A portfolio showcasing work that was completed during my product design (BSc) University Degree. The portfolio includes such work as concept development, research and testing, rapid prototyping and design for manufacture.

1. PORTFOLIO
PRODUCT DESIGN
DAN SAWFORD

2. A highly motivated Product Design (BSc) graduate with a passion for ideation and
design of innovative products who also has a years’ experience of working within the
design industry. With an in-depth knowledge of design and engineering principles,
combined with the eagerness to tackle problems head on, the individual has a proven
ability to research and produce intelligent solutions to design problems. Technically
proficient, having used multiple design software’s to produce 3D models, renders,
artwork and logos, both in the design world and free time. Shown frequent success
in project management, having managed multi projects simultaneously both on
individual and team-based projects. Has profound communication skills which have
been demonstrated during numerous presentations during the university and year
in industry where frequent client and third-party meetings were held. The year in
industry also provided a chance to enhance such skills as concept generation and
product development which compliment an ever evolving skillset.
REFERENCE
Available on Request
Product Design Graduate
DAN SAWFORD
EXPERIENCE
DESIGN INTERN
Bluefrog Design - Jul 2016/Jul 2017
• Frequently worked on multiple projects
• Mainly focused on CAD Work and Designing for Manufacture
• Assisted with the concept production phase, developing ideas from sketches
into cad models
• Participated in Client and Third Party meetings
• Regularly photographed products and components
• Operated 3D scanning software to produce 3D models of components
• Conducted Quality Assurance checks
• Prepared, arranged and sent deliveries, some delivered personally
CUSTOMER SERVICE ASSISTANT
Clintons Retail - Oct 2017/Apr2018 - Oct 2015/Jan 2016
• Reguarly overachieved daily targets, including signing up customers to the
rewards scheme
• Handled transactions from customers at front of store
• Participated in redesigning store layout
• Transferred finances between store and bank
• Operated in a fast paced envrionment and worked in small groups
VOLUNTEER MENTOR
Kettering Science Academy - Sep 2011/July 2012
• Assisted Teachers during form time
• Worked alongside pupils to teach them maths, english and IT
• Assisted pupils in the workshops with product design after the school day
EDUCATION
DEGREE LEVEL
De Montfort University 2014/2018
Product Design BSc Degree - First Class Honours
A-LEVEL
Kettering Science Academy 2011/2014
Product Design - B
History - B
Physics - D
GCSE
Kettering Science Academy 2006/2011
10 at A-C Grade
A in Physics, English and Design
B in Maths
CONTACT
dansawford@outlook.com
dansawford.wixsite.com/mysite
@ds_designpage
SOFTWARES
Solidworks
Photoshop
InDesign
Illustrator
Keyshot
PTC Creo
Presenation
SKILLS
Confident Speaker
Team Work
Leadership
Time Management
Communication
Guitar
INTERESTS
Photography
Cinema
Reading
Formula One
CONTENTS
RIVIRO
Practical Testing / Concept Development / Design for Manufacture 1
CHEVRON
Team Project / Practical Testing / Design for Manufacture 5
MULTI-GYM
Computer Aided Design / FEA Testing 8
POST DISPENSER
Computer Aided Design / Design for Manufacture 10
DOG HYDRATION DEVICE
Computer Aided Design / Model Making / Concept Development 12
FESTIVIEW
Practical Testing / Research and Development 14
USB RENDERING
CAD / Rendering 15
OTHER WORKS
Photography / Photoshop 16

3. RIVIRO
A river waste collection device for
towns and cities
Focus: Research, Concept Development,
Design for Manufacture
With populations increasing within towns and cities
the quantity of waste found within rivers increases
also; this leads to potential loss of wildlife, reduced
river quality and can even affect the levels of
tourism experienced within populated areas.
Riviro aims to target both surface and sub-surface
waste along with microplastics which are unseen to
the human eye. By preventing waste from floating
further downstream and collecting microplastics,
the affects on local ecosystems can be substantially
reduced.
P a g e 1

