PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT Graphing Calculators

Joe Rouncefield

Janet Novelia

Volodymyr Osmolovych

Ronald Pang

Pranay Tourani

Word Count: 8716

Contents Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................... 2

Market/user need brief ......................................................................................................................................... 3

Graphing Calculators Market Competition Analysis ...................................................................................... 8

Patents, copyright and legislature relating to touch screen sliding calculators ............................................. 10

First Draft Design Proposal ............................................................................................................................... 12

Parametric & Matrix Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 14

Market maps for graphing calculators ........................................................................................................... 20

Product Design Specification ............................................................................................................................. 22

Initial Conceptual Design ................................................................................................................................... 24

Project plan ........................................................................................................................................................ 33

Appendix ........................................................................................................................................................... 41

Appendix 1 .................................................................................................................................................... 41

Appendix 2 .................................................................................................................................................... 42

Appendix 3 .................................................................................................................................................... 43

Appendix 4 .................................................................................................................................................... 44

Introduction

The world is constantly in demand of products that surpass its predecessor. A product, among others,

needs to be thinner, lighter, more user-friendly, and accompanied with new features and functions.

These continuously increasing demands from society have caused pressure on engineers to constantly

outperform themselves. An approach by total design is therefore needed in order to resolve this

situation.

According to Pugh (1990), total design is an activity that encompasses product, process, people and

organization. This would mean that in order to conceive a product, various inputs from different

specializations, technological and non-technological, are needed. This total design method will be

implemented by our team in order to design an interactive graphing calculator.

In this report, the market and user need brief will firstly be introduced. By conducting a survey and

comparing products competing on the market, a specific product, price range, and target market was

able to be selected. Moreover, due to this research, potential copyright infringement issues could be

avoided. This market and user need brief would then lead to the first draft design proposal, where the

team’s concept designs would be analysed using the parametric and matrix analysis and the controlled

convergence method. These two methods allow us to maintain a systematic approach in deciding which

product would be the most suitable to cater to our target market. The information obtained from this

chapter is used as the basis of the product design specification (PDS). The PDS translates the user

needs into technical specifications, aesthetics and ergonomics considerations. The last chapter will

thoroughly explain the project plan of the remaining stages of the total design activity, namely

manufacturing and sales. A list of tasks and activities will be broken down and presented by a Gantt

chart.

Market/user need brief

A market-oriented approach was followed in order to complete our market research. The main reason

for this approach was to gain a thorough understanding of what not only existing customers, but also

potential customers want. Using this method means that the decisions made are built around

information about the consumers’ needs and wants, instead of creating a product according to the

Businesses strength. Therefore, risks would be minimalized when making decisions regarding the

designs for the calculators. This would reduce the risk of the product failing in the market. Accurate

as well as information gained from recent research released will aid our design team to make informed

decisions, which in return, will lead to products that consumer’s desire. Finally, conducting market

oriented research will also aid in predicting future trends in the market allowing the design team to be

more innovative and produce a wider variety of designs to further analyze.

In order to conduct market research, firstly, the types of calculators existing in the market were

researched against set parameters (see table 1). Next, in order to do the user brief, a survey to

consumers was undertaken in order to see if there were desires that the market has not met yet.

Furthermore, a competition analysis for graphic calculators is given in order to have a better

understanding on the level of competition existing in the market and more information on their

products. Moreover, patents were analyzed for the graphic calculators in order to clearly understand

the constraints to designing a new product for this market. To summarize, a section on product

differentiation was provided in order to briefly outline opportunities for innovative design ideas.

Firstly of all we looked at the types of calculators available in the market. Below is a table showing

the five main types of calculators and relevant information regarding them. The key parameters in

designing a calculator are the functions, costs, and battery life. Hence, for each calculator sub sector,

research focused on these areas in order to aid designing our final product.

Type of

calculator

Leading

Manufacturers

Price

(GBP)

Purpose and Functions Consumer market

Printing

calculator

Canon

Casio

Sharp

Victor

20-30

Keeps record of calculations -

printing them onto a piece of tape

that can be removed then stored

as a permanent copy.

Perform basic mathematical

functions in dollars and cents. (eBay, 2014)

Consumer printing

calculator - everyday

or occasional user,

small office/home

office setting

Commercial printing

calculator - everyday

or moderate use, busy

office setting.

Often used during tax

season by finance and

accounting

professionals

worldwide.

Victor is the number

one American brand

for printing

calculator.

Financial

Calculator

HP

Texas

Instruments

Casio

18-53

(HP the

most

expensive)

Bond calculation Purchase price, Yield to

maturity, Depreciation

Straight Line Method

Fixed percent Method

Sum-of-the-Year's Digits

Cash Flow

Declining Balance

Break-Even Point, Calculation.

Break-Even point sales quantity

Break-Even point sales amount.

Sales amount for expected

interest. Sales amount for

expected interest rate. Margin of

SafetyDegree of Operating

Leverage Degree of Combined Leverage.

Degree of Financial Leverage

- Trigonometric / Invers

Trigonometric calculations

- Hyperbolic / Invers Hyperbolic

calculations, log, ln -

(logarithmic) calculations, 10x, ex

- (exponential) calculations

- x2/ ^ / x√ - (Power / Power

Root) calculations √ - (root)

calculations

- x-1 - (inverse) calculations

Financial firms

Used for processing

financial data and

calculating taxes,

costs, and interest

rates.

