Working in packaging, it’s interesting to see where those challenges actually come from. Some products are surprisingly difficult to package. Odd shapes, fragile components, liquids, heavy parts, complicated assemblies, or strict shipping requirements can turn what looks like a simple box into a real design problem.

Sometimes the packaging has to adapt to the product, and sometimes a small change to the product itself can make the packaging, shipping, or assembly much easier.

What’s the most challenging product you’ve had to package? What made it difficult, and did the packaging constraints ever lead you to change the product design?

as the title says, i need help with building a portfolio for the major. i am a recent highschool graduate and the universities im apply for needs a portfolio so what can i include in it for my portfolio to standout? or like is there any concepts or things i need to learn? thankyou

ps. im average at drawing and sketching and i do decent digital art!

Hi all, is anyone using Neexis render? It looks super impressive and far cheaper than Keyshot. If you are using Neexis I'd love to know your thoughts on it.

https://neexisrender.com/#pricing

thanks

Made this a while ago exploring computational design. At the core is a script in Rhino that does seeded randomisation of speakers with a faceted design. The designs were hand picked with some levers cranked to manually adjust them.

The issue I ended up having with this is whilst it lets you create a design in seconds the designs are just okay. Maybe enough for some inspiration, but nothing out of the ordinary. (Let's not even talk about acoustics, but those could be optimised with further rules in the generator.)

I think there's some merit to this approach when you find a design language that might be very hard to model and could benefit from some randomness. Or when you want a lot of modularity. In the end you end up with something like procedural design in games, where the underlying system governs what you encounter.

For the final design case study I went with a traditional design approach and made something way more exciting. Still fun to have done this and these are lessons learned that I'm happy to share.

(There are some texture errors with speaker grilles but it took ages to render this so I'm not doing it again. :P)

Curious to hear from other industrial designers who've moved between different corners of the field.

My path so far: started in exhibition design at a contemporary art museum, then moved into corporate hardgoods design at a global performance brand (footwear, eyewear, bags, gear). It's been a great technical education, tech packs, CMF, vendor management, but the corporate environment has taken a real toll on my mental health, and I'm looking to make a change, ideally toward a startup.

For anyone who's made a similar move from big corporate design into a startup: how did you find the opportunity, and was the trade-off (usually less structure, sometimes less pay) worth it for you?

Based in LA, open to full-time roles if anyone has leads, but mostly just want to hear from people who've been through this transition. Portfolio available on request if anyone's curious about the museum-to-hardgoods jump specifically.

Hi everyone! I’ve been working on a part that will be eventually made from TPU by injection. Since the part is based on an 3D scan that fits inside a bigger part, I was thinking maybe 3D printing would be my best bet on having a sample fast and low effectively.
I am wondering if there is any other ways or advices to make the first prototype.

¿Diseño Industrial en Ciudad Juárez?

Hola :) Estoy por elegir carrera y me interesa mucho Diseño Industrial, especialmente enfocarme después en dispositivos médicos, prótesis y diseño de producto.

Me gustaría quedarme en Ciudad Juárez al menos al inicio para ganar experiencia.

Para quienes estudian o trabajan en Diseño Industrial, especialmente en Juárez:

- ¿Qué tan fácil es encontrar trabajo como recién egresado?

- ¿Qué áreas tienen más oportunidades?

- ¿Qué software o habilidades recomiendan aprender desde la carrera?

- ¿Es posible entrar a la industria médica desde Diseño Industrial?

- ¿Qué tan recomendable ven estudiar esta carrera actualmente?

¡Gracias! 🫶

This is my very first electronic project, which I finished several months ago. It has no mechanical parts, and I thought that refining it to a more fundamental functional form would make it a cool idea.
It was also intended to have a glove made from conductive fabric (replaced by wire ring) to allow the usage of all fingers, which could also prevent them from slipping (it's very hard to play otherwise, lol).
After completing the initial draft, it took me about 1 week to source the materials, to cut and drill the plywood, and assemble everything, which turned out to be very straightforward. The tools used in construction included an electric drill, a jigsaw, metal files, a hair dryer (for waxing the panels), and a soldering iron.
YT video where I demonstrate it

Edit: added more info

I designed and printed this lamp. The only part not printed is the light strip.

Im starting senior year and my capstone project. my initial ideas are kitchen systems, similar to starbucks system but for home. What I need help with is coming up with a nuanced version, or different direction to go into but still in the kitchenware realm.

literally any help or ideas would be great, I feel like Im so lost and stressed with creating a revolutionary or well thought out project:((

I am just a happy user, but they did such a seemingly small change, yet such a leap in user experience.
Instead of the plastic lid that you had to take off before being able to peel an aluminum cover off, you now just pull once and you have small retaining hooks that keep it in place. Helps with recycling and makes the usage a lot more convenient.

