Engineering: your product technically detailed and ready for production
Your product technically detailed, ready for production
We’ve already shared a great deal about our unique approach to the product development process. In short, at design bureau Artori this process unfolds in three key steps:
- Technical feasibility analysis: is the product manufacturable and financially viable?
- Product design: creative form-giving based on technological and budgetary feasibility.
- Engineering: the technical detailing of the product, down to the smallest detail.
Today, we take a closer look at the engineering phase — a crucial stage in which a mechanical engineer combines technical expertise and innovative solutions to prepare new products for production.
Engineering: your product technically detailed and ready for production
The rudimentary design created during the product scan is, in this phase, refined down to the smallest detail. This results in technical drawings that allow production to start without the need for further adjustments.
In some cases, individual parts are 3D printed before production to validate specific functionalities, followed by full 3D prints to validate the complete product or to support marketing activities.
“Whichever technology or material you choose, it’s essential to take a number of design rules into account. At Artori, we take pride in fully integrating these rules — 100% — into the development of every new product.”
Below, we briefly outline a number of key design rules:
Draft angle
This is a key parameter in (injection) moulding processes, for both plastics and metals. The draft angle refers to the taper of the mould’s side walls relative to the vertical axis.
Its purpose is to allow the product to be released from the mould more easily, without damage or deformation, and to keep the production process running smoothly (less downtime and fewer rejects). Defining the correct draft angle also helps prevent accelerated wear of the mould, resulting in lower maintenance costs.
The optimal draft angle depends on several factors, including the type of material used — harder plastics generally require a larger draft angle than softer ones — as well as the complexity of the product.
Fillets and radii
Rounding corners and edges is important from both an aesthetic and functional perspective. There are several reasons why fillets are applied:
- Improved material flow during moulding: In moulding processes, molten material (plastic or metal) flows through the mould. Rounded transitions improve material flow, allowing the mould to fill more evenly and reducing defects such as air traps or cold weld lines.
- Reduced stress concentrations: Sharp corners can cause stress concentrations in the material, potentially leading to cracks or fractures.
It’s important to define radii correctly. Radii that are too large, for example, can lead to sink marks in the final product.
Shrinkage
Shrinkage is another important factor to take into account.
- Plastics: During injection moulding, molten plastic is injected into the mould. As the plastic cools and solidifies, shrinkage occurs — meaning the material decreases in volume.
- Metals: In metal casting, shrinkage behaves differently. Instead of pulling inward uniformly during cooling, voids or cavities (shrinkage porosity) can form inside the product.
This is just a glimpse of the many factors we take into account during the engineering phase. One thing is clear, though: at Artori, nothing is left to chance.
Our in-depth knowledge of materials and production techniques means we fully understand and apply design rules to their core. This expertise — driven by our passion for product development — is something we’re eager to put to full use in the design of your product.
Do you have a product you’d like to prepare for production?
Over a cup of coffee, we’d be happy to convince you of our unique vision on product development.
