Creating New Products this Christmas

Christmas is coming! This season is filled with love, joy and most importantly, gifts! During this period of time, our designers begin designing new products that are innovative and have high practicality. Today, we would like to share this Ox holder that is extremely adorable and would definitely have a great purpose. 

Here is the long awaited Ox Holder. As shown in this image, the holder can to hold water bottles like these. Besides water bottles, you can also customize these holders to hold products that you wish. Moreover, these designs can also be customized and designed accordingly to your product. You can check out this blog to find out more about the 7 steps of the design process and some design industry insights shared by our own designers. This was also designed by our very own designer. Let us share the process of how this product was designed. 

If you were wondering who this cute character is, this is Oscar, the Golden Ox! Oscar is an Ox that The ODM Group has rolled out for our annual socks project for the year of 2021. You can read this blog to find out about the Ox Socks that you can roll out for your promotional campaign. This awesome Ox was also designed by our very own in house team of designers in Mindsparkz. Our designer began this project by using a Highland Ox as a character design reference.

Next, he had to come up with a 3-Dimensional (3D) design of the Ox figure. This 3-dimensional image allows for better visualization of the product. 

Now, we come to a long-awaited moment! How are these products produced? Here are the 6 steps involved in producing this product that lands in the hands of our clients. 

7 Steps for Production

Step 1: Creating a mold with that custom shape

Step 2: Injecting plastic into the mold

Step 3: Cooling down and taking it out of the mold

Step 4: Applying colors

Step 5: QC

Step 6: Packaging

These are some steps that are often used in the production of different promotional products. 

If you are interested in creating innovative new products like these, why don't you contact Mindsparkz? Mindsparkz is a design agency founded in 2013 and they provide a variety of services that could assist you in making your designs come true. From graphic design to web design to even product design, you can rely on Mindsparkz for any design project. Contact us today! https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindsparkz-design/

WoodSkin aims to bridge the gap between virtual design and real construction

These days it seems the term industrial design has broadened to encompass fantastical projects and shapes in the virtual domain. Interdisciplinary design studio MammaFotogramma hope to go someway towards bridging worlds real and virtual through the development of a flexible wood surfacing material named WoodSkin, which, being CNC-friendly, lends itself to all sorts of abstract forms.

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How technical drawing benefits your production?

What is a technical drawing? 

A technical drawing is also known as an engineering drawing. The purpose of technical drawings is so that a detailed and precise plan is created to convey information. It is usually used to communicate direction and specifics to the group of people who will be manufacturing the product and to explain the product's function. Technical drawings usually become more detailed and complete as the project progresses. It includes sketches, detail drawings, general arrangement drawings and many more. Information required in such technical drawings include dimensions, title blocks, notations, symbols. 

Technical drawings can consist of two-dimensional, three-dimensional or exploded projections. They may be drawn to scale by hand or by Computer Aided Design (CAD) Software such as AutoCAD or Solidworks. The scale at which drawings are prepared should reflect the level of detail of information they are required to convey. 

How does it benefit production? 

Technical drawings benefit production in many different ways. Here are some benefits of having technical drawings

Accuracy

Technical drawings provide precision. Hence, CAD is becoming extremely popular within the field to improve the speed and accuracy needed by businesses today. This is due to the large amount of information which is provided with the amount of preparatory work taken for a technical drawing. Before the final drawing is approved, site visits and meetings need to be complete, design discussions with those involved at the cutting edge and draft approvals are required. 

Attention to detail 

With the design being a prominent figure in the final step in manufacturing, it is vital that product specifications are spelled out so that there is no ambiguity. Technical drawings provide detailed information, with many factors explored and worked over. This is to ensure that the final drawing is perfect to it's finest detail.  

Reduced Costs of Production

With the above 2 benefits, it brings about a reduced cost of production. As the saying goes, time is money. With a detailed drawing with all information necessary, it eliminates questions and reduces production delays. This allows for the production team to plan and execute the manufacturing process more easily. Moreover, an accurate drawing reduces the probability of the product being manufactured incorrectly. Such a malfunction could lead to quality issues down the line which could possibly lead to unsatisfied customers. 

