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Industrial design portfolio tips & application advice
We see that some talented students have trouble presenting themselves and their work. Therefore we created this post to share our tips and preferences. We hope that this information will help you to get accepted into our studio. (or somewhere else… 😉
PhoneCam
As an internal project and startup, SLIMDESIGN developed PhoneCam from idea to market. The idea arose when the son of founder Wouter was robbed in a park. Without evidence, the case was dismissed. The need for a bodycamera that is more affordable is clearly present.
XIM Nutrition System
Fully Automatic Protein MixerXIM is looking to revolutionize the way people perceive and consume powder-based nutrition. Rather than using a clumpsy shaker bottle, which produces subpar drink blends, the vision of XIM is seamless nutrition-as-a-service.Working...
How to design a camera: A guide in selecting components in camera design
We often get asked what the development of consumer electronics entails. To give an insight into this, we have taken the development of a camera as an example to show the different steps and expertise needed. In this article, we will give a summary of all decisions...
Radar Level Sensor
As a high-tech startup Staal Instruments was looking for a mechanical Design Agency to support them with the development of an industrial, durable and smart enclosure for their Cloud Level Radar sensors. They found out that working with professionals is faster, more efficient and with less headaches. Now they can focus on all their other technological and commercial challenges of developing and selling high-tech products internationally.
How to create product design guidelines for your brand guide
The goal for creating product design guidelines for your brand guide is creating a cohesive brand language for your complete product portfolio. We’ve selected the top elements your brand guide should have.
The value of product design in branding, and why you should be doing it different
Translating your core brand value into understandable product design features should be the main focus of you and your company. And we see a lot of companies where the product is an afterthought in their (re-) branding process, or worse, not even mentioned. But if you had to explain why you love a certain brand, where would you start? You would start with the product.
5 Tools to design a better User Experience in a connected world
More and more consumer electronics are becoming connected. To prevent your end user from getting lost somewhere in between the intangible digital world and your physical product, it is important to apply an overarching user experience (UX) perspective. A quick look into my world as a User Experience & Product Designer at SLIMDESIGN and some of the tools that we like to use!
Congratulations to our friends at Rocean!
We want to congratulate our friends at Rocean on joining the Pentair Family. It is great to be a part of this journey together with you. Another step towards reducing the amount of single-use plastic bottles worldwide. Keep up the good work, Keep on innovating and keep on being the future of water.
Dutch Police selects Zepcam bodycams
Zepcam’s cameras have proven to be user friendly, robust and trustworthy, amongst many other positive things.
Product Design Companies (and interesting design books about them)
We selected a range of product design companies that we admire and give us inspiration. They pushed the boundaries, changed markets, and enlightened the world with their products. We have been lucky to be able to work for several of them.
Feasibility Study, to kickstart your product development project
Kickstart your project and analyze all the important aspects. Within two weeks we create all the insights needed to make well well-informed decisions (and start-ups can use the information to create a convincing business plan or pitch deck).
How to write an effective design brief for your project
The design brief is the foundation of any project. A good design brief saves development time, mitigates risk, and reduces costs. It clarifies the requirements, roadmap, and goals of your project and is beneficial for communication between your design agency and manufacturers/suppliers.
Kickstarter Tips & Advice
For small start-ups and entrepreneurs bringing a product to market can be a daunting and complicated endeavor, but it doesn’t need to be. Here we give tips and advice.
How to bring your new product to market
Not all our clients know that there are several different ways to develop your product and bring it to market. In the majority of cases, there are already similar products on the market. If the manufacturer is located in Asia, they are often happy to produce a...
Intellectual Property: The Full Guide
Many clients struggle with the question of what they need to do in order to protect intellectual property (IP). To provide some useful insights, we have created this article, including tips, links, and example documents. Disclaimer:Intellectual Property legislation is...
Visit Qingdao
For a project for Haier, 2 members of our design team visited Qingdao, China.They conducted interviews with modern Chinese mothers. The goal was to gain an understanding of the positives and negatives associated with the product category and the cultural...
Pros and Cons Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding a Hardware Product High potential. High risk. Execution determines everything. Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter and Indiegogo have made it easier than ever to launch new products.You can raise capital, validate demand, and build momentum before...
