HL400F is a universal earplug dispenser that can accommodate 9 different types of earplugs of Honeywell hearing protection product line. Simple and modern design style created a very different feeling and image from the traditional bulky industrial product image. In addition, its patented technology and optimal design ensure a higher product reliability, better usability and therefore provide a better user experience.

HL400F is a universal earplug dispenser that can adapt up to 9 different types of earplugs, and compatible with desktop and wall mounting. Honeywell has great engineering technologies. But technology itself cannot meet the needs of users, adding multiple features on one product is easy, but it is very challenging to keep the design simple and practical. This product integrates technology by design, a full range of considerations from shape, use, performance, reliability, etc. Considerate styling design: An overall soft shape can bring user-friendly experience to our users, it’s especially important to bring warmth of care to the cold industrial environment. Our product designed and engineered to balance the characteristic functional and emotional value. The product dark shell, along with red core components inside, designed to meet the Honeywell branding language. The transparent tank body and semi-transparent distribution mechanism are easy to know when to refill. The product shell is integrated designed with durable ABS plastic, it not only strengthens its intensity, but also protects against harsh environment like sun. As we know, sun exposure could do serious damage to earplugs. Unlike other refill-on-top dispensers, Honeywell HL-400/F’s innovative drawer-type canister minimize the space required of installation. Patented design ensures accurate dispensing: Powered by Honeywell’s patented dispensing technology, HL-400/F Ear Plug Dispenser accurately and consistently dispenses one earplug at a time. With a gear designed inside, it provides accurate and real-time feedback for every single twist. Designed for both right-handed and left-handed users, it allows them to twist clockwise or anti-clockwise. The most simplified refill solution: Innovative drawer-type quick loading and unloading canister design, make the work of refill earplugs become so intuitive and simple. POKA-YOKA installation design: Our universal installation backplane design has the flexibility to be secured on any wall. In most cases, replace the same type of product can be compatible with the previous fixed screw bit, without re-drilling installation. Unique technology for high reliability: Honeywell R & D team, cooperated with manufacturers, developed a unique injection molding process. This unique modeling technology not only makes a lightweight PC refilling tank, but also ensures the form of rigidity. As a global selling product, it’s designed for robustness and durability. Even transported in the hot and long-lasting ocean-going container, our products can remain performance and stability. Our precisely molding development ensures both soft PC tank and rigid ABS shell can be distributed and assembly accurately. It also ensures a long-term life of the distributor and stable operation quality. Our integrated engineered design keeps fewer parts as possible. This design not only promise our product with high reliability, but also greatly simplifies the daily cleaning and maintenance of the workload.

Industrial-level earplugs, served as consumable safety products, will and continue be playing an important role in industry developing process. The patent design is engineered to long-term stored and accurately dispensed earplugs. Designed for batch purchased companies, by saving money on purchasing wasted earplugs and operating expenses, it means no more expense and waste of individually wrapped plugs. HL400F earplugs dispenser greatly enhances the sales of earplugs and brings decent profits for Honeywell.In 2016, Honeywell sold out more and 10 million industrial-level earplugs in China. We are providing hearing protection solutions for most of Chinese large-scale enterprises, such as Sinopec Group, Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant and Datang Corp.

LAVS (Large vestibular aqueduct syndrome), also known as Nerve Deafness, is widely considered as one of major occupational diseases. A worker, if regularly works in a severely noisy environment without any protection, is highly possible to get LAVS. Since China has the largest worker population in the world, huge number of Chinese workers are suffering from LAVS, more and more people are aware of its hazards. Although wearing earplugs in noisy environment can efficiently protect workers’ hearing. Earplugs, if exposed in harsh environment like sun, wind and rain, would weaken their protection. Honeywell HL-400 Ear Plug Dispenser is designed with convenient workforce access, it has the flexibility to be used in any working place. Thanks to its solid sealing design, earplugs can be stored inside and protected from damage. As one of the fortune 100 companies, Honeywell has the responsibility to care environmental sustainability. All materials used in Honeywell HL400/F are recyclable. The refilling tank is using food-safe PC, it’s healthy, durable and even tolerant to 100 Celsius degrees. Compared to similar products, the tank can be reused. By adding earplugs from environmentally friendly degradable carton packaging, our product can avoid excessive packaging damage to the environment.

This project has more than 10 core development members, responsible for industrial design, human factor, mechanical design, project management, procurement, manufacture, market planning and so on.

We took Honeywell User Experience (HUE) and New Product Development (NPI) Process. The Honeywell User Experience (HUE) is one of our key process initiatives that helps us best understand the needs of our customers and design intuitive, desirable, differentiated and value-add products and services that meet those needs. In the user centered design process, in this project, we specifically did well and creatively in ease of use evaluation, rapid prototyping and touch point design. Ease of use evaluation: We acquired existing products in the market, simulated the using scenario by installing these products into the wall and fit the products into simulated factory environments. And then we have employees to simulate the real using, e.g., take the earplugs when go in and fill in the ear plugs, etc. Based on the user evaluations and field studies, we defined the design guidelines and lead to breakthrough ideas in maximizing usability. Rapid prototyping: Once the preferred design concept is selected based on rigorous Pugh analysis. The designer immediately created a design mockup using paper board all by manual. A paper box was created to simulate the container. The drawer design of the container is also simulated. The dispensing mechanism was shown by integrating an existing round part. The quick and dirty mockup not only shows how the design looks like, but also shows how it works like. The iterative rapid prototyping from rough mockup to 3D printing to CNC fine prototype lead design decision making process and the product development process much faster. Touch Point design: by analyzing the customer journey and touch points of the journey. We tried our best to design the touch points to maximize the usability as well. For example, the intuitive and graphical user guide, the back cover of the user guide is positioning tool for installing the screws of mounting. In this project, we keep asking “how can I make this easier or more valuable for the customer” and strive to maximize the ease of use through good design.

2 years - 3 years 1million - 2million CNY

The goal of the project was to develop a new type of earplug dispenser that would fit the 9 kinds of earplugs of the Honeywell hearing protection product line. From the actual sales feedback, the orders of HL400F earplug dispenser could expand the sales volume of Honeywell earplugs, and enhance the market share strategy.