The objective of this project was to make a modern and very light exclusive briefcase. The obvious materials for this purpose were carbon fiber, leather and Alcantara. The project led ultimately to the creation of the Carboléger brand. The brand is focused on selling the briefcases between the premium and luxury segment.
The design was made with Autodesk Fusion using the sculpt tool. Initial renderings are shown here. Small manufacturing constraints led to design modifications before the manufacturing started.
CAM was also made with Fusion360. A polyurethane foam plug was machined and a composite tooling manufactured. The briefcase shells were then made out of carbon fiber and epoxy resin. Different optical layers (weaves) were tested as well as different layups. The attaché withstood 110kg of crushing force without problems. Static testing of the not assembled hulls started showing significant deformation at 230kg. The shown bag weights just 890g.
Linings were made with Alcantara. The Alcantara handle provides a very soft and comfortable grip. The hand doesn't sweat at all. Leather trims provide a more colourful desing. Locks and hinges are German made and small metal parts come from Italy.
The shown briefcases are a beta version. Final briefcases include more pockets and different metallic parts.