- x! - (factorial operator)

calculations

nPr (Permutation), nCr

(Combinatoric)

Random Number

Scientific

calculator

Casio

Sharp

Texas

instruments

Canon

9-18 Table functions

Square root

Exponentials

Reciprocals

Inverse hyperbolic

Backspace/delete

Fraction calculations

Logarithmic

Negative indicator

Verify functions

Prime factorisation

Degrees/minutes/seconds

Recurring decimals

Coordinate conversion

Power functions

9 variable memories

Random numbers

Radians

Trigonometry

Expression editing

Reset

Factorials

Gradients

Hyperbolic

Roots/powers

A level students

UK University

students

Europe

Africa (Kenya, South

Africa)

North America

Asia (India,

Singapore,Phillipines,

Thailand, China,

Japan)

South Amercia (Peru,

Brazil)

Australia

Graphing

Calculator

Casio

Texas

instruments

61-104 Open (e.g. windows options)

settings by mouse click (similar

to a PC mouse click)

Dynamic/Transformation

Inequality (auto shading)

Parametric

Polar, Zoom, Trace, Plot, Scroll

Table of function values

Integral calculus

Complex numbers

Editor

Matrices (max. 12 x 255)

Simultaneous equation solver

SCI/FIX/ENG Features

26 levels of parenthesis

Converts polar coordinates in

rectangular coordinates and

inverse

Hyperbolic and inverse

hyperbolic functions

Students

Engineering firms

US University

students

Secondary school

pupils

The table above shows the main the calculator manufacturers throughout the world. These firms are

the main competition on the market and are to be further considered when developing the product

properties. It is also obvious from the data that each different type of calculator is focused on varying

customer groups sometimes overlapping. A third deduction is that the cost of a calculator is related

to the complexity and number of functions. The more functions requiring intense software, the higher

the cost.

Calculations in centesimal

degree, arc degree and radian

Converts sexagesimal in decimal

and inverse. Automatic fraction

calculation. Random number

generator. Sign Change

2D Statistics, Permutation,

combinatory. Regression analysis

Calculates and converts in

decimal/hexadecimal/octal/binary

Logical connections AND, OR,

NOT, XOR und XNOR

Advanced statistics functions of

the evaluated statistics like t-

Test, Chi-square Test, normal

distribution, binominal

distribution. Finance

mathematics functions like

interests and compound interests,

cash flow, amortisation

Data exchange with other

graphics calculators (optional) or

PC possible

Desk

calculators

Casio

Sharp

Canon

4-26 Ideal for use outside

robust

12 digit display

Square Root

Sign Change Key

Large + Key

4 Constants (k)

3 Digit Comma Marker

Tax Calculations

Key Rollover

3 Key Memory

Correction Key

Profit Margin %

00 Key

Time Calculation

Splash and Dust Proof

Back up battery

Small businesses

Accounting

Calculating taxes

Office/classroom use

Converting units

Currency conversion

After analyzing the different types of calculators and essential information about their characteristics,

the graphing calculator was selected by the research team for further analysis due to the level of

innovation that could further be provided in this market.

In order to examine the market need for the calculator market, a questionnaire was conducted in

order to fully evaluate the desires and needs for both the existing, and potential customers.

Furthermore, through conducting this, a better knowledge of the market will be gained and a

potential market gap might be identified for the design team to further analyse. Finally, the

questionnaire will also help in creating a technical specification reflecting customer requirements to

be developed.

The questionnaire was created on survey monkey (see appendix 1), allowing stakeholders of the

calculator market to answer a list of questions produced by the research team. Results showed that a

total of 157 candidates participated and the results and analysis for this is given below.

Results and Analysis

The results can be found in appendix 2.

The results from the questionnaire displayed in graph 1, shows that from those surveyed, 50% were

University students, 19% were secondary students and the lowest number were Engineers with 4%.

This shows that the greatest demand for calculators based on those taking the survey are between

University and secondary school students. Furthermore, graph 2 confirms that the two main groups

of consumers (secondary students and university students) own either scientific or graphic

calculators as it shows that 59% are currently using scientific calculator, whilst 15% of interviewers

are using the graphical calculator. Moreover, from graph 3, we can clearly see that the graphic

calculator was the product that those surveyed were unhappy about as 62% selected the option of

unsatisfied for this product. Moreover, a large proportion of stakeholders selected a high amount of

satisfaction for the scientific calculators. Since the graphical calculator has been ranked as the least

satisfied product among all calculators, it shows that the graphical calculator has the largest potential

to develop a new product in the market. In addition, the results to question 4 show that function and

price are the most important properties when interviewers choose a calculator. However, properties

such as the aesthetics and the battery life are relatively least concerning factors when choosing a

calculator. Finally, the open question at the end depicts that in order to manufacture a product which

will be able to enter the market, we need to focus on:

Price (cost of the calculator)

Function (increase the variety of applications, screen features)

Display (larger display and more user-friendly interface)

Size (reasonable size is required)

The results to question 4 reveal that the function of a calculator is an essential criteria when buying a

calculator. However, from question 3 we can see that students who owned the graphic calculator

were unsatisfied with the product even though it had a wider variety of functions than a scientific

calculator. The reasons of this from additional notes students got to include in the survey were

mainly due to the complexity of the product and since this calculator is to be used by various

students around the world for essential purposes such as examinations, producing a graphic

calculator which could be used for teaching purposes in order to enhance students education could be

a potential gap in the market to be filled in.

As the result, the data of graphical calculator has been focused in order to set up the user need of it.

A graph of this is shown in appendix 3.

Graphing Calculators Market Competition Analysis

A graphing calculator is a device that can perform complex mathematical operations and plot

functions on graphs. It can also analyse functions by finding various descriptive elements like

maximums, zeros and poles. Graphing calculators are primarily used by students, pupils, educators

and STEM businesses.

