Doug Mockett names hardware design winners

Event Coverage

Project Gallery

By Bill Esler

February 3, 2017 | 12:27 pm CST

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A sconce coat hook was designed by Nathan Haeme, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina. Says Haeme:

"I started designing coat hooks purely for aesthetics. I wanted to think of them more as a home accessory, before I focused on the functionality of the product. I took this path because I felt that this particular product has its functionality integrated into itself so it was more important for me to focus on perfecting the form. I looked towards fluid, transitional movements to inspire a sleek, modern design."

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This Panel Brackett was designed by Richard Bell at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Sys Bell:

"What I wanted to do with my design was to make a simple panel bracket that was like a merge a mashed up old and new kind style. Winning the competition was a surprise, super awesome."

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This Shelfmaker Support Bracket was designed by Steve Goldberg, SGE Designs, Inc., Wilmington, Delaware. Says Steve:

"The concept for Shelfmaker came about while doing renderings for a cabinetry project. I felt that adding a small shelf would help to illustrate the scale of the cabinets, and so I began sketching, building 3D models and rendering the design. After I was satisfied in the virtual world, it was time for physical prototypes, and thanks to Home Depot and Michaels being open on Sundays, I was able to make and test a half-size prototype from aluminum and plywood. And it worked great…the little shelf was strong and secure…!"

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An M1 Panel Divider Bracket was designed by Myers Welborn of Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Says Welborn:

"I studied Mockett’s current line up of products and came to the conclusion that architecture and aerospace seemed to be heavy design motifs used throughout. When deciding on a specific direction of product to design, I saw improvement opportunities on some of the divider brackets currently being sold and decided to move forward with a strong, sleek bracket that also had a secondary purpose of storing electrical cords. Thus, the M1 was created. I have been designing and creating things in my Dad’s home workshop since I was strong enough to wield a hammer, and always aspired one day to say that I have successfully produced a design that is being manufactured and sold."

Hardware and component manufacturer Doug Mockett recently announced its 31st Annual Design Competition Winners.

The unique program, one of the earliest examples of "crowd sourced" invention, invites designers from around the world to create new hardware components. Winners see their products manufactured and distributed by Doug Mockett, and receive a commission on sales.

"Of this year's four winning entries, three were by students that were urged to enter by their professor after completing the project as part of an assignment," says Billy Peele, marketing manager at Doug Mockett. The program is open to everyone.

"In our 31 years of hosting the Annual Design Competition, we are still blown away by the amazing submissions we receive," Peele says. "Every year, we still are somehow surprised by the original, the ingenuity, and the downright inspiring designs that come in. We are humbled that this little design contest of ours has grown to such great heights and now has a reach that extends all over the globe."

Read more about the winners - www.mockett.com/2016-design-competition Enter the next competition - www.mockett.com/design-competition

The competition is also an opportunity to see the new website at Doug Mockett.

"It seemed a simple enough request a year or so ago, I thought," says Douglas A.J. Mockett, President. "Say, why don't we create a new website? After all, how hard can it be?"

Many thousands of day, night and weekend man hours later, countless Web Design meetings, input from outside design/IT consultants and every employee, the new Mockett website is launched.

Have something to say? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

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