Andis reMaster
Tech, 2023
Synopsis
For this project I redesigned the Andis Master professional barber clipper. The goal was to create an infinitely modular and repairable clipper, while simultaneously keeping the integrity of Andis’ premium quality.
This project was achieved through consumer research, market auditing, advanced CAD, rapid visual prototyping, model making, animation, and rendering.
Music: Nebula - Joep Beving, Maarten Vos
The Consumer
During one of my cuts, I spoke with Brandon, my barber at Clifton Barbers. I asked him about the different equipment he uses in his day-to-day, we mostly talked about motorized clippers and trimmers, which are the most employed devices in his toolkit. He told me about his pain points and obstacles with these tools, as well as what he’d like to see improved. It became obvious that one of the biggest annoyances from Brandon along with other barbers is how often clippers have to be replaced along with their lack of serviceability. I began to think of ways how this critical tool's lifespan could be extended, which is when I made it my goal to design a clipper that lasts and performs forever.
Right to Repair: Learning From the Best in Class
Framework creates self-serviceable and modular laptops, leading the charge for the right-to-repair movement within the tech space. Everything plug-and-play, labeled names and QR codes for each component to streamline repair and keep a technical learning curve to a minimum. These principles help inform the design ahead.
Andis
Andis has been around since 1922 and has established itself as a pillar of ingenuity, class, and reliability. There isn’t a barber around who doesn’t know Andis. If any of the brands were going to take a right-to-repair approach, it would be them. Their flagship model, the Andis Master was selected for this redesign. This clipper is considered among the best-in-class in the trade.
Revised Consumption Model
The proposed “right to repair” redesign allows the user to independently service and repair their clipper themselves- which eliminates e-waste and excessive production, saves money, and creates peace of mind. This also provides a long-term service model for Andis, as consumers may continually purchase Andis repair products versus switching to a new brand if it breaks.
Tech Dissection
I “borrowed” the actual Andis Master (shoutout Amazon's return policy) and dissected all of its guts. Calipered every millimeter to create as close to a 1:1 model as possible in Fusion 360, serving as a reference once the 30 days passed as a strong base to build the redesign off of. This dissection helped give an understanding of how everything works, fits, and meshes with each other. Knowing the essence and function of a product inside and out is essential to any design process.
Understanding Brand Language
Study of various elements across Andis product lineup including visual, functional, and ergonomic.
Form + Function Exploration
Brainstorm of different forms and ways to make repairability/ modularity as easy as possible for the consumer. The goal is that everything should be plug-and-play, with no tools necessary other than a screwdriver. This would require the elimination of any fixed connections such as soldered wires. This would be achieved by plugging every connection on at least one end using either ribbon cables or magnets. The concept is to isolate every functional part such as the motor, switch, circuit board, and battery pack so they can be fixed in a single swap depending on what breaks.
Physical Form Exploration
While this proposition is primarily an internal and functional redesign, I used the opportunity to explore new forms and possible brand languages for Andis. I studied many classic and standard clippers such as Braun, Wahl, and Babyliss to pull inspiration. Ultimately I wanted to do something new, creating a shape that distinguishes itself from all of the others. I wanted to create something sexy, elegant, and timeless. If you’re going to have a product forever it better have the looks.
CAD Development + Design Changes
CAD model created in Fusion360. Built based on measurements calipered from the Andis Master. Modeled new connections, replaced the coaxial DC charging port with USB-C, and rebuilt the skeleton to be easily taken apart. In addition, a new blade assembly that can be replaced without manually changing blades was built, requiring only a simple swap out like an ink cartridge. Aside from the screws and USB-C port, every body was modeled from scratch- no imported motors, batteries, circuit boards, switches, etc.
Prototype Process
I tried to create a beautiful form and wanted to show it justice. I set out to create an as accurate and representative model of my design as possible in the physical realm. I asked Ben from 3D Color, a local model-making shop that specializes in 1:1 looks-like prototypes for major brands, who I also worked with in my time at Procter and Gamble, if he'd be willing to help and teach me some of his prototype wizardry. We printed all of the parts visible from the exterior in SLA. Once we had the parts they were sanded, primed, and coated. We mixed a warm aluminum-finish paint which was then sprayed over the black models. For the blade, I ordered the real replacement from the Andis Master and stuck it on with some creativity.
Physical Prototype Photos
Music: Vestige I - Lorn
Animated Trailer + Select Stills
Given how much of this design is hidden beneath its shell, I wanted a way to demonstrate as many features as I could within a concise, engaging, and informative medium. My solution was to create a minute-long animated trailer. Having absolutely no knowledge or experience with animation prior, this was a massive undertaking. I animated and rendered this in just 4 days. The total duration sits at 55 seconds. Each frame was rendered at 2560x1440 pixels at 24 fps, with 1200 samples per frame in Keyshot. Edited and recolored in Adobe Premiere Pro.