SECTION 5

PRODUCT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

5.1 PRODUCT OVERVIEW

Our product is Motion backpack. Motion is the act or process moving or a particular

action or movement same goes to our backpack which is can move up and down follow

the movement that can make the heavy weight in body feel light. Our company focus

more on internal frame but we still manage to have a good quality backpack which is

we keep volume in 50 litters. Meaning if wearer carry a large pack, they will assume

that they have the extra space and will bring more stuff. Carrying a smaller pack can be

somewhat advantageous because it forces wearer to prioritize their item selection to be

lighter and more compact. We use cuben fiber which is the strongest fibre in the world

that is 15 times stronger than high-quality steel, ultra-lightweight, extremely durable,

waterproof and resistant to UV and chemicals. Motion backpack have drawstring

toploader opening, toploader meaning wearer can access gear from an opening at the

top of the bag. Drawstring is much faster to open and this product also provides quick

access to small gear items that might not fit into the hip pockets.

5.2 PRODUCT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

Characteristics of successful product development from the perspective of the investors

in a for-profit enterprise, successful product development results in products that can

be produced and sold profitability, yet profitability is often difficult to assess quickly

and directly. Five more specific dimensions, all of which ultimately relate to profit, are

commonly used to assess the performance of a product development effort. The five
dimensions in product design and development are product quality, product cost,

development time, development cost and development capability.

5.2.1 PROBLEM STATEMENT

A problem statement is a clear description of the issues that might be face by consumers.

In the case of running, the increased forces puts very high forces on the joints resulting

in orthopaedic and muscle pain and injury. An example, similar effect if someone

jumping out of trucks, during which the high forces incurred can lead to broken ankles.

To eliminate these accelerative forces, it is necessary to keep the load from moving in

the vertical plane to reduce dynamic forces on the body. Because of our reliance on

backpacks to carry loads, greater economy, lower dynamics forces and somewhat faster

speeds, can have a wide range of health and societal benefits. The large weight of

backpacks carried by hikers and travellers is well recognized to be a health problem

and reduction in dynamic forces may reduce muscle and orthopaedic injury.

5.2.2 BUSINESS IDEA

The importance of using your own experiences to find the right business ideas. The

founder of Gmax company itself love to travel and she always use a backpack as her

first choice whenever she going to have a vacation. She could not find a suitable

backpack that lightweight because she is a woman she tend to have a back pain while

she carry heavy bags. She know that most of the backpack offer in market such as

Deuter is such a huge brand and well-known in worldwide but she not afford to buy
that because the price for one backpacks is RM 300 and above. Furthermore, other

brands offer packs use thin plastic sheets or foam pads or no frames at all.

A major opportunity that she discovered when initially conducting research for her

product was the price point. Her closest competitors were typically selling their

products for several hundreds of ringgits. They were the types of products that a well-

established, middle-aged businessperson might use during their travels and outdoor

activities, but not something the average young professional would be able to spend on.

Hiking or travelling bags are not a new concept, nor is the idea of offering stylish

backpacks. But what the founder identified was the fact that nobody else in her niche

was selling bags that combined style, functionality and affordability. Thus, she had the

perfect opportunity to offer a new, disruptive product that met a previously unfulfilled

need.

5.2.3 PRODUCT DESIGN

The idea of this business is relates to an ergonomic backpack and, more particularly, to

a backpack that suspends the load from a frame that moves up and down relative to the

wearer’s body as the wearer walks or runs so as to significantly reduce the forces on

the wearer’s body. A suspended-load backpack designed to allow the load to more

relative to the wearer during walking and running so that the large movements between

the load and the wearer of the backpack reduce the fluctuations of vertical motion of

the load with respect to ground. Because the hip and thus the pack body goes up a down

a good deal during walking, a large relative movement between the wearer and the load

reduces the absolute excursion of the load. This movement may be, in turn, transferred
to a motor through, for example, a rack and pinion gear, to convert the mechanical

movement to electrical or mechanical energy. Such movement of the suspended-load

relative to the wearer also reduces the forces on the wearer’s body while walking or

running, thus reducing the likelihood of orthopaedic injury.