New ballpoint pen design for Monami
New ballpoint pen design for Monami Monami has a long-lasting history as Korea’s leading manufacturer of stationery products and office supplies. Their basic ballpoint pen, named ‘153’ has continuously been on sale since 1963, with over 3.3 billion units sold. This...
Circa Smart Alarm Clock funded on Kickstarter
Circa funded on Kickstarter We are pleased to inform you that Circa smart alarm clock has recently raised €117,056 on Kickstarter. To make this project a reality, SLIMDESIGN is engineering the project for production. Please visit the Circa Project on our website for...
Dutch Design Week
It was a cloudy day in Eindhoven, but the designs were bright and full of energy. There were lots of interesting designs on display, from professional design studios and large companies to students' work. One unifying theme was how many optimistic concepts were...
Reviving revolution in washing
At IFA we saw that Samsung is reviving the counter-rotation action Dyson developed 18 years ago. It was taken out of production after 3 years because it was expensive and used industrially, leading to extensive wear. Great to see that Samsung also believes this is the...
20x Event
We had a great discussion at the Association of Dutch Designers (BNO) for the 20X Event about the future of Industrial Design. One of the discussions was about globalisation; Is the difference in product design languages becoming smaller? Does it change because the...
Panasonic Nubo Cam winner in consumer test!
Panasonic Nubo Cam winner in consumer test! Panasonic Nubo Cam winner in consumer test by Smarthome Magazine. They compared seven IP cameras and the one that scored the best was the Nubo Cam, designed by SLIMDESIGN. They appreciated the excellent images, extended...
Zepcam Camera
Introduction New Zepcam T2 body camera designed by SLIMDESIGN At the Enforced Tac security expo in Germany, Zepcam introduced their new Zepcam T2 body camera. With this Rec-only model, Zepcam continues to expand their range for the body-worn camera market. Together...
3D Human Models
SLIMDESIGN created the 3D Human Models to validate designs at an early stage of the development process. We make the tool available for other developers through the 3D Human Model website. Beside Solid Works, we also have the other main Cad software available (.x_t/...
Design workshop Fujitsu
Fujitsu Japan selected SLIMDESIGN to help develop a new range of products. We had a great time working with the designers of Fujitsu.
Baby Monitor
In a longlasting partnership, we successfully implemented the design language into a wide range of products and supported their product development and implementation.
Nike
We optimized the overall usability and logistics through a reduction in volume (frame and fabric backing), improved handling (dedicated flight cases), reduced set-up time (tool-less assembly), and increased flexibility (integrated graphics).
The first version was very successful (a 1 km wall was produced and used over a period of 7 years). When Nike changed its store identity, Nike commissioned us to upgrade the system to fit the new store design.
Police Body Cam
The result of the body camera development is a rugged, compact and lightweight camera that is capable of filming day and night. It enables individuals, for instance working in law enforcement or the public transport industry, to record important events. The product is now used worldwide by multiple organizations such as for example the Dutch national police.
Dyson
Founder Wouter Konings was involved in the development of the third Dyson vacuum cleaner and the Dyson washing machine. Dyson is technology-driven and approaches and employs an integral development method wherein one team of design engineers develops a product from start to finish.
Bike Tracker
Our tracker is encapsulated inside the aluminum seat post tube and offers up to 10 years of autonomy. This is achieved by reducing the number of location update intervals and using the movement of the bicycle as the update trigger. The system uses an app to notify users of their bike’s location.
Haier
For this project, we did extensive user research in China. Through this research, we explored the use-cases, pains and gains, and possible opportunities. The unique insights were the bases of the product design.
4G Security Camera
With our help Panasonic was the first to launch a 4G security camera. They were very pleased with the final design. The product launch was a big success, and SLIMDESIGN was asked to develop the camera further and to support the production.
Rocean
Rocean’s aim, to free your water from single-use plastic by using water from the home tap for consumption in all possible forms; created a multitude of challenges to incorporate in a range of consumer products. We focussed on bringing water and other drinks to the user’s home in the most convenient and sustainable way.
Bravilor
Over the years, we have built a strong relationship with Bravilor. We have supported them in the development and implementation of several new high end consumer products.
