CASE STUDY 3
Linear – AirVac Central Vacuum Case Study

Background
Linear Corp. is the parent company to M&S Systems, an industry leading manufacture of residential and commercial in-line central vacuum systems.  The central vacuum system industry had become inundated with competitors with very little differentiation and ‘old style’ manufacturing techniques that has lead to labor intensive manufacturing techniques and complicated assembly methods.

Project Goal
The goal of this central vacuum design project was to create an all new vacuum system incorporating an innovative design language paired with the newest vacuum technologies.

Project Scope
In creating the specifications for the product, we looked at many aspects of the mechanical, thermal and electrical components.  We explored various configurations and variations throughout the analysis with respects to cost, design, manufacturing, and packaging size and weight.  Our goal throughout our research was to find the best and most effective solution to bring to the market.

Team activities included:

• The discovery team visited multiple home locations to watch consumers interface with their existing installed systems. 
• The design team participated in actual installations to learn the needs of the installation professionals.
• The development team worked closely with the M&S team to source the right components including a motor that had to meet critical performance and reduced noise attributes. 
• The deployment team evaluated new vendors for the fabrication of both the sheet metal and plastic parts.

Business Success
Linear launched their new line with much fan fare.  At the unveiling, the packaging took center stage right along side the new product.  Immediate, positive responses from customers and consumers were received for the intuitive human interface elements of service, installation and use. The company envisions a great cost savings in both shipping and warehousing the product due to the reduced packaging size.