LECTURES

PDT 603-Industrial Production Design and

Development-II

DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR DESIGN

SHANTO-MARIAM UNIVERSITY OF
CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY
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The Module

This is the second part of the two-part program, where we shall have
an overview of the history and evaluation of Product Design,
Development and Manufacture Industry in the field of furniture; will
have brief on works and current expressions of domestic and
international furniture. Practical works will have more emphasis over
theories. This part gives students more professional experience
addressing design, quality control, process planning, costing and
supervision skills. You will analyze the structural concepts of furniture
and the materials that are used in the manufacturing process. You will
design your own pieces of furniture and model them using the
available tools.

Furniture Design and Technology

This module is design focused with underpinning production and craft

aspects. A broad range of topics are covered within this discipline to
enable you to design with deep understanding of aspects of modern
furniture making and investigate contemporary, cultural and
environmental aspects of furniture design and technology.

Assessment
A. Weekly reading assignments (10%)
B. In-class participation: presentation of homework, oral responses,
interactive group work, discussions (20%)
C. One quiz over selected sections of the texts (10%)
D. Two Design projects (60%)

Product

"Successful products start with the user and their needs including
interacting with the product, handling, storage, maintenance,
installation and environmental re-use at end of life. The goal is to
create a positive emotional reaction with the user throughout the
products usefulness, starting at the point of purchase."

Product Design

Product design is concerned with the efficient and effective generation

and development of ideas through a process that leads to new
products.

Product Designers conceptualize and evaluate ideas, making them

tangible through products in a more systematic approach. Their role is
to combine art, science and technology to create tangible three-
dimensional goods. This evolving role has been facilitated by digital
tools that allow designers to communicate, visualize and analyze
ideas in a way that would have taken greater manpower in the past.

Product Design and Industrial design

Product design is sometimes confused with industrial design,

industrial design is concerned with the aspect of that process that
brings that sort of artistic form and usability usually associated with
craft design to that of mass produced goods.
Product Development

Successful product development requires a disciplined approach to

achieving innovative, technically sound, market-viable products on
schedule and within budget and that is the result of Product Design
and Production

Technological Aspect in the field of Furniture

Now a day’s available technology is more prominent than

workmanship. Machine produces bulk amount of furniture using
materials like Aluminum, Glass, Steel, and Acrylic etc. This shows the
technological advancement.

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Industrial Design

"Industrial Design (ID) is the professional service of creating and

developing concepts and specifications that optimize the function,
value and appearance of products and systems for the mutual benefit
of both user and manufacturer".

One of the many accepted (but intentionally unspecific) definitions of

design originates from Carnegie Mellon’s School of Design, "Design is
the process of taking something from its existing state and moving it
to a preferred state."

Industrial Design, as defined by the International Council of Societies

of Industrial Design (ICSID), "is a creative activity the aim of which is
to determine the formal qualities of objects produced by industry.
These formal qualities include the external features, but are principally
those structural and functional relationships which convert a system to
a coherent unit both from the viewpoint of the producer and the user.
Industrial design embraces all aspects of human environment that are
conditioned by industrial production." Though allied to the disciplines
of ARCHITECTURE and ENGINEERING, industrial design has a
shorter history and did not come into being until the mid-19th century.
Prior to this time, the production of everyday objects was mainly the
result of individual manual effort within a craft-based economy. The
Industrial Revolution made mass production of these same objects
possible. Thereafter, artist and craftsmen were largely excluded from
the industrial modes of manufacturing. The need for a balance
between art and industry, however, was soon expressed by
concerned groups and individuals, and ultimately led to the profession
now called industrial design.

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Modern Manufacture of Furniture and the History

The modern manufacture of furniture, as distinct from its design, is a

major mass-production industry in Europe, the U.S., and other
advanced regions. It is very largely a 20th-century industry, its
development having awaited the growth of a mass consumer market
as well as the development of the mass-production technique. Earlier
furniture making was a handicraft, going back to the most ancient
civilizations.
An Overview of the History

Design and Manufacture Industry in the field of Furniture – its

Evaluation

Some 150 years ago the furniture market still existed primarily in
handmade crafted furniture. Today the majority has been industrially
manufactured. In those early days the maker or craftsman was most
often also the designer of the furniture. He worked with the current
materials mainly solid wood, some cast and forged iron, and at times
the integration of natural fibers and glass. His greatest challenge was
dominating the craft; joinery, marquetry, lacquering, veneering,
turning, carving, etc… The designing part was relatively small
compared to the time it would take to make the piece.

