Sustainable Puzzle Piece Tape Dispenser

I have made a tape dispenser that is made completely from recyclable plastics that has been melted into piping for a 3d printer. Initially, these plastics would have ended up not decomposing for a long time in a landfill, but are now being repurposed to create different products.

1. Autodesk software (CAD)
2. 3D printer (preferably bamboo lab)
3. Recycled plastic waste made into spools for 3D printing
4. Tools - sander and pliers to finalise or modify 3d printed model
5. Access to internet for research
6. Different sizes of tape
7. Pencils for storage
8. Erasers and other small items requiring storage

Image sources:

PLIERS - https://www.amazon.sg/Richer-R-Accessories-Diagonal-Lightweight-Comfortable/dp/B07DZZWY4G

SANDER - https://www.aliexpress.com/i/1005004508153332.html

RECYCLED PLASTIC SPOOLS - https://safuturist.co.za/blog/plastic-to-filament/

In order to create a successful and useful product, you must first research the current market product offerings to identify gaps and potential design opportunities for your product. For this product, I researched 3 different designs of a tape dispenser, and then identified their SWOT - internal strengths, internal weaknesses, external opportunities and external threats. This really helped in creating a new design for the tape dispenser.

When creating design specifications, its important to be specific and critical about what features the product requires. This will aid in designing a product that is useful to consumers. Keeping these specifications in mind when designing is also crucial, as it can make the design more suited more target users and unique.

I created drawings of my idea of having a tape dispenser that has multiple functions so that I can easily visualise my ideas which makes it easier to identify the different functions needed from different angles.

Low fidelity models are essential in determining how the product actually functions. It is the first time when your idea becomes a physical item. It can be useful for determining dimensions and how to improve your product for the better. Low fidelity models are most helpful when they are extremely specific, so that you can pinpoint exactly which functions work and which ones don't. Especially since this tape dispenser has 11 functions, seeing each function carried out physically helped smooth over the redesign process and identify opportunities for improvement.

User feedback is always essential in the iterative design process as in the traditional design process the designers are always redesigning based on user needs and feedback, in order to further improve their product. The user feedback is best obtained at the earliest stage, so that major improvements can be made at the earliest time instead of having to redo a finalised design. Hence, for the tape dispenser I collected user feedback from my low fidelity models in order to avoid having to change my finalised design. It is best to collect user feedback in a simple format which is clear and easy to understand at a later point in time. This is why I present my user feedback in a table. Having at least 2 users is essential as it provides different perspectives on which functions are effective, ensuring that the product appeals to a wide user group, making it popular.

What I have redesigned for Puzzle Piece Model based on user feedback:

1. Have areas for suction cups on the bottom so it’s stable when pulling (User 2 Feedback Con)
2. Have words on puzzle pieces so can know what function each piece performs (User 1 & 2 Feedback Con)

User 1 is the 1st column and user 2 is the 2nd column

Ensure that all the improvements are checked against the initial design specifications, as you will need to compare the high fidelity models to your design requirements to ensure that ALL user needs are met. I created my high fidelity models using Auto Desk CAD software, a CAD program that easily allows people to bring their ideas to life.

Ensure that all the improvements are checked against the initial design specifications, as you will need to compare the high fidelity models to your design requirements to ensure that ALL user needs are met.

The colours in this table correlate to the initial design specifications.

Thank you for reading through my exciting process of designing my functional tape dispenser. Please enjoy taking a look at how my final product turned out!

Happy designing :)