Schumacher X-line
Schumacher Electric is the leading player in automotive and aftermarket battery chargers. On this program, Design Integrity (DI) assisted Schumacher with the design of a new line of chargers for one of the leading retain chains in North America. Schumacher has worked with DI over the years due to our competency in the design of automotive aftermarket products and their trust in electromechanical engineering consulting team.
Challenge
Design Integrity worked with Schumacher Electric to develop a twelve-product battery charger line as an exclusive for Walmart. The goal of the project was to develop a proprietary form language that communicates the visual excitement associated with the motorsports category. Schumacher gave DI four weeks to complete the design work and deliver appearance prototypes.
Solution
Electrical component packages provided to DI were used to create underlays, which served at the basis for sketches that explored a range of aesthetic solutions. Once a design direction was chosen, DI extended the form language across twelve new products.
DI generated 3D CAD surface data based on the approved sketches for each model. The surface files were used to fabricate appearance prototypes, which were presented to Walmart to secure advanced orders.
Client Benefit
The deadline was met and the customer was enthusiastic about the new look. DI worked closely with Schumacher to optimize the concepts for manufacturing. The end result is almost unchanged from the appearance prototypes, and the new line was introduced in Walmart stores just 15 months after the first concept sketch. Best of all, the new X-Line was a big hit with consumers, exceeding sales projections and manufacturing capacity in the first year.
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