Model Builders Inc Blog

5 reasons when buying a custom model or prototype to pay for quality

Posted by Hal Chaffee on Sun, Jun 15, 2014 @ 10:24 PM

You should be worried about buying a custom model or prototype based on a lowest-cost bid as we pointed out in our last blog.  Here are five reasons to pay a little more for quality and get a lot more in return.

1. Quality sells.

The impact and quality of a model or prototype built with superior materials or design may lead to far greater sales than the incremental cost of say 10 percent over the lowest quote. That's value.

 GM LIRR  front rt

1/24 scale brass locomotive model - exterior and interior

If a model or prototype is 25 percent or more effective in generating leads than say a quote that costs 10 percent less it is more cost effective. Our experience is that the extra expense is often the difference between a dull model and one that grabs the viewer’s attention. In the case of the 36" long locomotive model pictured above it was also the difference in a more accurate and durable model that we built primarily out of brass instead of plastic.

GM LIRR equip rack resized 600Internal equipment rack prior to painting. Primarily brass construction

The entire exterior of the locomotive body and most of the internal equipment is brass construction with strong silver soldered weld joints .  The model is then very durable and the thickness of the parts is in scale.

2. A model is your reputation - don't mess it up to save a few dollars.

It takes a long time to build up a corporate reputation and a short time to knock it down if you don't meet the expectations of your client or potential client. Put your best model forward.

3. A partnership with a good model maker can raise quality exponentially.

Commissioning a prototype can be a learning experience that simultaneously represents and improves your idea when working with a good model maker.

The best model makers will spend when needed up to a third or more of their time doing research for or with you. For example the U.S. Navy's policy is not to provide drawings on currently commissioned ships. All is well if accuracy is not your goal or if you can do the research required for accuracy. One of Model Builders, Inc's strengths is our exceptional research and commitment to accuracy when it counts. Some of our competitors have had their models rejected by their clients who liked their price but not the inaccurate results.

4. Quality pays, but quality is not free.

Even one step up from the lowest bid can make a big difference in quality. The marginal difference may go to the more talented and experienced staff, more precise tools, more durable and realistic materials, and safer shipping containers, for example. When you commission one model in anticipation of multiple versions later on, buying quality also prevents having to start over later with a different company if the first model is unsatisfactory.

5. The lowest bid often means there is little room for innovation or details that can make a big impact in the final look of the model or prototype.

Montpelier garden

The above picture is of a finely detailed 1:500 scale model garden that is only 5" X 7". The two white lions on the right in the garden are 1/2" long. The holes are only 1/16" diameter for lighted fiber optic cable ends to identify the area by pushing a button. This model type of finely detailed model making takes time and special artistic skill.

Model Builders, Inc. is known for helping industrial designers, manufacturers, institutions and individuals go from idea to reality. Take the next step by contacting us at Model Builders, Inc., 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

Tags: aviation models, construction equipment models, railroad equipment model, plant layout model, architectural model, model, architectural models, product cutaway, boat models, product model, prototype, model maker, prototypes, product models, airplane models, topographic model, aerospace models, prototype model

5 Reasons not to choose the lowest quote for a model or prototype

Posted by Hal Chaffee on Thu, Jun 05, 2014 @ 10:52 AM

In today’s world of instant everything from everywhere we can easily fall into the trap of making business decisions just by choosing the lowest price. Here are 5 reasons you should be very worried about the lowest price, especially for a custom model or prototype.

1. Value = quality divided by price.

 You can easily pick the lowest price - just pick the quote with the lowest number.  But if you expect good value, you must spend the time it takes to consider quality. Quality in models and prototypes depends on a number of factors.

Petronas Towers exhibit resized 600

Oil storage site exhibit in Kuala Lumpur

For example if there is a body of water in an architectural or topographic model, how is it depicted? Possibilities range from one color of blue paint to a realistic range of several colors applied artistically under a wavy piece of clear acrylic as shown in the above picture.   The latter looks far more realistic, but costs a little more.

There is reason why “cheap” means both "low cost" and "low quality". It pays to investigate closely how your model or prototype will look or work by carefully comparing the assumptions and details in the quote and each vendor's reputation for quality.

2. Balance: The common law of business balance.

 Over a century ago John Ruskin said “It’s unwise to pay too much…but it’s worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money…that is all.  When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot.  It can’t be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run.  And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better.”

3. Avoid wasting money on models and prototypes that are in too small a scale. 

One problem is that parts can become too thin in a small scale and break easily. The client's desire for the smallest possible model to make it easier to transport as well as save money in packing, shipping and initial cost means it is more likely to arrive damaged and maybe even not repairable before the sales presentation or tradeshow.

A second problem is companies that “saved money” by having a model made in a scale that was too small to effectively show the detail especially when it is a printed out on a 3d printer. We refer to these models as "blob" models since instead of seeing the finer details that help attract potential customers you see blobs of material. Request a drawing of the plan and elevation views in the model scale proposed before you buy.  Even better request a sample part that shows some of the finer details.

4. Durability counts.

Is the model you ordered going to arrive as loose parts that came apart during the shipment?

Your model isn’t any good if you can’t use it when it arrived or requires extensive and expensive additional repair. That could be the case if the materials used and the way they were bonded or attached together couldn’t survive the road vibrations, shock from being dropped, temperatures, humidity, poor or loose packing, etc. In transit if the temperature is below freezing acrylic glues don’t hold their bond very well and your acrylic model may come apart. High heat also affects acrylic bonds much sooner that it would ABS plastic.

