Lecture 1 Flashcards
How do we define materials?
We ask who works with materials
Who works with materials in design?
Engineers and Craftspeople
What is Materials to Designers
The stuff of Design
What is materials to Engineers
Composed of atoms that are affected by various forces that they encounter
Designers vs Engineers
Designers express ideas and describe materials’ qualities while engineers explain in quantitative ways
What kind of reasoning do designers use
Inductive Reasoning (synthesis)
What kind of reasoning do engineers use
Deductive Reasoning (analysis)
What is Deductive reasoning / top down approach
Theory - Hypothesis - Observation - Confirmation
What is Inductive Reasoning (Bottom Up Approach)
Observation - Pattern - Tentative Hypothesis - Theory
How do consumers look at Materials and Design
Form: Success is won or lost through visual and tactile appeal
Function: Products are practical and functional
What is Form
The combination of size, shape, and mass that composes a design. The basis of the aesthetic quality of the product
What is function
The utility of a design or how well it can perform its job. Highly subjective
What is a 3 criteria for judging design
- Express the material form it was created
- Aesthetically pleasing form with personality
- Fulfil the function it was intended
Two overlapping roles in materials
Provides technical functionality and creating product personality
Ceramics’ design characteristics
Been around for a long time. Malleable, pliable, hard wearing, long lasting, hygienic. Highly function and decorative, heat resistant and insulation. Can be smooth or rough
Wood’s design characteristics
Easily accessible and manipulative. Can be carves, shaped, scratched, sanded, scored, and nailed. Appears in many forms like charcoal, building materials, utensils, paper, furniture
Glass’ design characteristics
7000+ years old and is an example of evolving science of materials from glass blowing to now being able to carry light in thin strands over many miles
Metal’s design characteristics
Strong and versatile. Can make solid shapes, flat sheets, woven, and hammered into shape
Plastic’s design material
Infinitely adaptable, can take on complex shapes, squeezed, pulled, injected, foamed, and sandwiched. Embraces mass production and low cost
