Project Description

CUSTOMIZABLE MOTORCYCLE HELMET DEVELOPMENT

CLIENT : Qwart

INDUSTRY : Consumer goods

EXPERTISES :

THE PROJECT

Designer Xavier Marigo, Founder of the startup “Qwart”, mandated Creaform Engineering to develop the company’s first motorcycle helmet, the Phoenix. One of the particularities of Qwart helmets is their high level of customization. The specifications were therefore clear in this sense: developing a very high quality customizable helmet. Our team started with external styled surfaces from Rhino 3D, provided by the customer. The style had to stay classic and genuine but inspired by legendary helmets. The shield had to be very simple like the ones from automotive helmets having only two positions. Trims, vents, and liners had to be removable with a simple tool thus allow the user to transform his helmet into a unique product. Paint and finish materials had to be customizable and available in three different configurations: full face, jet and vented chin bar.

To reduce manufacturing costs, the three versions of the helmet had to be manufactured from the same single mold. Keeping the design intent expressed by the preliminary surfaces, our team had to adapt the shape and split lines to be able to create three final configurations from the same rough shell with a simple waterjet trimming operation.

Finally, to have a lightweight helmet of 1200 g the shell had to be in carbon fiber, all while being safe and respecting ECE 2205 standards. For the removable trims and the chin bar cover, we had to develop an aesthetic clean screw and insert system as a styling feature compatible with the carbon fiber structure.

Services provided

  • Brainstorm and ideation;
  • EPS dimensioning and shell sizing;
  • Advanced surface modeling “Class A”;
  • Shield articulation mechanism engineering;
  • All injected plastic parts development;
  • Prototype analysis and optimization.

GALLERY

TOOLS AND METHODS USED

  • CATIA V5