We use ABS plastic where we can instead of acrylic since ABS can be welded (the surfaces melt together with the chemical liquid we use for bonding). The ABS plastic is also stronger than acrylic which can crack under stress. 

If there is damage you may or may not be able to collect from an insurance claim and it may take a long time to collect for it. If a quote is higher than the low bid it probably is built stronger, with better materials and is packed better to survive shipment.

5. Insurance against an unpleasant surprise.

A benefit of partnering with a high quality model maker is the opportunity to learn and improve the project together.  With their experience and expertise, it is not hard to see potential problems while they can still be addressed successfully and at little or no additional cost. Even if the new approach costs more it is "cheaper" than  paying for a model that may meet your specifications but not your expectations.

Recently a potential museum client sent their project out for bid and all of the bids were higher than their budget. Sometimes if you have a limited budget it is better to tell the model making companies what the budget is and have them let you know what is possible to do with that budget.

When deciding on which company to hire for a model or protoype our experience is that the highest value, rather than the lowest price, is normally the best criterion. In our next blog we'll point out 5 reasons you should be very willing to pay for quaility.

Model Builders, Inc. is known for helping industrial designers, manufacturers, institutions and individuals go from idea to reality. Take the next step by contacting us at Model Builders, Inc., 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

 

Tags: railroad equipment model, site model, architectural model, model, architectural models, product model, prototype, prototypes, topographic model, trade show product models, prototype model

Iterative prototypes and models are often key to a successful product

Posted by Hal Chaffee on Thu, May 01, 2014 @ 01:30 PM

Why do so many products fail in the marketplace? Maybe it is because the developer of the idea didn't do an adequate job of creating a series of prototypes and reviewing them with potential users.

1) The initial idea can be expressed as simply as on a napkin sketch to convey an initial product idea. At first an idea is normally just that with no physical prototype. The Smithsonian has a wonderful exhibit called "Doodles, Drafts and Designs"  that shows examples of this earliest stage of a new idea for a product (see http://www.sil.si.edu/exhibitions/doodles/ ).

Below is a sketch of a ashtray idea for the Scenicruiser bus by Raymond Loewy Associates.

ashtray sketch

 2) A simple prototype model can be an early representation of the final product. It could be as simple as taping or gluing a few pieces of material together. The potential users then have the chance to get a general picture of the product idea that is in development with requirements that are not entirely known and give their reactions to it. Our rule of thumb here is that less than 25% percent of the population can visualize things well in three dimensions unless it is built first in three dimensions.

3) Product development is a iterative process that can begin without a full specification of the final product. You can use a series of models to evolve the idea. To get started just part of the product can be developed and then reviewed by users to identify further requirements. Then repeating this process can continue until the final product appears to be ready for the marketplace. Learning occurs both with the development and with the use of these product prototypes in iterations. Use a series of models to evolve the idea.

4) In the words of David Kelley, the founder of industrial design firm IDEO, design is now a team sport. Model makers at IDEO are more frequently getting involved much earlier in the development of new products to help create the idea before it is physically made. The industrial designer doesn't dictate the design or necessarily be in charge of it.  Instead a team of people with diverse backgrounds (human interaction, user interface, product design, engineering, manufacturing, model making and more) works together to collaboratively and iteratively build on each others ideas. Make sure you have a model maker on your team because your product ideas are far less likely to be a success if you don't.

5) MIT Professor Eric von Hippel, the author of the books "Democratizing Innovation"  and "The Sources of Innovation", observed that users are often the ones who develop a product when they have a need for a new or better product and a place where they would use it. They are ahead of others in a important market.

The Sources of Innovation resized 600

"von Hippel also proposed and tested some implications of replacing a manufacturer-as-innovator assumption with a view of the innovation process as predictably distributed across users, manufacturers, and suppliers. Innovation, he argues, will take place where there is greatest economic benefit to the innovator." Here is a video on lead users studies that 3M did to find lead users to work with to create some of their new products. See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNKrX1QxN6U&list=PLD4C0E9AEDF085119 .

6) It is hard to fail if you show prototypes to those who would use the final product and get their feedback. Potential users get the opportunity to test the functionality of the prototype and give feedback to help improve the product.

For additional information you may want to review our blogs including this one "How successful product development was done with a model shop's help" at http://modelbuilders.net/blog/bid/192523/How-successful-product-development-was-done-with-a-model-shop-s-help .

Model Builders, Inc. is known for helping industrial designers, manufacturers, institutions and individuals go from idea to reality. Take the next step by contacting us at Model Builders, Inc., 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

 


Tags: product model, engineering model, prototype, industrial designer, model builders, model maker, prototypes, model makers, prototype models, industrial design, product development, product models, model builder, industrial scale model, industrial designers, prototype model

Where can you find out about 3D printing of prototypes and models?

Posted by Hal Chaffee on Sat, Mar 29, 2014 @ 10:56 PM

We often have potential clients who are interested in having a prototype or model made with a 3D Printer. However they don't know if 3D printing is the way to build their project better, faster, stronger and at a lower cost. Our experience is that 3D printing can alternatively be not as good, slower, less durable and at a higher cost. It depends on a lot of factors. You need to learn more about 3D printing and it helps to discuss your project with a professional model maker.

Two of the best websites to learn all about 3D printing are www.additive3d.com and www.prototypetoday.com . Those two comprehensive websites give you lots of information on the whole field of 3D printing.

