The science behind the Dyson Airwrap™ styler. The Coanda effect explained.

Summary

The Coanda effect is a phenomenon where a fast-moving jet of air attaches to a surface, even if it curves away. In this video, Dyson's design manager explains how they used this effect to create a unique curling device without bristles. The device uses multiple slots to generate a strong air vortex, which wraps the hair around a small barrel. By using the Dyson V9 digital motor, the device generates higher pressure, enhancing the Coanda effect for better styling results. This method attracts, wraps, and holds the hair while drying, adding volume to each curl.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Coanda effect is the tendency for a fast-moving jet of air to attach to a surface and follow its curvature, even when the surface curves away.
• 😀 Dyson's design challenge was to create a curling device that used the Coanda effect without relying on bristles for tension on the hair.
• 😀 The Coanda effect allows the hair to attach to the barrel and automatically wrap around it for styling.
• 😀 The key difficulty in applying the Coanda effect to a small curling barrel is achieving enough air flow to wrap the hair around it effectively.
• 😀 To overcome this, Dyson used multiple slots (six) around the barrel to amplify air flow and create a vortex that wraps the hair.
• 😀 The Dyson V9 digital motor plays a crucial role by generating higher pressure, enhancing the Coanda effect and enabling more hair to be wrapped efficiently.
• 😀 The Coanda effect serves multiple functions in hair styling: attracting hair to the barrel, wrapping it, holding it in place while drying, and adding volume to each curl.
• 😀 The smaller the barrel radius, the more challenging it is to generate the necessary air flow for the Coanda effect to work effectively.
• 😀 The use of multiple slots around the barrel increases the air flow, helping achieve the desired effect of hair wrapping and curling.
• 😀 The Coanda effect’s ability to style hair by wrapping and drying it simultaneously is what makes it highly effective for creating curls and volume.

Q & A

What is the Coanda effect?

The Coanda effect is the tendency for a fast-moving jet of air to attach to a surface and follow its curve, even if the surface moves away.

How is the Coanda effect used in Dyson's curling device?

Dyson uses the Coanda effect to style hair by attaching a jet of air to the barrel and using it to automatically wrap the hair around it without the need for bristles.

What challenge did Dyson face when designing the curling device?

The main challenge was creating a curling device without bristles while still generating enough tension to wrap the hair around the barrel.

How did Dyson overcome the challenge of styling hair without bristles?

Dyson used the Coanda effect to attract and wrap the hair around the barrel, relying on a strong airflow generated by multiple slots around the barrel.

Why is it harder to apply the Coanda effect on a small barrel?

The smaller the barrel, the harder it is to get the airflow to attach and wrap around it due to the tighter radius.

What solution did Dyson implement to enhance the Coanda effect on a small barrel?

Dyson incorporated six slots around the barrel, which helped multiply the airflow and create a vortex of air to wrap the hair effectively.

What role does the Dyson V9 digital motor play in this technology?

The Dyson V9 digital motor works at a higher pressure, allowing for a stronger Coanda effect, which wraps more hair and provides better styling results.

What makes the Coanda effect beneficial for styling hair?

The Coanda effect not only attracts and wraps the hair around the barrel but also holds the hair in place while it dries and adds volume to each curl.

How does Dyson's curling device differ from traditional curling tools?

Unlike traditional curling tools that use bristles or clamps, Dyson's device uses the Coanda effect and airflow to style the hair without the need for bristles.

How does the Coanda effect contribute to the volume of each curl?

The Coanda effect blows air through each curl while it is held in position, which helps create volume and lift as the hair dries.