Table of Contents
Project B
1.Parallel Sliding Seat System - Introduction......
1.a.Durability......
1.a.i.Flammability......
1.a.i.1.Health & Safety Issues......
1.a.i.1.1.User Friendly Features......
2.Limitations & Challenges......
2.a.Personnel......
2.a.i.Materials & Equipment......
2.a.i.1.Engineering......
2.a.i.1.1.Framing......
2.a.i.1.1.1.Production Scheduling......
3.Project B: Parallel Sliding Seat System......
3.a.Seat Back Design......
3.a.i.Central Beam Travel System......
3.a.ii.Product Base Support......
3.a.ii.1.Arm Rest Development......
3.a.ii.2.Bench Seating Development......
3.a.ii.2.1.Upholstered Materials Research......
Project B: Seat Back Design
4.Seat Back Design......
5.Back Rest Design – Model 1 – Rounded Back Rest......
5.a.i.Model 1 – Failure 1......
5.a.i.1.Model 1 – Failure 2......
5.a.i.1.1.Model 1 – Failure 3......
6.Back Rest Design – Model 2 – Squared Back Rest......
6.a.i.1.1.1.Model 2 – Failure 1 – Seating Depth Variable – Anthropometrical Factors
HOLDING A CHILD OR INFANT......
CLEANING OR SORTING THROUGH BRIEFCASE / PURSE......
MAKEUP & COSMETIC APPLICATION /PERSONAL GROOMING......
7.Back Rest Design – Model 3 – Wedge......
8.Back Rest Frame Design......
8.a.Model 1: Seat Back Frame Fir Material – Failure 1......
9.Installation of Seat Back......
9.a.Model 1 – Hinged Arm Mechanism – Failure 1......
9.a.i.Model 2: Fixed Fulcrum Installation......
9.a.ii.Model 2: Failure 1 – Bench Height......
10.Castor & Beam Balance Calibration......
10.a.Model 1 – Four Castor Travel Component - Failure......
10.a.i.Model 2 – Two Castor Component......
10.a.i.1.Failure 1 – Counter Balance......
11.Weight Configuration......
11.a.Model 1 – Solid Back Rest Frame......
11.a.i.Solid Back Rest Frame - Failure......
11.a.i.1.Model 2 – Sub Structure Seat Back Frame......
12.Tri Seat Considerations......
12.a.Tri Seat Installation – One Side - Failure......
12.a.i.Two On One Side – One Traverse Seat......
Project B: Central Beam Travel System
13.Central Beam Travel System......
13.a.Model 1 – Failure 1 – Stress Fracture Point (A) (B)......
13.a.i.Model 1 – Failure 2 – Friction......
13.a.i.1.Model 2 – Two Beam Transfer System......
14.Hidden Rail Consideration......
14.a.Design 1 Lowered Beam......
Project B: Product Base Support
Balance Considerations......
Project B: Arm Rest Development
Project B: Bench Seat Development
15......
16.
16......
FABRIC CONSIDERATIONS – HEALTH AND SAFTEY FACTORS......
16.a.FABRIC MATERIALS – HEALTH ISSUES......
17.BENEFITS OF LEATHER IN COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS......
17.a.Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS)......
17.b.Table 1-1 Chemical Pollutants Found In Interior Particulates
17.b.i.Table 1-2 Symptoms of Exposure to Concentrated Particulates
18.VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS IN COMMERCIAL ENVIRONMENTS.....
18.a.Absorption of Environmental Particulates......
18.a.i.Figure 1-1 Areas of Inhalation of Particulates......
18.a.ii.Concentration of VOC’s in High Traffic Areas......
18.b.Conclusions......
19.FABRIC SELECTION - FLAMMABILITY AND DURABILITY TESTING...
19.a.Figure 1-1 Fabric Composition & UFAC Grading......
19.b.ACRYLIC COMPOSITION......
19.b.i.ACRYLIC COMPOSITION FAILURE......
19.c.POLYESTER COMPOSITION – FAILURE......
19.c.i......
19.d.OLEFIN COMPOSITION - FAILURE......
19.e.COTTON COMPOSITION – FAILURE......
20.CONCLUSION......
Project B: Appendix A
1.Glossary Of Terms......