4. “Plastic in Rivers is a serious
threat to wildlife”River and Canal Trust, 2016
Utilising rotational moulding for
the main body allows hollow parts
to be manufactured which will
keep the product afloat and stable
P a g e 2
Handle has been designed to be
lifted by hand or hook from a long
distance
Entrance of the product lights up
at night. The rotational moulded
component allows the light to glow
evenly
Floats have holes at the
front so the unit can be
tethered to the river wall
Hydrocyclonic filter ensures
microplastics are removed from
the water
Runs on four bilge pumps, with two
running at a time over 30 minute
periods to ensure the pumps do not
burn out
Collection net for larger surfaec and
sub-surface waste such as cans,
bottles and bags

5. RIVIRO
A river waste collection device for
towns and cities
Focus: Testing and Development
As this project revolved more around the function
rather than form, several test rigs were constructed
to understand which was the best and most
effective way of collecting and filtering waste.
The first two test rigs involved using a pump and
filter foam to draw water through. However these
tests proved that using filter foam was not the best
option as it began to degrade after a short while and
put heavy strain on the pump.
Test rigs three and four followed the same general
design pattern with the main difference being a
collection bay and alternate internal filtration design
on test rig four. These rigs used hydro-cyclonic
filtration to filter the water.
The final rig was a indoor controlled experiment, a
refinement of the design used on test rigs four and
five
Testing Results
From the 5 main test that were conducted during
this project, it was learnt that a hydro-cyclonic filter
design was by far the best filtration method tested.
The results (See below) demonstrate that even the
smallest particles like dust can be collected.
P a g e 3
What is a hydro-cyclone?
This type of filter works on the same principle
as a vacuum cleaner. Water is drawn into
a chamber, a cyclone is created and waste
particles are pushed to the sides and drop to
the base.
1 2 3
4 5

6. RIVIRO
A river waste collection device for
towns and cities
Focus: Concept Development,
Sketching, CAD Modelling, Rapid
Prototyping
CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
This stage of work was divided into 3 smaller stages.
The initial stage involved producing a range of quick
sketches which would form 3 distinct concepts; A, B
and C.
The second stage of work involved taking the 3
concepts into CAD and producing solid models.
From my placement year I learnt that this was
an industry standard practice, and by developing
them on CAD a large number of variances can be
produced.
Finally, a selected concept was chosen and rapid
prototyped as a 1:10 scale model. This allowed the
concept to be viewed 3-Dimensionally and then
underwent a series of minor development changes.
In this instance floats were added to the side of the
product to aid bouyancy.
P a g e 4

7. Transducer
Injection Moulded Casing
Transducer Cover
Play/Pause and Power Buttons
Silicone cable protector
Cable length adjusting
mechanism
Helmet strap
connector
“In 2016, 18,477 cyclists
were injured in reported
road accidents”ROSPA, 2016
CHEVRON
Bone Conduction Headphones
designed for Cyclists
Focus: Group Work, Concept Develop-
ment, Testing
Group: Aidan Newby, Dan Mason, Dan
Sawford, James Wright
This group project was based on the premise that
cycling injuries and deaths are on the increase
and that some of these incidents are down the
cyclists listening to their music, unaware of their
surroundings.
The Chervon Headphones are bone conduction
headphones which play music via vibrations into the
skull wihlst the ear canal is left open. This therefore
allows cyclists to maintain maximum hearing
capacity whilst listening to music. The headphones
have also been designed with the encouragement of
wearing a helmet in mind.
P a g e 5

