Lmo wrote:I would like to know what type of material can be used. Ideally I would like to use a hard rubbery material, or a flexible plastic like the kind used in Croc shoes.
How do you envision a "rubbery material, or a flexible plastic" to hold any kind of form that would allow it to be hinged or lockable?
No idea. As mentioned in my original post, I have absolutely no experience with product design. Although as I get older I'm getting more and more interested in the field.
TaylorWelden wrote:nxakt wrote:...use an existing box, there are hundreds of thousands of boxes premade in nearly every material and size. Usually the quickest way to arrive at a solution is the best.
Not to be rude, but I'll just say it plainly. This design isn't anything new, in any shape or form. I'd just find an existing unit that fits your specs exactly. It will be much much (much) cheaper than building a functioning prototype from scratch, guaranteed. That is kind of the idea of Industrial Design in the first place... the create products for people which are more affordable (and require less time) than if they were to develop and produce them themselves as one-offs. More or less anyway.
Yeah I considered purchasing pre-made units, but I don't know where to find then. I tried AliBaba, but I want to be able to physically assess the potential prototype. A box store with boxes made from all kinds of materials would be ideal!
nxakt wrote:First thought for speed is cardboard.
Second would be polyethelene sheet PE, easy to cut and score with a knife.
Third, use an existing box, there are hundreds of thousands of boxes premade in nearly every material and size. Usually the quickest way to arrive at a solution is the best.
EVA foam is what Crocs shoes are made from, you can buy sheets of it.
Perfect! I had no idea you could buy sheets of EVA foam! Thanks

So it looks like the next step is to find a pre-made box, or have one made in the right material (most likely EVA foam).
One more question: would it be possible to create a box out of EVA foam with a hinge and latch? Looking at how Crocs are put together, I think it's a possibility (see attached).
Thanks again guys!