studio Soeverein
about the partnership with the particle foam engineers at HSV
In this article, Anke Kempen, Senior Product Designer | studio Soeverein, talks about her experiences with HSV. Discover more about the development process for a cargo box [Accel/Babboe] and the choice of particle foam EPP as a solution.
First steps in the development process
‘From the first contact, HSV has always adopted the position of a trusted and reliable partner. What I mean by that is that they communicate very openly, both about the business aspects and about the substance of the project. Especially during the first steps in a development process, that’s very important, because it means you can quickly start heading in the right direction,’ Anke says.
Technical know-how
‘The development process for the cargo box on the two-wheeled and three-wheeled cargo bike by Accell/Babboe was a joint effort by multiple partners. The partnership included designer Imre Verhoeven [Studio imre], who was the driving force behind this success story, the end customer seeking to realise a fantastic product concept, and HSV, providing the technical know-how and possibilities to make it happen.’ Anke continues: ‘The open communication style and the quick feedback from the particle foam engineers at HSV ensured that we were able to design and finalise the product in a way that stayed close to the original sketch and design principles.
‘The open communication style and the quick feedback ensured that we were able to design and finalise the product in a way that stayed close to the original sketch and design principles.
‘I would certainly advise product design firms to contact the particle foam engineers at HSV. The people are great, the atmosphere is good and the material is ingenious. As a designer, I enjoyed the complete freedom of design that the material offers me.
It was nice that the particle foam engineers think along with you and offer advice about the right choices in terms of structure and general dimensions. They can provide a reasonably accurate estimate for the mould and product costs. That not only provides insight to arrive at the most ideal product design, but is also a deciding factor for the end customer. Based on that input, the customer can decide whether the project will be cost-effective.’
‘I would certainly advise product design firms to contact the particle foam engineers at HSV. The people are great, the atmosphere is good and the material is ingenious.’
Particle foams and mobility
‘Lightweight and safe are requirements in the mobility sector. For that reason, particle foams such as EPP are increasingly applied. The material is also nice to look at and pleasant to touch. Offering high resilience, low compressibility and good shock absorbency, EPP possesses a great set of properties that have added value for this sector.’
Sustainability
‘It’s nice that HSV offers the option to deploy reusable particle foams and that shaped components are produced using sustainable steam. EPP is fully recyclable, which is ultimately better for the environment and benefits a circular economy. Partnering for a sustainable future.’
Anke Kempen
Senior Product Designer | studio Soeverein
studio Soeverein
Anke Kempen is the owner of studio Soeverein and a Senior Product Designer. After graduating from Delft University of Technology in 2008, she started working as a designer and has released a range of beautiful designs over the course of her career. See more at studio Soeverein.
Assess the feasibility of your product design
Would you like to assess the feasibility of your product design? Or know more about particle foams in mobility? Contact the particle foam engineers at HSV and request a free feasibility study. During the feasibility study, the HSV engineers assess whether your product design can be manufactured using particle foams (EPS, EPP, ETPU, etc.), plastic injection moulding, or Project+ solutions from HSV that combine both techniques. Your request will be kept confidential.