With the industrial revolution however this changed drastically. New

processes and new materials requiring expensive equipment and
larger investments were now being frequently used within furniture
making. Were it started with steam bending around the mid eighteen
hundreds, slowly incorporating steel tube bending and curved
plywood by the nineteen thirties, it rapidly moved into an extensive
range of materials and processes, ranging from bend/pressed/cast
aluminum, fiberglass, any type of plastic moldings, until today where
any process and material (laser sintering, magnesium injection and so
much more) are good for making furniture. The craftsman slowly sees
himself pushed into a corner. He cannot compete anymore with the
vastly changing industry. The possibilities in materials and processes
became too divers and the investments require a too high production
for him. Apart from that the craftsman’s main specialty is wood and
he has little chance to learn or become proficient in industrial methods
and materials. Moreover he falls short when it comes to
understanding the industrial concept, to draw and design for mass-
production, to reduce processes and augment economic value. A
profession which seems to stand much closer and which is already
used to working with subcontractors, industrial processes and being
familiar to working primarily from a drawing board is architecture. As
the need to be able to make it oneself become redundant and the
importance to stylize and streamline industrial processes rise we see
many architects engaging into furniture design. The craftsman who
did not enjoy an extensive design education sees himself more and
more forced in a purely constructional position. Slowly the design part
is breaking loose from the making and becomes an activity in its own
right.

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Notable Industrial Designers

A number of industrial designers have made such a significant impact

on culture and daily life that they have attained a level of notability
beyond that of an average designer. Alvar Aalto, renowned as an
architect, also designed a significant number of household items, such
as chairs, stools, lamps, a tea-cart, and vases. Raymond Loewy was
a prolific American designer who is responsible for the Royal Dutch
Shell corporate logo, the original BP logo (in use until 2000), the PRR
S1 steam locomotive, the Studebaker Starlight (including the later
iconic bulletnose), as well as Schick electric razors, Electrolux
refrigerators, short-wave radios, Le Creuset French ovens, and a
complete line of modern furniture, among many other items. Richard
A. Teague, who spent most of his career with the American Motor
Company, originated the concept of using interchangeable body
panels so as to create a wide array of different vehicles using the
same stampings. He was responsible for such unique automotive
designs as the Pacer, Gremlin, Matador coupe, Jeep Cherokee, and
the complete interior of the Eagle Premier. Viktor Schreckengost
designed bicycles manufactured by Murray bicycles for Murray and
Sears, Roebuck and Company. With engineer Ray Spiller, he
designed the first truck with a cab-over-engine configuration, a design
in use to this day. Schreckengost also founded The Cleveland
Institute of Art's school of industrial design. Charles and Ray Eames
were most famous for their unique furniture design, such as the
Eames Lounge Chair Wood and Eames Lounge Chair.

Another example is German industrial designer Dieter Rams, who is

closely associated with the consumer products company Braun
(where he worked until 1995) and the Functionalist school of industrial
design. He is famous for his "ten principles to good design", in
addition to designing many iconic products at Braun. More recently,
Jonathan Ive, the Senior Vice President of Design at Apple Inc., is
credited for designing products for the company, which has a strong
philosophy in aesthetics. His designs include the iPod and iPhone.
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Success in Furniture Design for Production

 High-quality, skilled, design innovation and excellent

management personnel
 The introduction of Germany, Italy, Taiwan, and other advanced
production equipment; assembly line operations; strict quality
computer automatic control system;

 Products should be high-quality materials to be the first inspection

after the production approach;

 The people-oriented design concepts;

 Good quality guarantee and perfect after-sale service always win

praise and trust of customers.

User Insight

 Understanding users and consumers is the key to gaining these

insights and creating products that connect with people, enhance
their lives and inspire loyalty.

Concept Generation

The concept generation stage of product development is where the

skill, experience and creativity of design team are used to generate
designs which address the identified needs of the clients and the
users to create a ‘wow factor’. Ideas are like prototypes - they need to
be tested to verify they fit customer and client needs. Once concepts
are generated, we can present them in a variety of formats to enable
full understanding and evaluation of the concepts.

Process

Product designers follow various methodologies that requires a

specific skill set to complete

Initial Stage

 Concept/Idea Generation can be from imagination, observation,

or research - Brainstorm sketches
 Need Based Generation can be from the need to solve a
problem, the need to follow the popular trends, or the need for a
product to do a specific task.

Mid Stage

 Design Solutions arise from meeting user needs, concept

development, form exploration, ergonomics, prototyping,
materials, and technology. This may involve:

- Storyboard illustrations

- Card and foam models

- 2D rendered sketches

- 3D computer graphics

- Photo-realistic images

- Painted and finished block models

 Production involves fabrication and manufacturing the design.

 Technical and structural specialties and analyzing the
structural concepts of furniture and the materials
Final Stage

 Marketing involves selling the product. It can either be client

based which mean the a client buys the design and
manufactures it and then sells it to customers. Or it can be user
based where the product is sold directly to the user by the
designer.

