Codesign is critical in custom wood products manufacturing, as it involves cooperating with clients to create an innovative and functional object, ensuring optimal quality, performance, and cost.
This can mean creating complex shapes and designs and experimenting with new technologies, finishes, and tools to create successful objects that meet clients’ requirements.
In this article, we discuss a case study involving the creation of ergonomic manicure wooden sticks. Discover more!
How simple manicure sticks can become innovative custom wood products
Manicure sticks are small diameter dowels with ends beveled in two different ways or pointed and typically used to clean fingernails, push back cuticles, or create nail art. They are generally made of white birch, a close-grained wood that is very easy to machine.
A client asked us to create ergonomic and unique manicure wooden sticks that were different from those already on the market.
Minelli is known all over the world for its custom wood products and the ability to create unique items customized according to clients’ needs, but a wooden stick is a typical “commodity” item that makes it difficult to demonstrate one’s ability in wood manufacturing or produce innovative and differentiating wooden objects.
How did Minelli solve this issue?
Studying the market, experimenting, doing trials, tests, and prototypes is the only way to create something innovative and meet clients’ requests. Facing a difficult challenge often means failing, determining what the problem is, and trying again until you find the right solution.
By looking at the technology, software, and machinery used to produce artist brushes and thinking about how people use these items, we focused on three main aspects:
- ergonomics—creating a tool that is easier to handle
- safety—giving the handle more grip prevents the stick from slipping during use and perhaps causing possible cuts and wounds in a very sensitive area
- design differentiation—customizing the design for each chain store, beauty centre, and hotel without affecting production costs
Then we created something that no one had done before—transforming a commodity product into a custom wood product with a unique and improved design.
We were inspired by the world of fine art and used a made-for-purpose machine and not a common lathe.
Of course, such a project required innovative tools, state-of-the-art machinery, and a team of experts willing to keep trying and cooperating with the client until the desired result was achieved.
Why is codesign crucial?
Codesign means the ability and availability of the manufacturer to cooperate with clients and help them make their products better, improving various aspects during the design phase. It is fundamental to combine:
- clients’ requirements
- characteristics of the wood essence
- feasibility of the design solutions
- machine availability
to create a product that is functional and aesthetically beautiful at the same time.
Codesign includes different steps:
- Selection of the raw material
Different wood essences have different characteristics and must be treated accordingly. A competent manufacturer is able to recommend the best wood to use in a specific situation to get the best result in terms of cost, performance, and appearance.
- Choice of product shape and design
The final object must meet clients’ requirements. The wood maker must give advice about the ideal design while combining product specifications, precision, and cost-effectiveness.
- Preproduction phase
The wood maker should be able to simulate even the most difficult drawing without disturbing the concept and general feeling of the original project by using specific competency and the latest CAD-CAM software.
Starting from the design constraints analysis, the manufacturer should create a full prospect of the investment required, an estimate of price, realistic prototypes of the final product, and a 3D design.
- Selection of finishes
Depending on product specifications and expectations of customers, the manufacturer must suggest the best finishing options depending on the characteristics of the raw material, the desired effect, cost, performance, and aesthetics.
Since 1937, Minelli S.p.A. has ensured perfection in the quality and design of each product manufactured, and its experienced specialists follow rigorous processes and environmental sustainability to serve customers in the best way possible.
Thanks to our decennial experience in wood manufacturing, sophisticated tools, and innovative machinery, we can create top-quality custom wood products that satisfy the most demanding needs.
If you have a project in mind, don’t hesitate to contact us! Our experts will be glad to evaluate your plan and help shape your idea.
