Now you can estimate your roof solar panels potential

Just found out about this californian company (RoofRay) that specialize in solar panels installation.
Well, the good thing is in their site...
They have an on line program that via "google earth" let's you find your house, calculates your roof area and other tech data and automatically gives you all the data you need to see your roof solar energy potential (power, cost of installation, electrical bills, etc.)
I'll attach the tutorial they have so you can see it your self and below the link...

Ok, not quite a design post...but from an environmental point of view it was worth it!!

link:
RoofRay, what's your solar potentials?

Greek National Applied Arts & Industrial Design Competition Canceled

Sorry to bring you some bad news...
I just find out that the "Greek National Applied Arts & Industrial Design" competition has been canceled due to sponsor retreat...
Well I don't know what to say on the subject...in fact there isn't much...
Maybe only another example of bad organization...

Event Review: Greek Designers Proposals in the areas of Lighting, Furniture and Product Exhibition

Hallo there again...well first of all you must excuse me for the long absence, but you must recognize that as a freelancer sometimes work comes all together...

So, another great news for the Greek design community....
The guys of the "Hellenic Industrial Design Secretariat" (Elliniki Grammateia Biomixanikou Sxediasmou) organized an exhibition with proposals in the areas of lighting, furniture and products.
I think it would be great just to check it out...and off course you are all invited because from as I know entrance is free.
Before the text you'll find attached the invitation.

The exhibition will be helded at:
bartessera
Kolokotroni 25, Athens - Greece

Grand opening in December 16, 2008.

So..hope to see you there!!

Link Review: 30 Essential Books for Industrial Designers

In this topic I'll link you to an old post that I found some times ago...
There are grouped a list + description of 30 books that I think every industrial designer library must have...from economics to sketching.
Well I hope you can find something useful over there...and thanks to "Design Sojourn" for the research.

link:
Design Sojourn's 30 Essential Books for Industrial Designers

Manufacturing Methods: Metal (liquid state) Forming 04_Permanent Molds

Ok here we are again...
Permanent molds are often cast in iron or machined in other metals and their cores can be of metal, sand or sand shell.
Castings are limited to aliminium, zinc, brass, bronze...molds are usually coated with ceramic wash before being gravity filled.

Procedure Properties:

advantages:

• Good gain structure, fewer impurities.
• No porosity, moderate tool cost.
• Cost is mid-way that of sand and die casting.

disadvantages:

• Usually labor intensive.
• Thiker walls than in die casting.

typical parts:

• Industrial tool and motor housing, plumbing fixtures.

In video I think is shown casting of a gearbox housing...

past topics:
Manufacturing Methods: Metal (liquid state) Forming 03_Plaster Molds.
Manufacturing Methods: Metal (liquid state) Forming 02_Investment Casting.
Manufacturing Methods: Metal (liquid state) Forming 01_Sand Molding + Sand Casting.

Book Review: Design Handbook (concepts-materials-styles)

Just a month ago I went to a local bookstore...while I was just browsing the shelves my eye was attracted by this book.
You may ask your selfs why?
Well it was the title (concepts-materials-styles) that suggested this was not another of those taschen books that simply shows products...but it felt it was something more.
In fact the authors picked the major and most important (to them I think) concepts, materials and styles in the history of design analyzing them one by one. In a few words is more like a design history book to learn something new and to refresh the things we already know (thing that I think it could be useful sometimes).
The topics are arranged in alphabetical order, which I find amusing because you will not find a list of all concepts or materials or styles but, wile reading, from one day to another you will jump from one group to another without being bored.
The price was nice too...just 7euro here in Greece.
Thats all...I'll recommend it!!

Book Info:
DESIGN HANDBOOK: Concepts,Materials,Styles (Icons) - Paperback,Illustrated
by Charlotte & Peter Fiell
ISBN 3-8228-4633-3

Buy online (my choice):
amazon.co.uk (sends in Greece)
amazon.com

Manufacturing Methods: Appendix 01 - Ferrous/NonFerrous Metals Charts

Because in metals "Manufacturing Methods" topics I refer a lot to ferrous and non ferrous metals I thought to be wise uploading those two charts that lists them all.
Just click on every pic to enlarge it.

Product Review: Standalone Umbrella (designer: Hironao Tsuboi)

Wile reviewing my starred items in my google reader, I found out that some time ago I bookmarked this post from Yanko Design blog.
Well, this is not a hole new product but I like to think it as a product improvement.
I will not talk about aesthetics, because maybe to me it could seem as the most beautiful object in the world but not to you, and I will not talk about the engineering problems that must have been resolved to make this umbrella stand up (the umbrella has not its weight evenly distributed...in fact as you can see the tripod is not symmetrical) because with the required study those problems most of the times can be resolved.
The thing that I would like to talk about is the product concept (from my point of view off course, because I've never had the chance to talk with Mr. Tsuboi).
Ok here it is...
How many times, in a rainy day off course, you entered in a room, cafeteria, public service building and just after the door you scanned all the area trying to find a place to leave your umbrella...without finding any?
Well most of the times in those places there is not an umbrella holder (at least in Greece)...so the next thing is leaving the wet umbrella on the dirty floor (with the consequence of leaving the place with a dirty umbrella), trying to balance it between floor and wall (wetting the wall, leaving grey spots on it...why must I ruin something that is not mine?) or just kipping the umbrella in my hand (trying to forget the wet feeling and avoiding the dripping).
So, I think the standalone is a very good idea....just leave the umbrella beside the enter door, ok maybe some wet floor over there but hey...floors are weeped out every day.
The only thing is that, due to color availability (only black and white), if there is more than one umbrella you could mismatch yours with another, but Mr. Tsuboi thought about that too...as I can see in pic.3 there is a tab where you can put your name on (I think).
To resume...very nice work and hope to see it in a shop near me!!!