The market for graphing calculators is essentially an oligopoly dominated by Texas

Instruments. ‘’ With its strong patent protection and clear marketing focus on educators and school

administrators, Texas Instruments has successfully built strong barriers to entry in the

industry.’’(Banerjee) According to market research by professional firms, TI controls approximately

80% of the US market and as much as 93% of the world market. This lack of competition is

primarily due to TI’s initial advantage in inventing the pocket calculator. The technology allowed the

firm to formulate extensive copyright documentation relevant to this day. Additionally, TI

established control over educational materials and as a result exam regulations for the SAT, PSAT,

ACT, AP, and IB are tailored to TI products. ‘’ For more than 15 years, Texas Instruments has

worked closely with educators (middle/high school teachers) and administrators to develop student-

focused curricular and supplemental classroom materials, and it supports professional development

organizations for the appropriate use of educational technology. Thanks to Texas Instruments’ efforts

in this realm, most teachers specifically request students purchase a Texas Instruments calculator for

algebra, calculus, and statistics classes—even the SAT.‘’(Banerjee)

Although the volume of TI sales remains high, the future outlook for their products is uncertain. The

software and hardware for the highly popular TI-84 were developed in 2004 and have not evolved

much since. Even the new TI-Nspire that can run spreadsheets and take notes but it is nevertheless

only a cosmetic upgrade. The upside for TI is that the cost of production is only 25% of the market

price compared to an iPhone where that cost is around 50%. Overall in order for their calculators to

remain competitive there has to a significant conceptual and scientific shift. The average price for a

TI-84 is between 100-150USD depending on specifications. A TI-Nspire costs between 135-

150USD. Versions like the TI-84 Plus and Silver edition are not much different in terms of functions.

TI-84 CE has a colour display.

The primary target customers for TI are school pupils, engineers, scientists, researchers, teachers,

and doctors. University students in the US are another major consumer segment.

Texas Instruments is a major electronics corporation and “TI's calculator business has generally

accounted for about 5% of TI's annual revenue and profit. The unit had a profit of $208 million on

revenue of $526 million in 2007 -- the last year in which the semiconductor giant broke out results

for its education business. (Since 2008, the results have been folded into a larger

segment.)”(Banerjee)

Two other major players on the graphing calculator market are Casio Computer Co. and Hewlett

Packard. Casio comes second after TI with their main unit being Casio FX 9750 selling for around

50-70 USD. Although their price is more appealing the company lags behind in marketing and

consumer lobbying focusing more on scientific calculators. The target market for the scientific

calculators are University students throughout the UK, Europe and Asia.

‘’HP has a less than 5% stake in the graphing calculator market, according to NPD Market Research,

and focuses primarily on college and professional users.’’(Banerjee) The most popular type of

graphing calculator is the HP-50G which costs between 80 and 135USD. HP have also recently

released an iPhone app for 30USD which is not relevant to usage on exams or tests but may assist

students and professionals with the same mathematical operations.

The Gabor Nagy Company have also released a graphing calculator app for Apple products that sold

more than 45,000 copies for 0.99 USD. A free version was also downloaded by 1.2 million users and

the firm made profits from ads.

Patents, copyright and legislature relating to touch screen sliding calculators

The following section analyses the patents and legislation that are related to our graphing

calculator design.

Patents

The following is a list of possible patents that our design might breach. Although there have been no

consultations with legal counsel at this stage, a technical opinion is provided in the concept designs

explaining why our product is not in breach of copyright law.

Casio:

United States Patent 4558427

‘’A sheet-like compact electronic device includes an electronic parts assembly in which a

semiconductor integrated circuit chip, a display element and a dry cell are arranged on a sheet-like

board. The electronic parts assembly is flexible and is sandwiched between a sheet-like upper cover

and a sheet-like lower cover. The upper cover is flexible and has a display window, and the lower

cover is also flexible and has a flat lower surface.’’

US Patent 5739823

‘’ A graph display device which includes an expression input section for inputting functional

expression data, an expression colour setting for setting a display colour for the functional expression

data input by the expression input section, and an expression display section for displaying the input

functional expression data in the display colour set by the expression colour setting section. A graph

producing section produces a graph for the functional expression data input by the expression input

section based on the input functional expression data, and a graph display section display the graph

produced by the graph producing section in the same display colour as that set for the functional

expression data.’’

US Patent 6549923

‘’Differentiation learning aiding apparatus and storage medium’’

Therefore, since a graph of a predetermined function, its first and second derivatives are displayed,

the learner can get a higher learning effect. Especially, when the learner learns a complex function,

the leaner can easily learn, utilizing the graph, without drawing the graph by hand which is a large

load on the learner.

Texas Instruments:

US Patent 5139423

‘’ An electronic teaching device (10) provides several mathematical activities including Place Value,

Trade, Target, Solve It, Word Problems, Estimate, Select and Calculator. The Place Value activity

enhances the understanding of numbers by pictorially displaying the place values. The Trade activity

enhances the understanding of addition and subtraction by allowing the user to trade between the

ones' place value and the tens' place value to properly perform a mathematical operation. The Target

activity emphasizes logical reasoning and problem solving. The Solve It activity uses the place-value

system to develop logical reasoning. The Word Problems activity tests the user's knowledge of basic

mathematical terms and facts. The Estimate activity develops the ability to estimate answers to

problems. The Select activity allows the user to recognize basic math operations.’’

LG Optimus Slider VM701:

8184571 7471622 7546511 8332719 6826408 7203506 7215653 7898952 8189556 7653027

7917094 8027306 6349224 6094427 6898743 7237179 7127661 7636878 7266752 7712012

7499430 7349373 274937 7623503 7532887 7609711 6332209 6862706 7487431 8423049 8452345

8392099 8447364 8477112 8478351 8504080 8549426 8600444 8427432 8531420 8581877

8629844 8593415 8606330 8654091 8571521 8654084

.