2014 Printing the Future book resized 600

You can also order a informative book "Printing the Future" by Ed Grenda from his website at http://www.additive3d.com/pub_bks.htm .

To get a perspective on 3D printing you should think about it as three categories - 3D printing of prototypes and models, 3D printing of manufactured products and 3D printing for personal fabrication. That is also the order in which those three categories developed.

3D Printing of prototypes and models and 3D Printing of manufactured products

The two largest manufacturers of professional 3D printers are 3Dsystems at www.3dsystems.com and STRATASYS at www.stratasys.com . They make 3D Printers for all three categories of 3D printing. In January, 2014 at the CES show in Las Vegas 3Dsystems had a number of new product announcements and those products are featured on this 54 minute youtube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWnmzn1rl8A . It will give you some idea of the range of 3D printing products in the marketplace. NOTE that both 3Dsystems and Stratasys  recently purchased companies that make 3D printers for personal fabrication and more recently created new 3D printers for personal fabrication.

The RAPID show organized by SME (Society of Manufacturing Engineers) is the main conference and tradeshow for companies and institutions to see the vendors of the larger professional 3D printers used for large 3D prints and in metal as well as plastic.

Since the middle 1980's when 3D printing started 3D printers were very expensive so companies and institutions that could afford it bought 3D printers and the CAD (computer-aided design) software so their model shop or an independent professional model shop with the right software and 3D printer could make their prototypes and models. About 7 years ago the least expensive professional 3D printer was about $15,000.00.

3D Printers for personal fabrication

3D Printers for personal fabrication sell mostly fom $400.00 to $5,000.00. There are now over 100 different 3D printers for personal fabrication available. By January, 2009 the first two 3D personal fabricator machines were being sold as kits for about $800.00 each. To get a review of many of these 3D printers for  personal fabrication that are now available see http://www.additive3d.com/3dpr_cht.htm . Also order from MAKE magazine their latest annual review of 3D printers at http://makezine.com/volume/guide-to-3d-printing-2014 which compares 23 of the more popular low end 3D Printers.

Formlabs Form 1 3D Printer

3D Printer for personal fabrication - Form 1 hi resolution 3D printer

However if you buy a 3D Printer you still have to purchase and learn how to use the CAD  software to create the files for the product that you want to 3D print. Alternatively you could use CAD drawings that are available on www.thingiverse.com or similar websites and you can print them. However most people want to create something unique.

There are also companies that can do your 3D printing for you.  One very successful company is Shapeways at www.shapeways.com  .  Shapeways has 3D printers for smaller personal fabrication and also have larger professional machines that can print in plastic or metal. You can even set up your own store on Shapeways to sell what you have made.  They will accept orders for you, produce your printed product, ship it and collect the payment for you.  The Shapeways byline is "Make, Buy and Sell Custom Products with 3D Printing. One store example hosted by Shapeways is www.bathsheba.com  .

Another alternative is to go to a store like the 3D Printer Experience in Chicago at www.the3dprinterexperience.com or a shop like TechShop (a expanding nationwide chain) that sells education classes and charges you to use (or have them use) one of their 3D printers or other machines. To find these places go to the Maker Map at www.themakermap.com , check off the filter box for retail, museums, etc. and zoom in on the red location dot. As you zoom in the name and address, etc. will appear on a pop up.

Then click on what you want to find like Retail and then zoom in on the red dot in the location you prefer and the name, address, etc. will pop up.

Getting the best possible prototype or model

Large corporations often have their own industrial design department and model shop. They can study how users might use a new product and create prototypes to test the idea with potential users. Alternatively they may hire an independent industrial design firm like IDEO which also has a model shop. If you have a large budget then hiring an industrial design firm might be a good option for you.

However the top down process of creating a new product is now competing with the bottoms up process since individuals and smaller companies or institutions now have computers and tools such as person fabricators as well as funding mechanisms like Kickstarter available to help them to create new products at an affordable price.

Hiring a professional model shop to work with you on your prototypes and models should add a new dimension to the discussions and increase the odds of creating a successful product. Working with a professional model shop is often a affordable option. Their expertise will greatly improve the final product. Which is the best way to make your product better, faster, stronger and at a lower cost? 3D printing may or may not be the right answer for how to make your prototype or model.

Model Builders, Inc. is known for helping industrial designers, manufacturers and individuals  go from idea to reality. Take the next step by contacting us at Model Builders, Inc., 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

Tags: industrial scale models, product model, prototype, industrial designer, model builders, model maker, prototypes, model makers, prototype models, industrial design, product development, product models, model builder, industrial scale model, industrial designers, 3D printing, prototype model, 3D printers

How successful product development was done with a model shop's help.

Posted by Hal Chaffee on Sat, Jan 11, 2014 @ 11:32 PM

Frequently a company or individual needs more expertise than they have  when working on the development of a new product especially in the creation of physical prototypes. The design, material selection, tool expertise and more may require the knowledge and skills of expert model makers to increase the odds of product success.

Let's take a look at how the Aluminum Extrusions, Inc. in Charlotte, Michigan got help from Model Builders, Inc. that was crucial to the development of their new wall hung Executive or Conference size board product sold by OMNI Products, Inc. That Visual Idea Center product, last known as the OMNIVIC II, sold well for over 30 years.

