PRODUCT DESIGN
Egg Wrap Challenge

There is a famous book on packaging by Hideyuki Oka called 'how to wrap five eggs'.

The book showed traditional japanese packaging, the sort which might be used day to day by peasants in the country, and modern day versions which are used for ornate elaborate packaging for gifts and special foods. The striking thing about the packaging in the book is the total lack of staples, sellotape, glue or indeed any modern way of joining materials together. the most impressive is the five eggs packaging where the eggs are twisted together inside an open cage of barley straw.

I decided to inflict this design challenge on pupils using ping pong balls instead. Three ping pong balls and about 4 metres of string and scissors were given out. The pupils had about 40 minutes to construct a hanging container using only these materials. Of course it was quite difficult for them so after showing these photographs, I gave them another 40 minutes. The results are below.

One of teh pupils tried it with 12mm ribbon. They found it more difficult even though logically it should work.

Suggestion: You could set this as a class competition by giving each group of three 10 ping pong balls and seeing how man y they could wrap in the time al;lowed

Table of photographs for egg wrap challenge

A string cradle used to contain the ping pong balls
Pupil carefully wrapping the string round the ball. The string slips off easily so is actually more difficult to use than the barley straw the chinese peasants use. barley straw is flat in cross section and the eggs are roughedr on the outside
A single ball tied into position
An experimental jig used to make a net to simplify the process and make more consistent spacing
It often needed both pupils to get the knots tightened
Single ball held in position
Three balls danging. Notice the knots are not quite tight enough. Someone did finally manage to join all three balls properly.
The original five eggs in their japanese wrapping (Does not open into a bigger picture)