Product Differentiation

As shown above, the competition in the graphing calculator market is fierce and monumental.

Therefore it is critical to differentiate the graphing calculator from existing models.

In order for the designed product to stand out from the competition there has to be clear product

differentiation.

There are several methods of differentiating a graphing calculator. First of all the user interface can

be completely different in a physical sense. With the influx of digital touchscreens into

communication electronics it is only reasonable and progressive to incorporate a more user-friendly

screen into graphing calculators. Additionally, more buttons have to be present to decrease the

amount of time wasted in switching between function classifications like alpha and shift. Working at

a desk often requires the calculator to be compact and not too clumsy to handle. On the other hand

the consumer has to be able to see clearly the numbers and functions that he/she is operating.

Product differentiation can also be in the form of aesthetic characteristics. Edges have to be smooth

and the device has to be comfortably held in a human hand. Traits like color and texture may seem

trivial in a practical sense, however, they play a significant role in showing potential customers that

the product is different. Color may encourage attraction through curiosity due to the fact that buyers

will likely consider numerous options before making a decision and the initial attention is key.

Overall product differentiation based on extensive market and user need research is a core aspect in

creating a first draft design.

First Draft Design Proposal

From the market research that has been carried out previously, it is evident that only a few large

brands are competing when it comes to calculator products.

Investigation of competitions products and comparison.

Calculator Design Parameters

Casio Graphic FX-9750GII

Display: 1,229k dots

Dimensions: 200mm x 93mm x 27mm

Service life: 5-10 yrs

Weight: 230g

Price: £150

Display: 8 line by 16 character display

Dimensions: 3.47x0.98.7.24 in

Service Life: 5-10 yrs

Weight: 8.8 oz

HP Graphing 50g

Price: £100

Texas Graphic TI-84+

Display: 8-line by 16 character display

Dimensions: 185mm x 90mm x 25mm

Service life: Approx. 5-10 yrs

Weight: 250g

Price: £100-250

Users are generally satisfied with the calculators they are using, however they are also wishing for

some improvements, namely a large display size and easier user interface.

These facts led us to do a modification of the graphing calculator. The calculator is aimed to be used

as a learning tool in classrooms and lectures, as well as a mean of presentation in business meetings,

where numbers and functions will be input and an output, such as graphs or charts, can be produced.

Display Retina display, 250 ppi

Dimensions 160mmx90mmx10mm

Service life 5-10 years

Weight 300g

Price £150 - £300

Parametric & Matrix Analysis

In order to create the ideal calculator, a comparison of different types of calculators were made. These

calculators were assessed in terms of performance, functions, price, battery life, and aesthetic appeal.

Explanation of parameters

Performance - the calculator needs to be able to be used by users with ease and comfort, this means

that the calculator has to be able to solve calculations quickly and easy to navigate. Moreover, it needs

to have a high memory saving capability. A calculator that is not able to perform well will not be able

to satisfy its users, therefore this parameter has the highest weightage (x7).

Functions - the calculator’s capabilities of performing basic mathematical, algebraic, calculus,

trigonometry, financial, and statistical functions, as well as producing high-quality graphs. This

parameter is given the second highest weightage (x5), since it is deemed to be the most sought after

property by the users within our target market.

Price - the selling price of the calculator needs to be on par with its overall capabilities and

performance. It also needs to be affordable for our target audience. Users have to be satisfied with the

selling price and the quality of performance the calculator offers. Simultaneously, the selling price also

needs to correlate with its manufacturing cost, so that profit can be gained. Based on these facts, price

is given the third highest weightage (x3).

Power supply - the way the calculator is powered plays an important role. Batteries are normally used

to power a calculator. The battery needs to be able to support the calculator for a long performance

life. A calculator with a short battery life would need to be constantly replaced and cause too much

hassle for its users. Most batteries now are able to support calculator for a fairly long time, and due to

this, the power supply is given the lowest weightage (x1).

Aesthetic appeal - a product with an attractive appearance would certainly appeal to the market,

however from the survey, the team concludes that the styling of the product does not play a big role

for users when it comes to choosing a calculator. Another aspect of aesthetic appeal the team

considered was its thinness, a calculator that is not bulky and light would be easily portable.

Nevertheless, most calculators in the market share similar designs and weight, and consequently we

give this parameter the lowest weightage (x1).

Matrix 1

Criteria/Product FX-85GT FX-CG20 HR-8TEC LS-123K TI-34 (MV) TI-84+

Performance (X7) -

DATUM

- - - -

Price (X3) + + + + S

Functions (X5) - - - - S

Power supply (X1) S S S S S

Aesthetic Appeal (X1) S - + + -

∑+ 3 3 4 4 0

∑- 12 13 12 12 8

∑+/- -9 -10 -8 -8 -8

Feature fx-9750GII TI-84+ HP 50g

Proposed

Design

Graphing Parametric

Polar

Sequence

Rectangular

Inequality

Zoom trace

Dynamic/Transformation

Conics

Calculating values

Visual highlights on critical

points

Number of graphable

functions 20 10 15 25

Mathematics Table of function values

Fixed decimal option

Scientific notation 10+2 10+2 10+2 10+2

Fraction operations

Complex numbers

Matrices

Differentiation and

Integration

Recall and edit last entry

Statistics &

Data Analysis

One- and Two- Variable

Statistics

Median, Quartiles

Combinations, Permutations

Regressions

Histograms, scatter plots,

box & whisker plots

Number of lists 26

Up to

Memory

Up to

Memory

Up to

Memory

List length 999 999 999 999

Probability distribution

Pie chart/bar chart (built in) (add in) (add in) (built in)

