process right through to looking at the final finished full size prototype and although there are some small
changes that I could make there is nothing major that I believe would need to be changed before this
product was to go into production.