Klips is a clamp that is easy to install without making holes into the material and is very easy to install. Team: Andres Labi, Juliya Vorobyova, Ksenya Lebedeva, Tinatin Dzirkvadze Company: R-Fix

1. KLIPS
2011
www.design-engineering.ee

3. It is all about fixing...
First steps
KLIPS
I ntroduc tion
KLIPS is a clamp for hanging rigid
panels or banners.
It’s easy to install without making
holes into the material.
As well it’s can be widely used
for outdoor fixing. KLIPS is suitable
for different types of material as:
heavy textile, panels, glass.
There is a growing need for
easily handling room dividers.

4. Work with the company
R-FIX is involved in production and sales of glass
fittings, tension rod systems and other architectural Point Fixing
fixings.
Concerning materials they use mainly stainless
steel but also various plastics, aluminum and other
Their fixings have been used in:
steel grades. They buy raw material from known
• Glass balustrades, stair boundaries
European suppliers.
• Glass facades
• Glass canopies
R-FIX helps you to carry out your construction
• Glass partition walls
projects in offering cost effective and high-quality
• French canopies
architectural fixings.
• Noise barrier walls
In product development process they use 3D
design software and carry out strength calculations
or tests according to your requirements. They offer
standardized fittings as well as fittings according to
the project requirements.
Production capabilities
In our production they use:
• CNC-turning and CNC-milling
• laser cutting
• bending
• welding

5. KLIPS
Task
Aim of the project
Our task was to find new directions for development
of Radius Fixings in order to offer new possibilities
and solutions in contemporary architecture.
With the background in glass fixings R-Fix wants
to look further and find possibilities to use the
knowledge and skills learnt in other areas, with
other possible materials and technologies.
Project structure: Additional Products for Point Fixings
Background Research in architecture: screens, interior and
• getting acquainted with the partner company exterior walls, light structures, new materials …
• understanding the area Concept
• Overview of market • defining development directions
• concept sketchesDevelopment

6. Who where part of process?
Tutors:
Martin Pärn Martin Eerme Sven Sõrmus Maarjus Kirs
Estonian Academy of Tallinn University of Estonian Academy of Tallinn University of
Arts Technology Arts Technology
Henry Lend Priit Kello
Tallinn University of R-Fix
Technology
Students:
Andres Labi Kseniya Lebedeva Iuliia Vorobiova Tinatin Dzirkvadze
I year D&E student I year D&E student I year D&E student I year D&E student
education: Estonian BA in Civil Engineering BSC in Computational BA in Architecture
Academy of Arts, BA in Engineering
interior design
working as interior
designer / Ruumilabor “I am really glad that “ In example of this “I learned how to
Ltd had opportunity to project I saw how cooperate with
work in cooperation just idea can turn company, how to
“I like the meetings with the company. And on real product.on understand them and
of brainstorming. I am happy with the something which their way of thinking. “
The result is always result which we got out can be really useful”
unpredictable. The best of it.”
example is this project.”

7. KLIPS
Background

8. Find new nische for the company
Our work we started with company visit, which And the line of products it’s not so unique, so the
is situated a bit outside of Tallinn. We were on one way for them it’s to find new direction with the
production aria and people who work there new ideas. That task seemed a bit complicated and
explained us what kind of goods they can produce, also responsible at some point, because they were
on what they have already worked. Mostly they hoping to get some real help for father developing.
produce the glass fixing out of steel, the main They showed photos of the university which is
problem of which that : building currently in Narva, where is used some
new way of glass fixing, which is really simple, but
“ The producers from
works in a optimal way. Out of that we started to
China can make the same think about using glass in contractions.
goods for the cheaper
price in a shorter term. “

9. KLIPS
R esearch
Researching the “WORLD OF FIXINGS”
Before going to company visit we made small
research and found all the fixings that existed and
all the areas we could work on.
Surprisingly we found very wide choice of every
kind of fixings beginning from glass fixing for
facades to the stainless still fixings for stair rails.
We have overviewed modern architecture, finding
and understanding new trends and demands. Also
had consultation with architects asking them:
What is missing in”afixing world” and what can be
improved?
Our focus were::
Architecture – Provide smart solution for facades.
Wooden Architecture – Focusing on existing
problem of wooden buildings.
Boats – There are lots of stainless still details which
could be redesigned or reinvented.

10. Deeper research of some fields
We made comparison matrix to understand which materials, functions and production methods
we preferred.

11. KLIPS
R esearch
Joints Varia
Boats Architecture Facade

12. Joints for stair rails and fixings for glass stair rails.
Solution for wooden conservations. Adjustable joints from still.

13. KLIPS
R esearch
“KLIPS” is a clamp for hanging
rigid panels or banners.
Our selling point has
It’s easy to install without
making holes into the material. to be “EASY”.
After introductory weeks while we explored every
field where we could develop or invent a fixing
we defined few interesting spheres and continued
searching for the solution. We had few ideas which
seemed to be interesting to work on. To decide what
direction we choose we met Priit Kello once again
and presented fiends in which we could develop
the product.
We found lots of ideas and few of them were
developed.
After that market research took place and finding
weaknesses in our solutions.
Ideating process gave us complete view on existing
products.
We found main idea how to develop product for
R-fix.