8. CHEVRON
Bone Conduction Headphones
designed for Cyclists
Focus: Group Work, Concept Develop-
ment, Testing
Group: Aidan Newby, Dan Mason, Dan
Sawford, James Wright
For this project, the development phase was split
into 3 sections; initial research and testing, concept
development and finally the prototyping stage.
During this project, the roles were consistently
divided equally among ourselves. For example,
during the concept development phase where were
each tasked with generating 4 concepts each to
make a total of 16 potential design styles.
PROJECTDEVELOPMENT
Research
The group research involved
researching existing head-
phones, performing group
sound tests, conducting
outdoor cycling tests with
headphones and reverse engi-
neering.
Concept Development
During this phase the number
of concepts and ideas was
reduced from 16 down to
4 on a simple group voting
system basis. These four
concepts then underwent
more development through
CAD until the final deigns
were chosen and rapid
prototyped. The best was
then selected and underwent
minor tweaking.
Concept Development
The final phase involved
manufacturing a working rig
and producing and aesthetic
model
P a g e 6

9. CHEVRON
Bone Conduction Headphones
designed for Cyclists
Focus: Group Work, Concept Develop-
ment, Testing
Group: Aidan Newby, Dan Mason, Dan
Sawford, James Wright
DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURE
With the main body of the product being injectoin
moulded it was key that the components were
designed to be manufactured via this method. This
would involve having tolerances and draft angles.
Some FEA Analysis was also required to ensure that
the connection strap between the two headphones
would not deform or snap easily when pulled or
ajusted.
P a g e 7
Strap Tensions Testing
Whilst the FEA tests were simple and straight forwards,
testing the tension of the elastic strap was crucial.
Understanding how much force could be applied before
it would deform allowed the group to select a suitable
material. The material would have to be full flexible,
able to be injection moulded and provide some form of
protection to the power cable running through it.
Through the tests we found that silicone was the best
option as it could withstand up to 20N before it would
deform.
20N of Force
30N of Force
40N of Force
Chart showing elasticity of silicone,
where dark blue is the minimum yield
strength
A decision was made to split the body
in half, midway up the body. This
would allow access to the electronics.
With the body split, the silicone
connection strap would be able to
slot between the two components to
be held in place without the need of
screws, reducing costs
Becuase the
components would
be injection moulded,
the interior walls
required a negative
draft so it could be
removed from the
mould easily.
1 degree of draft had
been added to all
interior faces, this is
represented by the
change in colour from
yellow to green.
The same process
was repeated for
the two halves of
the connection strap
holder.
Work completed by both Dan Sawford
and Daniel Mason

10. MULTI-GYM
A flat-pack Multi-Gym made using
existing extrusions and components
Focus: Research, CAD, FEA Simulations
The brief behind this project was to create a mul-
ti-gym using existing extrusions that are readily
available on the market to buy.
This multi-gym that has been proposed features
over 10 different excercise routines, can be flat
packed and has a fully adjustable seat.
P a g e 8

11. FEA Analysis
During this project there was also the opporunity to
perform some FEA tests on crucial parts of the mul-
ti-gym. These tests would help to reduce the material
usage on the tested components and add any further
detail to strengthen any weaker parts.
Below is an example of FEA Analysis being conducted
on one of the pulleys.
Holder for water or a sports drink
next to the adjustable seat
The pulleys reduce the tension
in the cable and are held in place
with plastic washers to reduce
friction
P a g e 9
Behind the seat is located a towel
hook for the user. This simply
a peice of plastic that has been
beant into shape and clipped to
the metal tube.

12. POST DISPENSER
An Agricultural fence post dispenser,
designed to aid fencing fields
Focus: CAD, Design for Manufacture
Coming from an agricultural background, this
problem is well-known to myself and is a common
issue. With farms often having large fields, fencing
them can take hours and a lot of hard work. The
brief states that the product must use Aluminium
Extrusions as the core element.
This product has been designed to carry the
required number of fence posts and releases them
every 10 metres. The product is also able to carry
multiple wire wheels, which rotate on an axle, to
save farmers having to carry and unroll the wire.
P a g e 1 0
The unit dispatches the posts every 5 metres
Wheels can be locked to force
the product to go in a straight
line
Rear wheels can be lifted to
ease transportation
Vacuum formed cover
protects electronics and
axle
Hopper can hold over 50 posts
Made mainly from extrusions
and sheet metal

