There should be five things that you do today. They should all involve string, live bait and an assortment of wild animals. Oh, and this, KICK IT.
‘DESIGN’
This week in Design, Tech, CAD and FAB – SolidSmack Update 1:10
When the bluebonnets are dancing in the field and you feel a large antler near your spine, it’s best you not turn around. Simply put your headphones, tighten your belt on and scream, KICK IT.
This week in Design, Tech, CAD and FAB – SolidSmack Update 1:09
I know it’s the weekend. Time to work on the tan, take the horse for a ride, wax your bike and maybe even make that crumpet basket you’ve been reading about. But before you do all of that, sit back, relax and enjoy 3 minutes and 42 seconds of bliss. KICK IT.
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SolidSmack Update 1:08
Why, it looks like you’re enjoying your weekend. Spring hat, drink in your hand, veggie or steak kabob of your choice grilling on the hood of your neighbor’s car. If only life could be just a touch more exciting. May I introduce the SolidSmack Update? I may. KICK IT.
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Wood, meet molten metal. I’m sure you’ll get along just fine.
Sure, you could be boring and screw wood and metal together – but what if you could drop-forge molten metal into the woodwork? Hello SPECTACULAR. Well, that’s exactly what Hilla Shamia has been doing. The wood is cut to size, a mould is placed around it and molten aluminum is poured in, filling in all the cracks and divots while carbonizing the wood. Have a look.
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Art to Part: Designing a Mountain Bike Handlebar for
Performance, Comfort – Part 1
This is a guest post by Bruce Buck, avid photographer, videographer and workstation geek at MySolidBox.com.
There’s one constant in product design – the development of new products. Shocking and unexpected I know, but when that development gets down to all the individual component parts of a larger product, the process gets a whole lot more interesting. Welcome to the ‘Art to Part’ series where we’ll be looking at the details that go into the design from start to finish. Today, we have a part that you would think is fairly simple, a mountain bike handlebar. This one however, is aimed at completely changing the world of endurance/marathon racing.
60 Details Not To Miss At ICFF
Guest post by Bradley Derry from bradleyderry.com
Design is details. Design is the tiny elements in a product that work their way into final production from hours of sketching, prototyping, and CAD. Details are what the designers agonize over and what the manufactures spend so much time trying to get just right. This post is a homage to all the people who make these details.
I spent a good amount of time yesterday at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF), New York City’s annual showcase for contemporary design. The show brings thousands of visitors each year to see over 500 exhibitors displaying product from all over the world. Many visitors glaze right over the products on display missing many design elements, so I made it a point to pick out 60 details to highlight. Did you spot the same details? Did you spot better ones? Take a look…
Agree or Disagree: America’s Design Schools Are a Mess
Well, that’s it. You and the design school that spit you out… suck. Toss that portfolio in the rubbish heap. Gadi Amit, president of NewDealDesign in San Francisco has an article this week over at Fast Co.Design called American Design Schools Are a Mess, and Produce Weak Graduates.
Agree or Disagree?
Ponoko and CloudFab Team up to Give You Personal Factory 4
I know, you may be 5 layers of neon-green acrylic away from overdosing on your custom design addiction. Too bad, it’s about to get 1,000x worse. Ponoko and CloudFab have teamed up to combine the goodness of 2D laser-cut design and the multi-dimensionality of 3D printing to bring you… Personal Factory 4.
This is probably one of the best ideas to happen in the diy-fab scene yet. Ponoko has always been the source for custom laser-cut design. Now, they bring material suppliers, fabbers, creators and DIYers together to release the 4-headed hydra of product design delight.
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Burn Ignite. Relating Skateboarding to Product Design and Engineering.
I could seriously watch this video over and over again… In fact, I have. So much so, I caught fire myself and had to be doused with a potted plant from the kitchen.
I love watching skateboard videos, but this one does something a little different. This one tells the reason behind the madness and shows it in a rather visually stunning way. It’s easy to apply this type of intensity to skateboarding. Thing is, it could apply to what we do in product design and engineering. As you watch, it’ll also help to know that a large amount of the fire effects… are real.
