roanmels

[roanmels]

Humanitarian Product design research

I have always been interested in humanitarian product design. There are a lot of examples online on things products that worked amazingly and just many examples of products that failed horribly.

What i couldn't find, was an analysis on what made these products succeed or fail from the perspective of a product designer.... So i created one!

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Porta Grill – Thetford

In collaboration with Thetford, we developed a cooking appliance specifically designed for compact caravans, tailored to the needs of a spontaneous and social target group.

Skills Concept development, prototyping, engineering, presentation design

About The brief was intentionally open: design “something” for use in a small caravan. After researching the target audience, we focused on spontaneous 30- to 40-year-olds who value social moments, flexibility, and products they can proudly show off to friends. This led us to three very different concepts which would fit their style. Thetford, our client, chose the Nomad Cooking station which we further developed in to the Porta-Grill.

The grill features a custom bracket system for easy mounting on any flat surface, a removable lid, and detachable grill plates so everyone around the table can join in, making it a truly social product. It includes a built-in small gas tank and a connection for a larger one, allowing quick switching and freeing users from their gas hoses, perfect for spontaneous moments.

The Porta Grill functions both as a grill and a full-fledged cooking stove. The project was a team effort with three other students. While we worked closely together, I focused on the concept posters, the display model, prototypes, and engineering of the product.

This project is a group project with three other industrial design students.

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About Me

Hi, I’m Roan Mels, an Industrial Product Designer at the Hogeschool Rotterdam. Ever since I was a child, I’ve been fascinated by making things and figuring out how everything works. Now, as a product designer, I love exploring the unknown and experimenting with new workmethods.

My passion lies in creating innovative concepts, with sustainability being a priority for me. To pay the rent, I run my own handyman business, handling maintenance and repairs for hotels and offices.

I live in the heart of Rotterdam, but you’ll often find me in Utrecht, Amsterdam, and Hoorn! In my free time, I work on personal passion projects like my board game, spend a lot of time with friends, play soccer at a local club, and try to travel as much as I can.

I’m always open to collaborations, so if you have an interesting project or would like to join one of mine, feel free to get in touch!

- roan.mels@icloud.com

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Military Units

The military units come in three values: one, three, and six. Their shapes and sizes reflect their worth—larger, bolder units represent higher values. The unit worth six has six corners and six arrows, while the unit worth three has three arrows, making it easy to recognize at a glance.

This design isn’t just intuitive; it also allows the units to be stacked. Because of their flat surfaces and size differences, stacks stay organized, preventing confusion between different values. This also means the game board can have smaller tiles, allowing for more tiles to fit in the map without increasing the overall size.

The colors are chosen to match the game's medieval theme—muted tones instead of neon shades, keeping the aesthetic consistent with the setting.

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Capitals

The capitals are the objective of the game. If you control all capitals simultaneously, you win. This shifts the goal from eliminating opponents to gaining strategic control, keeping every player engaged.

Capitals are 3D-printed and fit onto city tiles without taking up too much space. The design ensures that all three types of military units can still be placed on the same tile, maintaining clarity and organization during gameplay. As the only 3D objects in the game (besides the military units), they stand out as a constant reminder of the game’s main objective.

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AI Fossil Experiment

For this project, we created an AI-generated image of a fossil to explore how difficult it is becoming to separate AI-generated visuals from reality.

Skills Working with AI, experimenting with new production techniques.

About We played with the concept by generating something that is supposed to be ancient—an AI-created fossil. I turned the AI image into a 3D model and 3D printed it. From this print, we made negatives in clay and then created a mold. The project was an experiment in perception and authenticity, challenging the idea of what is real and what is artificially constructed.

This project is a collaboration with Eva Mels

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Action Cards

Action cards keep the game exciting by adding an element of unpredictability. Without them, a player who gains an early advantage might be unstoppable, making the outcome too predictable after just a few turns. These cards introduce unexpected twists that keep the game dynamic.

Cards are earned through combat—whoever wins a battle, whether attacking or defending, gets a card. Some cards trigger immediate events that affect all players, like a Bad Harvest, which disables farm bonuses for an entire round, limiting movement. Others can be kept and played strategically, like the Arson card, which lets players burn down a bridge, city, or farm. This can be useful for denying an opponent a key position or cutting off an easy route to your capital, dramatically shifting the map’s layout.

To allow for future expansions, some blank cards were included in the initial print run for testing new mechanics. These will be refined and properly printed in the next batch.

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I produced a music video with a friend of mine for his album rollout!

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Row Table

The Row meeting table is sold in custom sizes, but previously, each table had to be manually adjusted and ordered. I redesigned the frame and created a parametric SolidWorks model to streamline this process.

