Surfaces of Products
Mechanical Forms
Bang & Olufsen BeoSound 3000
The Mechanical Forms
Cubes, cylinders and their Boolean results are easy to machine
Mechanical forms lack the subtle, interesting changes in silhouette and high-lights which free-forms possess
To make geometrical forms interesting, designers focus on dramatic overall compositions or play around with graphical tricks such as asymmetry, contrast, repetition, etc.
Discussion
Internal edges aligned to one or two directions. Everything snap to an invisible ‘grid’. The overall result is a sense of order emerge from microscopic chaos
Overall Composition
Adapted from: www.amadana.com and www.barouche.net
Overall Composition and Silhouettes
Humidifier by Plusminuszero
Heater by Plusminuszero
Conflict chair by Aviad Gil Reflectius by Art Lebedev
Sony Playstation 3
Arrangement of Details
Splash CD Radio by Yuento
DateBlock Non-paper perpetual calendar.
Surface graphics
Nokia 7500 prism
The Aesthetic Judgement for Geometrical Form Design
Good product forms are those which produce interesting 2D image at all viewing angles
Interesting 2D images are the result of variation and contrastVolumetric proportionSilhouette contoursGraphical elements on surfaces
The Developable Forms
Ruled Surfaces
Ruled surfaces are transitional surfacesbetween two open or closed profilesBetween one open or closed profile and a point
There must be at least one straight line that connect any point on the one profile to the other profile or point
Planes and Cylindrical surfaces are a sub-set of ruled surfaces
Developable Surface
In mathematics, a developable surface is a surface that can be flattened onto a plane without distortion
Many developable surfaces can be visualised as the surface formed by moving a straight line in space
Developable surfaces that can be realized in 3D space are cylinders, cones, planes
Spheres are not developable as they cannot be unrolled into a plane
All developable surfaces are ruled surfacesNot all ruled surfaces are developable surface,
hyperboloids are examples of ruled surfaces that are not developable
Developable Product Forms
Straight ruled surfaces appears on many products formed by folding and bending sheet materials
Skilful combination of ruled surfaces can make a mathematically simple developable surface looks as dynamic as very complex surface
By introducing free-form curves and varying the matching endpoints, designers can introduce dynamism to the product form
Sheet Metal Components and Enclosures
Sheet Metal Consoles
Bendable Interior ObjectsEasy.Storage for B-LINE by Matthias Demacker
Sheet As Structures
Lightlight table lamp by stauffacherbenz
Sheet As Structures
origami.series for van esch by Matthias Demacker
Come back by Velopa
Sheet As Structures
Vertigo side table by AquilialbergBourgogne by Mikael Ling
Di Classe FULGURO's reLeaf
Creep tables and shelves by Susan Bradley's
Light as a feather'Alle cinque' Trays by Serafino Zani
Sheet As Decoration
Driade 100 PIAZZE by Fabio Novembre
Flexible Sheet Materials
Salad Set by Karichdesign 'Flat' Travel tray by Marco Susani, Mario Trimarchi
Kombinationsbestick by Kristin Granath
Tote by conphorm
Flexible Sheet Materials
Opus series by Lamina Design
Adapted from: http://www.laminadesign.com
Use of Ruled Surfaces
By introducing free-form curves and varying the matching endpoints, designers can introduce dynamism to the product form
Straight ruled surfaces appears on many products formed by folding and bending sheet materials
Skilful combination of ruled surfaces can make a mathematically simple developable surface looks as dynamic as very complex surface
Example of Ruled Surfaces on Products
Thermos Jug by Boda Nova
Example of Ruled Surfaces on Products
Elic umbrella stand
Brody Sofa by Arthur Koutoulas
Moshimy cellphone dock by Michael Young'
Negative Ruled Surface Created From Running A Profile Across 2D Space
Sweep Patches
Sweep Surfaces
Sweep surfaces are transitional surfacesBetween 2 profiles connected at a common
end pointBetween 3 profiles connected at 2 or 3 common
end pointsBetween 4 profiles connected at 4 common end
pointsPlanes, Cylindrical, and Ruled surfaces
are a sub-set of sweep surfaces
Generic swept surfaces consist of 2 or more curves joined end-to-end
In NURBS modelling they are called U,V pairs
From any point on one profile
At least 1 straight line to other profile
Single curvature
Not single curvature
Surface created by uniformly deform one curve to another
The quality of surface is determined by bounding lines
Products With Sweep Surfaces
Products With Sweep Surfaces
Products With Sweep Surfaces
Pioneer MT-01 Power Line Sound System
Products With Sweep Surfaces
DePadova by Xavier LustMisfits sofa by ARAD Ron
Swingline stapler by Scott Wilson
Crease Lines Differentiate sweep forms
from blobs Created by the meeting of
two different planes or surfaces
May be positive or negative, but has more inherent 'integrity' than a feature line
Persistent elements, dominate the form even after filleting
Effective carrier of meaning and emotion
The edges where sweep patches meet in CAD