Manufacturing Methods: Metal (liquid state) Forming 03_Plaster Molds.

Another method to cast a part is by using plaster molds.
Plaster slurry is poured onto the cope and drag pattern halves and allowed to set.
The mold is then removed from the patterns, baked to remove moisture, and assembled.
The metal is poured into the resultant cavity. Finally, the mold is broken to remove the casting.

Procedure Properties:
advantages:

• short lead time, superior surface quality, thin wall or section.
• Intricate parts, minimum or no draft angle (except for pattern removal).

disadvantages:

• Plaster molds limited to nonferrous metals.
• Limited in size, not good for heavy sections.

typical parts:

• Precision parts, often used to prototype for die-casting.
• Sculpture, jewelry.
  

past topics:
Manufacturing Methods: Metal (liquid state) Forming 02_Investment Casting
Manufacturing Methods: Metal Forming 01_Sand Molding + Sand Casting

The Eyeballing Game, can you estimate to the mm?

Here is one for you...
While I was checking some other blogs I run on to this post...
It simply links you to an another web page with a sort of a flash "game" that tests your eyeballing skills on some basics tasks...like trying to make a perfect 90 degree angle between two lines or finding the conversion point between three.
Well very funny...so all you people sketching out there just try it and check your score.
It's not so easy as it sounds! But maybe not so hard....

link:
http://woodgears.ca/eyeball/index.html

Manufacturing Methods: Metal (liquid state) Forming 02_Investment Casting.

• The part to be cast is made of wax.
• Investment is poured into the flask surrounding the assembly leaving access to the sprue and puring basin.
• When the investment is set, the flask is inverted, melting the wax, which drains from the mold, leaving a cavity or void.
• The flask is righted and liquid metal is poured into the void via the pouring basin.
• When the metal solidifies, the plaster or ceramic is broken away and the runners and vents are removed from the casts parts.

Properties of procedure:
advantages:

• Superior surface quality.
• Thin wall or section, intricate parts.
• Minimum or no draft angle required (exept for pattern)

disadvantages:

• Limited to nonferrous metals.
• Limited in size.

typical parts:

• Precision parts, scientific and medical instruments, tools.
• Sculpture, jewelry, aerospace parts, airborne electronics.

The above video is more like a commercial for a company that casts parts, but I selected it because shows a detailed explanation of all the stages of the process.
Enjoy!

past videos:
Manufacturing Methods: Metal Forming 01_Sand Molding + Sand Casting

Manufacturing Methods: Metal (liquid state) Forming 01_Sand Molding + Sand Casting

Concerning how the things are here in Greece about retrieving knowledge that in later time could help you design a better product...I've decided to make a series of topics that will show how manufacture methods are done in practice.
Thats because ,at least here Greece, most of us maybe never had the chance to see "how it's done"....few manufacturers = few chances.

Well, the first one is about "sand molding" (first video) and "sand casting" (second video).

Properties of procedure:
advantages:

• Few limitation on size or shape.
• Inserts can be part of the mold.
  
• Molds are inexpensive.

disadvantages:

• Limited dimensional accurancy.
• Poor surface quality.
• Thin sections are impractical.
• Machining usually required.

Greek National Applied Arts & Industrial Design Competition

Just yesterday, I had my first meeting with the guys of the "Greek Industrial Design Secretariat" (Elliniki Grammateia Biomixanikou Sxediasmou), oh YES finally there is one!!.
First of all lets say that the existence of such an organization can give hope to all industrial designers here in Greece that, maybe, something could change in the mentality of the country that we are living in...and when I'm referring to mentality I mean that finally companies and clients must understand that YES design can make the difference when we are talking about competition and on how a product can be best selled.

But I will leave this topic for another post and I will bring to you the great news.
Well great news because the initiatives for those things in Greece are very few.

In January 24 to 27 (year 2009) it will be helded at the Athens Olympic Fencing Center (former Elliniko Western Airport Terminal) the "Design Lab" exhibition, and as their site says, will present the most modern trends in space and object design as well as the cutting edge materials and product.

Taking advantage of the exhibition the Secretariat organized a competition for artist and designers.
In a few words:
The product or the piece of art must be designed to be product only in alluminum with no resriction of theme.
Requested max. 2 A4 sheets of product description, drawing presentation max 2 A1 sheets and optional prototype must fit in a 35x35x50h cm cardboard case.
Awards:
Product Design 5000e
Art 5000e

Thats all...we shall see what will happen...

Below I'm attaching first the link of the competition (that unfortunally it is only in greek...but from my point of view organization it's not our best thing...I'm willing to help any person outside Greece in the translation) and second the link of the exhibition.

link:
http://www.design-lab.gr/?about=3&id=4&lang=gr
http://www.design-lab.gr/index.php

Playing it Safe: Contract Basics for Freelance Designers

While surfing over the internet, I found this post of Carl Alviani.

Well the nature of this article is not about design aesthetics but most of all about design management that, from my perspective, plays a big role when we talk about on how to be a competitive freelance professional and not.
Ok, the author asks him self: "Do I need a contract?" (with my client).

I found the article very interesting with some tips that I never thought would helped me in my contracts.

link:
http://www.coroflot.com/creativeseeds/2008/09/playing_it_safe_contract_basic.asp