Technical drawings are required documents for making moulds, prototyping product, sampling & mass production and many more. It will also be a final document for mould developing, comparing final product, and quality checks on products. 

At Mindsparkz https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindsparkz-design/, we provide product design services so that you do not need to worry about the steps required in designing your next dream product. Mindsparkz is the sister company of ODM Group, a company with over 17 years of experience in the field of marketing. If you are looking to produce a product idea of your own, contact us to find out how we can help you. Furthermore, this can be complemented with our procurement service at ODM Group to help you realise your dreams. Check out our portfolio to learn more about our services. 

Product Specification Sheets: Your Secret Weapon When Manufacturing In China

When developing and manufacturing products in China, it is key to educate yourself about the production process. The more you know, the better positioned you are. Understanding the process enables you to make savvy, cost-efficient decisions and always stay on top of new developments relating to your product.

A production specification sheet is of key importance when producing a product in China. These put the control into your hands and ensures that quality procedures are put into place. The result is consistently high-quality products, setting your business up for success.

What is a specification sheet?

A product specification sheet is a concise document, usually one or two pages, with key information relating to your product. Having all the necessary facts in an easy to read format keeps things simple and organized across the design and production process.

There is no singular format for a product spec sheet. Instead, these relate closely to the type of product you are producing. For example, technology requires a far more comprehensive spec sheet than a plush toy would. The key requirement of a specification sheet is that it includes all important information which relates to the production of an item.

How to create a practical and effective spec sheet:

• Consider including features, benefits, potential accessories, dimensions, weight, technical specifications, safety or licensing requirements, and diagrams. 

• Explaining parameters for potential defects safeguards your brand in the event of these. For example, if you are producing a plush toy, one would write that ’tears in fabric’ and ‘permanent marks’ are defects. 

• Employ the services of a trusted translator to interpret your spec sheet into Chinese. This limits the potential for costly misunderstanding which can cause production delays.

• Phrasing should be written in clear, plain English. Always use active sentences. Avoid generic descriptive words - exact specifications and expectations will serve you better.

• Are there any health and safety standards or shipping guidelines which would be useful to include.

• Pantone is the industry standard for color specifications, make sure that you use this.

• Writing measurable goals makes sure that your team and the manufacturers are accountable.

• Images like diagrams, sketches or renderings convey a lot of information and can increase understanding.

• Request feedback from your team. Running a spec sheet past people of varying backgrounds results in expert advice on whether or not what you have written is feasible. 

In summary, giving a spec sheet to factories circumvents mistakes which often arise from misunderstanding or poor communication. Without this document, factories may take certain liberties to cut costs or use materials of their choosing. With a product specification sheet, there is no excuse for things not to go the way you have detailed. 

Detail is a key word here. This document is not just a summary, it’s a comprehensive outline everything you can think of to define a product. Ultimately, this will enable a better final result.  

Packaging Sells

There's no questioning the indisputable fact that if there are two products side by side in a shop, the one that looks more appealing is going to be picked off the shelf, even if the second product was better. So, let's talk about how good packaging sells products.



There are principles to design in general to differentiate the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, though when it comes to low price products those principles seem to be chucked out the window and then run over for good measure. It doesn't help when different regions across the globe seem to relate to one aesthetic style more than another; for example, in Europe at the moment, minimalism and clean design seems to be a key focus on the majority of work, whereas in the majority of Asia it's all about grabbing attention before your neighbour does, creating loud styles that are quite different to those of Europe. Of course there is a bit more variety than these two different styles, including sub-styles that specify more on certain elements than others.

And aesthetic isn't the only avenue that you've got to go down; the design of the packaging as a product itself, is just as important as the look, and the packaging above made for sugar cubes has done this incredibly well by allowing the consumer increase the size of the box once at home to allow for easy access to a single cube instead of a half dozen. It's simple tricks like this that innovate packaging and allow for continued development by companies to find the perfect packaging for their product.

