Case Study Quadnet Fire Detection System Rafiki Protection Ltd

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Case Study gt Quadnet Fire Detection SystemRafiki
Protection Ltd
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet CONTENTS gt

• gt INTRODUCTION
• gt BRIEF
• gt DESIGN PROCESS
• gt MARKET RESEARCH
• gt MOOD BOARDS
• gt ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
• gt IDEA SESSIONS
• gt CONCEPT DESIGN
• gt CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
• gt DETAIL DESIGN - CAD
• gt FIRST MOLDINGS
• gt GRAPHIC DESIGN BRANDING
• gt MOULDING MODIFICATIONS
• gt FINAL PRODUCT

This case study outlines the process of
developing the Rafiki - Quadnet fire detection
system, from the initial idea through to final
production and launch.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet INTRODUCTION gt
ABOUT RAFIKI
Rafiki Protection Limited
Rafiki was formed in 1994 and operates from an
11,000 sq. ft industrial manufacturing facility
in South Wales. The company designs and
manufactures what it describes as intelligent
fire detection systems for commercial and public
buildings. Each system comprises of many
individual fire detectors all controlled and
monitored by a single central user interface
panel. The company's success to date has been
based on a strategy of innovative product
development. To further develop previous product
innovations Rafiki wanted to develop a system,
that would provide protection to very large new
buildings such as schools, hospitals and even
skyscrapers. Such a system may include up to
50,000 individual fire detectors.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet BRIEF gt QUADNET -
FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM

• gt The system is to be aimed at larger office,
  retail and hotel buildings
• gt It should have major technological advantages
  over competitor products
• gt The main user interface / control panel could
  be a central hub for
• between 200 to 50,000 individual fire
  detectors
• gt The system will be distributed through
  specialist suppliers and installation companies
• gt Architects and contractors should want to
  choose it over other
• large systems
• gt It should be capable of being mounted into a
  wall or simply or surface mounted
• gtThere will be two stages of installation Stage
  one by an electrical
• contractor fitting the control panel and
  cabling, stage two by a
• specialist fire engineer positioning the
  individual fire detectors
• gt The system should be easy to service and
  maintain

The brief highlights the main design parameters
that needed to be addressed whilst developing the
product.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet DESIGN PROCESS gt
QUADNET

• gt INFORMATION COLLATION AND CONCEPT GENERATION
• gt CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
• gt COMPONENT DEVELOPMENT ENGINEERING
• gt PROTOTYPE, TESTING AND VALIDATION
• gt DETAIL DESIGN
• gt GRAPHIC DESIGN AND BRANDING
• gt PRODUCTION IMPLEMENTATION

The design process for the Quadnet control
panel had seven distinct steps.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet MARKET RESEARCH gt
Competitors systems

• Information about competitor products was
  gathered and assessed in relation to the brief
  for Quadnet.
• Through discussion the following strengths and
  weaknesses were identified
• gt All had poor user interfaces
• gt Most of the competitors were visually very
  similar
• gt Most had little aesthetic appeal and this would
  seem to encourage the control panel
  being hidden from public view
• gtMost systems could compete on price and ease of
  installation maintenance
• gt The main specifiers / buyers of the product
  (architects) were generally not interested or
  embarrassed by the current competitor offerings

