Developing Tupa:

Prototyping Collection

Introduction

The 2010-2011 academic year marked the beginning of an exciting relationship

between UPM, Aalto University in Finland and the Kyoto Institute of Technology in

Japan through a course called Mechanical Engineering 310, or ME310 for short. A

Master’s level course that brings students through each step of the product

development process, the ME310 experience is enriched through partnerships with

world-class corporate sponsors, such as UPM. Working with UPM’s new Grada™

Plywood, our team was tasked with creating a new product using this material,

targeted speci�cally at the packaging and casing industries.

This book captures many of our key prototypes and favorite ideas from the year.

This progression of work eventually culminated in the development of our �nal

prototype, the Tupa Maternity Package, which made its global debut at Stanford

University’s 2011 Design EXPE on June 2nd, 2011. As the course was split up into

three periods — fall, winter and spring — this book is organized according to this

same chronology.

Enjoy!

- The UPMxME310 Team

FALL PERIOD: OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2010

Plyphone

Softwood

Glowing Wood

Magnet

Plyphone

As our team’s �rst prototype, the Plyphone helped us to understand how plywood

behaves as a casing material. By testing the achievable bending radii with the

plywood, that may have dictated size of product casings we could build. Via

in-person interviews, with Plyphone we could also test user impressions about

combining wood with other materials like metal and plastic. The plywood used we

made ourselves out of three layers of 0.8mm birch veneer and common wood glue.

Softwood

What if wood were soft? By carefully slicing thin sheets of veneer and taping them

to a cushioned material with double-sided tape, we actually made wood soft. Feel

it, scrunch it, or squeeze it, softwood appeals to our desires for materials that are

anything but hard and cold.

Glowing Wood

Featuring a dynamic Electroluminescent (EL) sheet, this concept demonstrates the

brilliant effect that comes with combining wood and light together. In some places

the wood is thin enough to let the light shine through, with other cut shapes made

into the surface to allow full light penetration. As wood and lighting are vital

components in interior design, with this execution the wood appears to be

producing light independently.

Magnet

With the increased bendability of the plywood, magnets proved to be an effective

way to snap-�t sections together, or make closed shapes. The Neodynium magnet

used here is extremely strong and when placed underneath a layer of veneer,

creates a seamless and elegant connection mechanism.

WINTER PERIOD: JANUARY-MARCH 2011

PaperBot: The Angry Frenchman

Plycycle

Plydimensional

Without An Oven (WAO) Ply

Plycar

The PlyFit Process

Sports Wheelchairs + the Univehicle

PaperBot: The Angry Frenchman

Our PaperBot, the Angry Frenchman, gently plays off of some quintessentially

French traditions. The intent of the course’s PaperBot assignment was to encourage

us to work with electronics, and to build con�dence in our team to incorporate them

into our future prototypes, if needed. The key action performed by the Angry

Frenchman was to angrily tilt his eyebrows when his baguette was removed, charge

ahead and spray silly string upon identifying a target.

Plycycle production process

4 bend3 push 5 assemble2 heat1 plywood

Plycycle

Perhaps a wooden bicycle isn’t exactly something new, but this one took us about

two hours to design, bend and assemble. With a plywood frame that can be bent to

match any rider’s dimensions, the curved pieces also act as support and

suspension for the rider. And with no formaldehyde in UPM Grada Plywood it makes

for an ideal children’s toy as well. This simply but sturdily built prototype also

demonstrates the plywood’s exceptional strength-to-weight ratio.

Plydimensional

We found that three-dimensional shapes (bending across or perpendicular to the

grain direction) were hard to achieve with the material, so we developed

Plydimensional to help overcome this hurdle. This prototype works by scoring or

cutting the layers of veneer to allow them to move and bend with more freedom.

Either an intact veneer layer or the glue layer helps to keep the panel from falling

apart completely. With this technique we could test making enclosed shapes

further.

Without An Oven (WAO) Ply

As achieving the plywood’s bending temperature outside of an oven or hot press

offered many design possibilities, WAO (Without An Oven) Ply was an exciting

prototype. Rows of resistance wires were strung across the top of one plywood

panel and sandwiched between another panel. When an electric current was

applied, the heat generated successfully brought the panel to the 130ºC bending

temperature.

WAO production process

Plycar

UPM Grada Plywood boasts a compelling strength-to-weight ratio and the

transportation/car industry is seeking solutions to make lighter yet stiffer

constructions. As Plycar is a partial car interior made from plywood, it helps to

explore the opportunities in this lucrative market while also revealing wood’s visual,

tactile and retro-style appeal. However, distinct challenges to the concept lie with

safety regulations and the closed nature of the car design industry.

110℃-130℃ Fitting machine Simply Powerful

The PlyFit Process

While investigating custom-�t seating solutions for sports wheelchairs, we designed

a quick and simple process for creating precisely �t custom shapes. The PlyFit

process follows these steps:

Step 1: insert room temperature, �at, cut plywood form into preheated oven at

130℃. Plywood should reach 130℃ after about 10-15 minutes.

