CLIPBAR
14 Weeks · Team of 2 · Industrial Design · 2025
A home for chip clips
ClipBar is a wall-mounted storage system that turns everyday chip clips into kitchen decor. Annaliese Michalski and I developed it from in-home research through a small production run for Ohio State’s Winter Market.
My role: Research, concepts, clip mechanism, CAD, prototyping, packaging, and manufacturing.
Tools: Fusion 360, KeyShot, Adobe Premiere
A home for chip clips
ClipBar is a wall-mounted storage system that turns everyday chip clips into kitchen decor. Annaliese Michalski and I developed it from in-home research through a small production run for Ohio State’s Winter Market.
My role: Research, concepts, clip mechanism, CAD, prototyping, packaging, and manufacturing.
Tools: Fusion 360, KeyShot, Adobe Premiere
A home for chip clips
ClipBar is a wall-mounted storage system that turns everyday chip clips into kitchen decor. Annaliese Michalski and I developed it from in-home research through a small production run for Ohio State’s Winter Market.
My role: Research, concepts, clip mechanism, CAD, prototyping, packaging, and manufacturing.
Tools: Fusion 360, KeyShot, Adobe Premiere
The challenge
In-home observation showed that chip clips accumulated in drawers and were hard to find. We asked how a small utility object could stay accessible while becoming something people wanted to display.
The challenge
In-home observation showed that chip clips accumulated in drawers and were hard to find. We asked how a small utility object could stay accessible while becoming something people wanted to display.
The challenge
In-home observation showed that chip clips accumulated in drawers and were hard to find. We asked how a small utility object could stay accessible while becoming something people wanted to display.
01 — From clutter to display
We explored kitchen storage ideas through group ideation and sketching. ClipBar stood out because it combined everyday usefulness with a form we could manufacture. After concept selection, we had one month to engineer and produce the sets.
01 — From clutter to display
We explored kitchen storage ideas through group ideation and sketching. ClipBar stood out because it combined everyday usefulness with a form we could manufacture. After concept selection, we had one month to engineer and produce the sets.
01 — From clutter to display
We explored kitchen storage ideas through group ideation and sketching. ClipBar stood out because it combined everyday usefulness with a form we could manufacture. After concept selection, we had one month to engineer and produce the sets.
Exploring the form
02 — Making the clip reliable
Early prototypes relied on a fully printed spring mechanism. Testing showed inconsistent clamping and poor long-term reliability, so I switched to a standard pin-and-spring assembly. Repeated test prints helped tune the fit; magnets connected each clip to the steel bar.
02 — Making the clip reliable
Early prototypes relied on a fully printed spring mechanism. Testing showed inconsistent clamping and poor long-term reliability, so I switched to a standard pin-and-spring assembly. Repeated test prints helped tune the fit; magnets connected each clip to the steel bar.
02 — Making the clip reliable
Early prototypes relied on a fully printed spring mechanism. Testing showed inconsistent clamping and poor long-term reliability, so I switched to a standard pin-and-spring assembly. Repeated test prints helped tune the fit; magnets connected each clip to the steel bar.
The final clip
Test prints refined the fit, grip, and spring action. The final angular form gives the clips a consistent visual identity while keeping the mechanical parts integrated into each body.
The final clip
Test prints refined the fit, grip, and spring action. The final angular form gives the clips a consistent visual identity while keeping the mechanical parts integrated into each body.
03 — Preparing for the market
We produced the clips in recycled PET-G with standard hardware and magnets. Annaliese led the steel bar’s design and fabrication. Laser-cut and engraved corrugated packaging kept graphics and assembly in-house.
03 — Preparing for the market
We produced the clips in recycled PET-G with standard hardware and magnets. Annaliese led the steel bar’s design and fabrication. Laser-cut and engraved corrugated packaging kept graphics and assembly in-house.
03 — Preparing for the market
We produced the clips in recycled PET-G with standard hardware and magnets. Annaliese led the steel bar’s design and fabrication. Laser-cut and engraved corrugated packaging kept graphics and assembly in-house.
Small-batch production
10 sets. Sold out in under an hour.
We manufactured 10 complete sets and built a display for Ohio State’s Winter Market. All sold within the first hour. The project took us from observing a kitchen problem to delivering a finished product to customers.
10 sets. Sold out in under an hour.
We manufactured 10 complete sets and built a display for Ohio State’s Winter Market. All sold within the first hour. The project took us from observing a kitchen problem to delivering a finished product to customers.
10 sets. Sold out in under an hour.
We manufactured 10 complete sets and built a display for Ohio State’s Winter Market. All sold within the first hour. The project took us from observing a kitchen problem to delivering a finished product to customers.
Read More About the Market
10
SETS MANUFACTURED
<1 HR
TO SELL OUT
14 WKS
RESEARCH TO RETAIL
Watch the full project overview
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Want to see more?
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Liked what you saw?
Get in touch
Want to see more?
Back to portfolio