From prototype to series production

With CSC SYS 50 (Festool), Kunsthochschule Kassel graduate Dominic Ender designs the world's first mobile circular saw with electric height and angle adjustment as well as a display with menu navigation.

At the beginning of the development phase, Ender was still a graduate student at Festool. With the conception of a mobile circular table saw, he succeeded in creating a unique innovation that he - together with product manager Wolfgang Reines - looks back on with pride.

On the idea of building a mobile and compact circular table saw, Ender says: "I was looking for a cooperation partner to work on my diploma thesis as a product designer. I presented my own ideas to Festool and at the same time asked whether the company had any topics that would be suitable for a dissertation. That's how it all started with the circular table saw".

During his thesis phase, Ender developed a concept and built a product-like design model. The model had moving parts, primarily to simulate and test its operability. He was in regular contact with tradespeople in order to incorporate their needs into the further development of the product. "I traveled all over Germany to check whether my concept would solve the challenges described by the tradespeople," explains the product manager. The technical development was also repeatedly questioned internationally with regard to its market suitability and acceptance.

After the first phase of his thesis, which lasted six months, Ender dealt with the theoretical product framework conditions. As soon as the project was approved, a team was formed from various specialist departments, such as design, quality assurance, assembly planning and purchasing.

"The need for a compact, lightweight and precise circular table saw has been around for a long time. The market for mobile circular table saws for the construction site is huge! Festool already had products for this in its portfolio. However, the approach of the CSC SYS 50 is radically different and innovative - this machine manages to provide a wide range of solutions with maximum precision in the smallest possible installation space," emphasizes Ender. There are no comparable products on the market. Ender adds: "A mobile circular table saw with electric adjustment, a sliding table of such precision and an operating concept that offers absolute repeat accuracy is unique. Coupled with the convenience of creating and saving your own favorites via the Work app, the 'mobile circular table saw' genre has now arrived in the present."

Dominic Ender, a trained carpenter, studied industrial design at the Kunsthochschule Kassel from 2010 to 2015. With his diploma thesis, he succeeded in publishing a "Study on the expansion of the field of application and function of systemic storage using the example of the Festool Systainer system". The thesis was supervised by Prof. Lutz Pankow and Prof. Martin Schmitz.

Since graduating, he has been employed as a product and innovation manager at Festool GmbH in Wendlingen. In addition, his professional portfolio includes many stations, for example various company start-ups, self-employment in the fields of graphic design, event and artist management. As an innovation manager, he also cooperates with numerous universities.

(Text in German: Çiğdem Özdemir)

Information on the CSC SYS 50 cordless table:
www.festool.de