Troowin came to IDC with a simple functional model, without any refinement to its structure or appearance. IDC’s team evaluated the concept and assessed how it could be re-engineered structurally to make it lighter, more accessible and aesthetically appealing without losing functionality.
IDC’s engineers found ways of creating smaller, lighter components and integrating a few parts into one single part. Solid structures such as connection tubes were replaced with hollow versions.
As well as this, the team assessed a variety of different materials to reduce the weight and improve the strength of the device. Carbon fibre was explored as one possibility, but stress analysis revealed that its strength was beyond the needs of the development, as well as being heavier than other alternatives, and with a high price tag, this was ruled out. A variety of plastics were also tested and the team chose ABS as the material for the casing, being lightweight, strong and low cost. Thermoforming as a manufacturing process also offered a cost effective process for mass production if required.