 OMNIVIC II Executive Conference Board Closed

Aluminum Extrusions, Inc. was looking to sell more aluminum extrusions and thought that developing a new conference board product that used aluminum extrusions in its construction might be a good idea to expand one of their office furniture conference board product lines from just heavy wood construction with piano hinges to a much lighter product that was primarily aluminum construction.

Using in house personnel Aluminum Extrusions, Inc. developed the product as far as they could. Then their industrial designer, Bob Vogele, found and worked with Bill Chaffee of Model Builders, Inc. to further develop the Visual Idea Center product idea.

Conference board OMNI VIC II


Bob and Bill came up with the final design and Model Builders, Inc. fabricated the prototype for the aluminum framed VIC product which only weighed about 100 lbs. whereas the current all wood framed Visual Idea Center weighed over 150 lbs. The new aluminum framed model could also have a laminate material in a variety of finishes applied to the front of the two light weight core doors as shown in the first picture above. Furthermore Model Builders, Inc. was responsible for sourcing and inspecting the materials for the first 100 units.

One of the amazing features of these boards is that Bob Vogele and Bill Chaffee developed a continuous patented hinge by changing the shape of the two vertical extrusions where the door panel meets the wall mounted panel. Then a custom single gray plastic extrusion could connects the front panel to the wall panel .This gave the conference board a very clean modern look and eliminated the need for the piano hinge which made assembly faster since the hinge screws weren't needed. Furthermore the door panel connection to the wall mounted panel easily passed the weight stress test.

Visual Idea Center hinge

DSC07312 resized 600Patented hinge with two aluminum extrusions and a plastic extrusion in the middle.

Other functions and design details were incorporated that also made the VIC II as widely popular as it was.

Conference board features

Hiring a model shop to work with you on product development should add a new dimension to the discussions and increase the odds of creating a successful product. Don't bring a model shop in for an appearance model at the end. Get the model shop involved with the product development at the start. Their expertise will greatly improve the final product.

Model Builders, Inc. is known for helping industrial designers, manufacturers and others go from idea to reality. Take the next step by contacting us at Model Builders, Inc., 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

Tags: product model, engineering model, prototype, training aids, industrial designer, prototype models, training aid, industrial design, product development, prototype model

Raymond Loewy's 1953 prototype ashtray

Posted by Hal Chaffee on Tue, Oct 15, 2013 @ 11:27 PM

The prototype stainless steel ashtray for the 1954 Greyhound Scenicruiser bus was one of nearly 100  prototypes, models or parts Raymond Loewy Associates hired Model Builders, Inc. to fabricate in the 1950's. Raymond Loewy Associates was responsible for the design and prototype of the Scenicruiser bus.  The Scenicruiser is listed in several prominent design books as one of the 100 best designs of the 20th Century.

We thought you might enjoy learning about this unique modern ashtray design. The prototype  is up for auction for the first time on Thursday October 17, 2013 at www.wright20.com as lot 175. See http://www.wright20.com/auctions/view/QU2E/QU2F/175/lotno_asc/none/Q8WB/ .

Raymond Loewy ashtray

The ashtray is 4 1/2" wide X 4 1/2" high X 1 1/4" thick.

Loewy ashtray sketchAbove are some sketches of the ashtray made prior to the fabrication of the prototype.

Raymond Loewy ashtray side view

This sideview shows the ashtray in the open position. The pivot point for the front section of the ashtray is at the pin head shape at the bottom. The curve at the top is to keep ashes from falling onto the back of seat it is mounted on.

Raymond Loewy ashtray lever pulled

Just rotate the lever downward to dump the ashes or cigarette into the chamber below.

Raymond Loewy ashtray opened

The front/two sides of the ashtray is a pressure fit with two dimples (one on each side near the top) locking it in the closed position. Simply slide the ashtray up off the mounting plate and open up the front/sides by pulling outward the top of the two sides The masking tape on the edge was added to tighten the fit on this prototype. In production the fit would be more precise due to more accurate tooling so there would be no need for the tape.

Raymond Loewy ashtray mounting plate

The fixed mounting plate allows the back side of the ashtray (as seen on the right) to slide down and up easily so the ashtray can be opened, dumped and cleaned  frequently.

Raymond Loewy ashtray Patent Applied For

The patent was applied for but as far as we know was never granted. Note the hinge along the bottom of the ashtray. The "dimples" on the front are a nice design touch.

Model Builders, Inc. is known for helping industrial designers, manufacturers and others go from idea to reality. Take the next step by contacting us at Model Builders, Inc., 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

Tags: Scenicruiser, product model, prototype, industrial designer, model builders, model maker, prototypes, model makers, Raymond Loewy, prototype models, industrial design, product models, model builder, industrial designers, prototype model

7 things a model maker learned at the 2013 IDSA Conference

Posted by Hal Chaffee on Fri, Sep 06, 2013 @ 01:06 PM

The 2013 Industrial Designer Society of America (IDSA) International Conference was in Chicago during August and there was a lot to learn - here are 7 takeaways. 

(1) Persistence can be an inventor's friend, greatly improving the end product along the way. Dean Kamen described his 10-plus years trying to get his Slingshot water purifier to people around the world who don't have safe water. The hope is to eliminate millions of deaths from water borne diseases.

One major obstacle was worldwide distribution, which Kamen recently solved working with Coke whose international distribution system is one of the best in the world.

