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Flower-leaf
Color Swatch Design
Flower-leaf is a color swatch that enables customers to evaluate the color range and texture as molded objects to see final effects.
Flower-leaf also used to present the color and texture trend.
Client /
Shanghai Kumhosunny Plastics Co.LTD
Role /
Designer&Inventor
Year /
Jun, 2018
Design Patent
Patent Number：
ZL201830351186.4
Flower-leaf is a color swatch that enables customers to evaluate the color range and texture as molded objects to see final effects. Flower-leaf also used to present the color and texture trend.
The Problem
1. The old color swatch needs to be upgraded as being used so many years and copied by many competitors. A brand new color swatch model must be made for annual color promotion and daily color selection and color-matching service for clients.
The old color swatch
2. The old color swatches are failed to meet the increasing demands and changes by clients.
Clients take samples when coming for selecting colors.
Two color swatches are needed to tell the texture under the same color.
It is not convenient for storage when using two color swatches in color-matching.
Current Situation
Investigating color swatches of several paint brands on market, we found that many models can’t be achieved when applying on spray-free materials, resulting in flow marks and weld lines.
Few color swatches, with exception for AkzoNobel, can meet multiple demands, such as color- matching, superposed effect, performance with difference thickness, and the convenience for storage.
BASF
AkzoNobel
Merck
Joint between the depression and arc surface will easily produce flow marks.
Holes and structure parts at the color swatch back will easily cause flow marks.
This model can’t be made of spray-free materials.
Cashew
PPG
Clariant
The Angle between surfaces is so large that flow marks are produced.
Ups and downs on surface of color swatches will easily cause flow marks.
The model is too monotonous when only surface and thickness varies.
Possibility of Designing New Color Swatches
1. Modify the old swatches, adding lines effects for example. With little variety but low cost.
2. Redesign the model of color swatches. It will cost much higher as a new model has to be developed. The new model must reflect the brand identification.
2.1 Combine with the brand LOGO, such as taking leaf model similar to LOGO shape.
2.2 Choose scaled-down models of parts once taking mass production, such as shapes of Bull
switch, side panel of AUX Jimeng series or GREE Ruiqi AC.
3D Bull Switch
AUX Jimeng AC
GREE Ruiqi AC
Insight
Without losing the advantages of old color swatches that having flat surfaces as well as concave and convex surfaces and lines to present color, gloss and texture, the new models are added with lines, and be able to coordinate colors, while its superposed color and thickness varying will allow the compare of color difference. Last but not least, it is convenient for storage.
Limits of Design
Holes, bulges such as strengthening rib and screw pillar should be avoided considering the characteristics of spray-free materials, and thickness of color plates should ideally be even.
Troubles emerge when injecting spray-free materials of mental texture: flow marks, weld lines and gas marks.
Solution
Concept of green and environmental protection of Brand of Colorful-In and its LOGO are combined into the insight part. The design aims to reflect brand identification, emphasizing on designing models reflecting green, nature elements, streamline sense and life.
Initial quick sketches were used to explore a variety of forms, features and embodiments of the product, where four key directions were grouped and further explored using more refined pencil sketches until concepts began taking shape.
Concept A
Concept B
Concept C
Concept D
Concept D
Concept D
From four key directions，combine is selected as the direction to deepen the design.
More requirements are understood after communicating with structural engineers:
1. Color swatches can not be designed in pillar shape, but slice.
2. The joint between two slices will fail without a support point (force bearing point).
3. Triangle will easily produce flow marks. Flexible surfaces should be avoided.
Referring to the old color swatches, thickness is decided as 2mm, length is 10cm, width is 7cm, and the height is less than 2.5cm.
The two parts being split can’t be superposed because of the too high overall height and presence of structure parts.
Redefine the overall height and splitting way.
In new splitting pattern the swatch is split into upper part and the lower part. The length is increased to 11cm, width to 8.5cm, and overall height is reduced to 1.2cm, while the thickness remains unchanged. Mold flow analysis shows that no flaws will exist as the slope is moderate. The left side thickness is 2mm while the right one is 1mm. The height of right side is caved in 0.7mm, and an obvious height difference can be seen after the two slices jointing together as the subslice remains 2mm in thickness.
The first prototype
Redefine the Appearance Design
Final Design
TOP
Flower-leaf has five faces.
Each face can exhibit different texture effects at the same or different angles of light.
The distinction between the sunny side and the dark side is clear. Even on the sunny side of the same brightness, there are different effects.
1
2
3
4
5
4
Front
The splicing way is very easy. There are three rectangular holes on the main swatch and three cube columns on the accessory swatch. Insert the columns into the holes for splicing.
Design Innovations：
Injection modeling and spray-free materials - No flow marks and shape diversity
Textures are added onto the color swatches (drawing lines and frosted textures)
Simultaneously using of main and accessory swatch allows color matching, such as the effect of injecting mold with two colors, the effect of color superposed (superposing between transparent color and solid color).
The main swatch is composed of a glossy surface and a frosted/drawing line surface. This design delivers diverse color and texture qualities.
The accessory surface exhibits one effect (frosted or glossy).
Golssy Surface
Frosted Texture
Frosted Texture
Drawing Lines
Glossy Surface
Multiple layers of texture and effects
Matching different colors and textures according to needs or preferences.
Transparent, semitransparent or opaque. The color swatch can exhibit different light transmittance due to different layer thickness after superimpose. This difference in light transmittance can also be used to identify different refractive index of the material.
The design is also very convenient for storage.
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