Industrial Designers & Engineers

[neuros]

So ever since I started traveling for 'boarding I've met a lot of riders who are engineers (ME mostly) and IDers...
So for those of you who are in these fields, what are you in and what are you into?

I'm an ID student with an associates in EE and I'm aiming to graduate with my BS in ID as well as some sort of ME degree...
A lot of ID folk consider me a little too technical and concerned with tolerances, all the ME guys I know consider me too concerned with aesthetics... The pain of havin' an active brain I guess.

I personally believe a good designer can "engineer" and a good engineer does "design," but it's really working together that gets jobs done. For me (and my school) ID isn't just about making things look pretty, it's about making things WORK better, easier, and with less end-user problems (aka simpler).

So let's see who's into making stuff, tuning stuff, knowing how stuff works and how to make it better....

[zacks.on.fire]

I'm in a similar boat; I'm a civil engineer with way more of a taste for asthetics than most CEs. I don't just want it to work, I want it to look good too. I've always loved knowing how things worked. I'm definately graduating with a BS in civil (and a minor in philosophy, go figure) but I'm thinking of going to grad school for architectural design. And I build longboards, which I'd love to turn into a profession.

Just out of curiosity, where are you going to school? I know CU Boulder doesn't have an ID program, but that sounds like a great program

[enemy combatant]

I think the best advice for industrial designers is to start off being born Italian! 8)

[ACIDAARON]

So ever since I started traveling for 'boarding I've met a lot of riders who are engineers (ME mostly) and IDers...
So for those of you who are in these fields, what are you in and what are you into?

I'm an ID student with an associates in EE and I'm aiming to graduate with my BS in ID as well as some sort of ME degree...
A lot of ID folk consider me a little too technical and concerned with tolerances, all the ME guys I know consider me too concerned with aesthetics... The pain of havin' an active brain I guess.

I personally believe a good designer can "engineer" and a good engineer does "design," but it's really working together that gets jobs done. For me (and my school) ID isn't just about making things look pretty, it's about making things WORK better, easier, and with less end-user problems (aka simpler).

So let's see who's into making stuff, tuning stuff, knowing how stuff works and how to make it better....

Why not become proficient in all aspects. I'm getting my associates in Computerized Drafting. While doing this I'm going to take a few workshops to improve my creative designing. Eventually I plan on double majoring in architecture with some sort of civil engineering.

It's a longshot dream. But meh, is this what you you were after??

[neuros]

Enemy, y'er makin me drool.. And jealous... And yar, Europe breeds more & better designers than this here USA but I'm still proud of American design and what it's become (Thanks, Apple!)

Zacks, I go to a tiny little tech school (with A&D tacked on) in Boston called Wentworth. Not an ID powerhouse, but considered one of the better-rounded programs in the country in terms of balancing form, hand skills, and computer skills. My freshman class was ~140 strong and now at the start of Jr year they've whittled it down to 44...

Acidaaron longshot dreams are what life is made of. If you don't have something to reach for, you have nothing to look forward to. Ideally I'd like to end up with ID and ME degrees, meaning I can do most phases of product development. I respect CEs and Architecture but I've grown to have little respect for Architects... Not a personal thing, but Construction Lawyers and CEs exist for a reason.. You can't put a recall on a building, y'know... So I commend you for aspiring to be a designer as well as a technician, you'll be more wanted in the job market if firms know you're not gonna try to be the next Rem Koolhaas or Frank Gehry (not that they don't do great work... it's just the problems that come along with making impossible structures, and the ego that tends to go with it)

[CRASS]

sidenote: crass despises mechanical engineers.

[tomahawk]

psh, all pussy ass majors.

chemical engineering: the only real engineering

[R]

Eventually I plan on double majoring in architecture with some sort of civil engineering.

Best of luck to you. I have a B.Arch and I can tell you it's a labor intensive program but maybe not so much if you're going after a B.S. in Arch. In any case, keep in mind both architecture and civil engineering are professional degrees.

[FlyingDutchman]

you'll be more wanted in the job market if firms know you're not gonna try to be the next Rem Koolhaas or Frank Gehry (not that they don't do great work... it's just the problems that come along with making impossible structures, and the ego that tends to go with it)

I was remotely involved in the Hall Winery project (from the mechanical side, not architecturally) and had the chance to review all of the drawings. Have you seen what an atrocity that Gehry design is? Totally form over function (can't wait until they get ice on the roof), and the whole mechanical design was a cluster#### trying to fit into the architect's vision. But the owners paid for it because they care more about having having a Gehry design than having a well functioning production facility, even though it is ugly as sin.

sidenote: crass despises mechanical engineers.

Shiiiiiiit

Come drink some 40s and skate with me and you might find there's an exception to that rule

[CRASS]

haha, sounds like a plan, my man.

i mean in general of course... mainly for the reason none seem to put any actual aplication into the product after its made. "yeah, we'll jam that oil filter up there.. its assembled before everything else is in they way anyway... what to do you mean nobody can reach it now? pssh, whatever.. mechanics are stupid anyway." haha.. sh!t like that. i mean... spark plugs on the back UNDERNEATH the engine!? WTF?!!?