1
Scientific Research and
Experimental Development
Project B
The Development of a Parallel Sliding Seat System (Transverse Seating Technology) Embedded within an Upholstered Bench which can Accommodate Multiple Modular Sliding Seat Backs to Facilitate Maximum Mobility, Flexibility, Durability, and Consumer Comfort within the Context of a Commercial Application.
1.Parallel Sliding Seat System - Introduction
The success of many award-winning models designed and engineered by Company ABC Chesterfield Co. lead the organization into a new era of user profile specific products. Previously, Company ABC Chesterfield Co. excelled in the Classic and Traditional / Transitional design genre’s with products manufactured exclusively for residential applications, models rich in luxurious trimming and loose accent pillows. Our core product line, although diverse in product selection was narrowly limited to the residential consumer market.
The Parallel Sliding Seat System represents Company ABC Chesterfields diversification into the inception of products for business and commercial application. We created a design which would have a broad appeal and one that would be easily situated in a business lobby, office reception area and / or an entertainment establishment such as night clubs, lounges and V.I.P areas of established social organizations. The contemporary styling of the Parallel Sliding Seat System coupled with its minimalist design and a virtually endless selection of fabric designs and leather choices, the unit could be applied successfully to any interior décor.
Manufacturing products specifically for commercial application presented many challenges and learning opportunities for Company ABC Chesterfield Co. While the organization had successfully manufactured high quality and durable products for the residential market, the standards of durability to consider for a commercial product were entirely more complex. Our Marketing Research determined that high quality commercial furnishings were in high demand due to a movement of redesign of interior spaces conducive to both the image of organizations as well as furnishings which contribute to a comfortable and efficient office environment.
To help our team develop the Parallel Seating System, an outline of product expectations and objectives was created, and this provided guidance and direction for the Research & Development of the product:
Our core goals and objectives:
1.a.Durability
- The parallel seat must be highly durable on all areas of product and end user interaction.
- The product must be stable on all axes and the framework must be engineered to withstand movement and stresses associated with logistics.
- The unit must be able to accept pressure and wear in an environment where usage is very frequent to extreme and still maintain proper movement, aesthetic appearance and long-term viability.
- The bench must be able to sustain the cumulative weight of four occupants (four seat model) without compromise to the integrity of the bench, seat backs, arm rests or materials upholstering the unit.
- Removable or built in legs must be able to bear the load of the entire unit without warping or compromise stability.
- The armrests must be able to sustain vertical pressure during shipping and staging storage.
1.a.i.Flammability
- The unit must be least conducive to flame ignition
- The unit must not contribute to the spreading of flame in the event of a fire. Any fabric / material must not have a rapid burn or spread qualities
1.a.i.1.Health & Safety Issues
- The unit must operate in the most safe manner
- All components moving or stationary must not have sharp corners for the safety of end users
- The unit must have the least amount of movement (zero movement preferred) while seatbacks are in motion
- The seat backs must move gently along the Bench seat without excessive speeds which might cause injury
- The seat backs must not become detached from the bench
- The seat backs must not tip backward at an angle (under reclining pressure) which may create back injury
- The unit must not contribute negative pollutants to the interior air environment of the end user and materials used in upholstery should not affect persons with allergy asthma or other respiratory illnesses
1.a.i.1.1.User Friendly Features
- Unit must be aesthetically appealing
- Seat backs must be easy to install with the least amount of hardware or fastener installation as possible
- Unit must be easy to clean and maintain by generic cleaning practices in a commercial environment
- Unit must be as light as possible to shave shipping costs and make moving the unit easier
- Seat backs must be able to be moved as easily as possible by an end user with a low to moderate amount of upper body abilities
- The seat bench must be comfortable for sitting over prolonged intervals of time (waiting area / lobby suitable furnishing)
2.Limitations & Challenges
As a custom upholstered furniture manufacturer, Company ABC Chesterfield Co. was experienced in dealing with raw wood materials and fabrics. Our organization was not familiar with the engineering techniques of moveable components on a design model, having limited experience in designs implementing “pull out” bed frame mechanisms and “swivel” chair mechanisms.
