Slot

Slot is a thoughtfully designed product, crafted from a single piece of sheet aluminum that's plasma-cut and folded into shape. It's paired with a simple walnut base, providing a non-scratching contact surface. This project marked my first hands-on experience with plasma cutting and working with sheet metal. Through the construction process, I gained valuable insights into the benefits and limitations of plasma cutting, as well as the material properties of aluminum.

Slot was my first project focused on manufacturing ease, with an emphasis on designing around material properties. To ensure the final design would be optimized for sheet aluminum, I initially sketch-modeled using cardboard and paper. This approach allowed me to explore how to extract maximum utility from a single sheet of material, simplifying construction while maximizing features. I also set the constraint of using only one piece of sheet material, which led me to refine the design for both efficiency and practicality.

This project, along with subsequent ones, has reinforced my belief that simplicity in form and components—combined with maximum functionality—yields designs that are not only the most practical and feasible but also timeless. By minimizing parts and complexity, the design becomes easier to recycle and reuse. When products consist of fewer components, they can be disassembled more efficiently, making it simpler to process materials for recycling. I believe that designing products to be easily disassembled is essential for sustainability, as separating materials is key to proper recycling. Making it easy for consumers to sort and recycle products is crucial to supporting a circular economy.

Prolonged back-and-forth between designers and engineers can extend project timelines, increase costs, and delay product launches. By designing with accessible materials and manufacturing processes in mind, I ensured that Slot could be produced efficiently, streamlining the production timeline.