the reference to architects and industrial designers has no
relevance in the subject of design without do-ability.
Ive,
With Respect, I disagree. The relevence is apparent should you view
the fundamentals of concept design through production from another
angle.
The architect is but one element of the whole process. Taking a
theme park as an example. You will have at the first stage the “Theme
designer” who will come up with the platform or staged event and a
pre concieved idea of how they would like to see it happen or
function. Once the concept is formulated, then it is presented to an
Architectural firm who with a team of draftsmen, structural
engineers, enviromental impact assesment professionals, interior
designers, hydrological engineers should there be water and a whole
lot more to put the designer’s theme into the planning stages. Notice
the fact that there is not just one skill set that is applied by one
individual to the project in the Architectural firm, but several
individuals bringing different skill sets. Unlike jewellery, it is
not expected to have the ability to execute a job from start to
finish solely on ones own. Other industries do not rely on one
individual to have all of the answers either.
et al,
The point, is that a theme designer, does not know how to build the
attraction, they just know what the theme is and moves the project
to the one that knows how to build it. The exact same thing applies
to the designer and jeweller relationship. Casing point is that the
Architects job is to execute the plan and oversee the project from
start to finish, same as the jeweller. There is more to it than just
a biased opinion on what a designer should or should not be. Those of
you who are retail jewellers promote to some degree and through the
help of CAD/CAM or not, custom jewellery to customer designs or
specifications. Do you tell your retail customer to get the hell out
of your store, and “only” come back when they know how to make the
piece themselves? Of course not, the jewellers job is like the
architects job, and that is to execute on the whim or desire of what
the customer wants.
When I was in the Service Bureau business, it was my job to evaluate
the models before I built them and advise the customer on any changes
that needed to be made, and once those changes where made, then and
only then, would I go ahead. Being a service bureau was not about
turning the machine on and going home, and to hell with the issue of
whether the model was right or wrong, my job was to execute a
functional model. Same applies to the jeweller. He or she should
advise the designer client on recommended changes to make the project
a viable entity. As those changes are being made, the designer will
learn as they go along as to what can be done and what is totally
unrealistic. My advice did not come for free, it was built into the
cost of producing a working model. As my involvement in recommended
changes became less and less, and they where now producing better
models, and it was clearly reflected in the lower cost to produce the
model. Why individuals don’t identify this situation as a billable
entity rather than a pain in the butt or a threat is beyond my
comprehension. The jewellers job is to execute period. To view a
digital model and look for, and identify problems should take 5-10
minutes tops. No big deal and even better if you charge $20 for your
recommendations. Customer service is all about servicing the
customer and helping them bring the concept through to production
whether they understand the production process or not. The fact they
do the changes themselves to the solid model upon your
recommendations, your charge is billed for expertise and not for
physical man power or machine time. Getting paid for knowledge is the
best money maker there is.
As a professional, I don’t care whether an individual knows anything
about how to make the concept a reality, that’s my job to make it
happen. I manufacture metal molds where the parts are ejected from
the cavities automatically when the static mold opens. In this
context, should I expect customers to know about Multi Unit Dies,
Mold Bases, Leader and ejector pins, core pins, stripper plates?, I
say not at all, that’s my job to make it happen. Another example.
Motorola designs phones and not the tooling to manufacture them. The
Job of the Tool and Die Company or the Molding house is to evaluate
the model, make recommendations and then build a tool. This applies
to anything that is on your desk that’s plastic or even a die cast
part of some equipment made out of aluminum. The individual designing
the phone, does not know anything about draft angles, how the plastic
flows through the tool, the requirements for heating and cooling
lines, required tonnage, hold times and pressure percentages of
injection in relation to clamping force, why? it’s not his job.
Another point is the machining of product that I do here. None of
the designed parts come with Setup Instructions, Tools to be used,
how to machine it or even a single tool path. The job comes in as a
blue print, or more so today, as a solid model, therefore, should I
decline the job because they only know how to build a product and
design parts, but can’t in actuality machine the parts themselves?.
Maybe I look at things differently, but through all of the
negativity, I actually see an opportunity rather than a problem with
jewellery designers who have no bench skills, . Just think outside
the box. In fact, I see a nice little business for someone who has
the right frame of mind and identifies a nice little niche market. A
little creativity and it could be a nice little earner
Best Regards.
Neil George
954-572-5829