Sustainable Design

Sustainable design can be challenging; knowing when to start, what to

take into account and how to evaluate it. We can help clients to
implement sustainable design processes at any stage of a project and
advise on the most appropriate use of sustainable design.

A number of services for creating and implementing sustainable

product design may include:

 Sustainable Design Strategies

 Green Technology Development

 Environmental Legislation & Regulation Compliance

 Life Cycle assessment (LCA) Services

 Materials & Processes Research

 Suppliers Sustainability Audits

 Financial Aspects

Many designs must start with detailed engineering analysis to

determine flow, temperature, stress, motion and geometry before the
decision on what shape, size and construction the product will need.
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Materials and their Application

Wood
a. Natural wood
Natural wood is extremely wasteful as a material
b. Plywood

In making plywood, the veneers are peeled rotary fashion from the
log by a long knife fitted to a lathelike machine. The resulting
veneer can be of unlimited width to be cut up as required. There is
no loss in sawdust, and the peeling is continued until only a
polelike centre is left. Much the same applies to laminated board in
which both the core material and the outer plies are peeled. In the
case of chipboard the timber is merely regarded as raw material to
be reduced to fine chips that are dried, compressed, and
assembled into boards, with resin glue as an adhesive. Where a
natural wood grain is desired, a veneer is flat sliced from a flitch
(longitudinal section) selected for the beauty of its grain.

c. Laminated Board
d. Chipboard
e. Hardboard

It is not merely that manufacturers prefer the one to the other but
rather that these substances are free from the great drawback
fundamental to wood movement. Natural wood shrinks as it dries or
swells as it absorbs moisture from an atmosphere more humid than
itself, and this movement must be allowed for in the method of
construction. Unless this is done troubles may arise: splits along the
grain or open joints on the one hand or jammed drawers or doors on
the other. Over the years cabinetmakers have worked out ingenious
systems to avoid these troubles in the use of solid wood, but today
made-up materials may be regarded as inert if of good quality. To an
extent solid wood has still to be used, notably for items that have to be
turned, cut to shape, or molded, and for lippings to conceal the edges
of manufactured boards; but virtually everything in the form of flat
panels is made up.

Other materials
 Plastic laminate
 Contact adhesive
 Metals
 Lacquers
 Hardwares
 Machine tools - Woodworking Machinery, laminating, fixing,
metal works

Cotemporary modern tools

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Product Manufacturing Process

Wood is cut into different sizes of blocks and slabs. If the wood
purchased is not seasoned than these blocks/slices are seasoned
through different processes, namely:
- Condensation
- Boiler System
a. Vacuum System
 b. Seasoning through putting the wood slices under normal
environmental temperature for considerable duration.

Before start of manufacturing of any furniture product a desired design

is selected. Selection of elegant design is important to ensure
attractive finished product.

The seasoned wood blocks are cut into desired shape and slices
according to the requirement of design. The slices of wood are
molded into the desired shape according to the design. Carving
means different elegant pattern carved in the wood. Quality of carving
depends on the skills of the labor. Once the different pieces are
carved & molded than these parts/pieces are assembled or fixed
together to give the shape to the final product.

Assembled product is grind to make the surface smooth. Once the

surface is smooth, finishing material is applied to make the surface
ready for paint or polish. After the base is prepared final finishing is
applied depending on requirement in term of paint/polish. Upholstery
of fabric is carried out according requirement of design.
From development and management of prototypes through to
the final manufacturing process

A basic preliminary in all furniture production is the provision of

working drawings. In a firm of any size there is invariably a special
department where full-size drawings are prepared from small-scale
drawings provided by the designer. In some cases the designer may
make his own full-size, detailed drawings; but in a large firm it is more
usual for a draftsman to work out the practical details, though usually
in consultation with the designer, who advises on proportions and
decorative details. The hand craftsman, in contrast, usually does the
whole thing himself. In the small-scale drawing the general form and
essential requirements are worked out; the full-size drawing shows
proportions and constructional details.

Discussing technical and structural specialties and analyzing the

structural concepts of furniture and the materials
A sample piece is made to check the design and cutting problems.
Cutting lists are prepared; the cost of materials, fittings, finish, etc.
figured; and an estimate of machining and assembly time worked out.
When the work is to be produced in quantity, costs are lowered
considerably because only one setting of the machine and only one
set of cutters are needed for the whole run of any particular part.

Selection of timber, already passed through the seasoning kiln and

converted to standard thickness, follows. The wood passes to the
machine shop, where it is sawed to size, planed, molded, grooved, or
rebated as required. When a number of parts must be cut exactly
alike, they are clamped in forms having the proper contour and are
then brought in contact with high-speed rotating knives that shape the
part to proper size as the form rides against a guide on hand or
automatic shapers and routers. Intricately carved pieces such as legs
are roughly carved on multiple-spindle carving machines. These
duplicate a master leg by means of a follower point that is guided
along the surface of the model and imparts the same motions to as
many as 32 high-speed rotating knives as they whittle the leg blanks.
After the rough carving, the pieces are machine sanded and finished
by a hand carver.

