Revolutionizing the Heavy Equipment Category
DD DANNAR, LLC
DD DANNAR, LLC, an Indiana-based startup, is the innovator of a new heavy equipment category, the Mobile Power Station ® (MPS ®), a revolutionary electric work vehicle and energy platform. DANNAR approached SF with the challenge to first help identify how the MPS will be utilized in real world use cases and to then explore a modular system to allow reconfigure-ability and achieve an affordable path to manufacturability – all of which would establish a brand language that is uniquely DANNAR.
Market
Commercial Products
DANNAR established foundational requirements that were revolutionary in the heavy equipment category.
These were centered around making the vehicle a clean, quiet power source, and developing one modular and reconfigurable platform that would meet the functional needs usually achieved by multiple work vehicles.
The human is always at the core of our process, and for this challenge, the team knew it had to develop a thorough understanding of how this new electric work vehicle would be used by its operators early on in development. We also dove into market and observational research to identify a broad range of benchmarks that were used to define the vehicle’s critical functional requirements. Together, these provided confidence to innovate new configurations and design solutions for the Mobile Power Station. Final validation was achieved through building the full-scale, fully functional prototype of the MPS in SF’s own prototyping shop. This brought to life the full impact of the unique functionality and iconic brand image of the vehicle design.
Designed as a modular platform with real-time interchangeable components, Dannar 4.0 can be configured with or without an operator cab, body enclosures, and platform decks. It is also interchangeable with work implements including forklift masts, dump beds, scissor lifts, water tanks, portable light units and interfaces with all standard Caterpillar, Bobcat, or John Deere attachments.
Dannar: Mobile Power Station 4.0
“Confidence is established by gaining knowledge about the person(s) for whom you are trying to create a solution. Synthesizing what we learn and converting that into real world solutions is what SF does best.”
Dan Genord
Product Design Manager
Human Impact
Until now, fleet managers grappled with the challenge of procuring and maintaining a diverse array of work vehicles to address a wide spectrum of tasks. This predicament imposed substantial upfront purchase expenses as well as ongoing costs for maintenance and upkeep. With the versatility of the MPS, they’re now able to accomplish an array of essential tasks, while also being prepared for emergencies, all with one piece of equipment that quickly and easily configures.
Business Impact
DANNAR has succeeded in penetrating a multitude of industries with the new MPS 4.0, from municipalities, to parks and rec, to the military. Because of its modularity, the MPS is not just a mobile power station; it is an enabler of safety, maintenance, social connection, and ultimately community for the people it serves.
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