Dyson DC39 in bright CMF, side view of the industrial design including wand and cleaning head.

dyson DC39

Image ©Dyson

/01/ Overview

/01/ Overview

All-round performer, beating competition on power, noise levels, and agility.

Engineered to turn on the spot, thanks to a central steering mechanism and low center of gravity, it follows users and avoids collisions. Captures more dirt than any other cyclone while also containing a lifetime HEPA filter. My engagement in the project ranged from motor sounds and vibration engineering, design and engineering of an internal temperature control system, engineering of maneuverability components and assemblies, general prototyping, and IEC and UL standards testing.

Responsibilities:

(under employment contract)
  • Concept development
  • Prototyping
  • Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DMFA)
  • IEC and UL standards testing

Brand:

Dyson

/02/ Challenges

Figure 2.
Exposed DC39 ball engineering, showcasing the internal complexity and ingenuity of this groundbreaking product.
Image ©Dyson


The uniquely engineered construction of the machine, with the heaviest components positioned as close to the ground as possible, prevents the machine from tipping over. The compact ball construction contains over 100 components, including several independent assemblies like cable rewind, inlet and outlet ducting, motor housing, post-motor filtration system, and many more. My role required diverse prototyping skills, knowledge of sound and vibration engineering, airflow and aerodynamic principles, Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) methodologies, as well as IEC and UL safety standards procedures.

Dyson DC39 cutaway section view showing complex engineering and high technology.
Figure 2.
Exposed DC39 ball engineering, showcasing the internal complexity and ingenuity of this groundbreaking product.
Image ©Dyson

/03/ Solutions

WIRED magazine, inside page no. 25 with breakdown of innovative solutions inside the industrial design of Dyson DC39.WIRED magazine front cover with creative approach.Description of innovative solution inside Dyson DC39, WIRED magazine.
Figure 3.
The cover and page 25 of the WIRED UK magazine featuring a list of notable features of the DC39.

With great suction power comes great challenges. One of the tasks I faced on this project was maintaining safe and constant internal temperatures in accordance with international standards. With each assembly competing for the tiniest amount of available space, incorporating an additional assembly was not feasible. After conducting tens of tests on various concepts, I settled on a distributed system utilising the speed of hot exhaust air to generate localised low-pressure zones that pulled cool ambient air through the machine. The system was so successful that WIRED magazine recognised it as one of the most notable features of the entire product.

Figure 3.
The cover and page 25 of the WIRED UK magazine featuring a list of notable features of the DC39.

/04/ Prototyping

3D printed prototype of the whole Dyson DC39 using SLS technology.

breaking Barriers in performance and functionality cannot be ACHIEVED without iterative cycles of prototyping and testing. Today, my strong advocacy for prototyping stems from experiences showcasing the transformative power of even a single prototype.

Dyson DC39 in bright CMF, close up view of the industrial design.
Figure 4-5.
A 3D printed prototype of the entire DC39 product alongside the final production exemplar.
Images ©Dyson

/05/ The product

Video 1.
Maximised suction, noise reduction, and manoeuvrability make this product unique and one of the most rewarding projects I've had the opportunity to work on.
Video ©Dyson
Dyson DC39 in bright CMF, top view of the industrial design.
Image ©Dyson

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