Chapter 16 Materials and Industrial Design Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, 4th Edition © 2010 Michael Ashby

Industrial Design Figure 16.1 Every product has a value – a measure of what the consumer thinks it is worth. Three things determine the value of a product: functionality, usability, and satisfaction. Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, 4th Edition © 2010 Michael Ashby

Requirements Pyramid Figure 16.2 The lower part of the pyramid tends to be called “technical design,” the upper part, “industrial design,” suggesting that they are separate activities. It is better to think of all three tiers as part of a single process that we shall call “product design.” Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, 4th Edition © 2010 Michael Ashby

Product Character Figure 16.3 Context defines the intentions or “mood”; materials and processes create the flesh and bones; the user interface determines usability; and the product’s aesthetics, associations, and perceptions create its personality Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, 4th Edition © 2010 Michael Ashby

Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, 4th Edition © 2010 Michael Ashby

Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, 4th Edition © 2010 Michael Ashby

Tactile Qualities of Materials Figure 16.4 Foams and many natural materials are soft and warm; metals, ceramics, and glasses are hard and cold. Polymers lie in between. Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, 4th Edition © 2010 Michael Ashby

Figure 16.5 Transparency is ranked on a four-point scale, from water-clear to opaque. Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, 4th Edition © 2010 Michael Ashby

Acoustic Properties Figure 16.6 The “ring” of a wine glass occurs because glass is an acoustically bright material with a high natural pitch; the dull “ping” of a plastic glass occurs because polymers are much less bright and – in the same shape – vibrate at a lower frequency. Materials in the top right make good bells; those at the bottom left are good for damping sound Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, 4th Edition © 2010 Michael Ashby

Associations and Perception Figure 16.7 A material has aesthetic qualities, but can also have a personality. Wood is an appropriate choice for a coffin because of its somber, ceremonial function. Plastic would be perceived as inappropriate. Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, 4th Edition © 2010 Michael Ashby

Both lamps have the same technical rating, but differ completely in their personalities. Materials, processes, form, weight, and color all contribute to its personality. Figure 16.8 Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, 4th Edition © 2010 Michael Ashby

Consumer Electronics Figure 16.9 The system on the left is aimed at a different customer group than the radios on the right. The personalities of each have been constructed to appeal to the target group. Materials play a central role here in creating personality. Materials Selection in Mechanical Design, 4th Edition © 2010 Michael Ashby