This sector is extremely susceptible to fashion, where lifestyle, image and cost present new challenges to designers. The demand for extra functionality and the latest trends while manufacturers are looking to reduce cost to provide the competitive advantage. Work in this sector can be very rewarding from reviewing features and benefits from the consumers' viewpoint to developing mechanisms and developing technologies to provide those features.
Previous consumer projects
include: domestic power measurement equipment, computer peripherals
for Fuji Electronics and domestic appliances such as washing
machines and Fridges. Project handovers vary from the generation of
first proof of principle prototypes to complete product
documentation.
Fagor Brandt won an prestigious design award for its dose-e washing machine at 'Foire de Paris '09'. The innovative self dosing system was developed with Origin Product Design with the appliance being awarded European innovation awards including Janus de l'industry 09. The machine is filled with detergent in bulk quantities and a pumping system developed with Origin selects the correct quantity depending on the weight and soil of the load. Fagor Brandt is France's leading household appliance group and one of Europe's major manufacturers, selling its products in over one hundred countries worldwide.