The goal of the project was to redesign an injection molded plastic product and to produce workable molds for one of the parts. The object I chose was a dollar store kitchen timer. Simple in form, but offered lots of potential for a redesign.

Taking apart the timer, it was made up of 3 main components: the housing, timer mechanism and the dial to set the timer.

Upon closer inspection, the timer is held together mostly with bosses, allowing the parts to be easily assembled via friction fitting.

For my redesign, I wanted a simple timer which also makes a statement in the kitchen, while still fitting in with the kitchen decor. Stylistically, I was inspired by products designed by Phillippe Starck and Michael Graves - their designs for kitchen objects are simple, beautiful, and make a statement in the space while also complementing the decor and remaining inconspicuous to the user until needed. 

My final design was inspired by the aesthitic of 1950's refrigerators, with bright, eye catching colours, simple, sleek forms and a delicate feel that is not usually found in modern kitchen appliances. 

For the mold making portion of the project, I decided to do the top of the housing.

The part uses a series of bosses to both secure the timer mechanism and to secure the plate to the rest of the housing.

An overview of how the part fits in the mold.

The red lines indicate the parting lines of the mold.

The red dots indicate potential points for ejection pins on the mold.