Embody Computer Chair Highlights NPE Design Competition

Scroll down for a photo gallery of Design Competition entries!

A computer chair that adapts to a person's spine is one ofthe entries in the first-ever InternationalPlastics Design Competition that will be held at the National Plastics Exposition in Chicago June 22-26.

The Embodychair, designed by Jeff Weber and the late Bill Stumpf for Herman Miller,also has a pixelated seat which moves when a person moves. The seat's three-layered construction ofmaterials conforms to micro-movements and distributes weight evenly.

The design is aimed at overcoming problems with previouschairs used at computer workstations. "The sitter side of thecomputer-and-sitter interface has never been adequately addressed," Webersays. "In fact, accommodating technology at the expense of people has becomethe priority in creating work environments."

The materials used in Embody are helping Herman Miller reachits environmental sustainability goals of zero landfill, zero hazardous wastegeneration and zero VOC emissions by 2020. Embody adheres to the McDonoughBraungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) "Cradle-to-Cradle" protocol, as reportedin Design News. Embody has 45-percent recycled content, is 96-percentrecyclable and is PVC-free.

Replacing foam is BASF Ultraform polyacetal. In addition, the two-piece Ultramid B3EG6 30-percent glass-reinforced nylon 6 seat frame provides the structural supportneeded to meet seat testing, which included impact testing, and 24x7 loadingrequirements.

Chair components are injection molded by Cascade Engineering and ITW Dahti Seating.

The design competition drew 41 entries, primarily from Northand South America. Themes of the entriesranged from metal replacement to green. Winners will be announced at the NPEwhere they will be on display in an exhibit co-sponsored by Design News.

Other entries include:

Digital thermostat.A company called MileageMatrix hasdeveloped a digital rotary control valve for more accurate management ofautomotive cooling systems. The new approach allows a car's powertrain thermalmanagement system to function at its optimum operating temperatures. DuPontsupplied nylon for the components, which are molded by All Service PlasticMolding, a unit of Minco Tool and Moldin Dayton, OH.

Utility Cargo Box. TheJohn Deere Horicon (WI) Works uses composite blow-molded side panels and a tailgateconstructed with 15-percent glass-filled polypropylene for a utility vehiclecargo box system. The use of injection-molded exterior trim panels allows thedesign to be configured late in the assembly process for build-to-orderrequests. The molder is Camoplastand the materials' supplier is WashingtonPenn Plastics.

Bioplastic TubeHolder. Millipore Corp. entered a tube holder made from a corn-basedpolyester developed by Telles.The molder is Innovative MoldSolutions.

Seed Tube. Aone-piece injection-molded agricultural tube developed by John Deere dispensesseeds in the ground, replacing a design that caused the seeds to bounce,resulting in variability in ground placement. A double-acting slide wasnecessary to allow the straight portion of the core to eject first and then aswing arm was required to allow the coreto clear the cavity steel when ejecting. Cooling the tool was a majorchallenge. Quarter-inch water lines hadto be machined into an 18-inch curved core while maintaining steelstrength. Finally, the press and toolrequired an elaborate 10 proximity switch procedure to properly sequence whilemolding. The moldmaker is Contour Moldand the molder is Steinwall.