Step 2: carefully remove heated plywood and place onto “�tting machine”.

Step 3: protecting your body from the heat, use your body as a mold and sit onto

the heated plywood atop the �tting machine.

Step 4: remain in place on the �tting machine for 4-5 minutes. Then, remove your

custom-�t plywood seat from the �tting machine.

Sports Wheelchairs + the Univehicle

Wheelchairs, and sports wheelchairs in particular, are expensive to buy and the

seats especially require precise �tting to the user. However, through the PlyFit

Process developed by our team even casual athletes that are disabled can still own

a high-performance, custom-�t wheelchair seat made to their dimensions easily and

quickly. Only through the production ef�ciencies of UPM Grada Plywood can these

products become more affordable and more accessible to users.

Univehicle: Developed by GK Kyoto Inc. in Japan, the

Univehicle is just one example of an immediate

application of the PlyFit Process in the market.

SPRING PERIOD: APRIL-JUNE 2011

Shoebox/Shoe Stand

Hard + Soft

Shoebox/Shoe Stand: The Second Meaning of Packaging

In most cases a product’s packing is just a lifeless vessel that protects a product

while being shipped or is used to advertise it. But can a package do more? To

probe this question further we created a plywood shoebox that can also be turned

into a shoe stand, quickly and easily. The more shoeboxes you buy the larger the

shoe stand can become, creating a stylish yet functional piece of design for any

home. Plus, by designing packaging to be more multi-functional we are saving

space and eliminating waste at the same time, too.

Hard + Soft

This idea shows the potential of combining the strength and formability of UPM

Grada Plywood with the �exibility and expandability that only fabric can provide.

Also, fabric adds a lot of opportunity to bring more color and �air into any design.

Especially for gifts, a combination of hard and soft can make traditional gift

packaging even more dynamic and special for the recipient.

Developing Our Final Prototype

The Tupa Maternity Package

As with all of our other prototypes, the development of

our �nal Tupa prototype was a separate journey in and

of itself. These next pages demonstrate the steps we

took before arriving at our �nal design for Tupa that

debuted at the Stanford University Design EXPE on

June 2nd, 2011.

use curved shape for rocking

how to get stable structures

multi-functional

cylinder

long life product

focus on the U-shape

functional study

we meet ‘house’ shape

TUPA BOX

Box Rocking Bed Rocking Toy

Table + Chair

Rocking

Used in our online survey, this version �rst began to explore a rocking motion in the

crib. This was a popular feature as rocking helps to calm babies and put them to

sleep.

Feeding Chair

Our �rst attempt at creating a feeding chair, this design brings the baby to the same

level as the adults at the dining table. The large dimensions of the Maternity Package

made the design feasible, but we struggled to achieve one that looked sturdy

enough to get mothers comfortable with sitting their babies down.

U-shapes

This drawing began to introduce the u-shape (�oating shapes on top) that sits into a

large, single shaped lower body. This design was also unique in that it is

expandable, where the slots in the bottom section allowing the box to expand and

retract to serve in different functions.

Rounded Design

The most rounded of our concepts, this cylinder shape is approachable in its

design, and functional in that it creates several stools or tabletops for use in different

situations. We did not pursue this design long enough to solve its possible fondness

to roll away, however.

Multi-functionality

At this stage we really felt comfortable with the level of multi-functionality we were

delivering. This concept clearly acted as a box for storage, but also came apart to

act as stepping stool and chairs — functions that are present in Tupa today.

Five Pieces

Made up of just �ve core pieces, this design shows a more simplistic and elegant

take on the u-shape idea.

Adjustability

A departure from our simplistic tendencies, the high number of slits and cuts made

this look too complicated to use, and would certainly have been too challenging to

fabricate. However it showed promise in its adjustability.

The House Box

Already showing obvious signs of Tupa, this prototype we �nally named, and we

named it the “house box” as it looks so much like a house or barn. It consists of a

large top cover that overlaps a bottom cover, and also introduces additional coloring

on the end cap pieces.

Finally: Tupa Is Here!

Tupa, meaning “great room” in Finnish, is the revolutionary new design for the

Maternity Package made from UPM Grada Plywood. In Finland every expectant

mother receives a Maternity Package that contains many of the essentials for a

baby’s �rst year of life. Even the box is often used as a �rst bed. More

multi-functional, stronger and more stylish than the original, Tupa adds the

functionality of a rocking crib, table and chairs and even a toy box. Tupa is truly life’s

most precious package.

Thank You!

Haruna Kawashima

Heikki Soininen

Julia Pettersson Hakava

Kento Misawa

Mamiko Nagao

Paul Warrunthorn Kittiwongsunthorn

Rumi Yoshida

Tuomas Sahramaa