[FlyingDutchman]

It's true. Too many of my fellow students wound up as engineers because they were able to pass the math courses, but seemed to have no intelligence outside of that. I facepalmed many times in my design class at the ideas of my partners, since there was only 1 guy in my group that actually had some common sense. We were the only two gearheads with any hands on experience. Go figure. At my last job, there were some projects I was supposed to send to the engineers at the other office, but once I got back what they had sent me, I just started doing all of the work myself. And saved time One of them was so worthless they just wound up giving her project management duties.

Here are some engineering jokes:

Understanding Engineers - One

Two engineering students were walking across a university campus when one said, "Where did you get such a great bike?"
The second engineer replied, "Well, I was walking along yesterday,minding my own business, when a beautiful woman rode up on this bike, threw it to the ground, took off all her clothes and said,
"Take what you want."
The first engineer nodded approvingly and said, "Good choice; the clothes probably wouldn't have fitted you anyway."

Understanding Engineers - Two

To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is half empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

Understanding Engineers - Three

A priest, a doctor, and an engineer were waiting one morning for a particularly slow group of golfers. The engineer fumed, "What's with those guys? We must have been waiting for fifteen minutes!"
The doctor chimed in, "I don't know, but I've never seen such inept golf!"
The priest said, "Here comes the green-keeper. Let's have a word with him."
He said, "Hello George, what's wrong with that group ahead of us? They're rather slow, aren't they?"
The green-keeper replied, "Oh, yes. That's a group of blind firemen. They lost their sight saving our clubhouse from a fire last year, so we always let them play for free anytime."
The group fell silent for a moment. The priest said, "That's so sad. I think I will say a special prayer for them tonight."
The doctor said, "Good idea. I'm going to contact my ophthalmologist colleague and see if there's anything he can do for them."
The engineer said, "Why can't they play at night?"

Understanding Engineers - Four

What is the difference between mechanical engineers and civil engineers?
Mechanical engineers build weapons and civil engineers build targets.

Understanding Engineers - Five

The graduate with a science degree asks," Why does it work?"
The graduate with an engineering degree asks, "How does it work?"
The graduate with an accounting degree asks, "How much will it cost?"
The graduate with an arts degree asks, "Do you want fries with that?"

Understanding Engineers - Six

Three engineering students were gathered together discussing who must have designed the human body.
One said, "It was a mechanical engineer. Just look at all the joints."
Another said, "No, it was an electrical engineer. The nervous system has many thousands of electrical connections."
The last one said, "No, actually it had to have been a civil engineer.
Who else would run a toxic waste pipeline through a recreational area?"

Understanding Engineers - Seven

Normal people believe that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain't broke, it doesn't have enough features yet.

Understanding Engineers - Eight

An engineer was crossing a road one day, when a frog called out to him and said, "If you kiss me, I'll turn into a beautiful princess."
He bent over, picked up the frog and put it in his pocket.
The frog spoke up again and said, "If you kiss me I'll turn back into a beautiful princess and stay with you for one week."
The engineer took the frog out of his pocket, smiled at it and returned it to the pocket.
The frog then cried out, "If you kiss me and turn me back into a princess, I'll stay with you for one week and do ANYTHING you want."
Again, the engineer took the frog out, smiled at it and put it back into his pocket. Finally, the frog asked, "What is the matter? I've told you I'm a beautiful princess and that I'll stay with you for one week and do anything you want. Why won't you kiss me?"
The engineer said, "Look, I'm an engineer. I don't have time for a girlfriend, but a talking frog, now that's cool."

[*SWEET*]

I think the best advice for industrial designers is to start off being born Italian! 8)

You, sir, have great taste...
May I add



And a little french touch to this :P
Not of the same caliber as the 288GTO of course, but still



YES!! France had 3 or 4 citizens who could actually design great cars

[Skinart]

psh, all pussy ass majors.

chemical engineering: the only real engineering

Chemical engineering isn't real engineering. Synthetic Biology is real engineering. It's so hardcore they had to engineer a name for the discipline.

[FlyingDutchman]

Don't forget the Lancia Stratos, another great Italian design

[Highwind]

psh, all pussy ass majors.

chemical engineering: the only real engineering

too bad you would have to relocate, florida that is

[CRASS]

join the navy, be a nuclear engineer...



...and get boofed in the butt.

[ArthurW]

I'm an ID student. Technically. I do a lot more illustration, though. Stuff at my site ArthurWangArt.com if you wanna take a look.

But I think ID is definitely a more stable job market than illustration, even though I love painting so very much. I feel like I'd probably enjoy furniture/lighting (yeah, the bread and butter of design) enough to not want to quit all the time.

Also, I wouldn't mind designing women's sexytime stuff.

[enemy combatant]

YES!! France had 3 or 4 citizens who could actually design great cars

This year's winner at Le Mans:



And of course there are always these: