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encoded forms.
When devices are deployed in a data center they're catalogued when added to the network. Creating this digital directory of a data center is straightforward, linking them to the their physical location is a laborious task that requires manual entry of the room, aisle, rack and U-height of each device. Encoded forms is a solution to automate this task and enable augmented service information.
SXSW 2020 Innovation Awards : Category XR
The heart of this design effort was melding the current design language with a variable design that could be controlled algorithmically. This was the only practical way to produce thousands of unique parts that fit the same assembly. I learned Grasshopper, an algorithmic modeling tool for Rhino 3D, to develop a proof of concept. I was able to make 3D prints and work with a machine learning team to verify these unique parts could be identified. We trained computer vision using generated renderings and recognized the physical samples with +90% confidence.
algorithmic modeling.
Grasshopper is the leading software for algorithmic modeling in Industrial Design. Learning it opened my capacity to develop new patterns, textures, and intricate geometry. I became a subject expert at Dell and taught several classes at Dell's Taiwan and Singapore design centers. It was a great experience solving complex CAD problems and seeing what all the different teams were working on. There were several concepts that took team members days to create. We were able to iterate many versions of each concept in hours.
Sample of various concepts and experiments using Grasshopper.
enterprise devices.
This design leveraged an existing tape storage head unit that needed to be re-designed with Dell DNA. There's a lot of these "light touch" products at Dell. This was one of my first experiences working with an outside ODM. I integrated the hex perf that was prevalent on our existing storage devices making small tweaks to the size and pitch so that everything terminated at the edges and still blended with our existing products. I incorporated a handle that tied the left and right bays together with the center console.
edge servers.
Dell Technologies is shifting focus to the edge. This T550 tower server is the first of new design language that will represent this shift from data center to the edge of the computing world. I acted as ID lead on these platforms. I adopted some ongoing work from my team in the early concept phase and carried the tower server through to a recent launch. It represents an exciting change in our portfolio and I'm anxious to share more soon!
Venting Development
Multiple configurations introduced a modular design. This flexibility came with many parting lines. We decided to mask these imperfections within the shadows of a new venting design.
Mobility
The PowerEdge T550 is the largest tower offered and can weigh 120kg. Creating a system users could move easily was a priority for me and our design team. We made a weighted mockup with removable handles and a working caster kit to show marketing and engineering the need for easy mobility.
Physical Security
This moiré effect allows us to link the vertical heatsink elements common in edge devices with the hexagonal design known in our data center products.
