< 산업정보포탈 i-DB >의 '기획기사' 섹션에 김선경 대표의 인터뷰 기사가 실렸다.
An interview with CEO Kim, Sun Kyung has been published in the 'Special Articles' section of the Industry Information Portal i-DB.
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MAGAZINE[212컴퍼니] 한국을 넘어 세계로 나아가는 공구 디자인을 만드는 곳[212COMPANY] Designing tools with global reach beyond Korea
20 Nov. 2017
출처(Link to Article): http://idb.imarket.co.kr/content/list?page=3&pageLine=5&contGb=200001&ordlist=04
“If you have a product with an overseas market in mind, it would be hard to think of it without design.”
Does the tool need a design? In the case of products that prioritize function, interest in design is low. This may be due to differences in perception of design. If we think of design as just an incidental thing that makes a product look a little better, I wonder, ‘Do I have to spend money on design?’. But industrial design is much more than that. Not only does it make the function stand out, but it also enhances the completeness of the product by considering the ergonomic factors and manufacturing cost considering the user's convenience, as well as the convenience of after-sales service. If an engineer makes a feature, the designer plays the role of visually implementing it. This becomes even more important considering that most of the industrial products look to the overseas market as well as the domestic market. Competitors such as Germany and Japan may be captivating buyers with products with excellent designs.
Opened in 1989, 212 Company is making a name for itself as a design expert in the industry. The types of products he has worked on so far, from Yogurt containers, excavators, power tools, and navigation, are so diverse that it is difficult to define them as one. Among them, since 2006, Keyang's power tool design has not only created a new corporate identity, but is considered a representative project that has achieved success in the market. After joining the company in 1993, I met CEO Kim, Sun-kyung, who has been leading the company since 2004.
Does the tool need a design? In the case of products that prioritize function, interest in design is low. This may be due to differences in perception of design. If we think of design as just an incidental thing that makes a product look a little better, I wonder, ‘Do I have to spend money on design?’. But industrial design is much more than that. Not only does it make the function stand out, but it also enhances the completeness of the product by considering the ergonomic factors and manufacturing cost considering the user's convenience, as well as the convenience of after-sales service. If an engineer makes a feature, the designer plays the role of visually implementing it. This becomes even more important considering that most of the industrial products look to the overseas market as well as the domestic market. Competitors such as Germany and Japan may be captivating buyers with products with excellent designs.
Opened in 1989, 212 Company is making a name for itself as a design expert in the industry. The types of products he has worked on so far, from Yogurt containers, excavators, power tools, and navigation, are so diverse that it is difficult to define them as one. Among them, since 2006, Keyang's power tool design has not only created a new corporate identity, but is considered a representative project that has achieved success in the market. After joining the company in 1993, I met CEO Kim, Sun-kyung, who has been leading the company since 2004.
Q. Please introduce 212 Company.
Since its establishment in 1989, it has been a company specializing in industrial design. It is a place that has been selected as a ‘certified design company’ by the Korea Institute of Design Promotion under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Currently, there are more than 4,000 of them, and our company was the first company to be selected at the time of enactment in 1993. Backseju, Korea Yakurt's Seven container designs and Doosan Infracore's excavator. Finedigital's navigation series has been working together for nearly 10 years.
Q. You design in various fields such as containers, heavy equipment, and electronic products. Maybe in Korea, interest in design in specialized industries is not high, so it might be difficult.
Design is the highlight of a product. We once designed a console that goes into a submarine. When I first received the offer, I was unfamiliar with the field and I was skeptical. The competing product was a foreign brand, and the moment I saw it, I wanted to design it. It is the design that makes the technology stand out and determines the completeness of the product. The design of that foreign brand is not bad. Maybe that's why I thought I wanted to give it a try.
Design is the highlight of a product. We once designed a console that goes into a submarine. When I first received the offer, I was unfamiliar with the field and I was skeptical. The competing product was a foreign brand, and the moment I saw it, I wanted to design it. It is the design that makes the technology stand out and determines the completeness of the product. The design of that foreign brand is not bad. Maybe that's why I thought I wanted to give it a try.
Some people think that design is just something that costs money, but on the contrary, professional design is helping to increase sales. Daemo Engineering’s breaker design is a representative example. Due to the nature of the industrial site, the paint of the product may peel off after a week of use, but after adding a graphic work with an image of the brand logo and intense colors, the market response was good. It is said that sales increased in one year, and incentives were given to employees that year.
Q. In the field of professional industrial design, there seem to be a lot of special considerations.
Style is fundamental in design. But that's not all. Heavy equipment or power tools are used on site. As much as what is visible, we study how to make it convenient for users and how to use newly created or upgraded functions. In addition, we reflect in the design how to effectively reduce the production cost or the work process in post-management of the product.
Shall we talk about the engine oil container design we did? Engine oil is used at gas stations and garages rather than at home. Since products are stacked and moved in boxes, products should not be too large or too tall to fit the size of the box. The number of products in a box is determined according to the product height, and the amount of boxes that can be loaded is determined according to the height of the logistics container or the width of the pallet. If you can put one more box in the logistics container, the logistics cost will be saved by that much, right? All of these factors affect product design. I think this is something that cannot be suggested unless you are a professional designer.
Style is fundamental in design. But that's not all. Heavy equipment or power tools are used on site. As much as what is visible, we study how to make it convenient for users and how to use newly created or upgraded functions. In addition, we reflect in the design how to effectively reduce the production cost or the work process in post-management of the product.
