Los Angeles. As a design consultancy and BMW Group
subsidiary, Designworks is deeply involved in shaping the future of
mobility and the way we experience it. After presenting a vision of an
automotive interior predominantly designed for a fully automated
driving experience together with BMW at CES 2017, Designworks helped
introduce another pioneering look into the future of mobility in Las
Vegas: A backhoe vision of the future, developed in collaboration with
John Deere, is being presented for the first time at CONEXPO-CON/AGG
from 7. – 11. March. The concept leverages emerging materials and
technology innovations to dramatically reconfigure the traditional
backhoe form and is the result of a unique research and design process
called “Fixstern”. To showcase the Fixstern Backhoe vision at the
largest construction equipment trade show in the Americas, Designworks
was also tasked by John Deere with the development of a unique
augmented and virtual reality experience.
FIXSTERN: A Pioneering approach to innovation.
Designworks applied BMWs holistic and innovative research and design
process “Fixstern” (fixed star) to the backhoe project. The process
creates a far-future vision, a focal point that all stakeholders can
share in common, align to, and drive towards. “BMW is continuously
working on innovations to headline the radical change in our future
mobility. Through Designworks we are able to share knowledge and
inspire change and transformation in other industries, which is
important not only with regards to product design or connectivity but
especially when it comes to sustainable solutions for the future”,
says Adrian van Hooydonk, Senior Vice President BMW Group Design.
The demanding goals John Deere and Designworks established to
highlight the key areas of advancement also illustrate the dualities
the team had to overcome in the process: Designing a highly capable
and robust future piece of equipment while reducing weight by a
minimum of 20 percent and the equipment’s environmental impact by a
minimum of 10 percent; elevating the user experience through user
interaction and improved interior spaciousness while satisfying
differing regional markets and addressing changing market demands
through flexibility and versatility while lowering the cost to manufacture.
The John Deere Fixstern Backhoe.
The visionary backhoe concept incorporates an array of compelling
features and innovations. A hybrid powertrain delivers the right
amount of power, efficiency and light weighting without compromising
productivity. It also enables a lower center of gravity and improves
forward visibility. The form incorporates forward stabilizers,
enabling an extended wheelbase with airless radial tires, which
in-turn improves transport stability and expands the operator station.
To elevate the user experience, John Deere and Designworks expanded
the operator station with larger openings and fewer obstructions to
improve ingress/egress, visibility, and storage space. The isolation
of seat and controls from a now-structural Rollover Protective
Structure (ROPS) greatly improves comfort and control while reducing
vibration and noise. Electric four-wheel steer improves
maneuverability in tight areas.
The Fixstern Backhoe concept also boasts increased machine
intelligence and connectivity with integrated augmented interfaces
that enhance operation and real-time training, allow for increased
communication between operator and project supervisor for efficiency
and control, and incorporate predictive maintenance for decreased
downtime and improved fleet management. “We wanted to stretch and
challenge ourselves to innovate in new ways”, said Doug Meyer, global
director of product engineering, John Deere Construction
Forestry. “We worked closely with our backhoe customers to apply their
input, and we leveraged jobsite visits and qualitative research to
ensure the Fixstern solutions address future customer and industry
needs in performance, efficiency, and environmental compliance.”
Innovation through Materials and Consumer Insights.
Designworks fosters the integration of material and sustainability
knowhow right from the beginning of the design and development
process: For the Fixstern Backhoe the studio applied its proprietary
database of emerging materials, fabrication techniques and
technologies which were developed to help enhance product quality,
save costs and increase efficiency while meeting stricter
environmental regulations. With its holistic approach to material data
including eco indicators, material availability, material cost and
manufacturing information it also inspires designers to break barriers
otherwise unquantifiable in the conceptual stage. The backhoe itself
would be manufactured with intelligent, emerging, lightweight
materials which help to reduce dig component weight and translates
directly into increased payloads. The lightweight metal matrixed
exoskeleton as well as a suspended hybrid propulsion unit help achieve
the light weighting goals set out in the initial project phase.
In the event of inquiries please contact:
Birgit Pucklitzsch, Manager Communications;
Designworks, A BMW
Group Company
Tel: +49-151-6052-4026, Fax:
+49-89-548-49399
e-mail: birgit.pucklitzsch@designworksusa.com
Internet: www.bmwgroupdesignworks.com
Verena von L´Estocq, BMW Group Innovation and Design Communication
Tel.: +49-89-382-60816, Fax: +49-89-382-28567
e-mail:
Verena.von-LEstocq@bmw.de
Internet: www.press.bmwgroup.com
Designworks, A BMW Group Company
Designworks is a BMW Group company and a creative consultancy
that’s been driving innovation for more than forty years. Acquired by
BMW Group in 1995, Designworks enables its parent company as well as
internationally-renowned clients outside the automotive industry to
grow their businesses through design and creative consulting services.
With studios in Los Angeles, Munich and Shanghai and with clients
including BMW, MINI, Rolls Royce, HP, Microsoft, Corsair, Coca Cola,
Embraer, Neil Pryde, Siemens Trains and Singapore Airlines,
Designworks is deeply immersed in a broad cross-section of industries.
www.bmwgroupdesignworks.com
The BMW Group
With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group
is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and
motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services.
As a global company, the BMW Group operates 31 production and assembly
facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than
140 countries. In 2016, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.367 million
cars and 145,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the
financial year 2015 was approximately € 9.22 billion on revenues
amounting to € 92.18 billion. As of 31 December 2015, the BMW Group
had a workforce of 122,244 employees.
The success of the BMW
Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible
action. The company has therefore established ecological and social
sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product
responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an
integral part of its strategy.
www.bmwgroup.com
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