工业设计专业英语(第3版)lesson26文章翻译

How Much Do We Need? Materials KnowledgeThe information superhighway has paved the way to a wealth of information for designers. Computerized databases, the Internet and the availability of“virtual libraries”on-line provide resources once available to only the largest corporations.But while technology has changed the way designers work, many still rely on old habits; especially in the selection of materials and processing technology. Material specifications are almost an afterthought or“someone elses task,”in part because we prefer to work on the intangible qualities of a product.The marketplace demands more. Today, the material often becomes the product. We know that materials can help to differentiate our products character, add value, enhance performance and make the difference between success and failure. In a world where new processes and new materials keep appearing in a sea of acronyms coined to define endless combinations, we need to constantly challenge ourselves. We need to take more risks, do more research, explore more alternatives and learn how to optimize our selections.We know what we want, we just have trouble asking the right questions to find the correct answers and resources. Take the following examples:“Whats so great about this material, and why is it so gummy?”I remember an industrial designer asking this question as he proceeded to explain that he required a material that was both stiff and flexible in certain circumstances.“Can you help specify a material without modifying our design?”A well-known design company insisted on modeling a computer housing with zero draft on all four sides, regardless of cost. Needless to say, the manufacturer eventually discontinued the project because of its bad economics.“We need a material that has a medium to high level of comfort.”This request came from a furniture designer for a new office chair. The project required categorizing levels of comfort“by the seat”of this designers parts.The role of education in this“knowledge gap”cannot be discounted. Design curricula have dome little to foster the exploration of materials and production methods. On a recent tour of the Bayer facility, a design student asked me the difference between a polymer and a monomer. Although this and similar questions reflect an appalling ignorance of materials, they also show an encouraging interest among students as well as professionals.To address this interest, IDSA has created a Materials and Processes Special Interest Section. Our goals are to spark and nurture the natural curiosity of designers with regard to manufacturing processes; cultivate a better understanding of the differences, and demonstrate how we can apply them to the success of our products. We strongly believe that a basic understanding of materials and processes should be a fundamental part of a designers entry-level education, and we will work with IDSAs Eudcation Committee to define the minimum requirements of such know-how a design student should possess upon graduation.The section also has formalized an alliance with the Society of the Plastics Industry(SPI)Structural Plastics Division(SPD) to share communication and programs. To that end, weve agreed to host our spring meeting at the annual SPI conference, scheduled for Atlanta this year. We have expanded our activity there to include a full days preconference. Were also working similar relationships with the Society of Plastics EngineersProduct Design and Development Division and the American and Iron and Steel Institute.Within IDSA, the section has established a strong working relationship with the Environmental Responsibility Section including archiving speaker presentations on video as a resource for IDSA members and benefit for those not able to attend, We will host a section Web page at the IDSA Chicago Chapter site and enhance our communication by posting section activities, reference information and a list of member“key contacts”and their field of expertise.Many section members share an enthusiasm for materials and production methods and feel a sense of responsibility to share their expertise. With this type of networking members of IDSA gain not only resource recommendations, but also the benefit of another members experience in that area. Its designers talking with other designers to find the solutions.Today, we do not need a vast working knowledge of material and processes. All we need is to know how to find that knowledge. And most of it exists within the framework of IDSA, through the experiences of its members, their personal contacts and resources. The networking, programs and education of IDSAs special Interest Section on Materials and Processed tap this knowledge base and put the information we need literally at our fingertips.我们需要多少钱？材料知识信息高速公路为设计师提供了丰富的信息。计算机化数据库、因特网和在线虚拟图书馆的可用性提供了曾经只对大公司可用的资源。但是，尽管技术改变了设计师的工作方式，许多人仍然依赖旧习惯，特别是在材料选择和加工工艺方面。材料规格几乎是事后考虑或“别人的任务”，部分是因为我们喜欢研究产品的无形质量。市场需要更多。如今，材料往往成为产品。我们知道，材料可以帮助我们区分产品的特点，增加价值，提高性能，并区分成败。在一个新的工艺和新材料不断出现在一片用来定义无穷组合的缩略语海洋的世界里，我们需要不断地挑战自己。我们需要承担更多的风险，做更多的研究，探索更多的选择，并学习如何优化我们的选择。我们知道自己想要什么，我们只是问对了问题就很难找到正确的答案和资源。举下面的例子：“这种材料有什么了不起，为什么它这么粘？”“我记得一位工业设计师在继续解释他需要一种在某些情况下既坚硬又灵活的材料时问了这个问题。“你能在不修改设计的情况下指定一种材料吗？”“一家著名的设计公司坚持要设计一个四面无牵伸的计算机外壳，不考虑成本。”毋庸置疑，由于经济不景气，制造商最终停止了该项目。“我们需要一种中到高舒适度的材料。”这是家具设计师对新办公椅的要求。这项工程要求按这位设计师的部件的“座位”对舒适度等级进行分类。教育在这个“知识鸿沟”中的作用是不容忽视的。设计课程几乎没有圆顶来培养对材料和生产方法的探索。在最近拜耳工厂的一次参观中，一位设计专业的学生问我聚合物和单体的区别。尽管这些问题和类似的问题反映了对材料的严重无知，但它们在学生和专业人士中也显示出令人鼓舞的兴趣。为了解决这一问题，IDSA设立了一个材料和工艺特别兴趣科。我们的目标是激发和培养设计师对制造过程的自然好奇