Materials and Design

From Apple’s transparent plastic iMacs and ultralight titanium PowerBook G4s to the soft grips of Oral-B toothbrushes and Sensa pens, materials play a role in creating the experience of the objects around us like never before. Savvy product designers balance function and personality in their choice of materials and related manufacturing processes.
Engineers and designers look at materials in different ways, each seeking to understand the technical and emotional properties of polymers, metals, ceramics, wood — and any combination or manipulation of each. This book bridges the gap between engineering and design, exploring how each discipline uses materials, presenting the information that each requires, and providing methods and design tools that weave the two strands of thinking into a single integrated fabric.

Materials and Design is the definitive text on the subject, exploring the ways in which materials affect the aesthetics, the functionality, and the associations of products. Supported by over one hundred profiles of materials and the ways in which they are shaped, joined, and finished, Materials and Design is a indispensable guide for product designers everywhere.