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Simple Product Design: Robin Bristow's Flat-Pack Funnel

By Rain Noe - July 5, 2013

in Object Culture

Australian designer Robin Bristow was in his kitchen and needed a funnel, but didn't have one. So he hacked one up using the flat lid of an ice cream container. Rather than throwing it out afterwards he held on to it, and surprised himself by how often he used it.

After field-testing some prototypes with a local Meals on Wheels affiliate and refining the design, Bristow had batches of his Bigmouth Flat-Pack Funnel made in several different sizes, locating a local plastic supplier and laser cutting facility. Last November, he won a 2012 Sydney Design Award for his troubles.

Here's the interesting thing: Although laser-cut, as you can kind of make out in this photo, the edge quality isn't fantastic:

So Bristow is now seeking crowdsource funding on Pozible, an Australian version of Kickstarter, for a new production run. The desired production method? Die cutting, which will be cheaper and faster than laser cutting, and also allow the recycling number to be embossed into the plastic.

Question for those of you production method geeks with experience laser cutting polypropylene: Have you had good results? My understanding of polyprop-plus-laser is that it needs to be covered (on both sides) with a protective film to prevent heat marks, but that the film doesn't stick well to the rough side. Do you think what we're seeing here is a result of that limitation, or something else?

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Matthew

11 years ago

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Jimmy: You can if it's greaseproof paper.
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Jimmy

11 years ago

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This is clever!
But, really, who hasn't used a piece of paper to do the same thing?

I guess you can't use paper for liquids though...

Good luck with this!

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Angus

11 years ago

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Because PP has such a low melting point, it's very hard to get a good edge without the plastic melting a bit into itself as seen in the photos. The smoke will also discolour the plastic but can be washed off with some detergent. I found with the right settings that you can get some amazing results lasercutting PP and you can even use the laser to score fold lines into laser cut polypro nets, like these educational robot kits I designed up a few years ago. http://www.ufactory.com.au/uploads/8/5/7/1/8571551/2207758_orig.jpg
This guy is on pozible, why hasn't he been funded yet!? Maybe it's true what they say about going kickstarter or go home... :( http://www.pozible.com/project/27260
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Mat

11 years ago

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I've laser cut a lot of polyprop at work and these edges are pretty much expected. It laser cuts to a very smooth edge, but quite messy and jagged. It often shrinks around the cutting edge from the heat of the laser, sometimes making the actual cut line approx 200% wider (in my experience).

Also, as said it gets scorch marks very easily so covering it up is pretty essential, although I usually find the top side not too bad.

Die-cutting would be the way to go, although for first batch runs laser cutting would be great as Polyprop laser cuts very easily and therefore quickly.
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kostas syrtariotis

11 years ago

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This is clever, but the absence of a lower pipe makes it unstable, so you have to hold it while pouring anything in a recipient.
As for the cutting, die cutting is not very expensive, I am surprised that our fellow kickstarts it. An alternative for a small production could be a cnc cutting, though ;)

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