Skills Parametric modeling (SolidWorks), supplier communication, technical drawing, product improvement

About I designed a new frame that can be easily customized in 10 cm increments while using standardized components. This allows for a stock of parts, reducing lead times and dependency on suppliers. I also built a parametric model in SolidWorks, making it possible to generate over 1,400 table variations while cutting an hour of design work per table. I tested the new system by producing 12 tables myself, refining the process along the way. The final setup balances in-house production with outsourcing, keeping costs low while allowing for flexibility

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Chair Miniature

As a corporate gift, I made a mini-version of the Unusual Chair to showcase Rezign material.

Skills SolidWorks modeling, material properties, 3D printing

About Since there was no SolidWorks model available, I reverse-engineered the STL file using surface modeling. I tested different pressing techniques and found that reheating pre-pressed veneer gave the best results. The chair legs were 3D printed and packaged as a build-your-own kit, making the gift more interactive. I also created a version that allows three sets of legs to be printed simultaneously for faster production.

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Nomad Ventilation System

For the Nomad pods, I developed a ventilation and noise-reduction system using biobased and recycled materials.

Skills SolidWorks flow simulation, prototyping, small-scale production, sourcing

About Using SolidWorks flow analysis, I optimized the design for efficiency. The first batch of 54 units was produced in-house, so I focused on balancing effectiveness with manufacturability. Production went smoothly thanks to multiple iterations and testing. I also helped install the units in the Van Nelle Factory, which gave me valuable insights into real-world assembly challenges. Before leaving, I created a manual to ensure the system could be produced and installed without me.

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Arduino Wake-Up Light

A DIY wake-up light project to learn Arduino.

Skills Arduino programming

About Initially, all code was written from scratch to grasp the fundamentals. Later, existing code was modified for efficiency. The device currently allows users to set an alarm via an internal clock module. Two minutes before the alarm, a light turns on with an adjustable color. Future plans include integrating MP3 alarms featuring friends shouting to wake up.

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NS Luggage Solution

A solution for train luggage storage without sacrificing seating capacity.

Skills Concept development, prototyping, technical drawing

About Following an extensive testing phase, a full-scale model was developed. The final product is located near train entrances (on the balcony), allowing passengers to roll luggage into place, secure it with a foldable bar, and use it as a seat. Advantages include high visibility, theft prevention, and ease of use compared to placing luggage in the aisle. The design is optimized for cost-effective manufacturing, with key components cut from a single steel sheet.

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Sustainable Flashlight

A durable, modular flashlight designed for sustainability and longevity.

Skills Sustainable design, modular engineering, material selection, life cycle assessment (LCA)

About Made from recycled aluminum using hydropower, the TB01 EL minimizes environmental impact. Its modular design allows easy replacement of the battery, LED PCB, and charging port, extending its lifespan. A screw-on assembly eliminates adhesives, simplifying repairs. The design removes plastic reflectors and reduces waste, while eco-friendly cardboard packaging replaces plastic. A user-assembled approach enhances product attachment, making this flashlight future-proof and highly sustainable.

This was a collaboration with another industrial design student, where my focus was on the visuals created for this project, and the analysis of the old/new flashlights.

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Abri

The Municipality of Rotterdam requested the design of a new bus shelter for the city, emphasizing ease of assembly, sustainability, and passenger comfort.

Skills Concept development, VLS & FEM analysis, sustainable design

About The shelter is designed to be assembled on-site by two people using basic tools. Glass arches provide weather protection and create dividers, allowing people to stand closer together comfortably. The back wall consists of three identical glass panels for easy and cost-effective replacement. Components are cut from the same sheet to minimize waste, and the structure is made from standard metal profiles. The shelter is future-proof, with additional attachment points for modifications.

The frame meets the structural requirements, with parts weighing under 40 kg and deflection kept under 22mm under a 50cm snow load. Optimization led to a more cost-effective and sustainable design. The bench is made of stainless steel and Douglas wood, withstanding a 2400N point load.

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Modular Game Board Border

The border is made of interlocking pieces that add stability to the board and keep game pieces in place. It also provides a clear starting point when setting up the game.

You can fully customize the shape and size to fit your table or player count. Need a bigger board for more players? Just expand it. Playing with fewer people? Make it smaller. You can even tweak the shape to create more dynamic playing areas, like narrow pathways or tricky corners that add extra strategy to the game. The pieces always connect seamlessly, so setup is quick and hassle-free.

Icons and numbers on the border help track movement and troop distribution, making it easier to stay organized, even on larger boards

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Map Tiles

The map is made up of different tile types, each with unique properties that influence gameplay. Grass tiles are open spaces with no movement restrictions, while mountains form connected ranges that slow down movement but aren’t completely impassable. Rivers can only be crossed at designated bridges, creating natural choke points on the map.

Cities generate military units—one per turn—while farms provide extra movement points. Each farm grants three movement points per turn, allowing either one unit to move three extra steps or three units to move one extra step each.

Since the tiles fit together in endless combinations, every game feels different. There are more tiles than the largest possible map requires, so players can adjust the landscape to suit their strategy. Whether it's a mountain-heavy battlefield, a sparse map with fewer cities, or a game with limited farms, the tile system ensures fresh gameplay every time.