A complete redesign of the drivers’ cabin of a slag hauler, a big machine transporting slag in smelters. I did this project together with another designer, and we did everything from research, ergonomic studies, ideation and mechanical design. The result was a full scale model of the new drivers cabin.
This was my master’s project in product design and is still one of the most fun, interesting, and challenging projects I have done so far. The project has been awarded several times, and the new driver’s area is now implemented in slag haulers running in Finland.
We joined the operators during their work day to observe and learn about their situation.
Another important part was interviews with different stakeholders such as site managers, mechanical staff, and engineers to get their perspectives.
We run several design workshops with people outside the project to get more ideas and diverse thinking.
Physical environments can also be modeled in paper. We made several models during the project, from simple cardboard layouts in order to test space and reach, to more advanced prototyping methods later in the project.
Many hours were spent in the workshop building the final prototype.
The project delivery was a full scale prototype of the drivers cabin to be tested and showcased to clients and operators.