Stored column formulas

Named list

Calculus Probability & Cumulative

Differentiation and

Integration

Maximum, Minimum

Trigonometry

Sine, Cosine, Tangent &

Inverses

Hyperbolic functions

Degrees-Radians-Grads

conversions

Deg<>Rad

only

Deg<>Rad

only

Discrete Math Recursive sequences

Science

Degree-Minute-

Second<>Decimal Degree

Polar<>Rectangular

Metric conversions (preloaded)

Data collection

Programming Equation solver

Finance Amortization

Interactive TVM Solver

Interest conversion

Annuity due & Begin

Setting

Day/Date calculation

Recall of financial values

Cost/sell/margin

IRR, NPV, PBP, NFV, Cash

flow

Computer

Math

Calculates in Dec, Hex, Oct

& Binary

Logic operations

Display Interface Icon Menu Cursor Cursor

Icon

Menu

Color Monochrome Monochrome Monochrome

65,536

colors

Lines x Characters 8x21 8x16 8x16 8x21

Backlight

Natural display input

Natural display output

Language options (add in)

Capture, cut & paste

capabilities

Screen size (pixels) 128x64 96x64 131x80 216x384

Split screen 2 2 2

Scrollable home screen

Memory Available RAM/Flash ROM 62KB 24K/480K 512KB 16MB

Number & constant memory

Prior entry recall

Hardware Protective Slide Case

I/O Port/USB port

connectivity

Power 4 AAA 4 AAA 4 AAA 4 AAA

Battery Life 230 hrs NA NA 250hrs

Auto Power Off

Accessories

Direct Connection to

Projector Unit

(with

adaptor) NA

Instruction Manual

Unit-to-Unit Cable

Computer Link & Software

Data Collection Programs

Exams PSAT/NMSQT* & SAT*

AP*

ACT*

Market maps for graphing calculators

Some of the properties above will be plotted in graphs in order to clearly show how our proposed

design competes with other similar calculators on the market. These chosen properties will be

compared against their respective price.

Weight vs. price

Logical Conclusion: It can be seen from this graph that despite the fact that our proposed design is

lighter, it would share the same market price as its competitors. A lighter calculator would be more

expensive to produce, nonetheless thinner and lighter components have now been massively

manufactured, making the production cost low. Therefore, it is possible to achieve the desired selling

price.

Size vs. Price

International

Baccalaureate/Praxis*

Weight

Price

TI-84+

FX-CG20

PROPOSED DESSIGN

HP-50g

Logical Conclusion: The graph depicts that our proposed design would be more expensive in

comparison to the other competing products when it comes to size. A smaller-sized calculator would

be more expensive to produce, since smaller and thinner component parts are needed. However as

previously said, thinner and lighter components are now massively manufactured, resulting in a low

production cost. A desired price is therefore achievable.

Service life vs. Price

Price

Performance

TI-84+

FX-CG20

PROPOSED DESSIGN

HP-50g

Price

Service Life

TI-8

FX-CG20

PROPOSED DESSIGN

HP-50g

Logical Conclusion: High quality components are needed in order to prolong the service life of the

calculator. A higher manufacturing cost would be needed in order to manufacture them. The graph

shows that our proposed design would have a much higher service life expectancy, thus resulting in a

higher selling price. This would hinder us from achieving the desired selling price.

Product Design Specification

This Design (intent) Additional Notes

Performance Retina Display, approx. 250

ppi

Rechargeable lithium-

polymer battery (≈8hrs

battery life)

Full-screen zoom feature

Computer connectivity for

updates

For the full-screen zoom feature,

existing patents will need to be

research to avoid enfringements

Environmental Recyclable metal and

glass/plastic casing

Operating temperature ≈ 0

to 40 (oC)

Service Life 5 – 10yrs Replaceable parts such as screens

and buttons will prolong service

life. Protective cases can also be

purchased

Maintenance Hardware: 1yr

manufacturer’s warranty

Software updates available

online

Can be connected to the internet

via computer connection for

regular software updates.

Cost £100 - £200 Provided by schools, universities,

and business, engineering, and

financial firms/companies.

Shipping Available from online stores

(e.g. amazon) and stationary

retailers (e.g. Curry’s,

Staples)

Packaging Cardboard exterior with

polystyrene interior mould

Quantity Batch produced

Manufacture

Facility Existing plant

Size Height ≈ 160mm

Width ≈ 90mm

Depth ≈ 10mm

Thin LCD display has already

been patented. Size depends on

concept designs.

Weight ≈ 300g Weight needs to be comfortable

to hold and easy to carry around.

Aesthetics Modern

Slim

Large Screen

A modern, up to date look will

make the product stand out

against competitors.

Incorporating new technologies

will allow the calculator to be

slim with a large screen

Case Protective hard cases

available

Materials Metals

Glass

plastics

Ergonomics Easy to hold (1 or 2 hands)

Can hold with 4 fingers and

press screen with thumb

Customer Students*

Schools

Professors/teachers

Engineering and Financial

Companies

* students do not necessarily

need to purchase the calculator.

Quality/Reliability High quality Resulting in the high price,

which is shown on the market

map.

Shelf Life Unlimited

Testing Drop test, battery health,

performance test

Safety Shatter Proof Screen

Waterproof*

*waterproof to a certain extent

Patents Graphing calculator with

manual line drawing (TI –

March 2000)

Political/Social

Implications Increase education standards

of the country, e.g.

mathematical capability.

Disposal The plastic, glass and metal

casings can be recycled.

The electronics will need to

be disposed.

