How a focus on improved performance, new materials and a more modern look helped Makita re-define their circular saw offerings

By Jeff Reinke, Editorial Director

Makita's Hypoid circular saw before the re-design (above) and after (below).

As hard as designers work to feed the product innovation pipeline with new concepts based on their own inspiration, sometimes it’s simply the voice of the customer that plays the most significant role in refining and defining a next generation offering. This was certainly the case with a recent re-design of Makita’s Hypoid and Top Handle circular saws.

Facilitated by the design consulting firm of Herbst-LaZar-Bell (HLB), some key objectives were established when Makita initially approached the concept of re-designing these tools:

• Their ageing product line had to be revitalized, both mechanically and aesthetically.
• A new look had to be established that would better connect with the emerging Latino consumer group, but without alienating the company's current customer base.
• The re-design had to help Makita become more competitive in a market containing some deeply entrenched and very successful brand names, like Skil, Bosch, DeWalt, Rigid and Hitachi. More specifically, Skil has been able to dominate in this arena because of it's strong customer loyalty, reputation, history and affordability. This last piece of competitive data would prove important for a number of reasons.

These competitive elements were heightened by some lingering user perceptions regarding Makita’s product quality. Additionally, at times there were some internal communication challenges between Makita Japan and Makita USA that needed to be addressed.

With these goals in mind, the initial stages of the process dealt with assembling a competitive analysis, getting feedback from potential customers and examining current sales and marketing methodologies. Digging into this information helped the design teams to better understand which action items needed the greatest amount of focus.

What’s Inside Counts, As Long As It Looks Right

Makita's Top Handle circular saw before the re-design (above) and after (below).

As previously mentioned, price is a key consideration for those purchasing these saws. Even a 5 – 10 percent difference is important to this customer base. So cost controls, nothing new to a design engineer, would impact the specification of different components and processes.

Geography would also play a role as users in different areas of the country require different saw features and functionality. An example of these usage-driven factors can be seen in the unique roofing angles that compliment the architectural differences of the East and West Coasts. So on the West Coast, the Hypoid models are used more prominently because of the greater amount of torque that can be generated a lower speed. In contrast, those on the East Coast are drawn more to the Top Handle models where higher speeds are more important, and the torque can be lower.

Translation: the Hypoid models needed to be designed for greater durability in handling more load, with speed not being as much of an issue. The Top Handle models needed to run faster, but load handling capabilities would not be as prominent. However, overall durability would be vital for both models, as these tools are not treated with a great deal of care when in use, especially on a construction job site.

Another consideration that the re-design had to address, and did, was the aesthetic nature of these tools. With one of the project’s goals being to increase the Latino customer base, HLB learned that brighter, more colorful schemes would be preferred over quiet, subtle ones by this demographic. The result was combining Makita’s traditional teal with the use of more silver metallic.

Designers also used customer feedback to develop a concept that looked new, stronger, lightweight, and high-speed without completely abandoning some of the traditional elements that customers liked. HLB and Makita describe the finished design as sleek and aggressive with an almost sinister feel. The use of chrome also helps from a retail perspective in bringing, according to HLB, more “eye-catching American flair”. So from an aesthetic perspective, the re-design delivered strong results.

Powerful Performance

However, the functional components of this enhanced design needed to stand up just as well as the aesthetic ones. After all, while the right look will help sell the tool, its performance and quality are what will keep customers coming back. From this perspective, the re-design essentially addressed three main customer requirements:

A detailed look at the upgrades and specifications of the re-designed Top Handle circular saw. (Click image for a larger, more detailed view)

• Reliability. Perhaps the most prominent element of the re-design focused on highlighting the implementation of a magnesium tool housing and guide table. In addition to providing added strength, in contrast to the plastics that were being specified, this also produced a lighter tool weight. Less weight translates to easier control and an ability to use the tool for longer stretches of time, and this could be done without adding significantly to tool cost. Additionally, consumers of these products recognize the benefits of a magnesium-constructed tool. The switch to magnesium contributed not only to reliability, but the aesthetics, quality and functionality as well.
• Capabilities. Again, based on customer feedback, the new saw designs implemented a number of expanded features. This included making calibration/measuring marks easier to read and difficult to remove, as well as power-indicating LEDs. Additionally, the wrench for changing blades is stored directly on the saw. Another, built-in LED illuminates line cutting areas for greater accuracy.
• Comfortability. Here the handle designs submitted by HLB were combined with those created by Makita Japan in selecting the final look, which implemented both greater ergonomics and better tool balance. A key element with the handle was using rubbery, oversized touch-points for the levers and handles. Additionally, the final design is more compact, a key requirement for users.

Lessons Learned

Scrutinizing the Makita circular saw re-design offers perspective on a couple of key design process dynamics:

• Feedback and input. The information impacting these changes was obtained and shared with designers as quickly as possible, which allowed for analysis, consideration and implementation in a timely manner. Also, collaborative efforts between HLB and Makita Japan were vital in defining the final handle design.
• Aesthetics. It can be easy to bet caught up on the inner workings and forget that purchasing decisions are often based on appeal as much or more than reason.
• Performance. Although the appearance of these tools was greatly enhanced, so was their performance. Implementing magnesium accomplished both performance and aesthetic goals without significantly increasing costs, as did other enhancements, like the rubber handles and controls.

Engineering Answers is a new section of Product Design & Development where we examine recent design projects from a best practices/problem-solution perspective. If you’ve been involved in a project that you feel should be considered for this type of coverage, contact Jeff Reinke at jeff.reinke@advantagemedia.com or (973) 920-7784.