Another major obstacle was the economics of Kamen's water purifier and power source. His recent thinking is a 8' X 8' X 20' box could ship more services along with the Slingshot to improve the cost benefit ratio. So the plan now is that one shipment includes an energy source, the Slingshot water purifier, a satellite based communications system and refrigeration for medicines. This would be available to a whole village in a remote location. Looks to me like Dean Kamen may solve more than one major world problem as a by-product of trying to solve one. The implementation of this idea could improve health, education, and communication for billions of people.

(2) Expect a proliferation of entrepreneurship.   Prototypes are easier to make with 3D printing, money for product development and production is easier to raise, and products are easier to sell due to the internet and 3d printing. Here is one example that was on display.

Non spillable coffee cup

A young girl, Lilly Born, developed the Kangaroo Cup with the help of her father so that her grandfather who had Parkinson's disease wouldn't knock over his coffee or soup cup.  Prototype 1 was a rough handmade prototype. Prototype 2 was a 3D printed prototype (shown on the left in the above picture).  Then Lilly and her father both went to a ceramic factory in China to get a quote on the final Kangaroo Cup that they are now selling (the cup on the right in the picture). On Thursday Zach Kaplan of Inventables included a video on this project (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzNz25Kc5FQ ) in his presentation titled "Designers as Manufacturers: The Third Industrial Revolution."

(3) Expect to see more artistic-entrepreneurial products, too - ones that you often have a hard time getting funded - especially those that need anywhere from only a few thousand dollars up to 1 million or more. MINIMAL (MNML) and Kickstarter are enabling entrepreuneurs to develop and market their new product ideas as well as fund them.

Book pages light

This product is a book with pages that light up when the book is opened. The book can be laid flat on a table for the maximum amount of light or set down with the lit pages vertical and the book cover open or closed to permit the amount of light desired. Actually this is light that works like a book.

For a more complete look at the many Kickstarter projects displayed at the August 22nd exhibit at MNML in Chicago during the IDSA Conference see this page  http://www.mnml.com/21277/1756315/our-work/kickstarter-all-stars-presented-by-mnml .

(4) The "unconference" concept was a full day at the conference because IDSA members are excited about connecting with each other on topics  that they are passionate about.  This is the first time the IDSA tried this idea at their International Conference. On Friday  groups of 20-40 people had discussions during a 45 minute session on one topic that they signed up for. Anyone could propose a topic in advance and if interested could lead that discussion. Eight sessions ran concurrently in the 45 minute periods for most of Friday and  participants could wander from one session to another to discover something of interest. No projectors.  Just topical discussions - basically whatever you want. Some examples are "How is the 'Maker Revolution' going to affect ID?", "Origami and how it helps design" and "Creating an ID culture within an alien corporate climate".

(5) An "unconference" option on Friday was a three hour session called "Blitz" to brainstorm tangible ideas that can have a meaningful social impact. Social activist John Bieldenberg hosted this "Blitz" to help designers create concepts for new products and services that help to prevent bullying.  As a result suicides, especially of children under 14, and school-shooting incidents can be reduced. The session partnered with the Hero in the Hallway organization that has helped Chicago schools with their "Spirit Desk" system reduce suicides and prevent bullying.

(6) The 3D printed car contest was launched and crashed. It was a big hit. As in the real world industrial designers had a chance to test their concepts against tough competition and in this case have fun too. Furthermore the entrants had to use 3D printed models. The three prize categories were for best flight, best crash (there was a slow motion camera directed at the crash site) and best looks. The winner in each category was awarded a 3D printer. Inventables, Models Plus and Options and Computer Aided Technology sponsored the printed car contest.

1376713593_01

Above is one of the top ten car contest entries (out of over 100 entries) called "Balloona" designed by Ms. Reut Kovetz of Fahrenheit Design. Below is a picture after the ramp launch of the crash. The clear connectors are barely visible and so thin they break easily on impact and send the balls rolling in multiple directions.

The wheels and the optional ball bearing were installed at the conference. The entries were 3D printed at the conference on one of two 3D printers. Pictures reprinted with the permission of Fahrenheit Design in Austin, Texas. 

1376713599_06

Intrigued? Check out these videos:

Here's a link to the blog post:
Video of the race:
Here are all the cars (10 were selected for the launch):

Coincidently one of the conference speakers, industrial designer Byron Block, on Thursday revealed the biggest safety blunders in vehicle design. Byron has fought for and influenced the adoption of safer designs that are feasible - in rollovers with weak roofs, truck underside decapitation tragedies and unsafe fuel tanks that led to fire deaths.

(7) The conference was an incredible chance to meet designers of all stripes and be exposed to all sorts of new ideas and products. Below is one example - the SPUN swivel chair that won't fall over as seen at the Steng Design Party at Orangeskin on Friday night. The SPUN chair just keeps rotating around whenever you move.

Justin Eddings in the SPUN chair

Here Justin Eddings, an Interaction & Industrial Designer as well as the Product User Experience Designer at Sprint, travels in circles at Orangeskin. There were six networking events just on Thursday night and four more on Friday including a boat tour sponsored by Designcraft! 

If you wanted to find out where the world of industrial design is headed the 2013 IDSA International Conference was the place to learn from companies like Inventables, MNML, Kickstarter, etc. Like the personal computer before it the personal fabricator is taking industrial design, prototyping and production into an extremely fast growing part of the economy. Now individuals can actually find the funding and tools to prototype and produce new products and services that are custom made to the client or produced in small quantities economically. 