Company ABC Chesterfield Co. faced the following developmental challenges:
2.a.Personnel
Our current manufacturing personnel were not fluent in using different building materials (i.e.: aluminum / stainless steel). Personnel did not have any prior experience building contemporary shaped models, which vary greatly from traditional styles. We did not have any manufacturing staff capable of reading / following C.A.D. or blue print designs.
2.a.i.Materials & Equipment
Our current facility did not have any machinery capable of fabricating metal components or equipment capable of adjusting and altering metal components supplied by our materials suppliers.
2.a.i.1.Engineering
We had no previous knowledge or experience manufacturing a piece with moving components and had no similar model to refer to for design guidance.
2.a.i.1.1.Framing
Company ABC Chesterfield Co. did not have the ability to custom design brand new frame models in house. Our furniture frame supplier would not manufacture sample frames for new product development. We were forced to devise a method of building a new frame design from scratch in our wood working department.
2.a.i.1.1.1.Production Scheduling
The demands on our custom shop for regular product orders from our furniture deals and business accounts are often more than adequate to keep our production staff busy. In addition, we had to train and pull staff from the regular production line to work on the myriad of prototypes during the development of the Parallel Sliding Bench. This created a loss in production time for our regular orders, and created an elongated delivery time on a few occasions.
During the course of this project, you will witness the variety of attempts, which were made to build the Parallel Seat to our original design objectives. This period of Research & Development lead Company ABC Chesterfield Co. into many new design directions and has sparked additional theories for future research.
Company ABC Chesterfield Co. is firmly dedicated to the ongoing pursuit of problem solving dynamic and modular designs rooted in the vision to supply furnishings which not only provide comfort and aesthetic value, but designs which stimulate perception and contribute to a physiological and psychologically healthy interior environment. It is our hope that this first step into a new vision for Company ABC Chesterfield Co. will fulfill the needs for innovation in the Home and Commercial furniture manufacturing, and that Company ABC Chesterfield, and that Company ABC Chesterfield will continue to be one of Canada’s most forward thinking and creative manufactures able to compete with confidence nationally and internationally.
3.Project B: Parallel Sliding Seat System
Engineering of the Parallel Sliding Seat System was conceived in response to the growing demand for quality modular seating with versatile dynamic properties. Throughout the project, there was a myriad of engineering challenges to implement each part as a durable, functional and still esthetically pleasing component of a product which would have a primarily commercial application.
Durability and long term utility under conditions of moderate to extreme wear typical of a high traffic commercial environment were critical issues in the genesis stage of the project. Our research has shown that contemporary models designed for officing, while rich in esthetic appeal, lack the quality of construction to meet the rigorous demands of heavy and frequent use over a products lifespan acceptable to the customer. Commercial buyers are prepared to invest in a durable, quality and stylish product, providing the perceived value can be amortized over an acceptable product lifespan.
The engineering process of the Parallel Sliding Seat System is broken down by each component, which was designed, engineered, tested and staged as individual units segregated by its dynamic function. The components of the Parallel Sliding Seat System which were engineered are as follows:
3.a.Seat Back Design
- Back Rest Design
- Frame Design & Testing
- Rail Riding Mechanism & Testing
- Weight Configuration
- Balance Configuration
- Tri-Seat Considerations
- Installation of Seat Back
- Castor Application
3.a.i.Central Beam Travel System
- Materials Testing (Wood Products)
- Angular Engineering
- Beam Support – Durability
- Weight Configuration
- Logistic Size Configuration – Vertical Integrity
3.a.ii.Product Base Support
- Solid leg considerations & Testing
- “Screw In” leg testing & Viability
- Four corner support engineering
- Vertical integrity – Logistical Considerations
- Castor Wheel Implementation
- Weight Considerations
- Balance Considerations
- Vertical Integrity – Logistical Considerations
3.a.ii.1.Arm Rest Development
- Height – Comfort Calibration
- Balance Calibration
- Vertical Integrity – Logistical Considerations
- Width – Seat Back
3.a.ii.2.Bench Seating Development
- Foam Density Selection
- No Sag Technology
- Width Considerations
- Comfort Seating Engineering
- Height Considerations & Depth Seating Variables
3.a.ii.2.1.Upholstered Materials Research
- Fabric – Flammability Study
- Fabric – Heath & Safety Implications
- Leather – Flammability Study
- Leather – Health & Safety Implications
25 Pages Illustrative Report
Draft VersionPage 1
By: ______
Scientific Research and
Experimental Development
Project B: Seat Back Design
4.Seat Back Design
The architecture of the seat back is critical for a number of important factors.
