Fold
Description:
To address the resurgence in the vinyl music industry, I aimed to create a modernised version of record players that was focused on portability and robustness.
Type:
Solo Project
Skills explored:
Completed:
Jan-Mar 2023
'The Return of Vinyl'
In the attempt to stand out and continue playing unique soundtracks, DJs and Producers have gone back to finding original tunes through vinyl records. However, the design of record players hasn't changed over the past 30 years...
Concept Exploration
In order to improve the portability of the record player, I explored the possibility of a foldable version that greatly reduced the product footprint in comparison to past efforts.
- collection of concept sketches for Fold.
Iterative Design Approach
Through Rhino3D and Grasshopper, I was able to quickly experiment with the overall form and iterate through distinct speaker pattern designs.
Grasshopper Speaker and Form iterative models -
Lo-Fi Physical Prototyping
To improve the UX of Fold, lo-fi prototypes where made to help determine the optimal button layout prior to modelling it. Furthermore, different folding mechnanisms were tested, and a rotational mechanism was chosen to help reduce the footprint of the record player the most.
Fold Final Design
Once the layout and mechanism for Fold had been finalised, a full 3D model was developed. Fold was designed to have a small footprint, allowing users to pack it away in their bag. The design also ensured that the needle - used to play the record - was securely stored during transit.
How it works?
The Fold record player's main mechanism works in 4 main steps. Firstly the user folds out the bottom platter. Then the record is placed on the pad and the top platter is folded out. Once aligned the user clamps the two platters in place. The record is now ready for listening.
Steps to play a record using Fold -
Vibrational Dampening
To provide a better listening experience than previous products, vibration-dampening pads were added to the record platters. These help prevent the risk of the the needle 'scratching' or 'skipping' during the record playback. The structure of the pads was determined through simulating the vibrational conditions using Finite Element Analysis.
- development of the dampening pads
Internal Considerations
The project brief was more focused on the external aesthetic and concept of the product over the internal functionality. Having said this, I still ensured to roughly model the key internal components to ensure that the casing of Fold was of a feasable size.
Exploded view of the Fold record player -
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