Includes bibliographical references and index.

A design-oriented approach to the technical aspects of product designprovides the detailed coverage of materials and manufacturing processes thatindustrial designers need without the in-depth and overly technical discussionscommonly directed toward engineers.
All manufactured products are the result of a design process,but the natureof this process can vary. It can be conducted by an individual or a team,andsuch a team could include people with varied expertise (e.g. designers,engineers, business experts,etc.). It can emphasize intuitive creativity orcalculated scientific decision-making, and often emphasizes a mix of both. Itcan be influenced by factors as varied as materials, production processes,business strategy, and prevailing social, commercial, or aesthetic attitudes.Industrial design, as an applied art, most often focuses on a combination ofaesthetics and user-focused considerations, but also often provides solutionsfor problems of form, function, physical ergonomics, marketing,branddevelopment, sustainability, and sales.
Computer-aided design (CAD), also known as computer-aided design anddrafting(CADD),is the use of computer technology for the process of designand design-documentation.Computer Aided Drafting describes the process ofdrafting with a computer.CADD software, or environments,provides the userwith input-tools for the purpose of streamlining design processes; drafting,documentation, and manufacturing processes. CADD output is often in the formof electronic files for print or machining operations. The development of CADD-based software is in direct correlation with the processes it seeks to economize;industry-based software (construction,manufacturing,etc.) typically usesvector-based (linear) environments whereas graphic-based software utilizesraster-based (pixelated) environments. CADD environments often involve morethan just shapes. As in the manual drafting of technical and engineeringdrawings, the output of CAD must convey information, such as materials,processes,dimensions, and tolerances, according to application-specificconventions. CAD may be used to design curves and figures in two-dimensional(2D) space; or curves, surfaces, and solids in three-dimensional (3D) objects.