Initial Conceptual Design

The original concept designs have been analysed using the matrix 2 (table 3). They have been

compared against the datum (Casio FX-CG20) which was the best product from our research and our

main competition. Each concept has been analysed in terms of 6 parameters (Ergonomics,

Manufacturing, Practicality, Price, Aesthetics, Performance) each of these parameters has been given

a weighting depending on how important they are to our product. The more important parameters

have a heavier weighting so they have more effect on the outcome of the matrix. The performance of

the calculator has been considered most important to the product therefore has been given the largest

weighting (x5). The second most important to the product is the practicality, if the concept is

impractical and difficult to operate then customers will not buy it, therefore this parameter has been

given a weighting of (x4). The manufacturing parameter considers the difficulty of manufacturing

each concept, the easier to manufacture to better. The ergonomics parameter considers how the user

holds and uses the product, the easier and more comfortable to hold the better the concept – both

ergonomics and manufacturing have a weighting of (x3). As our product will be a top of the range

calculator it will be competing with the higher priced products therefore ours will too be high priced,

for this reason the price estimated for each concept has a weighting of (x2). Although the aesthetics

of a product will impact on sales, it has been considered not as important as the other parameters as it

was found that our user did not largely consider this factor when buying their calculator, therefore

aesthetics has been given a weighting of (x2).

A negative (-) sign means that the concept is weaker in that specific area than the datum, a positive

(+) sign means the concept is stronger in that area than the datum. An ‘S’ signifies the concept is the

same or similar to the datum with respect to the parameter.

Refer to appendix 4 for conceptual drawings.

Table 3

Concepts Design Summary

Design 1 – Slide Screen Large screen for viewing graphs,

charts, operations etc.

Electronic slide-up screen prevents

dirt getting into buttons when not in

use - means calculator can be used

without keypad for simple operations

via touch screen

USB port for computer connectivity

(software updates)

LED backlit display

Design 2 – Tablet Button-less device

Very large touchscreen display

Thin design-lightweight

USB port for computer connectivity

Pop-up menus/keypad on screen

Glass display, plastic casing

LCD screen display

Design 3 – Flip-up Screen Flip-up screen offers protection for

screen and keypad when not in use

Large glass screen display (colour)

for graphs, charts, operations etc.

Large buttoned keypad including

scroll and zoom

USB port for computer connectivity

(software updates)

Design 4 – Sliding Keypad Large E-ink screen display for graphs,

charts, operations

General controls on front of screen

(on/off, brightness, zoom, scroll)

Large, electronic slide out keypad

(touch screen) for functions, numbers

etc.

Slide-out mechanism means keypad is

protected when not in use

Design 5 – Flexible Wrist Calculator Made from flexible material therefore

can strap on the wrist like a watch

Possibly magnetised connectors

Large, long touch screen display

Pop-up keypad on screen

Extremely light-weight

Only usable when on wrist or on flat

surface

Design 6 – Projection Display Curved triangular prism shape

Small screen display on front

Physical keypad next to screen

Projection lens for large display for

graphs, charts, operations (flat

surface)

USB port for computer connectivity

Matrix 2

Concep

t

Ergonomi

cs

(x3)

Manufacturin

g

(x3)

Practicalit

y

(x4)

Pric

e

(x2)

Aesthetics

(x2)

Performance

(x5)

Tota

l

Design

1

S - - + + S -3

Design

2

S - + - S + +2

Design

3

- S - S - S -9

Design

4

S - - S + + 0

Design

5

S - - - + S -7

Design

6

- - - - + S -10

FX-

CG20

DATUM

From the table it is clear that ‘Design 2’ is the strongest concept with a score of ‘+2’. Design 2 was

considered stronger than the datum in terms of practicality; this is because of the button-less aspect

of the design. Touch screen devices are very popular and are very simple to use. The large touch

screen was also the factor giving it the edge of the datum in terms of performance, the touch screen

means that functions can be accessed simply and quickly using pop-up/drop-down menus that are

easy to navigate. Design 2 was also considered better in terms of performance because of the greater

processing speed it would have, this is also why the price was considered better for the datum.

Design 2 also has two ‘negative’ aspects that were considered weaker than the datum. The first is

manufacturing; Design 2 was considered more difficult to manufacture than the datum sure to the

thinness of the device- manufacturing complex circuits and batteries etc. into such a thin space would

require complex manufacturing techniques. Also, Design 2 uses more complicated and modern

technologies than the datum due to its large touch screen LCD display, this also makes it harder to

manufacture. The other ‘negative’ Design 2 achieved was with respect to price, this is a knock on

affect for the difficulty of manufacturing and the high costs of materials such as the LCD display and

thin battery required.

From this analysis, the concepts have been narrowed down to the top three ideas according to matrix:

Design 1 – Slide Screen, Design 2 – Tablet, Design 4 – Sliding Keypad. These designs have been

improved in the areas where they scored a ‘negative’ in the original matrix. From this, three new and

improved designs are derived.

Table 4

Concepts Design Changes

Design 1a – Slide Screen Manually operated slide-up

screen – no electronics for

screen mean easier

manufacturing

Screen made touch screen

therefore calculator can be

used for simple operations

without sliding the screen –

practicality increased

Design 2a – Tablet Increase thickness of tablet to

allow for easier manufacturing

when fitting electronics inside

device

Design 4a – Sliding Keypad Keypad no longer

electronically sliding but is

manually pulled out from the

main device – easier

manufacturing and more

practical

Matrix 3

From the results of Matrix 3 (above), the decision was made to combine our two best concepts

(Design 2a and Design 4a) as these both scored equally as impressive against the datum. The final

concept chosen is a tablet with a large display screen with a touch screen feature. The screen will

have pop-up menus and settings. The additional feature of the tablet is a slide-out keypad (taken

from Design 4a) this maximises screen space for displaying operations and graphs/charts etc. The

sliding screen will manually pull out when needed and is button-less, with the pad also having a

touch screen feature. The touchscreen feature on the main tablet allows the calculator to be used for

simple calculations when the keypad is not needed. The tablet has a USB port for computer

connectivity and battery charging and a 3.5mm stereo headphone mini-jack – for an audio

explanation feature.

