RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

hello, for my A2 product design course i have decided to build a 1/16 radio control tank carry box, i am in the middle of designing the box itself and the ergonomic features, i have spoken with matt (matdragon) and he kindly agreed to be my customer for this product. part of the project is to create a questionaire on the product looking at the potential market and the funtions of the product so i have created this short questionaire which i am going to place on here and was hoping that you could all take a few minutes in filling it out and sending it back to me through a message or even just a comment this will be really useful towards the project so i can start designing the main features of the carry case. thank you ps. can you please add your full name and location (country would be fine) so i can refer to this in my A2 project, thanks again



Name:______________________
Location:____________________


QUESTIONAIRE:

1. What aesthetic feature (the outside look/design) should the carry case have?


2. What materials would you like to see used on the carry case?


3. How big should the box be?


4. Shoud it be able to carry more than one tank?


5. What else should the box be able to carry/contain?


6. What extra features/functions should the carry case need?


7. what would you like to see printed on the carry case?


8. Should it be suited for one specific tank or a variety of 1/16 sizes?


9. What would make the carry case easier to take around to locations?


10. what price range should the carry case be in?


ANY FURTHER COMMENTS:






Thank you very much for completeing this questionaire, regards Michele Watson-Blake

Name:_Kevin Scollay_____________________
Location:_Orkney, Scotland___________________


QUESTIONAIRE:

1. What aesthetic feature (the outside look/design) should the carry case have?
Look like an "Ammo" military style box, (panzer grey or allied green) or a 1/16 scale building of ww2 period

2. What materials would you like to see used on the carry case?
Plastic

3. How big should the box be?
Big enough for tank and accesories, or to scale size if looing like a building

4. Shoud it be able to carry more than one tank?
Not neccesarily, I dare say if making the building option, a "Hotel" could house two tanks

5. What else should the box be able to carry/contain?
Transmitter, batteries, possibly charger, tools, someting to hold paperwork (magazines or manuals etc)

6. What extra features/functions should the carry case need?
As 1 above if it was a building it could double up as battlefield scenery

7. what would you like to see printed on the carry case?
military style stencilled graphics or print to look likea building

8. Should it be suited for one specific tank or a variety of 1/16 sizes?
multiple tanks to reach a wider market

9. What would make the carry case easier to take around to locations?
handles or hidden handles

10. what price range should the carry case be in?
cheap (£20-30)

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS: Good luck!

Name:_Rob G_____________________
Location:_France___________________


QUESTIONAIRE:

1. What aesthetic feature (the outside look/design) should the carry case have?
Tough and functional.

2. What materials would you like to see used on the carry case?
Lightweight

3. How big should the box be?
Big enough for a tank and transmitter

4. Shoud it be able to carry more than one tank?
No

5. What else should the box be able to carry/contain?
Batteries, charger and tools

6. What extra features/functions should the carry case need?
Double as a seat or worksurface

7. what would you like to see printed on the carry case?
"Touch this and I will kill you"

8. Should it be suited for one specific tank or a variety of 1/16 sizes?
Any 1/16 tank

9. What would make the carry case easier to take around to locations?
Extended handle and wheels

10. what price range should the carry case be in?
£1-£20

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS:
Best of luck

Name: Peter P
Location:Lord Howe Island, Australia

QUESTIONAIRE:

1. What aesthetic feature (the outside look/design) should the carry case have?
Something a bit unique so it is obvious to handlers that the contents is fragile.
I like the other suggestions, camo, definitely something that stands out!

2. What materials would you like to see used on the carry case?
Light yet duarable, plastic perhaps Corlite (I think it's called it's like corrugated plastic)

3. How big should the box be?
Smaller enough to go on aeroplanes and not get damaged.

4. Shoud it be able to carry more than one tank?
Two tanks would be nice and great if you could pull it off but weight could be a factor.

5. What else should the box be able to carry/contain?
Radios, charger batteries and tools. Lots of pockets, we are modelers we like to carry stuff!

6. What extra features/functions should the carry case need?
Adaptability, so it could be used to carry other stuff.

7. what would you like to see printed on the carry case?
Fragile, precious friend inside! I think if you are aggressive as in "damage this and you are dead"
You are challenging and then damage you will get.

