Can design ensure that a product not only looks better, but performs better too?
Design in service of branding and robustness
Commissioned by Didak Injection, Artori developed the Foldaway — a revolutionary, innovative, robust, user-friendly and sustainable plastic folding crate. Thanks to its unique design, the crate folds up to 20% more compactly than other crates on the professional market, while its maximum internal volume delivers the best volume-to-weight ratio.
In a series of articles, we highlight the journey from brief to finished product of this one-of-a-kind crate.
Today: design within a technical product.
Can design ensure that a product not only looks better, but performs better too?
Last week, you could read how we translated the client’s requirements into concrete parameters. Today, we focus on design. A folding crate may be a technical product, but that doesn’t mean design should be an afterthought. It was important to us to integrate Didak’s visual language into the crates and express their brand as clearly as possible — both when the crate is open and when it is folded.
That’s why we worked on a number of subtle design elements that enhance Didak’s recognisability and, at the same time, contribute to the crate’s structural strength. Discover more below.
We incorporated the 70° angle from the Didak logo into the ribbing — a key element for structural strength. When stacked, this creates a clean, continuous line pattern.
For the interlocking — the points or lines that keep crates aligned when placed side by side — we used the Didak logo to maximise brand visibility when the crate is folded.
The openings in the side wall are shaped as a subtle wave, following the flowing wave of the side panel.
Higher side walls on the base increase load capacity, but negatively impact stackability when folded. By aligning the interlocking beneath the 70° angle of the Didak logo, we preserve the strength of the base, meet the 30 mm stackability requirement, and maintain strong brand expression — without compromise.
Thanks to the symmetrical placement of the hinges, different crate sizes (600 × 400 mm and 300 × 400 mm) can be stacked seamlessly on top of each other.
Next week: strength calculations.
How do we ensure the folding crate achieves the best volume-to-weight ratio and can carry 20 kg? To find out, we’ll dive into the fascinating world of strength calculations next week.
Because imagine this “perfect” crate carrying 20 kg of tomatoes — and the base starts to sag. The contents of the crate underneath should never end up as tomato purée.
Related articles in this series
- Part 1: The Foldaway – Introduction
- Part 2: Benchmarking as a Driver for Innovation
- Part 3: Design Focused on Branding and Structural Strength
- Part 4: Strength Calculations for the Best Result
- Part 5: From Theory to Practice with Prototyping
Do you want to bring a technical product to market without compromising your brand visibility?
At Artori, you’ve come to the right place. Get in touch and discover what we can achieve together.
