KARIM LAWSON-WILLIAMS

D.T PRODUCT
DESIGN
 Design Brief
ALESSI TOOTHBRUSH;
The toothbrush is an oral hygiene instrument used to clean the teeth and gums primarily. However when you add a Alessi
spark to them it becomes something different and greater.
To successfully make any toothbrush you need to complete the 8 golden rules ACCESS FM, which is the basis for all
products.

DESIGN BRIEF:
You are too:

Investigate:
Different styles and design of Alessi products.
Gather sufficient anthropometric & ergonomic data on toothbrushes for the general Alessi product market.
Investigate blow moulding process to confirm that product is viable to create a final design.
Meet the ACCESS FM criteria
Combine this information into a product design specification

Development :
create a range of viable ideas with annotation
Take one of these designs into manufactor

Manufacturing:
create foam and block model of product
Take pictures and document progress

Evaluation
Complete evaluation of the model
 My

ALESSI
inspiration
for my
toothbrush,
the mouth of
the volcano
Alessi is a kitchen utensil
can be used
company from Italy. They design
as a holder
and innovate everyday items
from plastic and stainless steel.
Furthermore by adding a little
spunk to there ideas everyday
house hold products become
more user friendly.
The originality and
spontaneous genius
of some Alessi
products can be
compared to even the
likes or Da Vinci. As
his technological
prowess far
exceeded his time.
 Analysis of Toothbrushes
ANTHROPOMETRICS Ergonomics
The anthropometrics of toothbrushes A lot of time and effort goes into making a
mainly focuses on simple toothbrush they need to analysis the
the hand and how it curves and hands of the general population (50th
matches the form of the customers percentile). Designed for comfortable brushing
hand. Soft, multi-level bristles
for example many toothbrushes Curved bristles fit the contours of your teeth
feature finger grips, these grips are End-rounded, polished bristles protect enamel
modelled after the 50th percentile of and gums
people. Or on the front of the Small head cleans hard-to-reach places
toothbrush there can be a slight curve effectively
where the thumb rest. Ergonomic handle design
Non-slip rubber grip keeps the brush snug in
The bristles, which are usually your hand for better control
made of nylon, are positioned
into the core of the handle
automatically. The bristles are
then stapled into the core with
tiny metal staples.

The manufacturer
creates different brush
heads for varying effects
on the customers, i.e.
To make a modern
electric brushes can be
day toothbrush, every
made specifically for
The end of the brush inch of the consumers
people with arthritis.
Finger grips are design curves around the users hand (50th percentile) .
for the 50th percentile. fingers for extra grip.
Practical evidence I then moved to
jelutong wood
model.

I roughly traced Using various tools

out the a cut the
toothbrush from Styrofoam model
my design I regularly
ideas. out. checked that my
Feedback: the model met my
I ergonomically toothbrush head measurements.
based my is too big.
measurements The ergonomics
on the 50th are good, i.e the
percentile. finger grips. I created he
finger grips
with a
circular file.
I sanded down all
the imperfections
with very fine sand
paper. I made the
Styrofoam model
volcano holder.

I also cut out a

I made the hole, little thumb grip
by using a 10 for extra
mm drill bit. comfort and
grip.
 Making Alessi
toothbrushes
Moulding the handles
1 Plastic is mixed and shaped into pellets. The pellets are
then placed in an injection moulding machine, which heats the
Injection process has 6 main
processes.

plastic until it is melted. A rotating screw or plunger forces the

liquid plastic into the handle moulds. The moulds form the
entire handle, including the small holes, called cores, into
which the bristles are inserted. The moulds are securely
clamped, and pressure is applied to the moulds while the
plastic cools. Once the moulds have adequately cooled, the
clamps are removed, and small pins push the handles out of
the moulds.
The filling machine
2 The bristles, which are usually made of nylon, are Trimming the bristles
positioned into the core of the handle automatically. The 3 Next, the toothbrush passes through a trimming
bristles are then stapled into the core with tiny metal staples. machine which slices the bristles to the correct
length and shape for the particular design.
The Finish
Packaging the toothbrushes
product has two
4 The toothbrushes are packaged into cardboard
layers of injection
and/or plastic containers. Labels are attached to
moulding, the
the package, providing product information such
clear & the green
as bristle hardness, as well as recommendations
layer
for usage. If the brand is approved by the
American Dental Association, the Seal of
Acceptance is also stamped on the container.
5 Finally, the packaged toothbrushes are bundled
into larger shipping boxes or crates and
transported to distributors.

My product would follow the

Aluminium same process, in two stages
plastic for the main body, and
toothbrush
rubber for the finger grips.
mould
Design ideas
My first design idea is based on
a volcano as a holder. The body
of the actual toothbrush is
mimics the flow of a lava
erupting.

Ideas 1 and 2