TORHANS
AERODYNAMICS, SPEED, & EFFICIENCY
Triathlons are grueling in every way imaginable and triathletes need to be in top physical condition to compete. They rely on the tools available to them to help them reach the pedestal. Technology continues to advance to provide them with products that are increasingly more aerodynamic, lighter, and that work even better. One such proudct is the recently introduced AeroZ bottle by TorHans. It is, bar none, the most advanced water bottle on the market for triathletes.
We spent a lot of time on each prototype making sure that each was ready for paint and was water-tight. We wanted to be able to utilize each prototype for testing, so it was important that they didn't leak. And, because the print material is not FDA certified for ingestion, we needed to locate a coating that would completely cover the cured resin on the interior of each prototype. The first step was to post-process each part after printing, then to apply the coating to all interior walls. Once the coating cured, we assembled all components and finished all exterior walls to closely match a blow-molded surface finish. Custom paint was required for final finishing and after it had been applied, all that was left was to wet-sand and present to TorHans.
We worked with TorHans through the prototyping and packaging phases of this project. Utilizing our in-house, ultra-high resolution 3D printer, we provided several iterations of prototypes for wind-tunnel and cycle testing. They were also taken to tradeshows to create hype for the soon-to-be-released product and to triathlons where the company could install them on athletes' bikes. This is a great form of marketing, that we feel is too often passed over. Why not create buzz for your product while tooling up for full-blown manufacturing? Not only will you pull in interested customers, but you'll also receive much needed feedback before it ever even hits the market. If changes need to be made, you might even be able to make those corrections.
During this project, we worked with mechancial and aeronautical engineers to make sure the shape of the prototypes would optimize windflow for racing. We wanted to be certain that once the product went into the wind tunnel for testing, that it would come out having achieved the standard we were all after. And, in the end, it performed even better than what we had expected and calculated for. There is no doubt, this is the lightest, most aerodynamic, and most durable water delivery system, making it the highest performance product for triathletes. It is quickly taking over that market and has gotten nothing but stellar feedback from all corners of the world.
The packaging design for the AeroZ bottle was a fun part of this project too. We put together some concepts and presented to TorHans and they decided to keep it simplistic with a rectangular shape containing a peek-a-boo window, showing off the unique cap area and giving the viewer an idea of the overall shape of the bottle within the packaging. There is also a tab for in-store hanging of the product. The graphics and printing provide for both a great look and tactility that help to finish out a cohesive, well-thought out and high quality product package. In closing, we loved working with TorHans and hope to see their products and company grow and to proovide ever increasing ingenuity to the triathlon market.