Shall we talk about the engine oil container design we did? Engine oil is used at gas stations and garages rather than at home. Since products are stacked and moved in boxes, products should not be too large or too tall to fit the size of the box. The number of products in a box is determined according to the product height, and the amount of boxes that can be loaded is determined according to the height of the logistics container or the width of the pallet. If you can put one more box in the logistics container, the logistics cost will be saved by that much, right? All of these factors affect product design. I think this is something that cannot be suggested unless you are a professional designer.
Q. Power Tool design seems a daunting task. What power tools for Keyang have you designed and how many projects have you worked on so far?
Starting with a circular saw product in 2006, we designed a total of 26 products. The circular saw is meaningful as it was the first project with Keyang. Designers and engineers have very different views on design. At the first design meeting, engineers in Keyang made many comments. Questions poured in, focusing more on understanding the product rather than design. Then we really thought about it. We thoroughly understood the functions, and prepared design drafts that could highlight the various distinctive features of the product.
After the Presentaion, it was quiet. I realized it after working on it more than 20 times. If people's reaction is quiet, it's half successful. They're not talking about function, They're just focusing on the design. The circular saw was a lot of hard work, but I think it is a representative project that has made it possible to continue the projects with Keyang. Last year, I designed a smart power tool product. I can't tell you all the information because it's not yet released, but we didn't use the red color that represents Keyang, and the design will be completely different because it has different functions from the power tools that have come out so far.
Hammer is a renewal of an existing product. Although the existing product received GD (Good Design) mark and was recognized in the industry, it is said that it was ignored in the market. The biggest downside is that it looks heavy. When it comes to power tools, compact design is paramount. When we were designing, we expressed it with the phrase ‘put on like underwear’, but we expressed it as if it were wrapped around the outside of the product as much as possible without affecting the product itself. After that, it gained attention in the market.
Q. How long does it take to design a power tool and what is the process?
Depending on the type of product, it usually takes two to three months. Sometimes, we've been working on it for a month or less, though. First, research the product. We take existing products, try them on, completely dissect them, and start tearing them apart one by one. Then we start comparing it to the competition. We prepare various concepts based on the characteristics of the product. Once the main idea is decided, the design is modified and complemented accordingly. Keyang's power tools are for professionals, that is, tools used in industrial sites, so they are very dangerous products. Engineers want to spend as little time as possible on design and focus on field testing.
Depending on the type of product, it usually takes two to three months. Sometimes, we've been working on it for a month or less, though. First, research the product. We take existing products, try them on, completely dissect them, and start tearing them apart one by one. Then we start comparing it to the competition. We prepare various concepts based on the characteristics of the product. Once the main idea is decided, the design is modified and complemented accordingly. Keyang's power tools are for professionals, that is, tools used in industrial sites, so they are very dangerous products. Engineers want to spend as little time as possible on design and focus on field testing.
Q. What is the design identity of Keyang, and what do you consider especially when designing?
It is a screw line using red, the basic color of Keyang. The screw line that surrounds the product gives off a light, sleek yet strong feeling. While there are corded power tools, cordless power tools are also on the rise. We have completed the design of the screw line to emphasize that even ordinary batteries are Keyang products.
Professional power tools are mostly used all day, unlike household tools that are used only for a short time. As much as it is related to life, the wrist should not be strained as much as possible, and the grip should be considered to prevent accidents caused by missing the tool. It is also important to give a light and compact feel here. Above all, in order to compete with tool companies such as Bosch and Makita, we keep in mind cost-effective designs by reducing the mold process or reducing the amount of rubber material used in the tool handle when designing.
Q. It seems that expertise that encompasses design and industry as a whole is especially important in tool design.
Designers don't need to know as much information as engineers do. We just need to understand the basic mechanics of the product. The problem is that power tool design, unlike other product designs, is modeling with three-dimensional curves, so only those skilled in design can do it. Rather than using the stereotypical block shapes in the modeling program, the designer has to create all the structures from scratch. Among the industrial design fields, many people cite automotive design as difficult. Some designers say that a small power tool is like a car. That's why it's also a difficult field for designers without design experience.
Designers don't need to know as much information as engineers do. We just need to understand the basic mechanics of the product. The problem is that power tool design, unlike other product designs, is modeling with three-dimensional curves, so only those skilled in design can do it. Rather than using the stereotypical block shapes in the modeling program, the designer has to create all the structures from scratch. Among the industrial design fields, many people cite automotive design as difficult. Some designers say that a small power tool is like a car. That's why it's also a difficult field for designers without design experience.
Q. Is this why there are many fixed clients such as Keyang and Finedigital?
Professional design is important, but there is no next opportunity for designers. Every moment, we focus on the design project we are doing now and try to produce a successful result. A successful product here means that it must be successful not only in design but also in the market.And we think that our clients are looking for us because we do not stop with the idea of designing only one product, but take the unique identity of the product and design it with our own color.
Professional design is important, but there is no next opportunity for designers. Every moment, we focus on the design project we are doing now and try to produce a successful result. A successful product here means that it must be successful not only in design but also in the market.And we think that our clients are looking for us because we do not stop with the idea of designing only one product, but take the unique identity of the product and design it with our own color.
Q. What are your future plans?
I think we should talk about the work we are doing now. Some time ago we designed a portable perfume container. It is designed so that you can open and use the perfume cap with one hand. Along with this, medical rehabilitation robots are also in the works. As in the past, we want to become a living design company in the industrial field, regardless of product size and project, from bottle design to heavy equipment.