8. Should it be suited for one specific tank or a variety of 1/16 sizes?
The biggest there is, all 1/16th scale tanks.

9. What would make the carry case easier to take around to locations?
Wheels and an extendable handle.

10. what price range should the carry case be in?
Afordable, under $100 Aussie $s

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS:
I need one of these and as you can see a little bit by my comments I have thought about it
a bit. I am actually collecting sheets of corlite when I find them to built exactly what you
are designing so I am very interested in your project. My situation may be a little different
to most I live on an island and fly in small (30 seater) planes to the mainland. Would really
like to take one or two of my RC tanks with me one day to catch up with fellow tankers.

My problems are two weight and fear of damage to my models. What's the point in taking
your model away if when it gets there its not a model anymore!

I have transported made up model planes, which were very fragile, in the past two things I
did which may or may not have contributed to them making it in one piece.

1. I actually wrote on the outside of the box in large clear letters, "Dear baggage handlers,
this box contains is a model plane which took me many hours to make and is therefore dear
to me, please handle with care, thank you!"
2. I have also transported a large RC submarine, I wrote a similar statement on the box and
also added a plastic window, my theory being if they could see it they may respect it!

There is a down side to some of this if it looks interesting and attracts attention is it also a
bit of a set up for being stolen!

I believe if you just right the standard "fragile handle with care" on a a box the opposite can
happen, everyone wants there item to be handled with care don't they, therefore baggage
handlers see this all the time and they are over it. This is why you have to somehow get there
attention, make your box interesting so they look after it! In saying that it can't be a strange
shape, for example if bits hang off it they will probably get broken.

So my thoughts are Individual yet not awkward. Sorry to waffle on a bit but as I have said I
have been thinking about such a item for some time, look forward to seeing what you come up
with and good luck!

Fragile, precious friend inside! I think if you are aggressive as in "damage this and you are dead"
You are challenging and then damage you will get.

...it's called English humour...

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS:

Make it stackable so you can store several without taking up lots of floor space. Also make sure the tank is resting on it's belly and not it's tracks (this'll help preserve the springs in the suspension).

I think the plastic window is a good idea, the problem with using words is that baggage handlers 'could' be any nationality and of less than average intelligence. You could write what you liked on the crate, and they wouldn't have a clue what it said?

Mind you, unless I wanted the local constabulary knocking on my door, I wouldn't advocate a label saying that your precious friend was in the box.

Name:_____971wright_________________
Location:________nelson lancashire____________


QUESTIONAIRE:

1. What aesthetic feature (the outside look/design) should the carry case have?
Look like a building of the same scale


2. What materials would you like to see used on the carry case?
plastic


3. How big should the box be?
at least big enough for one tank and transmmitter plus batteries,could also make them large enough for two tanks and transmmittters and batteries ,price to reflect this


4. Shoud it be able to carry more than one tank?
If possible


5. What else should the box be able to carry/contain?
batteries and transmmitter,possible charger

6. What extra features/functions should the carry case need?
a good handle to lift the box and tank

7. what would you like to see printed on the carry case?
nothing unless it is a brick/building print


8. Should it be suited for one specific tank or a variety of 1/16 sizes?
could also be made to carry other scales eg 1/24


9. What would make the carry case easier to take around to locations?
a none slip grip on the bottom to stop it sliding while in transport

10. what price range should the carry case be in?
20-30 for a single tank box 30-40 for a larger one

ANY FURTHER COMMENTS:
It would be good if they could be stacked while being transported ,most cars are limited for space but have room to stack boxes,most of the guys who need these boxes also have to pack camping equipment as well as tanks tools chargers transmitters.So being able to pack them in a secure box along with transmitter and batteies,and being able to stack them would be great.




Thank you very much for completeing this questionaire, regards Michele Watson-Blake
michelekingtiger
Lance Corporal

Posts: 187
Joined: Sun May 17, 2009 7:13 pm
Location: Hitchin
Private messageMSNM/WLMAIM

For anybody needing something really strong for transport something like this box could be utilised



These are stackable too, you could fit a tray inside or make it foam with cutouts to put tank etc in.
Stock these are quite utilitarian looking but with a bit of cosmetic work might pass for some concrete building/ radio bunker? Now thats an idea! Fit a sound system in it also? I have a cutting of "cow mat" (plastic based 1" thick firm foam) and with that on top it could double up as a seat. H'mm I guess it will need somewhere for the "Schnapps" also.

Thats kind of what I use