If you wanted to see examples of people who are making a huge difference in solving social problems Dean Kamen's presentation on providing clean water and more around the world got a standing ovation.  At John Bielenberg's hosting of the unconference "Blitz" brainstorming you could participate in trying to come up with concepts for new products and services that might turn schools around and even reduce suicides and shootings. Industrial designers are continuing to expand their work into solving big social problems.  

So why does a model maker go to an industrial design conference? We are two sides of the same coin and success depends on close collaboration. Many good ideas die in the development stage because implementation requires special skills and tools. Converting an idea to reality is often difficult - the skills and tools of both the industrial designer and the model maker are often crucial to the creation of a successful product. It is important to the success of the model maker and the industrial designer to learn from each other.

Model Builders, Inc. is known for helping others go from idea to reality. Take the next step by contacting us at Model Builders, Inc., 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

 

 

 

 

Tags: product model, engineering model, prototype, industrial designer, model builders, model maker, prototypes, model makers, prototype models, industrial design, product development, product models, model builder, industrial designers, prototype model

Industrial designers - 5th of 5 books on the greatest product designs

Posted by Hal Chaffee on Wed, Apr 10, 2013 @ 03:47 PM

"The Origin of Things Sketches, Models, Prototypes" is our fifth book review of the greatest product designs. It was published in 2003 in Rotterdam and accompanied an exhibition of the same name from May 10, 2003 to July 27, 2003 at Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam.

This interesting book covers quite a wide range of products and how they were developed. Each product is explored on an average of eight pages and many interesting design questions are explored. For example the paper clip on the cover of this book looks like a perfect example of form follows function but in fact since the late 1800's there have been patent applications for over 30 paper clip designs that work quite well.

This book focuses on the processes through which new ideas are transformed into products. The industrial designer here is framed as a good leader of a team of several disciplines - design, marketing and technology. Thirty three products from 1862 to 2003 are reviewed to explore what processes (Sketches, Models, Prototypes) the industrial designer utilized to turn  a new idea into a product. The first fourteen pages discuss the product design process of the Netherlands first industrial designer Wim Gilles. Below we review 4 of the 33 products.

The Origin of Things

When the DRU company developed a new kettle in 1954 industrial designer Wim Gilles based his design on new insights and analysis. In fact the company's existing design they had discovered  performed very poorly. Giles changed the design. The position of the handle in relation to the center of gravity for filling or pouring was optimized, the angle of the spout improved, the bottom was flat to help heat up the sides for a more even heat, and space was added to the top so that there was space at the top for steam when the kettle was filled (this prevented water from coming out the spout). For its time this kettle was a prime example of the value of industrial design and in 1955 was included in a technical encyclopedia.

Wim Gilles Kettle

Wim Gilles Kettle 1954

Aart Roelandt studied industrial design at the Academy for Industrial Design in Eindhovven and later received the incentive prize from the City of Amsterdam for his recumbent bicycle design. First he built two recumbent bicycle designs in graduate school. Then working with an engineering firm they came up with four prototypes to figure out the correct ergonomic position. Two years and 500 test rides later they were ready for production. The recumbent bicycle was not a new idea but the Roulandt was the first to be mass produced. The design advantages include a sight line that is parallel with the horizon for better visibility and a much more comfortable ride since the back, stomach and wrists are not squeezed up.

Roelandt recumbent bicycle

 Roulandt recumbent bicycle 1981-83

The first suction based vacuum cleaner powered by electricity was developed in 1907. The basic technology was not changed until James Dyson turned the industry upside down by removing the bag since it clogs with dust and reduces the suction power. His first attempt was to build a working prototype from cardboard and tape attached to a current vacuum cleaner. Dyson made 5, 127 prototypes from cardboard, plastic, foam and metal to develop  his cyclone technology.

After a deal with Japanese company Apex, Inc. the G-Force Cyclonic Cleaner was launched. With that success he was able to set up his own research center and manufacture his products in England. In 1995 Dyson came out with the DC02 a compact, cylinder version that worked because he placed the bin at an angle with a hinge for opening. It also could sit on a staircase and "climb" stairs as it was pulled along. Dyson said "it looks and behaves like a domestic pet". One year later it was the best selling cylinder cleaner in the United Kingdom and a great example of the value of using multiple iterative prototypes to develop a new product.

Dyson DC02

 Dyson DC02 1994-1995

"For furniture designers and manufacturers....the quest for the perfect one-piece molded chair has been continuous for half century or more." The Air Chair 1997-1999 designed by Jasper Morrison and manufactured by the Italian firm Magis "is the closest we have come to achieving the modernest grail of the single molded chair."

Air Chair

Jasper Morrison Air Chair 1997-1999

This concludes our book reviews on the greatest product designs of the last 100 or so years. Industrial designers were key to the transition from craft to mass produced products by incorporating new materials and manufacturing methods, improving function and appearance, and creating efficient designs that reduced the cost of production. At Model Builders, Inc. we have worked with many noted industrial designers such as Raymond Loewy on moving from an idea to reality with a new product. We hope these five book reviews provide insight into that process of sketches, models, prototypes - with the industrial designer as the team leader.

