Social Colours
Social Colours from Tom Lever
Social Colours

The second part of the ‘Movable Feast” project involved swapping projects with someone else on the course, and the detailing and preparing for manufacture of their concept.

I received ‘Social Colours’ a design which aims to make business buffets easier by providing a system of components which serve, and accommodate the eating of, buffet food. The product also aims to smooth out the networking process by using the color of the plate as a signifier of business area.

In the course of this project, I refined the product to allow for a wide variety of foods including wet foods, and allow for the possibility of different sizes of ‘pod’.

I made successive prototypes of the device, in various materials, in order to define the correct human factors, and to get a better visual appearance.

I also did research and implemented a well-constrained CAD model, including features for Injection Moulding such as ribs, consistent thicknesses, and smooth shape transitions.

The design was passed over as a CAD prototype and a Cardboard model, which I tested for it's suitability.
Full PDF of development process, expand to view.
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My initial cardboard models looked to refine the shape and size of the product and to test new pod implementation techniques. The final plastic prototype allowed for testing on real food and in real situations.
The CAD model has a good level of definition, I researched some key points about designing for injection moulding manufacture.
A full series of 2D cad drawings were made to define the product as fully as possible for manufacture. Expand to view full PDF of all drawings.
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The improvements I made to this concept include separation of the food and drink areas, lessening constraints on pod use and allowing for the use of wet food, with or without pods. I also now provide the option for more sober colours so the device can be used in a wider range of settings
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Social Colours

The second part of the ‘Movable Feast” project involved swapping projects with someone else on the course, and the detailing and preparing for manufacture of their concept.

I received ‘Social Colours’ a design which aims to make business buffets easier by providing a system of components which serve, and accommodate the eating of, buffet food. The product also aims to smooth out the networking process by using the color of the plate as a signifier of business area.

In the course of this project, I refined the product to allow for a wide variety of foods including wet foods, and allow for the possibility of different sizes of ‘pod’.

I made successive prototypes of the device, in various materials, in order to define the correct human factors, and to get a better visual appearance.

I also did research and implemented a well-constrained CAD model, including features for Injection Moulding such as ribs, consistent thicknesses, and smooth shape transitions.

Tom Lever
Product Design Engineering MEng Student Glasgow, United Kingdom