At proto studio, we’ll bring your products to life.
Throughout our operations, we have made concrete use of mock-up models as part of the working process. We have tested the ergonomics of products and the feeling created by aesthetic design, on a vast array of products ranging from natural size boats and forest machine cabins to small products, such as ice scrapers.
We process wood, plastic, metal. The studio has a wide range of tools, such as saws, drills, grinders, surface treatment facilities, etc. We have even heard from a competitor that the Muodonmuutos proto studio is a reference for all model workshops in Finland.
Mock-up as part of the design process
When the designing process is started, it is most important to start with light and fast working procedures. The first stage can well be done traditionally with the help of a pen and paper. The search for ideas must be done quickly. As the designing progresses and the details become more essential, it is natural to continue brainstorming, by 3D modelling. This provides an excellent understanding of the forms and visual impressions of a product. It is also easy to design different variations and the understanding of the product starts to become clear.
The further the designing goes, the more concretely the human mind wants to experience the product. The more human ergonomics and usability are essential for the product, the more important it is to test the design in practice.
Human and ergonomics
Design covers several areas, not least the physical relationship of the product to the person. Is the product or its details too big or too small? It is almost impossible to answer a question like this with a 3D model. Human dimensions, trajectories and many physical factors are a very experiential matter.
Testing the user feel is only possible with a mock-up. Getting up into the driver’s cabin, the position of the seat and controls, the use of switches and controls, over and over again. This provides a good understanding of the placement and dimensioning.
We claim to be Finland’s top office when it comes to designing mobile machinery. The core of our expertise lies in understanding man’s natural motions and how we guide work through touch. Ergonomics also include an understanding of how visibility, air conditioning and heating should be solved.
Touch and feeling
Aesthetic design is sensory feeding. The task of designing is to provide a clear, recognizable form with both an aesthetic and a guiding role. Aesthetics can be explored through images, but it’s much easier to assess aesthetic beauty or style when our senses are sensitive through touch when recognizing an object. Visuals of materials and colours create a completely different emotional appeal to the product.
When designing a product ambitiously, we want to provide the client with this experience as part of the design process to ensure the desired end result.
Material engineering, joint structures, manufacturability, and durability
If we think about design with a very visual focus, we only scratch the surface. In order for design to become a reality, i.e. a finished and functional product, its structure, materials, and manufacturability must be in order. The best design solves both the aesthetic function and answers questions of manufacturability and even serviceability.
Our expertise starts with a white paper and the first idea. Professionalism is to refine and finish the idea for our client, meeting the numerous requirements that have been set for good product design.