Do you have a favorite book on industrial design prototypes, products or designers? Please let us know by posting a comment. If you have any questions or would like to discuss prototypes or other projects contact us at Model Builders, Inc. 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

Tags: product model, prototype, industrial designer, model builders, model maker, prototypes, model makers, prototype models, industrial design, product models, model builder, industrial designers, prototype model

Industrial designers - 4th of 5 books on the greatest product designs

Posted by Hal Chaffee on Tue, Apr 02, 2013 @ 11:01 PM

"Objects of Design from the Museum of Modern Art" by Paola Antonelli is the fourth  book review of great product designs. Industrial designers created many of the objects here. This book was published in 2003 with color photographs by The Museum of Modern Art, New York. It is quite different from the MOMA's 1970 book "The Design Collection - Selected Objects" which showed objects in black and white with a label but little text.  Their design collection was established in 1934 and at the time of this latest book's publication had over 3,708 mass produced or homemade objects (although most in the collection are mass produced).

The MOMA design collection now is "a critical and exclusive assembly rather than encyclopedic and comprehensive. One of the leading characteristic's of the Museum's design collection is the idea that its design objects are part of larger visions within which they are best seen." The center of gravity of the MOMA design collection has begun to shift from the machine age to the digital age. Their challenge is to find what "objects most clearly tell us about ourselves, the culture that produced them, and the world in which we aspire to live." 

Objects of Design book resized 600

 Unlike the last three books reviewed "Objects of Design" has far more pictures of objects - 341 total and all in color.  The objects are grouped into nine thematic sections and each section has a separate author.

1. Turning Points.  Basically this covers the change to the point of view that art should be available to all in mass produced objects, organic and simple geometric forms without ornamentation and aesthetic abstraction. Otto Wagner, Gustav Stickley and Frank Lloyd Wright designed chairs, tables, silverware, etc. in the beginning period of modernism.

2. Machine Art. The Museum's 1934 exhibit "Machine Art" focused on the unintential beauty of these highly functional machine parts. The Bell 47-D1 Helicopter 1945 is one example.

3. A Modern Ideal. Works of art and and objects of design from Bauhaus studios and workshops from the 1920's on fit this theme. Eileen Gray's Adjustable Table 1927 and Tube Lamp 1940's, Le Corbusier's Chaise Longue and his Armchair1928, Marcel Breuer's Tea cart Model B54 1928 and Mies van der Rohe's Barcelona Chair 1929 and Tugendhat coffee Table are some of the examples.

1930 Table Clock

Marianne Brandt Table Clock 1930

 4. Useful Objects.  In 1938 the Museum worked with retailers to exhibit good designs that were affordable to the average consumer. The exhibit was called "Useful Household Objects under $5.00." This exhibit was shown in 7 cities in addition to New York City. Objects were chosen by their suitability of purpose, material and process of manufacture". The Useful Object exhibit was so successful that they repeated the tour for nine more years with new useful objects each year although the price gradually increased to $100.00 in 1947. In the objects "form and beauty follows function". Innovative functionality and integration of new materials like heat resistant Pyrex glass led to the glass frying pan and baking dish. Plastics revolutionized consumer products by the 1950's. Good useful design wasn't expensive and was available to everyone. Examples are the Electric Hairdryer 1928, Corning Glass Works Baking Dish 1949, LEGO Building Bricks 1954-1958, the Bic Cristal pen 1950 and Post-it Note 1977.

Tupperward

 Earl S. Tupper Pitcher and Creamer 1946

5. Modern Nature. Organic might be a way to describe this influence on designed objects. In part technology enabled a new relationship with materials and processes in creating objects. Thonet, Eames, Aalto, etc. explored new materials that led to new possiblities with designed objects, especially with curvy organic shapes

Alvar Aalto

Alvar Aalto Vase (no. 3031) 1936 and Paimio Chair 1931-32

6. Mind over Matter.  Many new materials, mostly synthetics, were created during WWII and designers explored their possibilities which led to "new functions and applications and astonishlingly innovative forms." Plexiglas (introduced in 1936), polycarbonate and other plastics enabled designs that could be shaped and hardened to create continuous surfaces and curved surfaces without joints. Developments in plywood technology meant it could be formed into compound curves.  Later carbon fiber permitted even "thinner and lighter continuous-form objects without joints."

In 1995 the museum exhibition "Mutant Materials in Contemporary Design" explored this mind over matter relationship. A particular material could be shaped and used differently in products by the designer. Vernor Panton's Stacking Side Chair 1959-60 was the first chair cast in one piece and from a synthetic material (polyurethane plastic).  No assembly or hand labor was required.

7. Good Design. This theme covers the MOMA's series of Good Design exhibitions between 1950 and 1955. The idea was to influence wholesalers and manufacturers of consumer goods into thinking that there was probably a large market for well designed products. Objects featured here include Alvar Aalto's Tea Trolley 1936-37, Charles and Ray Ames Low Side Chair model LCM 1945, Eerp Saarinen's Tulip Armchair and Richard Sapper's Tixio Table Lamp 1971.

8. Good Design for Industry. As noted here many great industrial designs resulted from a close collaboration between the industrial designer and the manufacturer. MOMA exhibits that explored this topic first started in 1952 with "Olivetti: Design in Industry". Objects pictured in this thematic topic include Electric Kettle 1909, Minox Riga Camera 1936, Chemex Coffee Maker 1941, Kodak Carousel-S Slide Projector 1963, Dieter Rams Loudspeaker model LEi 1960, Swatch Jellyfish Watch 1983., Macintosh SE Home computer 1984, Apple G4-Cube Speakers 2000 and the Smart Car 1998.

9. The Object Transformed. The MOMA's 1966 exhibit "The Object Transformed" was mostly art works inspired by design objects like the Display stand for Oranges, the Malitte Lounge Chair, 1966, the 85 Lamps Lighting Fixture 1992 and the Honey Pop Armchair. They transform materials into functional objects in creative ways.

