Digital Industrial Design Curriculium

Noor Al-Doy

Enrolled 1st Oct 2007

Supervisor:

Dr. Mark Evans

Research Aim:

Investigate how digital design tools can be employed

during all stages of industrial design practice leading to

the definition of a DID method and curriculum for undergraduate study

1

Research Questions:

Can existing digital tools be integrated to form a totally

DID method that can be implemented now?

How should the existing and emerging digital tools be integrated to form a total DID method that can be

implemented within the next 5-10 years?

How should the teaching and learning of the digital

industrial design method be integrated into a new

digital industrial design curriculum?

2

Summary of Achievements:

•Review of industrial design practice and tools

•Review of emerging technologies

•Classifications of analogue and digital tools

•Review of industrial design education

•Chances for more digital use

•Study with industrial design graduates

•Daft DID methodology

•Case studies (reflective designing)

Phase 1: Literature Review

Phase 2: Development of a DID Methodology

Pro

gre

ss to

Da

te

3

Survey of Graduating Industrial/product design students:

Aims: Identify the methods of design

modelling used

Discover how easy it is for students to

use digital tools and the extent to

which they are employed

Highlight the areas of the industrial/product design process that

can be improved in the curriculum of

the course

Receive feedback on the potential to

employ completely digital techniques to design a product

4

Survey of Graduating Industrial/product design students:

Research Method: Dropping off questionnaire.

Scope: 104 industrial/product design

students graduating in 2008

and exhibiting at New

Designers Exhibition.

5

FindingsDesign Methods Used:

Conventional Digital

Sketches Sketches

Sketch models Sketch models

Appearance models Appearance models

Renderings Renderings

Control drawings Control drawings

Testing Testing

Prototypes Prototypes

6

FindingsDigital Design Tools Usage:

Digital Design Tool % Feelings

2D computer visualization software 60%

3D solid modelling CAD software 54%

3D surface modelling CAD software 34%

Digitizing tablets 28% ?

Haptic feedback devices 88% ?

Virtually reality 88% ?

Digital testing analysis 46% ?

Computer numerical control machining 44%

Rapid prototyping 53%

7

Average Digital Methods Usage:

Concept Generation

Preliminary Refinement

Further Refinement & Final Concept Selection

Specification

41.8%

48.4%

68.6%

75.4%

8

Thoughts on Employing Digital Techniques:

Majority of students do not believe that they will be able to

achieve the same outcome from their projects if the entire

process was done using digital tools.

Majority of students do not believe that digital technologies

have the potential to replace conventional workshops and

the hands-on experience.

9

Thoughts on Employing Digital Techniques:

Majority of students disagree that their design practice will

improve if they used a completely digital process.

Majority of students disagree that it would be appropriate to

have a totally digital industrial/product design course.

10

FindingsReasons behind the Negative Feelings:

Reasons:Hands-on model making is important

Lack of sketch work (free hand sketching skill)

Reduces free and creative thinking

Design process to become too impersonal

Limitation of design skills

It is important to feel the product in its true form and texture

Cost

It is quicker to use a pen/pencil to generate ideas

Becoming static behind a computer screen is not a good thing

11

Viable Digital Industrial Design (DID) Methodology:

Digitizing Tablet without a

Built in DisplayDigitizing Tablet with an Interactive Pen Display

2D Visualization Software

2D CADHaptic Modelling3D Scanning

(Existing Product)

CNC (2D)

Rapid Prototyping CNC (2D & 3D) Virtual Prototyping Virtual Reality

End End End End

3D Mouse 2D MousePen Input Device

3D CAD (Surface & Solid)

12






(Existing Product)

CNC (2D)


End End End End



13


Pen Input

Device

Digitizing Tablet

without a Built in

Display

.

Digitizing

Tablet with an

Interactive

Pen Display

3D Mouse 2D Mouse

2D Visualization

Software

14






(Existing Product)

CNC (2D)


End End End End



15






(Existing Product)

CNC (2D)


End End End End



16


2D

Visualization

Software

3D Scanning

(Existing Product)

3D CAD

(Surface & Solid)

Haptic

Modelling 2D CAD

CNC (2D)

17






(Existing Product)

CNC (2D)


End End End End



18






(Existing Product)

CNC (2D)


End End End End



19


End End End End

3D CAD (Surface

& Solid)

Rapid Prototyping

CNC (2D & 3D) Virtual Prototyping

Virtual Reality

20

Future Plan:

•Practitioner’s feedback

•Appraisal of DID methodology

•Case studies (reflective designing)

•Revised DID Methodology

Phase 3: Appraisal of the DID Methodology

Phase 2: Development of a DID Methodology

21

Thank you

22

Digital Industrial Design Curriculium

Technology

digital process

digital techniques

digital technologies

design course

emerging digital tools

digital testing analysis46

average digital methods

majority of students