- The design of the seat back must provide comfort to the end user, for brief or sustained periods of rest.
- The seat back must have durability in its engineered framework to equalize weight distribution minimizing excessive wear and stress on the rail riding system, thereby preventing undo stress on the dynamic movement of the seat back along the length of the central beam.
- The seat back must be calibrated and perfectly balanced to avoid tipping backward angularly when the user is rested applying pressure against the back, and potentially warping the linear frame of the back, obstructing smooth movement along the beam.
- The seat back design must not be exceptionallyheavy so as to create difficulties in proper installation as well as achieving a weight light enough to support the modular aftermarket option of the addition of a third seat back onto the unit, without creating an undesirable situation where excessive weight may tip the product backward.
- The seat backs must be able to fit through an average sized residential doorway.
- The seatback must fall into the schematic of an aesthetically pleasing contemporary design suitable for commercial office or entertainment applications in high end, quality designed interior environments.
5.Back Rest Design – Model 1 – Rounded Back Rest
While the rounded design required much more foam materials and was more expensive to produce from a raw materials standpoint, it was a deemed to be a design advantage for aesthetic appeal. A rounded top back rest was considered to provide the best level of comfort to the user and an appealing contribution to the overall design esthetic, offering a comfortable looking rounded visual contrast to the overall linear design of the model. A mockup was created and tested featuring a foam only seat back with rear frame reinforcement.
5.a.i.Model 1 – Failure 1
The design error was self evident and immediate. The rounded construction of the foam only seat back conflicted with the bench. Once the two pieces contacted it prevented the movement of the seat back alone the central beam, totally obstructing movement. With this design, some difficult movement could be achieved by pulling the seat back backwards, however, attempting to push the seat back along the beam while keeping it at a backward angle provided difficult even for stronger members of our team. The result was decided that there needed to be more space between the rounded seat back and the rounded bench.
5.a.i.1.Model 1 – Failure 2
In order to overcome the problem experienced in Failure 1, we lengthened the central back reinforcement frame to increase the amount of space between the upholstered bottom of the seat back cushion and the bench to eliminate friction between both components, allowing for unobstructed dynamic movement along the central horizontal beam.
When the height of the seat back was raised the area absorbing the most pressure (by a resting subject) was lowered to the bottom most area of the seat back. Increased pressure in this area created a fulcrum effect, causing the seat back to tilt backward. This created two new areas of extreme stress. Area (A) did not break but cracked in less than one minute of the newly applied pressure. Subsequently this area became warped, the wood disfigured once relieved of the stress, and was no longer a perfect right angle. Area (B) broke off entirely in less than one minute’s time. This piece was designed to assist the movement of the seat back along the central beam as a guideline inside the beam and was not engineered to withstand severe angular pressure.
It was concluded that a rounded backrest was not a viable engineering design suitable for the dynamic movement of the seat back on the product.
5.a.i.1.1.Model 1 – Failure 3
Movement of the rounded seat back proved difficult due to the lack of framing on the backrest. The soft, flexible top of the rest was difficult to grip without grasping a quantity of the foam and fabric in an attempt to push or pull the seat back in any one direction. The stress of repeated and frequent movement of the seatback in this manner would create excessive wear and tear on the materials in that area, potentially shortening the aesthetic lifespan of the model.
6.Back Rest Design – Model 2 – Squared Back Rest
The failures of the rounded seat back lead us to the extreme opposite of our primary design. There were many perceived advantages to the squared back seat design.
We would use less foam /upholstery materials as a squared back would have interior wooden framing for support, without the need to angle the seat backward.
The squared seat back design would offer a non-obstructing movement of the seat back along the central beam. The squared bottom of the seat back maintains adequate spacing between the bench seat and the backrest.
The squared seat backs would be able to be packaged together for protected shipping across Canada in the same package as the bench. This would present another value feature providing a savings in shipping costs.