In the 3rd semester of my studies at THUAS, I worked on this project, the redesign of the MTK Monster tower over the top bimini top, for Bolster softgoods, in association with THUAS
The team and I redesigned this product to improve the usability of the product, revolving mainly around the installation and set up of the bimini top.
The bimini revolves around one anchoring point for improved simplicity when using and setting up the bimini. It was designed to be operated by one or two people, focussing on getting the user out on the water as soon as possible, hassle-free.
The design employs a bespoke piece of hardware, specifically designed for the MTK monster wake tower. It was designed to facilitate one stationary frame and one moving frame such that the bimini can easily be opened and closed.
3D render of the bespoke piece of hardware mounted to the MTK monster tower
The bimini was designed such that manufacturing and shipping could be simplified and improved. We researched various innovative materials and manufacturing options to understand how we can make this product more economically viable and easier to ship.
It was designed to be assembled simply by the user, using use-ques like indicators on the frame to aid in the setup of the product. This way the product can be shipped using a smaller footprint, reducing the shipping costs.
Side view, closed
Front view
Side view, open
One of my main roles, among others, was to develop the custom hardware required for this project. Using Solidworks I modeled the part, making multiple iterations constantly improving it. After a few tries, I landed on a tool-less design, using pieces that can be assembled by hand. Using 3D printing I printed various versions for us to use in our prototypes.
3D render of exploded view
