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Functional design in everyday tools

Most of the designs in the product sector follows the prospect ‘Form follows function’ idea. There are various designers that creates ideas to accommodate people’s needs from their designed product in relation to its function. Mainly most of the products designed adapts an ergonomic designs object which are comfortable to the human body.  A unique product that reflects the functional design is the famous ‘Swiss knife’ which it was intended to fill all the necessary tools that one uses daily in a pocket. Having multiple uses in the ‘Swiss knife’s’ some of its uses are that the small blade has the ability to erase ink from paper whilst the small hook was designed to carry parcels which were wrapped in strings to prevent hurting fingers.




The company that makes it, they are still developing on the classical knife. This process of development includes dissection and re-engineering of the tool parts. The company’s development structure is, first they sketch the tool, then they brain storm the idea to see where they can replace it, a three dimensional computer aided software is used to build it, prototypes and final decisions are made then it moves to mass production.


Another product that is direct opposite of the Swiss knife company which it is all the time developing its design into a better one, this product was never touched or arranged from 270 years ago since the dawn of the industrial revolution. The sheep shear, designed by Burgon and ball in the 1730’s is still made from the traditional materials that was used when it was invented. The main material is steel which the shear has two main function in it, one for cutting and its material also acts like a spring to help the user to use one hand to cut the sheep’s wool whilst the other hand is occupied holding the sheep.


'Sheep Shears' by Burgon & Ball,1730

Now a day there are over two hundred developed Swiss knifes. From the classical Swiss army knife, it advances more and it became an essential kit that the Swiss army uses. The new army edition knife one can find a small saw since they spend a lot of time in the woods. Like the sheep shears, the soldier knife developed a one hand technique to open the blade. This Army Swiss knife was launched in 2008 particular used only by the soldiers.




'Swiss Army Knife edition' , 2008

The first Swiss knife was made from two blades at each end that folded into the handle which this remarked a new technology. This model was it boosted by adding four more layers that varied from blade, punch and screw driver along with a can opener. Also, the knifes that has the most layers (8 layers) includes twenty-two tools that has thirty tree different functions. Another sector that the company emphasizes the most is the quality of the product. The knife was designed to last long which in every step that is taking during production it is tested individually. In every innovative design, there are knock offs which they replicate the same Technic folding tools in the case but instead of tools it consist of cutlery within the case. There are various knockoffs of this design and since the Swiss knife is a multi purpose tool, new developments by other companies where made. 
One can find a pliers that in its handle there are a number of tools. Also it was creatively developed on a card which includes emergency tools that one can keep in his wallet and this was developed more further to business cards, were it consist of a nut shaped whole to screw and unscrew the nuts and bolts and many other. 



                                                                         'Eight layer Swiss Army Knife'

'Business Card Multipurpose tool 

Multi Purpose Card'


References 

'Genius of Design Episode 1' by Ignacio Merino, 2013
[video] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkQXUKQYrsQ&t=1723s accessed on  27th May 2017 at 11.45 pm 

'The Simple ,Elegant Hisotry of the Swiss Ary Knife' by Ernie Smith ,2015 [info] http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-simple-elegant-history-of-the-swiss-army-knife accessed on 28th May 2017 at 12.03 am 

'Swiss Knife - Documentary' by Laking Maynila, 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiEGTtxmp1U accessed on 28th May 12.24am 





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