Industrial design DfAM series: Functional aesthetics in additive manufacturing

Mitchell Myrvold, Stratasys

This presentation discusses the functional aspect of aesthetics. Creating a truly great aesthetic design for a product is more complicated than choosing the right color. The color, material, and finish aspects of the design all communicate to the customer something about the product. Creating a good design takes time and many iterations – something that can become expensive quickly when computer renderings are not enough. The new advances in additive technology make it possible for designers to leverage the cost efficiency of additive manufacturing without compromising their design intent. 

The presentation covers how the design process succeeds, how products find their space in a market, the factors that contribute to their product’s communication to the customer, and how advances in additive manufacturing technology are changing the way designers iterate their CMF designs.

Watch and learn more about how: 

• Consumers have options for nearly any product they consider purchasing – it takes more to stand out than simply having good specs
• Products communicate with the consumer through their appearance, whether intentional or not
• To achieve a quality CMF design is through iteration, which is expensive without the use of the new additive manufacturing technology

Interested in trying out these applications yourself? Get a demo.