Case Study

Plastic Grip Product Design – It grips swimming pool covers as if its life depends on it!

How the UK’s leading independent pool parts manufacturer launched their new product – Piranha Clip

summary

A grip that connects swimming pool covers to the reels that pull them in

Suitable for a range of materials up to 6mm thick

Injection moulded to complement the existing production line

Simple to attach and designed to never let go

the brief

Plastica was using two off-the-shelf products that had to be joined together to provide the swimming pool cover grip that their customers needed.

They came to us to provide a more elegant solution.

They wanted a grip made from injection moulded plastic that would be easy to fit (no tools requited) and nigh on impossible to get off. It had to grip a range of materials varying from 1mm to 6mm with the ferocity and bite of a piranha.

solution

We set to work providing concepts and 3D printed prototypes. The chosen solution we called ‘the wedge’ before it became christened the Piranha.

Just one pull on the connecting cord and it grips the pool cover super tight. As we further developed the product it became curved rather than straight as this enabled it to fit around the cover reel more effectively.

the result

A grip that works across all swimming pool covers and could not be simpler to use or give a stronger bite. Designed to fit in with Plastica’s existing manufacturing operations the clip – true to its fishy name – scaled up perfectly on the production ramp.

We are really pleased with the design of this clip; it works so well and the team at D&P have been brilliant. Thanks guys!

Will Dando, Technical Manager- Plastica