• Archives of design research
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.233-242
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• 2000

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.