Project Overview
The Opal Card Ticketing reader is a proximity card reading device for the Opal card, the new electronic ticketing system for Sydney's public transport, currently in rollout. Once fully rolled out, this system will unite Sydney's trains, ferries, buses and light rail into one single integrated payment platform. The design of the Opal card reader is truly unique for Sydney's transport network, and is as iconic to Sydney as trams are to Melbourne.
The main features are:
- Beautiful, sleek, seamless, modern design language
- Quick and simple customisation to suit a range of different installation environments, ground works and pedestrian flow conditions.
- Easy and quick to maintain the reader heads and poles.
- Built tough to resist the harsh urban/marine environment
- Integrated LED light ring acting as a beacon to indicate from a distance to customer where they need to to 'tap on' and 'tap off'.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Lee Liston and Robbie Wells
Project Brief
- Be beautiful, sleek, seamless and modern
The readers were designed to be unobtrusive, inviting, intuitive and truly unique for Sydney's transport network. The streamlined pole has only the essential items penetrating the circumference.
- Be designed to withstand the environmental conditions of the public domain, particularly the harsh salt water conditions adjacent to Sydney Harbour.
The reader is built tough and is easy to install, quick to maintain, customisable to each site's passenger flow requirements and can be wired in advance for testing. Its modular design allows different heights and orientations.
- Be customised quickly and easily on site to suit each installation environment
The reader head and upper signage pole can be articulated independently of each other in increments of 15 degrees, to orientate the readers to the pedestrian flow at each site. The same footprint can also accommodate a dual reader head for heavy pedestrian traffic flow in both directions or a single reader head for lighter traffic.
- Easy and quick to maintain
- Act as a beacon to show passengers where to 'tap on' and 'tap off'.
An integrated LED light ring does this.
Project Need
The beautiful, sleek, seamless, modern design language of the Opal card reader brings an unique iconic aspect to Sydney's public transport system, in the same way that trams are unique and iconic to Melbourne.
Integrated LED light ring and optional upper pole section, converting the unit into a 'tall' version.
The LED light ring and additional upper pole section - where required - act as a beacon to indicate to passengers at busy locations where they need to 'tap on' or 'tap off' (a challenge at busy train stations when the platform is crowded).
Design Challenge
The sleek, tapering pole is both unique yet very challenging when considering the metal spinning manufacturing processes involved. Developed and manufactured by Cubic Transportation Systems, the metal spinning process was the perfect choice to meet the high quality, low volume requirements of such a complex form in stainless steel. Considered ergonomics and a reader head that is angled towards the user makes it very easy to use for all customers including those with special needs.
Another challenge is the fact that that the reader had to be highly visible from a distance to suit crowded railway station platforms. The addition of an integrated LED light ring and optional upper pole section converts the unit into a 'tall' version. The LED light ring and additional upper pole section - where required - act as a beacon to indicate to passengers at busy locations where they need to 'tap on' or 'tap off'.
Sustainability
As the readers need to be in place for at least 10 to 15 years, consideration was given to how the materials could be really resistant.
The pole uses the latest in new stainless steel corrosion-resistant grades that exceed standard marine grade SS316. Being a round section it is one of the strongest cross sectional areas to resist a physical attack. The reader heads are all sealed and ingress protected to IP55. The reader head connectors are IP67 rated connectors to plug and unplug the reader heads. The reader head glass is toughened and non-reflective to ensure legibility of the screen at all times. Graphics are all baked to the rear of the glass to prevent vandalism or wear.
Tags
Product Design - Automotive and Transport
This award celebrates creative and innovative design for either a component or overall product. Consideration given to aspects that relate to human usage, aesthetics, selection of components and materials, and the resolution of assembly, manufacturing and the overall function.
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