14. Inspiration Workshop
Interior design office
Owr next step was decision to make a work shop
all together with our group and brain storm ideas,
as a place for it we choose one interior design office,
which had very appropriate atmosphere for it.
The work space was quite big and was good idea
to divide the room on two parts by putting on
Because there were so much details in decoration the middle of the room carton. That was heavy
of the work space, mostly previous projects. material, which could give the feeling of two rooms.
That was rather interesting to look around and try Looking on that carton in the office and
to think about each project may be it has thinking about material fixing we came with the
something in common with our work. idea that we need to create something which
here was definitely a lot of fixing of different would hold the material in a way not damaging it
materials. by stamping.

15. KLIPS
R esearch
CASE STUDY 1
Office space
(Ruumilabor)
Desks and conference room are
separated by curtain
The height of the room: 3 m
Material of the curtains: felt
combined with the leather
(3 – 4 mm)
CASE STUDY 2
Office space
(Estonian Centre of Architecture)
Desks and conference room are
separated by curtain
The height of the room: 3,5 m
Material of the curtains: PVC
lamellae (2 – 4 mm)

16. Process
PROBLEM SET
If the material is thick, it can be fixed from the edge
of the panel. But if the material is thin, the hole must
be made into the material.
September
How to hang up thin panels without
making holes and damaging the
material?
SHEET METAL
Temporarily
GLASS PANELS Easy to hang up and easy to
remove
WOOD PANELS
PLYWOOD LAMELLAES
PLASTIC SHEETS
LEATHER AND TEXTILE

17. KLIPS
R esearch
Nevertheless there are the tools,
that can hold a very big weights
without damaging the material.
Research:
Different clamps and brackets
Usually simple clamps are not
strong enough to hold heavy
materials
After making research on material fixings we set a
goal:
“To combine the grab
mechanism with the slid-
ing track.”

18. Process
Track roller
Simple curtain track roller is not
strong enough to hold big weights
Heavier weight requires stronger
track system
The idea is to use a standard track
roller fitting
However, how to fix
the panels?
What kind of clamp
mechanism to
prefere?

19. SOLUTIONS
KLIPS
R esearch
Grabbing
ANCHOR DOWEL
Free load principle
Screw mechanism
+ simple construction + simple construction
+ the heavier is the weight, the - turn off manually
stronger is the grip - requires specific development
- too many details
- construction with wide
dimensions
DRILL CHUCK SOLUTION
Material rubs itself detained
Fixing manually
+ easy to manage
+ simple construction
+ strong grap
+ the heavier is the weight, the
- turn off manually
stronger is the grip
- too complicated construction in
- requires a rough surface
- construction with wide smaller scale
dimensions

20. Process
SKETCHES
SOLUTION 1
Standard track rollers
Manual turn off
Element rotates 360 degrees
Main disadvantage is usage of 4
roller wheels (higher cost)
Knife chuck
Fixing manually
+ simple construction
+ little details
- turn off manually

21. KLIPS
R esearch
The idea of the fitting is inspired by
the knife chuck mechanism
One of the ideas . . .
SKETCHES
SOLUTION 2
Standard track rollers
Manual turn off
Element rotates 360 degrees
After what we have to work on:
Exact technical solution
Material and final appearance
Opimal dimensions
Product family (variations)
Calculations (max. weight e.t.c.)
Mock-up
Prototype

22. Process
Prototyping
how it should work . . .

23. KLIPS
S olution
final drawing of the KLIPS. . .

24. Why our product is importent ?!
Indoor Application:
Easily handling room dividers
Different materials need different fitting
Fabrics are used the most
But rigid panels become more and more in
use

25. KLIPS
Outdoor Application S olution
Advertising banners are everywhere
around the city
But very often this kind of method
will damage the material
They are easy to install using holes on the
edge of the fabric

26. Gallery decoration
Paintings in the Philip Johnson Glass House Painting Gallery, Photo © Harf Zimmermann.
KLIPS its a perfect tool for fixing, hanging
decorations, paintings. It is essential
tool which would make an installation
of the exhibition much more easy and
also reliable. Especially if we speak
about valuable art works, which cannot
be adjusted just by plastic clip. KLIPS
has modern design and different colour
range.

27. 3D model
How it works?
KLIPS
S olution
1 2
3 4

28. S olution
1:7

29. Klips KLIPS
S olution

31. S olution

32. S olution

34. Engineering Design
FORMULA FOR CALCULATING CLAMPING FORCE
Fs = Fs1 + Fs2 = F/µ * So
Fs – clamping force (N)
F – force acting of jaws (N)
µ – coefficient of friction between the workpiece and jaws (µ < 1)
So – safety factor (between 2 and 4)
WHAT IS THE MAXIMUM WEIGHT THAT „KLIPS“ (ONE PIECE) CAN HOLD?
Fs = F * So / µ
F – 370 + 370 (jaws) = 740 N
µ – 0,5 (coefficient of friction friction between steel and rubber)
So – 2 (normal use)
Fs = 740 * 0,5 / 1,5 = 246 N = 25 kg
„KLIPS“ IS CAPABLE TO HOLD THE SHEET METAL WITH THE WEIGHT OF 25 KG

38. Cost
Detail / EUR Preparation / EUR Price
nut 2,26 0,32 2,58
track element 5,03 1,28 6,31
clamp 16,91 2,56 19,47
TOTAL 28,36
change amount
amount 100

39. KLIPS
Produc t
High quality fixing with
modern design and smart
mechanism
material: stain steel
size: 29 x 117
can handle weight: 25 kg
thinkness of a material: 5/10 mm
colour: any
any other detailes
Can be used: interior decorating,
office/ room dividers, for hanging
decoration, paintings in a gallery
and outdoor application.
Price : 28,36 evro

41. KLIPS
The End

42. Tallinn University of Technology / Estonian Academy of Arts
2012