Philishave
Wouter Konings was asked to lead a team of engineers with the task to reduce the production costs of the low-end shaver without sacrificing quality.
SLIMTIME
SLIMTIME is a minimalist clock that embodies many of our design values.
Circa
The Circa alarm clock uses a breathing assistant and soothing sounds to help you fall asleep. The included sleep sensor placed under your mattress helps you wake up at just the right moment.
Train & Track
Train & Track is a reliable and maintenance-free tracking solution that can educate children about a variety of dangers in and out side of the house. A soft fabric strap wraps around the child’s wrist making it comfortable for the child.
Mixed Reality Tools
Tools were essential to the development of humans. Augmented reality is no exception to this. We believe that current hand gestures and controllers are not ideal in the work environment.
Roccat
For Roccat we designed a concept for a gaming mouse that reflects ergonomics, great gaming experience and fits the Roccat product-line.
Smart Doorbell
The smart doorbell design enables users to connect their doorbell to their phone. This project is a good example of how we introduce a lean start-up approach in established companies.
Monami Pen
South Korean stationery products manufacturer Monami commissioned us to conduct innovation strategy research on their ballpoint pens.
Switch Pen
We developed a pen with a smooth and addictive magnetic clicking mechanism to enhance the writing experience.
Fujitsu
Fujitsu’s wanted a clear project vision for their laptop. They were looking for opportunities to add value in terms of new features, design aesthetic and engineering solutions.
Bagtag
BAGTAG’s luggage tag required a long-lasting battery and the ability to mount to a variety of bag types. It also had to be compatible with airport scan systems and withstand heavy impacts during loading.
MSI 360 Camera
MSI, a leading computer hardware company from Taiwan asked us to support their development of a 360 camera. It required close cooperation with their electronic, software, and mechanical engineering departments.
360 Conference Camera
Startup Prometheus wanted to validate their idea, raise money from investors, and possibly attract interests through exhibiting on fairs. We were asked to support them with their investor pitch deck and maximize the outcome on their limited budget.
Panasonic Nominated
Panasonic is nominated twice for the GSMA Global World Awards. The ceremony will take place during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Anniversary Party
We celebrated our anniversary! We now have almost 50 years of combined experience in design & development. It was an amazing night and thank you all for the great support and money that we donated to Nepal.
G+J Family Consumer Award
Angelcare’s new baby monitor has won the G+J | Family Consumer Award. The award was initiated and held for the first time by Gruner + Jahr in association with the Kind + Jugend trade fair. 40 Products were nominated in 4 categories by the editorial department...
3DHUMANMODEL @ Stedelijk Museum
3D Human Model will show at the SUPERMODELS exhibition, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. The exhibition consists of a survey in miniature of multiple Dutch Designs, ranging from interior and furniture design to architecture. Maarten Olden, product and furniture designer,...
Red Dot Award
We are happy to let you know that we have won the red dot design award. The prize has established itself worldwide as one of the most sought-after quality marks for excellent design. K&K convinced the 40-member expert panel for the Red Dot Award: Product Design...
iF Design Award
We have been awarded with the iF design award! It is among the largest and most important international design awards: the iF label is a seal of quality known all over the world.
Partnership with TU Delft
We created an anthropomorphic design & development tool in collaboration with the Delft University of Technology Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering: the 3D Human model. A free student version, based in DINED data, will soon be available on the TU Delft...
Good Design Award
We are proud to announce that the Angelcare baby monitor AC1200 has been awarded the prestigious Good Design Award! It is a video monitor that connects to your smartphone and is a perfect example of an ‘internet of things’ product. Good Design Award.
Successful pilot in Orlando
The New Event Merchandising System 02 (NEMS 02) pilot was a big success during the annual Nike sales meeting in Orlando. With some minor adjustments, we can start the full production in China.
Innovation Award Nomination
We are proud to announce our nomination for the Kind + Jugend Innovation Award for the Angelcare IP Baby Monitor.
Cooperation with MSI
MSI (computer manufacturer from Taiwan) has asked us to develop a new range of products. We are happy with this new cooperation and look forward to working together!
Nike Pitch
We have won the international pitch for Nike Retail System. For the second time! We are contracted to design and produce the new retail system. For more information see our first model NEMS I.