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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet MARKET RESEARCH gt
Competitors systems
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet MOOD BOARDS gt
Look and feel
Mood boards aims to capture the visual values
that the final product might aspire to
achieve. Presenting and, more importantly,
discussing the visual qualities that will appeal
to the customer helps to build a common view of
the styling objectives between the designer and
client. The mood of a product is the sentiment,
feeling or emotion which the product provokes
when first seen - for example, soft and
comforting, hard and rugged, business like or
frivolous. Styling queues were taken from the
products, images and lifestyles that architects
and the customers / users of the target
buildings would purchase or aspire to purchase.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet MOOD BOARDS gt
Look and feel
Products and details that provide further clues
for the potential look and feel of the new
design.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet ENVIRONMENTAL
ANALYSIS gt
External images
The mood boards were extended to include images
and information about the kind of prestige
buildings and developments where the product
would be used.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet ENVIRONMENTAL
ANALYSIS gt
Internal images
Images showing the type of internal environment
within which the new product will have to
function. The visual appeal of the product will
have to match the level of quality, finish and
attention to detail demonstrated in such
environments.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet IDEAS SESSIONS gt
Thorough exploration of ideas
Semi-structured and creative group activities
were used to come up with new ideas for
innovation and improvement. Members of the
group were encouraged to put forward as many
ideas as possible (in written form on note paper)
that could address the issues raised in the
design brief. Although most ideas might be
rejected, working as a team for short periods
can encourage individuals to generate many more
ideas than if they were working alone.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet IDEAS SESSIONS gt
Idea sessions explained
The three rules for a successful idea sessions
are 1 Participants should be encouraged to come
up with as many ideas as possible, however wild
they might be (there are no bad ideas). 2 No
judgment should be passed on any idea until the
end of the session (whether negative or
positive). 3 Participants should be encouraged
to build on each others ideas, creating unlikely
combinations and taking each one in unexpected
directions.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet IDEAS SESSIONS gt
Idea session tips

• Some additional tips for a idea sessions are
• gt Use an experienced (external?) facilitator
• gt Identify a precise topic to be discussed
• gt No more than 8-10 people in one session, if
  there are more participants split up the group
  and report back to each other afterwards
• gt Make sure someone writes everything down
• gt Evaluate the ideas in 2 steps
• A. Define a range of assessment criteria such as
  cost, time to market, availability of
  technology etc
• B. Score the results on the criteria to find the
  strongest ideas

