Storage Unit Outer Casing

Storage Unit Outer Casing

1. Materials

   • Industrial composites like the ones used in standard overhead lockers would be a good choice of material as they have already proven they are fit for purpose and durable to a point where they can be used in this application
   • Fabrics would not be a suitable material as they are too soft and not fit for purpose as the project were working on needs a strong, rigid outer casing to ensure that it cant change shape and that it will be able to hold a large amount of weight or at least more than it typically will have to during flight.
   • Metals would be strong and rigid enough to hold the luggage that it would typically be required to carry during flight however it also weighs a lot in comparison to the composites that are typically used in this application.

2. Assembly

   • The inner casing of the storage unit will simply set into place on the inside of the outer casing creating an inner lining to help protect the outer casing. this will then attach to the bottom of the overhead locker that is already in the aircraft.
   • All the parts of the storage unit are going to simply slot together and fasten with a semi permanent joining method which can be removed if necessary. this is to allow the storage units to be as modular and cheap as possible because if one piece get damaged it can be replaced without replacing the entirity of the unit.

3. Manufacturability

   • It will be an easy manufacturing process similar to the overhead lockers that are in place in current aircraft. This however will be on a smaller scale to accommodate the passenger travelling in the window seat so it will be a relatively tightly packed structure which will in turn make it more durable and tough.
   • The storage unit is going to modular with one being able to fit in above every row of seats on board the aircraft. This means the product is going to have to be easy to make and assembled on an assembly line to reduce time taken and also allowing them to be produced in mass.

4. Modularity

   • The storage unit will be modular to allow it to be easily fitted and removed from the aircraft. this allows the company to have full control over space within the aircraft and to modify it to the way they choose.
   • The storage units will simply slot into place and only require a basic fastening method such as nuts and bolts that just attach the unit to the bottom of the pre-existing overhead locker.
   • The dimensions of the storage unit need to be large enough to carry a backpack or other small hand luggage items.this will be roughly 30" by 40" by 20" to ensure multiple items can be stored and to allow the items to be easily put into place and removed from the storage unit.

5. Sustainability

   • The storage unit will be made out of similar materials and a similar design method to the typical overhead lockers that are on the aircraft market currently which means they will be just as durable. This in turn means that the storage unit will last a long time without needing replaced.
   • On average the outer casing of the storage unit will last roughly 10-12 years without needing replaced however the inner lining of the storage unit will need replaced much more frequently as it is in place as a protective layer for the outer casing. this means it will experience much higher levels of wear and tear however due to the fact that it is only a thing layer of fabric it will be relatively very cheap to replace as opposed to replacing the full outer casing of the unit.

6. Aesthetics

   • The product will be made to follow the preexisting shape of the aircraft this helps to ensure that no space is wasted and that the most amount of space is given to both passenger and their luggage storage above them.
   • The storage unit will incorporate bright neutral colours to help open up the space. and to keep the colour scheme throughout the aircraft generally similar.