SOLPLANET ASW-H SERIES

The ASW-H Series by Solplanet is a new range of connected inverter transforming and delivering reliable solar energy to your home.

AISWEI, formerly known as SMA’s Chinese subsidiary, is a reputable manufacturer of high-quality solar energy products. In 2020, they introduced their own product brand, Solplanet, which offers reliable residential and commercial inverters that meet German quality standards for the international market. The innovative Solplanet inverters embody the desired traits of simplicity, reliability, affordability, and user-friendliness. They are complemented by a new mobile application that allows users to track their energy consumption, making responsible and eco-friendly practices easy and enjoyable. To expand into the American and European markets, AISWEI collaborated with the Alskar Design studio to revamp the brand’s appearance and develop their flagship ASW-H Series, resulting in the creation of an award-winning product design recognized with a 2021 Product Design Red Dot accolade.

Upon joining the Alskar Design studio, I had the opportunity to work on the cover design for this project. I was involved in all stages of the process, with a particular focus on the ideation stage, the creation of visually appealing renderings and delivering conceptual presentations of the product.

ACTORS

the product must be easy to install and understand in order to be intuitively manipulated by a set of actors, from the manufacture to the consumer, including the installer.

REQUIREMENT AND MOODBOARD

Furthermore, the product must be able to be found in different places outside like on the wall of a house, under a canopy on a pillar or inside in a utility room such as a garage or the attic. The new cover must therefore be resistant to splashing water. Also, the product must therefore remain discreet and adaptable to several housing locations and remain sober to fit with them.

In order to create this new cover, we carried out a formal value research in order to define the character of the product :

FORMAL

Having to do with formal matters, the look ‘n feel must be formal in a dignified, approachable manner.

SERIOUS

Managing your solar panel output, storing energy, releasing this energy, validate and feeding back to the grid… it’s all a pretty serious matter. The product must look serious to give confidence everything is under control.

MATURE

Look and feel will support the perception of (German) quality and security.

IDEATION TO THE WALL

DIGITAL IDEATION

After a long phase of sketching by hand to draw the outlines of possible concepts, we quickly switched to drawing on the tablet to have more freedom in terms of layers and realistic textures.

FINAL CONCEPT

The concept chosen below has been refined, textured and defined in terms of curve and indicator for a mature, clean and readable rendering.

COVER DETAILS

This cover is made of aluminum by molding, then coated to give its color.

ENGINEERING & INTERACTIONS

Following the validation of the concept, we were able to develop a final 3D model as well as the possible interactions of the product with the user.

Following the strategy, design steps and the definition of a final concept with solplanet, we were able to move on to 3D modelling and define with our engineers, the assembly and waterproofing of the product.