Taurus Carrier (2018)
After a grocery store visit, carrying multiple bags home and to-and-from the car can be painful and cumbersome. The goal of this project was to design a handle that would provide ample surface area for carrying multiple plastic bags and free up a hand.
From a topological design space to an injection-moldable production-ready design, this project workflow was an exercise in utilizing topological optimization to accelerate and inform the structural engineering phase of product development.
Design Process
Optimization Studies
After determining the ergonomics and size of the handle hole and hook profile, I ran a several topological optimization design studies to generate carrier forms. The generative forms were created based on fixed max. hook load while varying material volume.
Generative v.1 Design
(Top) Optimized carrier geometry, (Bottom) topological design space. This design utilizes the least amount of material without compromising performance.
V.1 Prototype
A PLA prototype of the optimized bag carrier geometry was created in order to perform physical load testing and confirm the FEA simulation results.
Load Testing
Performing a 60 lb. load test to confirm FEA and safety factor. Several load tests were performed thereafter until failure occured.
Design Iterations
Landmark stages of the Taurus Carrier design, from a topological design space (0) to an injection-moldable production design (A).
Production Design
Two-tone render of the v.3 bag carrier revealing surface drafts and parting lines for part moldability. As a design exercise, I translated the geometry of the v.2 generative design into a design that could be injection molded for mass production.
3-D Printed Models
Taurus Carrier 3D-printed development prototypes. V.1 generative design (Bottom), v.2 generative design (Middle), injection-moldable design (Top).
Production Prototype
3D-printed PLA prototype of the v.1 injection-moldable design. Production tooling would require a side actions for the holes on either side of the hook - these features could be filled to create a straight-pull design and reduce tool complexity.
Final Use Case
Putting the carrier to use while carrying groceries in from the car. Future considerations would involve a more compact carrier design that could fit into your pocket and a more enclosed hook profile that would prevent the bags from sliding off when placed down.