"Objects of Design" is a large book at 286 pages but it is an interesting interweaving of 9 themes that cover a century of products with plenty of color pictures and enough interesting text on well designed products to provide a comprehensive perspective on industrial designers and their products during the 20th Century. 

Do you have a favorite book on industrial design prototypes, products or designers? Please let us know by posting a comment. If you have any questions or would like to discuss prototypes or other projects contact us at Model Builders, Inc. 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

Tags: prototype, industrial designer, model maker, prototypes, model makers, prototype models, industrial design, model builder, industrial designers, prototype model

Industrial designers - 3rd of 5 books on the greatest product designs

Posted by Hal Chaffee on Sat, Mar 23, 2013 @ 05:09 PM

"Icons of Design The 20th Century" is the third book review of great product designs.  Industrial designers created many of the product designs in this book. There are 83 products selected and presented by 23 authors - only 5 of the authors are American and most of the rest are European. In the book's FOREWORD industrial designer and art historian Reyer Kras makes interesting comparisons between the Christian icon and the industrial icon.

Industrial Designer Kras also compares the shift within the past 10 years from the mechanical revolution to a new peak in a electronics revolution in the past 10 years. The way mechanical appliances operate has disappeared for many functions - "Certain functions...have dematerialized, vanished into the caverns of the chip, the hard drive and the digital network". His conclusion "This shift in technology has also impacted how industrial designers envision and shape electronically controlled products."

If the need to design the product - the image- disappears, will that be the end of this profession? Or will the designer be able to create an intangible context? In the future this is destined to pose one of the greatest challenges to the designer." In some ways this parallel's Jay Doblin's concern 30 or more years prior about the impact "that the combination of intellectronics and automation" would have. Maybe it is no coincidence that the Internet was the product selected for 1990 and the last product selected (for the year 2000) in "Icons of Design The 20th Century" is Virtual Reality.

Icons of Design resized 600

The Savoy vase 1937 - Alvar Aalto - his most important contribution to 20th Century glass design and an early example of organic design.

First published in 2000 and again in 2004 this book has each object shown in color photographs with illustrations of its use. With most of the products there is a timeline description and small photograph of the designer along with a full page description of the history and significance of each product.

The format is quite similar to that of industrial designer Jay Doblin's 1970 book "One Hundred Great Product Designs". Both books are also in chronological order with the year they came out shown next to the product name. There are two pages on each product and one of the pages is a large picture (most are in color).

US Tunnel Mailbox 1915 resized 600

U.S. "Tunnel" Mailbox 1915

Designed by postal engineer Roy Joroleman to resolve a conflict between fiercely independent farmers and government regulators. This mandated galvanized sheet metal design is simple and functional.  The red flag lets the carrier know when to pick up mail. Formerly a variety of discarded containers served as mail boxes on rural routes. 

Motorola Microtac 1989

                                             Motorola MicroTAC 1989

The MicroTAC folding mechanism revolutionized the shape of cell phones

Some of the other great product icons in this book are:

Aircraft: Douglas DC-3 Dakota 1935 and Lockheed Super Constellation 1951.

Appliances: AEG Electric Kettle 1909 and Philips-Alessi Line (five kitchen appliances) 1996

Automobiles: Ford Model T 1908-1927, Bugatti 1926, Mercedes Silver Arrow 1934, Cord 810 1936, Fiat 500 Topolino 1936, Volkswagen Beetle 1938, Citroen 2CV, Chevrolet Corvette 1953 and Morris Mini 1959.

Cameras: Leica Camera 1913-1925, Kodak Baby Brownie 1934 and Minox Camera 1938.

China: Teaset 1934.

Home Entertainment: Braun Phonosuper SK4 1956, Sony Portable TV 80 301 in 1959, Brionvega Radio TS-502 in 1964, B&O Beogram 4000 in 1972, Sony Walkman 1979, Philips Compact Disc 1980, Tamagotchi (interactive computerized toy) 1996.

Typewriters: Underwood Typewriter No. 5 1900, IBM Selectric Typewriter 1961 and Olivetti Valentine Typewriter 1969.

Apple Macintosh 1984 resized 600

Apple Macintosh 1984

A variety of other great products also were developed in the 20th Century -  Raleigh Safety Bicycle 1905, Coca Cola Bottle 1915, Rolex Oyster Watch 1926, Zippo Lighter 1933, Parker 51 Fountain Pen 1941,Vespa Motor Scooter 1946, Tupperware 1946, Rolodex Rotary Card File 1952, Harley Davidson "Easy Rider" 1969, In-Line Skates 1980 and other interesting choices in this book.  Overall "Icons of Design The 20th Century" is a nice update - with color pictures, about 30 more years of great products to our two earlier book reviews and with more of a European point of view.

In-line Skates 1980

 In-Line Skates 1980

The 4th and 5th books we review on the greatest product designs have a very different format. The 4th book has nine categories of products. The fifth book goes more extensively (about 5 pages each) into the development of each of about 35 products.

Do you have a favorite book on industrial design prototypes, products or designers? Please let us know by posting a comment. If you have any questions or would like to discuss prototypes or other projects contact us at Model Builders, Inc. 773-586-6500 or info@modelbuilders.net .

 

Tags: product model, prototype, industrial designer, model builders, model maker, prototypes, model makers, prototype models, industrial design, product development, product models, model builder, industrial designers, prototype model