Material Choice

Retina display

Built-in lithium-polymer battery

Aluminium back-plate

Stainless steel enclosure

Glass touch screen

Plastic casing

Concep

t

Ergonomi

cs

(x3)

Manufacturin

g

(x3)

Practicalit

y

(x4)

Pric

e

(x2)

Aesthetics

(x2)

Performance

(x5)

Tota

l

Design

1a

S S S + + S +4

Design

2a

S S + - S + +7

Design

4a

S S S S + + +7

FX-

CG20

DATUM

Reference to Patents

United States Patent 4558427

The graphing calculator specified in the conceptual designs is not in breach of the above

patent due to the fact that the screen is a complete LCD display with the keyboard sliding out and no

keys placed on the front. The technology utilized is of a far greater calibre including a

microprocessor.

US Patent 5739823

Although our calculator includes a colour display as a fundamental element of the design, an

LCD display has very little in common to the pixelated screens incorporated in the patent.

US Patent 6549923

The designed calculator will provide interactive learning methods where the user can drag graphs

and functions around the screen without manually plugging in values.

US Patent 5139423

The designed graphing calculator is not primarily focused on teaching simple functions. The focus is

on complex mathematical analysis using most of the available techniques. The design exceeds the

technology under the patent and is on a completely different technical base.

LG Optimus Slider VM701:

8184571 7471622 7546511 8332719 6826408 7203506 7215653 7898952 8189556 7653027

7917094 8027306 6349224 6094427 6898743 7237179 7127661 7636878 7266752 7712012

7499430 7349373 274937 7623503 7532887 7609711 6332209 6862706 7487431 8423049 8452345

8392099 8447364 8477112 8478351 8504080 8549426 8600444 8427432 8531420 8581877

8629844 8593415 8606330 8654091 8571521 8654084

The above patents are all related to the new LG sliding telephone. Due to the outer mechanical nature

of the device, there might arise potential issues with the sliding keyboard on our calculator. The main

differences to the phone are in the placement of components. The calculator fits the processor,

battery, and wiring to the LCD inside the keyboard sector and then converges with the buttons on the

side for signal distribution. In the phone, however, there are numerous important elements in the part

of the screen. The mechanical sliders are also engineered differently in the calculator to the phone.

Project plan

Project Planning

In project planning, work tasks and necessary resources are identified. Schedules, budgets and cost

control system are created and project team and its manager, supervisors, subcontractors and support

staffs are identified. The project team consists of financial resources, human skills and production

resources. The resources are identified for the development of action items and scheduling that can

keep the project moving forward on a consistent basis.

Human Resources Plan

Project Manager

This project involves a calculator through the stages of research & development to

manufacturing stages. A project manager is needed to work with various professionals in

different fields of engineering and manufacturing to go from concept to finished product. The

manager is required with knowledge of laws, requirements and infrastructure, responsible for

implementing each action item or step necessary to complete the project.

Electronic Engineer

The project is aim on developing a brand new calculator which involve the design of the

integrated circuit in the calculator. An engineer with computing knowledge is needed to

design an appropriate IC that can provide the required functions for the calculator.

Mechanical Engineer

Besides the electronic component, the material and outlook design of the calculator is needed

to consider as well. Mechanical engineer has the knowledge of material science that can

identify the required material needed for the production of calculator considering the cost and

sustainability of the materials. Besides, mechanical engineer has the skill of technical

drawing which can design products and create instructions for manufacturing parts by setting

up a computer model.

Contractor

A main contractor is in charged for the manufacture of calculator after the final design of

calculator is done. Usually we are aiming on the factory in China with its low cost and high

productivity.

Project Team

The project has involved lots of activities which include marketing, design and

manufacturing. A cross functional team is needed and it is under the direction of the project

manager. The team is to assist and ensure all activities in the project running smoothly.

Financial Advisor

The price of the calculator has to be set carefully to avoid over price or underprice. This

involves the knowledge of marketing and the understanding of financial environment for

different market. Besides, all the budget in different activities in the project has to be under

valid audition. A financial advisor is needed to solve any problem for cost and selling price

for the project based on the marketing research and business administration knowledge.

Technician

During the manufacturing process, technical problem is always happened especially when

making small electronic parts. As the result, a team of technicians is needed to ensure the

whole manufacturing process is running smooth and the product’s quality is satisfied and it

has fulfilled the requirements.

Production Resources Plan

Calculator body materials

The calculator body frame is using Aluminum and Stainless Steel by its high strength and

low cost. It can provide sufficient protection for the integrated circuit in the calculator. The

rest of the calculator body and buttons are using Paperboard and Polystyrene which is a kind

of strong and cheap plastic.

Electronic component

The core parts of the calculator involves integrated circuit and driver transistors in order to

provide mathematics functions.

Resources Summary

Resources Name

Human skills Project Manager

Technicians

Contractors

Electrical Engineers

Financial Advisor

Project Team

Mechanical Engineers

Production resources Aluminum

Stainless Steel

Glass

Plastic

Retina Display

Integrated circuit

Driver Transistors

Rechargeable Battery

Paperboard

Polystyrene

Financial resources Budget

In order to effectively develop and realize the final design of the graphing calculator the necessary

tasks are broken down into organized sections. Incorporating the various professionals, resources,

and capital required to effectively produce the product a project plan is presented in the form of a

Gantt chart.

The first stage of the project is about the project team understanding the functions and purposes of

the graphing calculator. The project plan is presented with conceptual engineering drawings by the

assigned project manager with preliminary roles delegated between electrical, mechanical,

manufacturing, and systems engineers. Subcontractors are selected and evaluated based on the firm’s

prior experience on the market.

