Cane
Upperstate Gear
Upperstate Gear is a brand focused on helping people move better. Their products are both considered and ruggedised to withstand the challenges of everyday life. The Cane is the latest product in their range of contemporary mobility products.
Services
Industrial Design
Ergonomic Analysis
3D CAD Modelling
Mechanical Engineering
FEA
Design For Manufacture
Visualisation
Production Implementation
Make it meaningful
In designing the Upperstate Cane our goal was to challenge the stigma surrounding walking aids and create a product that was beautiful and functional. Our team worked hard with the client to envisage a product that built on the brand’s reputation for solid functionality, but delivered an aspirational product that a customer could be proud of.
The distinctive appearance, comfortable ergonomic shape and clever operation are seamlessly interwoven into a product that sits nicely within the Upperstate brand family at a cost effective price.
Design For Manufacture
The simple, organic form camouflages a complex set of manufacturing challenges. Integrating the height adjustment system into a minimalist form safely was the first hurdle, then designing the handle assembly to be mouldable, easy to assemble and still maintain aesthetic required some creative DFM thinking. Our team collaborated closely with the manufacturer to optimise the design for production.
Analysis
Ultimately a product like this must be safe. Our engineers used both computer based FEA techniques and real life prototyping to validate ergonomics, comfort and load carrying capacity. The geometry was analysed using sophisticated 3D CAD software to minimise material creep and optimise strength by adjusting key design details. Physical prototypes and later moulded samples were destructively tested to ensure thresholds were met.
