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Renowned industrial designer, A H ‘Woody’ Woodfull, stated in 1959 that ‘the designer must have a wide range of working knowledge of industrial processes of all kinds.’

By understanding manufacturing processes, designers can make the best decisions for their application.  They must ask themselves key questions: What material do I want to use? How many products do I want to make?  How much do I want to sell my product for?  Selecting the right material and process for their application can save money, time and unnecessary over production.

These machine-based processes are not without human input.  The product and tooling have to be designed, computer programmes need to be written, machines need to be maintained and monitored.  The resultant objects are often hand finished to remove excess material or to polish the surface finish.

This exhibition looks at the common manufacturing processes used in the production of plastics products with each case comparing tooling costs, production volume, the types of materials commonly used, and the tell-tale marks left behind during manufacture.


We would like to thank Jody Sweeney for producing the animations.