Design Analysis of Hydraulic Excavator since 1990

1990년대 유압굴삭기 조형 분석에 관한 연구

The traditional image of hydraulic excavator started to change in two ways since 1990. First, post-heavy equipment's visual image was new waves to traditional image of heavy, strong, and wild. They are the negative aspect that excavators have. Another movement of getting rid of its negative image can be found in late-heavy equipment, which was intended to adapt traditional and positive, but off negative images. In 1990s, the design trend is moving from warm/hard to warm/soft, and KOBELCO can be exceptional example that went even further, gone up to cool-soft image. KOBELCO specially aimed 'post- excavator image' strategy, which has been successful. Image of cabin as a human space changed little bit further than outside image. Each company tried to differentiate the design of cabin focusing on its safety. Following paragraphs show specific trend of image change in form, colour, texture, and the composition. Major visual image change in form tries to follow the image of cars and home appliances which are showing the movement from tough and hard image to soft one. Structural change on local image shows the movement from angular edge to edgeless and the movement of cabin's pillar C placed to back of the equipment with gentle inclination. All of these movements are the result of effort to improve traditional excavator's negative image, that top structure is assembled separately, to positive ones. Today's tendency about its color becomes important to apply two different colour styles. Each style has brightness and tone comparison. As an enormous power convey system, it was in common that its brightness comparison was useful because of the alarm of its damage possibility. However, as its colour control and its design have been emphasized gradually, the tone comparison takes a part in an important role, too. As an example, there is an occasion that these comparisons are compromised simultaneously. In the respect of its image creation, its texture treatments make the tendency of being the same as passenger cars. It is caused from its development of the manufacture techniques of from the fabrication method in small business to the press method in big firm. Further, it is also because of its improvement of painting & coating skills. It may prohibit the reflection effect from solar rays. In the point of view of its visual images, it is recognized the prominent tendency that its composition has been gradually decreased. Lots of windows and the frames tends dark-colour as a whole. It is more preferred to have one colour image, but except KOBELCO and HITACHI. As well, there is another high-tendency to improve its standard treatments, especially for its corner and texture treatments.

1990년대는 유압굴삭기의 전통적 조형이 새롭게 모색 및 재해석되는 시기로 판단되었으며, 이는 2가지 방향으로 정리될 수 있다. 하나는 유압굴삭기의 전통적 이미지에 관한 부정적 해석에서 기인한 '탈(post-heavy equipment)중기적' 경향이며, 다른 하나는 고유성 유지와 개선이라는 긍정적 해석에서 기인한 '후기(late-)중기적' 경향이다. 이는 동일한 현상을 다양하게 바라볼 수 있는 패러다임과 관련하는 것으로 사료된다. 이 시기에 개발 및 시판된 8개 연구대상 모델 중 유압굴삭기의 조형 경향은, 일본 색채디자인연구소에서 개발한 이미지스케일 3상한에서 2상한으로 변화였으며, 예외적으로 코벨코는 1상한까지 이동하는 경향이 있었다. 이는 탈중기적 이미지를 디자인 전략으로 채택하고 있는 코벨코만의 경우였다. 아울러, 인적(入的)공간으로서의 캐빈의 변화는 장비 전체의 변화에서보다 좀더 1상한으로 이동하고 있는데, 이는 물적(物的)공간과 시각적 차별화를 위한 것으로 사료되었다.