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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet CONCEPT DESIGN gt
Initial concept designs for the control panel
were hand drawn but produced using a sketching
tablet linked to the computer. Producing the
concepts on the screen allows work to be easily
saved, changed and the use of various rendering
tools.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet CONCEPT DESIGN gt
Initial concept designs were produced for the
control panel, examining a wide variety of
colours, forms and textures. This hand drawn
sketch shows a wall mounted concept with a hidden
user interface.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet CONCEPT DESIGN gt
An initial visual concept produced with a CAD
package. Such images are only visual and do not
include information about product size, function
or the individual components. Using CAD at this
stage allows the designer to easily explore many
variations of colour and proportion. This
concept shows a long wall mounted control panel
with a hidden user interface.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet CONCEPT DESIGN gt
An initial CAD generated visual concept. A wall
mounted concept with hidden user interface
visible through a flush window.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet CONCEPT DESIGN gt
A hand drawn sketch with annotation for
discussion with the client company. A floor
mounted concept with hidden user interface.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet CONCEPT DESIGN gt
An initial CAD generated visual concept. Floor
mounted unit with exposed user interface.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet CONCEPT DESIGN gt
A hand drawn sketch with annotation for
discussion with the client company. A wall
mounted concept with hidden user interface.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet CONCEPT DESIGN gt
A hand drawn sketch with annotation for
discussion with the client company. A wall
mounted concept with hidden user interface.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet CONCEPT DESIGN gt
An initial CAD generated visual concept. Wall
mounted with flush but exposed user interface.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet CONCEPT DESIGN gt
An initial CAD generated visual concept. Wall
mounted with flush but exposed user interface.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
gt
Using the hand drawn sketches and CAD generated
concepts for discussion a direction for further
development was now identified. The selected
concept was for a wall-mounted control panel with
a sophisticated flush-fronted appearance. The
user interface was to be hidden behind a
translucent or transparent door. Here the visual
design and technical specification were developed
and clarified and some of the basic key
engineering hurdles addressed at a conceptual
level. The decisions that have been agreed at
the conclusion of this stage will confirm the
majority of downstream costs. Although detailed
information about individual components will not
have been available, experience from previous
projects will have been used to estimate costs in
order to help the discussions and final decision.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
gt
The visual design and technical specification are
now developed and clarified in more detail. A
key document at the end of this stage is a
complete product design specification and
objectives. The specification will have to be
agreed between the designers and Rafiki as all
subsequent development will be assessed against
this document.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
gt
A CAD image showing the chosen wall-mounted
option with black panelling and translucent cover
over the user interface.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
gt
A CAD image showing the chosen wall-mounted
option with stainless steel panelling and
translucent cover over the user interface.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
gt
A CAD image showing the chosen wall-mounted
option with wood panelling and translucent cover
over the user interface.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet DETAIL DESIGN - CAD
gt
Once the visual design had been decided the
detail design of each component can begin. This
will use 3D CAD modelling, physical models, test
rigs and mock ups as necessary.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet DETAIL DESIGN - CAD
gt
A 3D CAD image showing the chosen wall-mounted
option.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet DETAIL DESIGN - CAD
gt
These images are detailed 3D CAD images of the
locking mechanism of the chosen design.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet DETAIL DESIGN - CAD
gt
This is a 3D CAD image of the front control panel
moulding. This view shows the simplistic outer
form and demonstrates the feature laden
requirements for mounting of locks, PCBs,
display panel and keymats.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet DETAIL DESIGN - CAD
gt
This is a computer simulation of the injection
moulding process to verify that the design is
producible before investing thousands of pounds
in injection moulding tooling. At the conclusion
of this stage the design activity is frozen and
the tools and production implementation started.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet PROTOTYPE gt
Demonstration model
A one off prototype was produced from printed
paper and acrylic sheets.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet PROTOTYPE gt
Rapid prototype
Rapid prototypes were used to verify the design
before tooling orders were placed. This ensured
the client could visualise the design intent and
ensured no errors were made.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet FIRST MOULDINGS gt
Concept 1.
The first moldings were produced from the
detailed CAD designs. Tools were made and
mouldings produced in India. Essential stage in
any product development to ensure the design
intent and required quality and functionality
maintained. Manufacturing implementation through
prototype and pre-production builds where many
projects founder and run up unnecessary delay and
expense.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet MOULDINGS
MODIFICATIONS gt
Modification to cavity core positions
Modification to cavity core positions
Modification to core position
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet GRAPHIC DESIGN
BRANDING gt
Initial sketches that led to the first branding
design concept.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet GRAPHIC DESIGN
BRANDING gt
Concept 1.
First branding design concepts. gt The logo shape
is a modified letter Q. gt The colours of the
logo - red and grey, are used to complement the
deep black finish of the system. gt The
typography is strong, solid and contemporary. gt
The main element of the graphic design material
is the use of the strong black silhouette of the
system, used in an extreme angle of perspective.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet GRAPHIC DESIGN
BRANDING gt
Concept 2.
Sketches that led to the second branding design
concept.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet GRAPHIC DESIGN
BRANDING gt
Concept 2.
Second branding design concepts. gt The logo
shape is influenced by the double square panels
of the system, complemented by a modern but
simple typeface. gt The main elements of the
graphic design is the use of large bright images
of the system, and the use of a rigid grid
layout, both were carried through to the final
design material.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet GRAPHIC DESIGN
BRANDING gt
Concept 3.
Sketches that led to the third branding design
concept.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet GRAPHIC DESIGN
BRANDING gt
Concept 3.

• Third branding design concepts that lead to the
  final logo choice.
• gt The logo uses a very contemporary typeface, the
  red and black is very powerful.
• gt The logo complements the futuristic visual
  style of the system and was easily developed
  into the final version of the logo.
• gt The large blocks of red were felt to be too
  overpowering, but the image treatment and
  strong grid structure of the second concept was
  utilised in the final version.

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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet GRAPHIC DESIGN
BRANDING gt
Final brand designs
The final logo evolved from the third concept. gt
The grid structure and image treatment from the
second concept was developed into the final
version. gt The final logo, page layout and image
treatment were combined to produce the finished
visual communication style for the Quadnet
system.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet FINAL PRODUCT gt
Final product
External view of the Quadnet System Control Panel
displayed at the product launch.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet FINAL PRODUCT gt
Final product
An internal view of the assembly.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet FINAL PRODUCT gt
Final product
One of the alternative finish options.
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Case Study gt Rafiki - Quadnet FINAL PRODUCT gt
Final product
The final product in-situ.
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Case Study gt Quadnet Fire Detection SystemRafiki
Protection Ltd