Now lets take a glance at what bad packaging looks like; maybe one of the most complained pieces of packaging across the globe is that of scissors, which require scissors to open. This destroys the fundamental idea of buying the scissors in the first place and also makes a lot of fuss out of something that should take a couple of seconds to open and instead takes minutes, longer if you don't have a sharp utensil to help with the process.

From a simple pair of scissors to the more extravagant (and expensive) iPhone, it's clear to see that packaging plays an incredibly important role. People are going to be paying for those scissors that can be easily opened compared to the ones pictured above with cause years of surpassed rage to surface. So if you're designing packaging for a product, don't be the Scissor packaging, be the Cube Sugar packaging.

To create the perfect packaging to sell your product, contact us at Mindsparkz where we can design your next best design packaging. For other forms of marketing strategies, visit The ODM Group for case studies to find out more about https://www.linkedin.com/company/mindsparkz-design/

Innovation in China: The Apple of Drones

China has been doing pretty well over the last few decades, with the economic reform in the late 70s bringing about what is known as the Chinese Economic Miracle, but it seems that time is coming to pass very soon. It seems that there may be a savior though, the first company in China - focusing on innovation - to dominate a new and hot market, and they're making drones.
DJI, or Da-Jiang Innovations, has become one of the coolest companies ever just for the fact they make RC Drones, but they are also a monolith in the industry with over 70% of the industry, measuring in at around $8 million, belonging to them. No wonder they're being called the "Apple of Drone".

It's probably due to the fundamental truth that China is an industrial giant, manufacturing products day after day at an incredibly fast pace, that has allowed DJI to flourish; without quick turn-around from the factories in Shenzhen, and such short distances between their headquarters and the factories themselves, the process or designing and producing new iterations of products would take a substantial amount more time.

It's amazing that over just 3 years the CEO of DJI went from a student at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology to starting a company from his dorm, and then moving to Shenzhen. Wang is now worth $3.6 million, according to Forbes.

DJI is pushing boundaries, reaching into new areas before competitors reach where DJI just was, allowing them to gain ground pretty fast and creating some really neat tech to help with search & rescue, surveillance, science, and agriculture; with the help of their development kit, it has been used for some nifty stuff, such as the 'SnotBot' that helped with the research of blowholes of blue whales, and some more questionable as well, like the 'KillerBot' which was equipped with chainsaws by farmers and used to decapitate snowmen.

It's safe to say that these guys at DJI are going to continue doing what they do best and creating some amazing technology for us to all enjoy, but will this perhaps push other people within China to endeavor into the world of innovation to help keep their economic boat afloat?

contact us and let us design one for u now!

The future of Washing Machines - Hanger Washer

The Hanger washer is an innovative washing machine that could pave the way to a new and more efficient future for single households owners around the world.

Designed by talented Wonkyung Jang. This is the wall mounted washing machine for a one person household which has enough space efficiency for your laundry and hanging. There is a hanger on the bottom part for you to hang your laundry without having to carry your laundry from the washer to a drying rack or clothes line. The washer redirects the heat from the motor over the hanger, for a quicker drying time.

The Samsung Hanger WM's powerful air blower has multiple benefits, by using the hot air hanger you will not have to iron your clothes afterwards as using the hanger decreases your clothes. You also have the option to add fragrance to the hot air (lemon, jasmine,lavender), so that your clothes don't just look fresh, but they smell fresh too.

Not only does the washer do a great job at cleaning your clothes but it utalizes the heat that would usually be wasted and directs it in practical way.

"We can save energy by means of circulating the remaining energy in a natural way"

For the modern world that is constantly looking for ways to recycle materials as well as energy, this is definitely one of the products thats taking a step in the right direction.  

Here at Mindsparkz we really believe in Wonkyung Jangs Washer Hanger. We too are also constantly pushing innovation and creativity within the design industry, so if you want to construct unique and ingenious products, why not send us an email at info@mindsparkz.com or visit us on our website at Mindsparkz to see our own original designs and creations.