13. POST DISPENSER
An Agricultural fence post dispenser,
designed to aid fencing fields
Focus: GAD, Design for Manufacture
DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURE -
EXTRUSIONS
The aluminium extrusions form the core elements
of this product so care has been taken to ensure
that they can be manufactured. Any holes are made
using C sections to aid the flow of material, all
wall-thicknesses are constant and there are radiuses
on all corners.
Constant wall-thickness
Screw holes are
C-sections to aid
material flow
Radiuses on corners
P a g e 1 1
Spindle Axle Extrusion
This extrusion is the central column that
rotates the posts from the hopper to
the exit.
Wheel Extrusion
As the wheels at the rear of the product
can be adjusted this extrusion acts as a
guide and also helps hold the product
together.
Axle Extrusion
The axle extrusion acts as both the
axle and is part of a locking mechanism
to lock and unlock the wheels during
transportation.
Spindle Extrusion
This extrusion seperates the posts so
that they are dispatched one at a time.
Main Extrusion
The main extrusion forms the main wall
of the product, holds all parts togeth-
er and also supports the handles and
wheels.

14. DOG HYFRATION
DEVICE
A wearable temperature monitor
for dogs that utilises thermochromic
pigments to alert the owner when the
when the dog is too hot
Focus: Concept Development,
Manufacturing
This project revolved around intelligently using
plastic properties to produce a product for pets.
This product is designed for dogs and utilises both
thermochromic pigments which can be mixed
with plastic and the translucency of some plastic
materials.
P a g e 1 2
Middle section
illuminates with LEDS
for night time usagege
Wings are made from
silicone so they are
fully flexible
Thermochromic pigments change
the colour of the wings depending
on the dogs temperature
Attaches to the dogs
collar for support
Wings feature ribs to
deflect air when the dog
is running at full speed
Slots at the end of the
wings can be attached
to a harness

15. DOG HYDRATION
DEVICE
A wearable temperature monitor
for dogs that utilises thermochromic
pigments to alert the owner when the
when the dog is too hot
Focus: Concept Development
CONCEPTUAL DEVELOPMENT
Prior to this concept being chosen at the Concept
Selection Stage, a series of sketches were produced
to demonstrate how the product may look.
Originally it was to be placed under the neck of the
dog, however as it is likely to get muddy it would
become less clear for the owner to see when it
changes colour. The porposed concept, rendered on
Photoshop, proposed the product was to be placed
on the back of the dogs neck.
P a g e 1 3

16. Handle for easy portability
Four legs prevent
buckling
Central column
for main strength
Smaller top
than bottom for
strength purposes
Interlocking flaps
hold the product
together and keep
the components
compressed
FESTIVIEW
A recyable cardboard seat designed
for used at festivals
Focus: Testing and Development
The Festiview is a cardboard seat/stand designed for
use at festivals across the world. Due to the world-
wide nature of the product, the brief required that
no text should be placed on the product.
P a g e 1 4

17. USB
RENDERING
Bone Conduction Headphones
designed for Cyclists
Focus: CAD, Rendering
This project required creating a USB and rendering
it into a situation to give it a ‘real look’ feel. For this
render, the USB was coloured to match the various
items in the image (headphones and books). The
image was rendered using a Solidworks file and 3DS
Max for the final render.
P a g e 1 5

18. PHOTOGRAPHY
Focus: Photography
Outside of university one of my main passions is
photography, particuarly nature and the outdoors.
Being outside, travelling and going off the beaten
track excites me and any opporunity I have to do
some photography I always take.
P a g e 1 6

19. DIGITAL ART
Focus: Photoshop, Photography
One of the many softwares used during the course
taken wsa Photoshop and this is a software that I
frequently explore and experiment with in my spare
time. Combining photoshop with my passion for
photography, I often create photomontages of pho-
tos I’ve taken or used from elsewhere to create new
and unrealistic scenes.
P a g e 1 7