Introduction
This Product Design project involved creating a baseball trainer set for kids.
According to anthropometric studies, the rough dimensions for length and thickness of bat, the total height of the training kit, and the material of the ball was decided.
Design Methodology:
Design for Manufacture and Design for Assembly
During the initial design phase, it was important to keep in mind the manufacturing method that would be needed to be used. I selected blow molding as it was easy and inexpensive. The three parts, the bat the base and the stand were needed to manufactured seperately and assembled together. Thus dimensional accuracy was utmost important.
Material selection was also an important consideration that would have affected not only the cost of the total toy but also the manufacturing method. Using plastic for all 3 components was the obvious choice.
Ergonomics
The total height of the set was set to an optimal limit based on the average height of children aged 6-14 in the US.
A rough 2D drawing for an estimate of shape was made. This served as the canvas for modelling the parts
The bat handle had grooves so as to enable perfect fit in the hands. It also served as the grip on the handle.
The vibrant and attractive colors go easy on the eye and themselves help in lucrative packaging.
The NC State vinyls attract all the NC State fans and families.
Innovation
Apart from it being just a baseball toy set, I wanted to be used also as a minigolf set.
I decided that the base would have hole type structure at its front side that would enable its use a minigolf target.
The green stand would double up as a gold club at the lower end. The lower end would fit into the base and get twisted so as to enable perfectly assembly for a baseball stand.
This basic shape was used as the canvas for modelling the stick/stand for the trainer set.
The base of the trainer kit had to be modified accordingly to accommodate the the golf club cum stand and the target for the mini golf game.
PUSHKAR KOLHATKAR 