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ART & DESIGN AWARDS
My current car is 20 years old and doesn’t have cup holders. This makes drinking beverages, or even a run to McDonald’s, quite challenging. If hot liquid spills in your lap you could easily have an accident.
I wanted to make a two-in-one cup holder that could be secured to a car’s air vents and other parts of the car if required.
My primary target market is people who own older-style or classic cars that do not have in-built cup holders. My secondary market is for people who may want additional cup holders for their modern cars.
I reviewed several other cup holders already on the market which helped me visualise what I wanted (and didn’t want) in my design. This process also helped me to develop points of difference to ensure my product would stand out in the market.
I developed the project in OnShape which helped me fully realise my prototypes and final designs, as well as allowing me to incorporate modifications or improvements as issues or ideas arose.
I also reviewed several materials for creating the prototype and decided on PLA as it is both biodegradable and strong. For the final design, I used ASA as it is extremely strong and both UV and water resistant.
I used a 3D printer to produce my prototypes and final product. It was very efficient as I could work from home and this gave me extra time if I needed to fix mistakes or make improvements.
The process of making my product was extremely enjoyable and it was a lot of fun using CAD to create cup holders for my car. I picked up many skills and I am extremely happy with the result.