Designersâ knowledge in plastics
Year: 2013
Editor: John Lawlor, Ger Reilly, Robert Simpson, Michael Ring, Ahmed Kovacevic, Mark McGrath, William Ion, David Tormey, Erik Bohemia, Chris McMahon, Brian Parkinson
Author: Eriksen, Kaare
Series: E&PDE
Institution: Aalborg University, Denmark
Section: Knowledge
Page(s): 420-425
ISBN: 978-1-904670-42-1
Abstract
The Industrial designersâ knowledge in plastics materials and manufacturing principles of polymer products is very important for the innovative strength of the industry, according to a group of Danish plastics manufacturers, design students and practicing industrial designers. These three groups answered the first Danish national survey, PD13[1], investigating the importance of industrial designersâ knowledge in plastics and the collaboration between designers and the polymer industry. The plastics industry and the industrial designers collaborate well, but both groups frequently experience that the designersâ lack of knowledge concerning polymer materials and manufacturing methods can be problematic or annoying, and design students from most Danish design universities express the need for more contact with the industry and more competencies and tools to handle even simple topics when designing plastic products.
Keywords: Plastics manufacturer, polymer industry, designer, industrial design student, materials knowledge