Industrial Design and sheet metal…
Recently, I’ve been involved in several design projects where sheet metal fabrication has been the core manufacturing process. These projects have involved the implementation of industrial design processes within the development and design of sheet metal parts and custom build assemblies.
Sheet metal fabrication has been around for an exceptionally long time and remains one of the oldest and trusted manufacturing processes due to its simplicity and raw material availability. Many companies utilise the process and have been doing so for a considerable number of years.
So why are companies looking for Industrial design?
Good industrial design application helps companies to stand out amongst their competitors. Suppliers of sheet metal fabricated products are seeking to elevate their current offerings and differentiate themselves in the marketplace enhancing aesthetics, usability and the overall performance of their sheet metal products.
The process goes far beyond aesthetics, encompassing the integration of form and function to create products that don’t only look great but are also efficient to build, easy to maintain and service and are also user-friendly when it comes to operation.
Competitors are differentiating themselves from one another utilising different tools to elevate their designs.
Credits: Desktop Metal
Here are some of the ways that they are doing it:
User-focused design
Focusing on user centered design principles ensures that the overall design meets the needs and preferences of the end-users. Taking user experience, ergonomics and understanding how individuals interact with the product helps to build a well considered user experience and contributes to customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Product Aesthetics
Designs which stand out visually amongst their competitors pay attention to colour, material and finish in areas that inform and lend itself to the usability of the overall design which in turn helps to elevate the visual quality of the product.
Innovative form factors
Industrial designers work hard to push the boundaries of traditional tools and processes to create form factors and shapes which act as unique product identifiers.
Material Selection and Innovation:
Industrial designers collaborate with engineers to choose the right sheet metal materials for a given application. This involves considering factors such as strength, weight, corrosion resistance and cost.
Prototyping and Iterative design
Rapid prototyping is a common practice in industrial design. Companies use prototyping techniques to test, validate and refine their designs before proceeding with mass production. This iterative process helps to identify potential issues, improves manufacturability and optimizes the overall design functionality and aesthetics.
And finally Brand Identity…
Industrial design can help to reinforce and build a company's brand identity. Creating a consistent brand language across a product range can help to create a recognisable and identifiable product identity.
Introducing industrial design into your sheet metal design process will enable you to future proof your design so that you are creating products which are not only technically sound but are also visually appealing, user friendly and economically viable.
