Soldering Tool (Old Design)
New Design Perspective
Problems with the Current Tool Design
- It is difficult to see the point of application when using this tool.
- The operators are gripping the tool unnecessarily tightly.
- The power cord tends to get entangled.
- Operators complain about wrist pain.
Design Solutions
The difficulty in seeing the point of application in the old design can be eliminated by tilting the handle to near 90 degrees angle. In the old model, holding the tool on a horizontal position makes it difficult see ahead at the tip of the iron rod because the hands blocks the view unless the tools is held on a 45 degree angle. The angled handle also encompasses comfort for the user because the tip of the handle in the older design presses on the palm, which creates the contact pressure. The design can be handled by a full grip, which eases the unnecessary rightness when holding. The angled handle provides comfort on the operator’s wrists as they will no longer need to reposition their hands every time when maneuvering through the vertical panel.
The design also eliminates the risk of exposing the hands from direct heat coming from the hot iron rod. Notice that the older design encompasses risk of the fingers slipping from to towards the hot iron rod, which will result to serious burns. In addition, the handle in the design concept conforms to the recommended handle length of at least 5.0 inches and the recommended handle diameter of 1.5 to 2.0 inches.
Grilled handle surface design promotes better control of the tool while being held, which again eliminates the risk of the tool slipping from the operator’s grip. Another problem that the new design addresses is the power cord getting entangled. Although it is reasonable to assume eliminating the power cord in favor of battery operation, it would not be suitable for the scale of work the tool was intended for. In addition, the weight of the battery could add up to the strain on the risk, elbow and shoulders during long hours of operation. Therefore, instead of eliminating the power cord, it is best to place it at the bottom of the handle to keep it away from contact with the hands and fingers, which is the reason for entangled cords. The added feature on the new design is the button placed at the handle for operational control so that the tool will only operate when the button is pushed. The flat sides of the handle encompass maximum grip comfort paired with slip resistant rubberized surface.
The bent handle of the tools is its major modification considering that effective tools work better with bent angled handle at same horizontal direction of the strait forearm and wrist. The new tool promises higher productivity of the operators, lesser risk opportunities while maintaining high performance functionality.
