The Hei-Vap series is, among other things, Heidolph’s flagship product. To meet the demand for quality in the premium sector, handling and ergonomics are key to a successful facelift of the rotary evaporators. Serving these high demands in the design was the highest priority for us. Thus, all adaptations in the design combine aesthetics with functionality, which are the prerequisites for an optimal workflow in a professional laboratory.
The starting point for the creative process are concept sketches that provide the first very different approaches. From these, target-oriented ideas are selected for the further development of the unit. This is not only about functional individual solutions, but in parallel about the appearance of the entire product. The focus was always on the high standard of ideal handling.
Pre-models made of clay and foam allow us to test directly in the design development process how ergonomic the individual concepts are in direct comparison with each other. In further iterative steps, we select these and further elaborate them according to the requirements until they meet our high quality standards. The ergonomically mature mock-ups are fed back into data and formally defined there until we finally output them again with a meaningful rapid prototyping process for final handling tests. The results are then realised in detail using the 3D printing process or with the help of the in-house computer-controlled 4-axis milling machine. All handling scenarios are run through with the assembled prototypes under realistic conditions and the findings are implemented in the final design. Through this process, very innovative approaches can be tested at an early stage of development and the best design concepts can be identified. This saves time in development and leads efficiently to the result.
The new Hei-Vap rotary evaporator family from Heidolph stands for easy handling and a high safety standard. The entire unit conveys this through its consistent design of ergonomically and functionally improved individual elements. A facelift that integrates seamlessly into the brand’s CI, exudes quality and optimises the user’s workflow in the process, can be celebrated as a milestone in the world of rotary evaporators.
The design of the heating bath handles has been redesigned from the ground up. They offer more comfort in the different handling steps. The structure in the surface of the handles ensures a secure grip when carrying the heating bath. And above all, their protective shields prevent scalding for the first time and effectively when the hot liquids are poured out. The hand lift button has also been designed so that it can be operated comfortably by all users without painful bumping – or pinching of fingers. By enlarging the interaction surface, a quick and safe adjustment of the optimal immersion depth of the glass bulb is now guaranteed.
Filtration system