5.2.4 THE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Planning Concept System-Level Design Detail Design Testing and Production

Development Refinement Ramp-Up
 Articulate market  Collect customers  Develop plan for  Develop marketing  Develop  Place early
opportunity need. product options plan promotion and production with
 Define market  Identify lead and extended  Define part launch materials. key customers.
segments. users. product family. geometry.  Facilitate field  Evaluate early
 Consider product  Identify  Develop product  Choose materials. testing. production
platform and competitive architecture.  Assign tolerances.  Test overall output.
architecture. products.  Define major sub-  Complete industrial performance,  Begin full
 Assess new  Investigate systems and design control reliability, and operation of
technologies. feasibility of interfaces. documentation. durability. production
 Identify product concepts.  Refine industrial  Define piece-part  Obtain system.
production  Develop industrial design. production regulatory
constraints. design concepts.  Preliminary processes. approvals.
 Set supply chain  Build and test component  Design tooling.  Assess
strategy. experimental engineering.  Define quality environmental
prototypes.  Identify suppliers assurance processes. impacts.
 Estimate for key  Begin procurement  Train work-
manufacturing components. of long-lead tooling. force.
cost
Table 5.1 The Product Development Process
5.2.5 THE TIMELINE

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3

Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Development

Ramp-up

Marketing
and support

Production
and sales
window
Table 5.2 Timeline Product Development
Based on the table 5.1 showed the timeline product development that take 3 years before

our company release the product to the market. In quarter 1 until quarter 4 which take

1 years we do development in design and testing and find the idea from problem by

existing product and generate information from the customer about problem they face

by using current brand. Our company also find competitor from Malaysia which is

almost bag pack that are sell in Malaysia is manufacture from China and the price is

quite cheap and have a low quality compare to the western brands that have a huge

amount of loyal customers and pricey backpack that not affordable to most of the

customers. Ramp-up development take 6 months that a focusing on new suspended

technology. Next, marketing and support which is start from quarter 1 in year 2 that

take through the journey product development process, which our company make sure

approvals by final formula and ensure certifications are complete. Planning and

production which our company generate appropriate documentation and lastly before

our company launch the product our company make sure all the appropriates reports,

start production and make sales window.

5.3 PROUCT FEATURES AND CHARACTERISTICS

5.3.1. PRODUCT FEATURES

Figure 5.1 Illustrations Internal Frame

If still standing, 50 lb. loads in your backpack imposes 50 lb. of force (steady weight). It runs

when you walk or run, where you put a peak force, weight can be up to 3 times. Suddenly, 50

lb. packs can put as much emphasis on body and joints as it weighs 150 lbs. With the movement

of the Suspended Load Technology (SLT), this extra force can be reduced by up to 80% to

90% over and above the stable weight.

 Figure 5.2 Technique for Connecting the Pack Body to Frame

Based on figure above showed that illustrate an alternative technique for connecting the pack

body to the H-shape frame in the embodiments. As illustrated, the pack body is connected on

respective sides thereof to the vertical rods using the molded plastics integrators that are

snapped onto corresponding bearing attachments of the vertical rods. The molded plastic panel

interface assembly may then be connected to the fixed portion of the frame including the

vertical rods and crossbars, provided the interface assembly does not interfere with the

movement of the bushings on the vertical rods. The shoulder strap assembly is then connected

to the interface assembly.

As illustrated, the load storage bag is connected to the molded plastic integrators for attaching

the load storage bag (pack body) to the vertical rods of the H-frame. In turn, the H-frame

attaches to bearings on the vertical rods of the fixed frame between the pack body and the

suspension system. The interface assembly bolts to bearing rods of vertical rods and the bearing

rods are placed so as to allow a full range of motion of the bearing housings of the bushings. A
flange at the lower end of the interface assembly bolts to the lower bar of the fixed frame.

Finally, compression molded foam and air mesh suspension panel including shoulder straps

and optionally waist straps is mounted to the interface assembly via vertical holes in the

interface assembly by screwing the shoulder straps into one of the holes in accordance with the

trunk length of the wearer.

Figure 5.3 Front View Figure 5.4 Side View

Figure 5.5 Back View

Based on three drawing in figure above showed that the backpack have fully recovered with

fabric. Based on the figure 5.3 showed the drawing of the motion backpack for front view. The

height of the backpack is 68 cm and wide of the product is 33cm. On figure 5.4 showed the

drawing for side view and figure 5.5 showed for back view. Motion backpack permits the

consumer to suspend up to 50 lbs (more weight can be carried but the pack must be locked)

Hip belt pockets keep digital devices, snacks, and maps secure and easy to locate. The pockets

in the lid keep an insulation layer and other light item organized and accessible. Internal sleeve

holds a two-liter reservoir for hydration on the move. Nylon rip stop pack material combines

durability and lightweight. DWR (durable water repellent) finish protects contents from light

rain and moisture.

