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Quality comes from attention to details: discover I-CON, the new electric charging station by Gewiss
01 June 2023
I-CON is the wall-mounted electric charging station for domestic use by Gewiss. It presents a modern and well recognizable aesthetic, thanks to the texture that harmonizes all the moulded components: the wallbox, the connector and the I-cord.
Gewiss involved us from the very beginnig, thus enabling us to respond both to the requests of the creative area and to the technical demands of production:
- to define the product identity and maintain the family feeling in all I-CON elements;
- to design the moulds according to 3D textures, leaving enough machining allowance;
- to facilitate the moulding process and avoid defects during production.
Identity in variation: the texture
The texture of I-CON is the work of the architect Villa of Paolo Villa Design, already author of the 2D graphics applied to the methacrylate plate used for the I-ON column. The architect has reinterpreted the hexagon, a geometric element associated with the world of electric mobility, and enriched it by playing on the progressive filling of its area.
This modern and dynamic concept was our starting point, declined with successive variations adapted to the forms and use of each component of I-CON.
WALLBOX
The request for Wallbox included both the engraving of the geometric 3D texture in defined areas of the moulds and the opacification of the entire mask by satin finishing. We evaluated the type of material and its properties in the feasibility analysis, in order to obtain the best yield on moulded parts.
Wallbox is made of a glass-filled thermoplastic, certified with the "Plastica Seconda Vita" label, which defines products derived from the treatment of plastic waste recovered from separate collection and industrial waste. The use of regenerated plastic makes the product more sustainable, but inevitably also softer, shinier and harder to handle in molding.
1. Extraction from the mould
The moulded samples showed a problem in the extraction, which causes a high scrap rate and mold compromise. We have taken action to optimize the molding, applying our special protocol Nanoclamp, which favors the retention of the piece in the punch to facilitate the correct exit of the printed from the matrix.
2. Defect and gloss management
The characteristics of the material led us to recommend a different satin finish different from that suggested by the customer. We replaced our MLG 200 with the MLK 700 low gloss: perfect for covering data defects from the directional flow of glass fiber, more resistant to scratches and even cheaper. In addition, it guarantees a low gloss value, which dampens the gloss of the material.
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CONNECTOR
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The connector briefing gave us precise technical and aesthetic indications. We have therefore proposed a variant of the original texture, scaled and redesigned to be non-slip, directed and ergonomic:
- to ensure easy handling during picking;
- to improve the grip of the rubber part during two-component molding.
Gewiss was able to preview the "dressed" product with texture, thanks to our DRE Render, achieving the perfect balance among:
AESTHETICS
We made the texture symmetrical and reproposed
the game of full and empty original plot in 2D
INDUSTRIALIZATION
We blurred the plot in correspondence of the
Edges to avoid undercuts and mitigate the deformation.
FUNCTIONALITY
We oriented the finish to allow a grip
Non-slip and comfortable, for frequent use.
I-CORD
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We switch to I-CORD, the mobile charging set, printed with a percentage of Renycle®, technopolymer derived from nylon recycling.
For this component we have solved 2 important problems respectively with a careful texture design and our patented AIR-OFF® protocol.
To begin with, we redesigned the finish without an orientation to overcome the possible misalignment of the texture between the body and the ring. A stylish detail, which maintains the family feeling with the rest of the components.
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1. Extraction from the mould
The undercuts are the main criticality when cutting the moulds, because they compromise the extraction of the piece.
With a clever design we have prevented the problem, reducing the depth of the texture in the cavity. As you can see, the texture of the fixed part fades on the edges, until it disappears. In addition, the aesthetic effect is great.
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2. Correction of moulding defects with AIR-OFF®
The first I-CORD nozzle moulds had spots and areas with insufficient filling, due to the presence of gas in cavities, which prevented the material from being distributed evenly. The open-cast tests confirmed the hypothesis: the parts were no longer defective. On the other hand, the absence of the mold closure created burrs.
We have therefore proposed the engraving of our AIR-OFF® patent, a protocol that promotes the escape of air and gas in the molds without leaving a trace or changing the surface texture. The laser engraving of AIR-OFF® fixed defects and missing fillings, and even allowed the expansion of molding parameters.
By your side
We'd like to conclude the case study with the words of the I-CON project manager, who describes our role in the project as follows:
<<As suppliers of our mold area you are now fully R&D partners and we will always involve you at the beginning of the project>>
Words of esteem, expressing confidence in our services, our team and our approach. The role of mediator between aesthetic and technical instances has allowed us to satisfy Gewiss’s requests, suggesting the most suitable solutions for each component.
We thank Gewiss for allowing us to tell you about this project, a demonstration that coordinated work leads to incredible, indeed iconic results.