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DECKED: Revolutionizing Storage Solutions for Pickup Trucks
Technology Category
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Database Management & Storage
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Storage Services
Applicable Industries
- Automotive
- Retail
Applicable Functions
- Product Research & Development
Use Cases
- Manufacturing Process Simulation
- Virtual Prototyping & Product Testing
The Challenge
The challenge faced by DECKED, a company founded by entrepreneurs Lance Meller and Jake Peters, was to create an innovative, robust, and useful storage solution for pickup trucks. The storage system needed to be able to withstand a load of 2,000 lbs, fit into a wide range of pickup models including those from Ford, GM, Chrysler, Toyota, and Nissan, and be manufactured for a compelling retail target price. The main issue was that the large capacity of a pickup truck often came at the expense of storage. The loading area was typically a simple box with no ability to store smaller items safely or secure them from theft. This presented an opportunity in the marketplace for a well-built alternative.
About The Customer
DECKED is a company founded by entrepreneurs Lance Meller and Jake Peters. They identified a gap in the market for a robust and useful storage solution for pickup trucks. The company's target customers are both commercial users and private owners of pickup trucks. The storage solution needed to be versatile enough to fit into a wide range of pickup models from various manufacturers including Ford, GM, Chrysler, Toyota, and Nissan. The company aimed to create a product that could withstand heavy loads, provide secure storage for smaller items, and be available at a compelling retail price.
The Solution
DECKED selected Altair ProductDesign as its partner to deliver conceptual design work along with advanced engineering and prototyping services. Altair ProductDesign’s industrial design group, Thinklabs, was invited to participate in the process of developing design themes encapsulating product branding, form, function, and aesthetics for the storage solution. Altair’s virtual simulation suite, HyperWorks, was used to investigate the structural performance of the product to see how it would perform in real conditions. Based on the results of these studies, Altair ProductDesign was able to suggest design changes to improve the performance of the product such as its load capacity. Altair ProductDesign also worked on simplifying the design and tooling, enabling DECKED to manufacture several variants of the product with the same tooling, thus keeping manufacturing costs low.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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