If veneering is required, this is now done. Jointing follows—tenoning,

dowelling, dovetailing etc. Automatic machines often combine several
operations. Exposed parts are sanded on edge belt sanders, three-
drum traveling-bed sanders, or belt sanders. Rounded parts are
sanded on soft pneumatic drums, and carved parts are sanded on a
buffer, a machine in which shredded sandpaper is supported by
brushes on a revolving wheel.
Quality control, process planning, costing and supervision

Finally the work passes to the assembly shop where door frames are
put together, drawers glued up, and carcasses assembled. After the
glue has set, the parts may be returned to the machine department for
machining that could not be performed before assembly, such as
sanding the joints and shaping the edges. Then it returns to the
assembly department for final assembly. Air-driven clamps are used
when the design permits; otherwise the piece is pressed by hand
clamps. Unless electronically cured glues are used, clamps must be
applied long enough to ensure a good bond. The completed article is
cleaned to remove excess glue, inspected, and hand sanded. Finally,
staining and spray polishing is done and fittings added.

In individually crafted work there is always a great deal of fitting to be

done—doors trimmed and drawers made to run easily without
slackness. In mass-production work this problem would be serious. It
is almost entirely avoided by making drawers an easy rather than
snug fit and by sanding the edges of doors to templet size so that they
automatically fit the carcasses, which in their turn are made to
standard size.

Storage and Transport

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Brand Development - create a coherent and consistent brand

Brands affect all aspects of our lives. It is well known that

recognisable brands demand higher prices and enjoy better margins
and higher levels of customer loyalty than their competitors. Prfobably
building a brand is about much more than logos, packaging and
communications campaigns.

Building New Brands

Some company applies its experience and understanding of products,

design and users to develop a process to enable product led
companies to define and build their brand. The process starts with
understanding the client company, its products, the competition,
marketplace and the target users and consumers of the products.
Various techniques are used to visualise and express these insights
to aid understanding and decision making. The analysis is used to
assist the client to define a position or area of the market most suited
to their products and capabilities. From there we work to create brand
values and guidelines which can then be used as the basis of the
product development, marketing and business development strategy.

Designing for Established Brands

Established brands may have well defined brand guidelines or may

simply have a strong product heritage which defines their position in
the market. Some understand the importance of remaining consistent
with the core brand values without becoming intimidated or overly
constrained by the brand legacy. Their approach enables new ideas,
creativity and innovation to flourish creating exciting products to
support or extend the brand. Designers’ many years experience of
working alongside clients’ in-house or agency marketing and
communications teams contributes a lot in this aspect.
Project Profile Preparation
Project Rationale

Market Opportunity

Raw Materials
Product Manufacturing Process

Distribution/ Marketing Channels

Human Resource Requirement

Financial Aspect

Etc.

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India Furniture Industry

The furniture industry in India is considered as a "non organized"

sector, with handicraft production accounts for about 85% of the
furniture production in India.

The furniture sector in India only makes a marginal contribution to the

formation of GDP, representing just a small percentage (about 0.5%).

Among all the types of furniture used, office furniture segment is the
one that boasts the most important companies, both from the point of
view of size and of the technological innovation of the production. The
furniture industry employs a total of around 300,000 workers.
Present Trends in Czech Furniture Industry

The Czech furniture industry processes a broad range of materials,

from wooden boards of various types (agglomerated chipboard,
fibreboard and plywood, battenboard and blockboard), to timber,
leather, artificial imitation leather, textile, to glass and various types of
metals (steel, aluminium alloys, and the like), and plastics. In
response to modern trends, the share of alternative materials is
increasing and modern technologies are used. The size of the
furniture sector is matched by the supplier sector. This guarantees a
smooth and basically trouble-free supply for the furniture industry
according to its needs.

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Environmental Aspects of the Furniture Sector

Several directives related to the environment directly affect the

furniture industry, such as those relating to industrial emissions or to
waste management.

"Installations for the surface treatment of substances, objects or

products using organic solvents, in particular for dressing, printing,
coating, degreasing, waterproofing, sizing, painting, cleaning or
impregnating, with a consumption capacity of more than 150 kg per
hour or more than 200 tones per year"

 Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

  Waste

 Downstream user of chemicals

The European Pollutant Emission Register (EPER)

Ecodesign

Ecodesign is part of our design process. From the extraction of raw

materials to the end of the product life, from the impact of its use on
the environment, we are able to assess the ecological footprint of a
product and suggest possible solutions to minimize its negative
effects, without diminishing the quality and performance.