Koi

An reciprocating saw with focus on ergonomics
Timeline | 5 weeks, autumn 2019
Tools | Photoshop, clay and Rhino
Background |  This project focus on merging mechanical and organic shapes to develop a ergonomic reciprocating saw for the professional worker.
Problem statement

How might we connect mechanic and organic, with a focus on ergonomics?  

Project goal

The goal was to create a saw for the semiprofessional worker, that would fit different hand shapes and would be comfortable to use for a longer period of time. I wanted to explore the grip areas and include as many grip variations as possible, to make the design democratic.

Process
Ergonomics
Clay
2D too 3D
Testing
I tested tree different models of the saw; HILTI, Rex and DeWalt

The key insights was that most of the weight lies on the left hand in my case, the machines vibrates a lot during the use, the HILTI model offered greater variations in grip and the placing of the engine was good.
Taking apart

I stared by understanding the inside of the reciprocating saw, where the battery should be places for weight destruction and if the motor could be replaced.

Persona

Ergonomics has been the main focus during this project; therefore I wanted my target group to be younger professional workers, who would use the reciprocating saw for a longer period of time. The target group is new at work and in need of a more ergonomic tool that will help them during the day.

Sketches
Claymodel
Challenges
It was challenging understanding how something done in 2D with pen and paper would look like in 3D. It help when I scaled up the sketches to 1:1 size, then I could se how big or small the handle was compared to the main body.

Result

Koi is a reciprocating saw design for better ergonomics with different grip variations. Making it easier for the worker to work without pain during longer time.  It’s CMF makes it stand out on the market and the placement of the batterie and motor makes the weight distribution even for the body. Also the front grip is much wider to include as many grip variations as possible. Koi, connecting mechanic and organic with a focus on ergonomic.