5.3.2 FUNCTION

Figure 5.6 Internal Frame Motion Backpack

1. Flange 1. Bushings 1. Horizontal Bars
2. Vertical Rods 2. Bottom Bars 2. Vertical Rods
3. Molded Plastics 3. Slots 3. Molded plastics
4. Bushings integrator.
5. Bushings 4. Load
6. Bungee Cord 5. Molded plastics
7. Vertical Rod integrator.
8. Upper Bar
9. Low friction pulley
10. Cam cleat
11. Vertical Rod
Table 5.3 Classification of function

Product Name Motion Backpack

Size of the Backpack 68cm × 33 cm × 20cm

Size of the internal frame 50cm × 28 cm × 1.2cm

Volume 50L Storage Capacity

Fabrics Cuben Fibers

Colour Dark green and black

Table 5.4 Product Features and Characteristics

5.3.4 THE QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT

Motion Backpacks has the capacity up to 50 litters. Hard, tough, and ready for the

challenge of carrying gear, pack it maintains the primary and is ready for back country

adventures and safely enough equipment and food at home two to three days for

travellers and hikers. Is characterized by a sleeve which acts as a hydration reservoir,

as well as thoughtfully designed pockets and zipper, not only safer but also the needs

of gear and homemade, it.

5.3.5 PRODUCT LIMITATIONS

The Motion Backpack, however, have their own limitations. When standing still, the

static force of the backpack is simply equal to the weight of the backpack. However,

peak forces exerted on the body can increase dramatically to as much as 2-3 fold greater

than the static force when one starts to walk or run while wearing the backpack. This

increase is due to the requisite alternate deceleration and reacceleration of the load

which must track the vertical movement of the hips on every step. These high,

sometimes jarring, peak forces make it difficult to move at high speeds with large loads,

and may also contribute to the muscular and orthopaedic injury suffered by those

carrying heavy weights relative to their body mass.

5.4 GROWTH PLAN

5.4.1 Introduction stage

In the introduction stage, we launched the Motion backpack to the market. In

this stage, it takes time, and sales growth is slow. For this stage, profit are

negative or low compare to other stage because of the low sales and high

distribution and promotion expenses. Lots of money needed to attract

distributors and build their inventories. It also high in term of promotion

spending, because to inform consumer of the new product and get them try it.

The company and competitors produce basic versions of the product because

the market is not generally ready for product refinements at this stage.

5.4.2 Growth stage

In the growth stage, sales of Motion backpack start climbing quickly. The early

adopters will continue to buy, and later buyers will start following their lead,

especially if they hear favourable word of mouth. New competitors will enter
the market because they are attracted by the opportunities for profit. They will

introduce new product features, and the market will expand. Prices remain

where they are or fall only slightly. For our promotion, we spending at the same

level. Profit increase during the growth stage as promotion cost are spread over

a large volume and as unit manufacturing cost fall. We uses several strategies

to sustain rapid market growth for as long as possible. It improves product

quality and adds new product features and models.

5.4.3 Maturity stage

At the maturity stage, the product is set up and our goal is now to maintain

market share that we have built. This may be the most competitive moment for

most products and businesses to invest wisely in the marketing they are doing.

At same point, the product sales growth will slow down, and the product will

enter a maturity stage. It last longer than previous stage. And it poses strong

challenges to marketing management. Although many producer products in the

maturity stage appear to remain unchanged for long periods of time, the most

successful one evolved to meet changing consumer needs. We will modify the

market, product, and marketing mix to satisfy customers. We also need to

consider any product modification or improvement to the production process

which might give them a competitive advantages.

5.4.4 Decline stage

Decline stage means the product life cycle stage in which product‘s sales

decline. Sales decline for many reason, including technologies advances, shifts

in consumer tastes, and increased competition. While this decline is

unavoidable, it is still possible for us to make profits by switching to less

expensive production methods and cheaper markets. For these reason, we need

to pay more attention to our aging product. What we need to do is identify those

product in the decline stage by regularly reviewing sales, market shares, costs,

and profit trends. Then, management must decide whether to maintain, harvest,

or drop each declining products.