A preliminary manufacturing plan is drawn up by financial, manufacturing and systems engineering

specialists. Approximate resource cost, capital allocation, human resource allocation and time

constraints are calculated per unit product and over a continuous production scale. A budget is

formulated and signed off by the project manager.

Once the manufacturing proposal has been completed, the team moves onto the product development

stage. Work packages are categorized into logistical services, raw materials supply, plant

distribution, machine manufacturing control, packaging, sales and distribution, and market feedback.

A technical PDS is presented by the electrical, mechanical, and systems engineers. All necessary

physical and software tools are acquired.

With the previous stages complete the project team can proceed to producing the prototype of the

graphing calculator. All necessary materials for a batch are ordered allowing time for delivery and

synchronization with machines. The manufacturing chain begins operating.

After several prototypes have been produced they are reviewed by the quality control team

comprised of engineers and market specialists. Extensive product testing is executed by industrial

mathematicians and educators. Further consultations are conducted with representatives of retail

outlets and target consumers.

The project leadership team then evaluates the relevant modifications required in the prototype and

communicates them to the entire team. Manufacturing engineers and technicians adjust the

production chain accordingly. Software, electronics and systems engineers also modify the operating

system if necessary. Production facilities prepare operations for bulk production. The supply chain

managers further negotiate raw materials contracts with contractors and prepare logistics plans for

mass production.

At this stage the company is ready to release the graphing calculator on the worldwide market.

Dozens of batches of calculators are delivered to retail outlets and online market storage facilities.

Logistics managers coordinate with PR officers in the firm to promote the product in a timely

manner. Routine inspections are carried out by the project team and project manager at production

facilities to ensure quality control and further testing. Production rate is regulated according to

volume of sales.

The following tables illustrate the described tasks and resources required for the project.

Product Scope Description

The ultimate purpose of the product is to allow the teaching of maths in school/colleges/universities

to become easier and more understandable. Whilst being able to perform complex mathematical

calculations and display them in a way that is easy to understand.

Deliverables

The deliverables for this product include:

Engineering Drawings

Created using CAD

Produced to BS8888 Standard

Drawings for separate parts and an assembly

3D models

Created using 3D printer

1:1 scale

Prototypes

Produced during the manufacturing process

For manual and machine inspection

Reviewed by customer

User Manual

Including instructions on how to use

Complete in a number of languages

Images to aid descriptions

Details of warranty

Packaged with manual and product itself

Product Exclusions

The project exclusions include:

Advertisement

Marketing

Printing of User Manual

Printing of warranty

-All will be sourced from professional companies specialising in these areas respectively.

Appendix

Appendix 1

Questionnaire:

What is your occupation?

口Secondary student 口university student 口engineer

口teacher/lecturer 口others (please specify) ____________________

What type of calculator are you currently using?

口graphic calculator 口scientific calculator

口financial calculator 口software calculator

口others (please specify) ____________________

Are you satisfied with the calculator you are currently using? (5 is most satisfied)

1 2 3 4 5

Please rank the properties that are important to you before you buy a calculator (7 most important

1 least important)

Price ___

Display ___

Function ___

Size ___

Aesthetics ___

Battery life ___

Memory capability ___

What improvement would you make on the calculator you are currently using? (additional functions,

size, price, etc)

Appendix 2

Graph for question 1

Graph for question 2

Graph for question 3

30

79

7

13

28

What is your occupation?

secondary

university

engineer

teacher/lecturer

others

23

92

88

26

What type of calculator are you currently using?

graphical

scientific

finanical

software

others

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1 2 3 4 5

Satisfaction Ranking with the calculator currently using (5 is most satisfied)

Others

Software

Finanical

Scientific

Graphical

Graph for question 4

Appendix 3

Figure 1-Shows the parameters for the Graphic Calculato with the coresponding datar

012345678

Properties importance (7 most important)

Graphical

Scientific

Finanical

Software

Others

0

2

4

6

8

Graphical

Appendix 4

Concept Design 1-Sliding screen calculator

Concept Design 2-Tablet

Concept Design 3-Flip-up screen

Concept Design 4-sliding keypad

Concept Design 5-Flexible rolling calculator

Concept Design 6-Projector Calculator

References

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http://www.ti.com/ (Accessed: 6 March 2015).

Banerjee (no date). Available at: http://faculty.tuck.dartmouth.edu/images/uploads/faculty/ron-

adner/Texasmini.pdf (Accessed: 6 March 2015).

CALCULATOR RELATED PATENTS (no date). Available at:

http://www.rskey.org/~mwsebastian/patents/patents.htm (Accessed: 6 March 2015).

Calculators – Graphic, scientific and financial calculators | HP® Official Site (no date). Available at:

http://www8.hp.com/us/en/prodserv/calculator.html (Accessed: 6 March 2015).

Graphing, Fraction & Scientific, Financial, Basic, Printing, Calculators | CASIO America, Inc. (no date).

Available at: http://www.casio.com/products/Calculators_%26_Dictionaries/ (Accessed: 6 March 2015).

Products by Texas Instruments - US and Canada (no date). Available at:

http://education.ti.com/en/us/products (Accessed: 6 March 2015).

(no date a). Available at: http://www.environmentteam.com/concept/wp-

content/uploads/2010/09/holographic-projector-phone.jpg (Accessed: 6 March 2015).

(no date b). Available at: http://assets.hardwaresphere.com/uploads/2010/01/visual-sound-mobile-phone-

concept-design.jpg (Accessed: 6 March 2015).

(no date c). Available at: http://www.tuvie.com/wp-content/uploads/sony-ericsson-xperia-x1-slider-

phone2.jpg (Accessed: 6 March 2015).