Applied Mechanics and Materials Vol. 761

Abstract: Car center stack designs have evolved rapidly throughout the years. Manufacturers are working hard in keeping up with the current trends in the automotive market by offering latest technologies embedded into car center stack designs. Consistent with the current trend, Malaysian automotive manufacturers are offering advanced features in car center stacks, which includes touchscreen and navigation systems. Recently car center stacks became the highlight as it became a potential source for driver distraction. An exploratory qualitative study, involving eight regular drivers and two professional drivers were recruited for this exploratory study. A laddering interview technique was applied to reveal chains of attributes, consequences and values. Several prominent attributes related to the value of safety were “Simple Design”, “Touchscreen”, “Meter Design”, and “Multi-Function Steering”. Touchscreen systems were perceived differently by professional drivers compared with regular drivers. There is a need for further studies regarding the touchscreen system designs for Malaysian drivers.

Abstract: In Malaysia, the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is widely used for domestic purposes. The delivery men who are in charge of delivering the LPG cylinders to the customers are exposed to the ergonomic risk factors associated with excessive force due to the heavy steel cylinders. There are devices used to assist the delivery task, however, the devices are not efficient to be used in non-elevated apartments. Due to this reason, this study aims to design an LPG cylinder trolley. Quality Function Deployment was integrated to design the LPG cylinder trolley, so that it can fulfill the delivery man's requirements, thus, an effective device to assist the delivery task is produced. Based on the findings, it can be concluded that the integration of QFD is an effective solution in designing an effective LPG cylinder trolley.