Re-Design a Flawed Object: Beer Glass Essay Example

primary focus of this paper will be on the pint style of beer glassware, because it is among the most popular glassware styles used for drinking beer and it has a design with several flaws.

Current Design of Pint Glass The current design of the pint beer glass can be best described as a truncated and inverted cone. If a mathematician were to explain the shape, he or she would declare it to be a conical frustum, which is achieved by cutting off, parallel to the base, the top of the cone. This style of beer container usually holds anywhere from sixteen to twenty ounces of liquid. The glass is usually around 6 inches in height, as in total vertical length from top to bottom, and tapered 1 inch, in diameter, over its entire length.

In addition, the diameter of the bottom of the glass is approximately 2 and 1/2 inches wide and three and a half inches at the top (Figure 1). The pint glass in question is made of a clear glass material. Last, the base of the container has additional glass material added in order to give the container less tendency to tip over from top-heaviness, which would spill the contents. Description of the Flaws The current conical shaped pint beer glass contains two flaws as perceived by the writer of this essay.

First, the conical pint glass tips over very easily because it has a base approximately a third smaller, in diameter, than the top that makes the glass top heavy. When the glass tips over, the user is devastated to find that the contents originally located in his or her

glass are now spread across the floor or table and designers and manufacturers have added additional weight to the base, through the means of more glass material, in order to provide more stability. Even though the added weight reduces the frequency of tipping, it does not do nearly enough because the problem still exists in prevalence.

The second design flaw associated with the conical shaped pint container is that it is made completely of glass without any means of grip when held in the consumer's and. The problem with the container being made of glass is that it becomes extremely slippery when condensation, from the icy-cold liquids being stored inside, forms on the exterior. The slipperiness dramatically increases the probability that the container will unintentionally depart from the grasp of the user and fall on the ground or table, which will most likely result in the contents being spilled and/or ruined.

In addition, the container will also be destroyed as the glass will shatter upon impact. Possible Improvements I offer several solutions to the design flaws diagnosed in previous text. The first suggested design improvement would be in regards to the dimensions of the glass. In order to add more stability, the dimensions of the current pint container design will need to be completely flipped, which mean the new design will have a base with a diameter of 3 and 1/2 inches and a 2 and 1/2 inch diameter on top (Figure 2).

The new design will now have a base that is wider than the top diameter, taking away the previous top-heaviness problem and reducing the probability of tipping and spillage. In addition to

supplying the glass with a wider base and skinner top, adding additional glass material to the bottom, to increase its weight, will make the new design even more resistant to tipping. The second improvement would be to add plastic, ribbed grips on the side of the glass to provide more friction between the hand and glass material.

This will lower the chance of the glass slipping out of the user's hand as a result of condensation related slipperiness. The grips will be made of a soft, clear plastic material; the plastic will be clear in order for the grips to be less noticeable by other people. The rips would be 2 inches in length and be placed in the middle of the glass' length. Societal Values The pint style beer glass plays a large role in the consumption of beer, which represents both an American need and want for entertainment and relaxation.

A lot of people do not consume beer for any other reason besides enjoyment, as beer is not exceptionally healthy and does not add much to society in any other way. Rather, people consume beer for its relaxing effects on the body because it gives them a break from the endless stress that is associated with life. The pint glass plays its part n this activity by allowing beer to be consumed in an easier and, therefore, more enjoyable manner.

This shows that when Americans are drinking beer, or doing any stress relieving activity for that matter, they want accessories that they don't have to worry about malfunctioning because that would reduce the relaxation and entertaining qualities of the activity. Conclusion The conical

shaped pint beer glass is one of the most commonly used and beloved means of consuming beer in the United States. But, its design is flawed, leaving it susceptible to tipping and slipperiness when condensation forms.