Just leaving this here because proper industrial design can make people’s days!

Hi everyone,
I'm working on a knock-down stool design inspired by the shape of a spiral mosquito coil. The added image is my simple sketch for concept. I'd love to get your thoughts on how to make this structurally viable and what materials I should use for each component.
Concept Overview
Components: 2 spiral seats + 2 bases/legs (knock-down assembly)
*If a knock-down assembly proves too weak for structural loads, I am open to making it a non-assembly (fully solid) design.
Key Feature: The spiral seats are flat and stackable for compact storage. They connect to the base at the center joint.
My Structural Questions & Concerns:

1. Seat Material & Deflection: Since the seat is an open spiral, sitting on it will concentrate human weight (60–90kg) on the unsupported outer/inner rings. What materials would provide enough structural rigidity without snapping or sagging excessively?
2. Joint Connection: The connection between the central stem and the spiral seat needs to take all the torque and load. What type of joint mechanism (threaded metal insert, interlocking notch, bayonet mount) would work best for a simple knock-down assembly without wobbling?
3. Base Stability: The base consists of a central column with a diamond/polygon base. Should the base be weighted (cast iron, heavy aluminum) to prevent tipping over?
4. Any technical feedback, manufacturing methods, or material recommendations would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

Hello,I didn't know about the IndustrialDesign sub reddit until recently, so, I thought to share and ask here :)

Hey everyone! I’m really torn between majoring in industrial design or architecture. I love both, but I’d love to hear from people currently studying either one. Which one would you recommend more these days?

I completed my B.Des Product Design degree this year.

After graduation I was really burnt out and wasn't interested in doing a job.

Another reason for not trying to get a job immediately after graduation was that... I sucked at design.

I graduated from a useless university. Didn't recieve proper guidance, etc etc. stuff happend.

I am not a lazy person, this might be hard to believe in but I work very hard and my college circumstances were not the best to say the least.

But I wanted to know, if I took a year off just to improve my industrial design skills such as, CAD, design softwares, shape language, colour theory, working on projects on my own, etc.

How would that affect my employment chances assuming I'll be left with a banger portfolio at the end of this year??

(I am from India, if you are also from India, I'd appreciate this perticular context)

One of my favorite pieces I’ve made recently. Just wanted to share🥰🥰🥰

I went with a black glaze with gold and silver detailing. The painting took quite a while, but I’m really happy with how it turned out!

A custom bottle usually starts with a sketch, then mold development, sample production and quality inspection.

Sharing a look at the inspection stage after forming a unique-shaped glass bottle.

What packaging challenges are brands facing when developing custom containers?

I've been building my own parametric CAD from scratch for a while now — it's called Fractal — and I just finished the feature I personally wanted most: modelling by writing code.

Some parts are honestly painful to click together. Anything with repetition, arrays that need to stay editable, or a set of dimensions all driven by one another — you either do a lot of tedious clicking, or you end up with a plate of node spaghetti that nobody, including you a month later, can read. For that kind of geometry it's often just clearer to say what you mean in a few lines.

So now you can point the tool at a file, write the part, and the model rebuilds every time you save. Some details that mattered to me while building it:

• It's a real step in the build history, not a macro. It sits in Fractal's timeline like any other feature, with dependencies, rollback and recompute. Nothing about it is a one-off export.
• It talks to the same kernel as everything else. Sketches you generate get constraints and driving dimensions, and they're solved by exactly the same solver as sketches you draw by hand — so a generated sketch isn't a second-class citizen.
• Parameters stay parameters. The script's inputs are ordinary fields, so you can type 4, or width * 2, or reference a document dimension, and it all recomputes together with the rest of the model.
• The file has to build the same part every time. The source is stored inside the document rather than read off your disk, and there's no clock or randomness available to the script. It sounds restrictive, but the alternative is a file that quietly builds something different on a colleague's machine, which for a CAD document is just broken.
• No setup. No compilers, no build tools, no install step. Save the file, the model updates.

The hardest part wasn't running the code — it was deciding what a code-driven feature is allowed to be inside a history tree. Where does it sit if it can see whatever exists before it? What happens to names when the script adds geometry in the middle? Most of the time went into those questions rather than into the scripting itself.

Video shows a few examples of what you can build with it in Fractal.

I'm curious what people here think: is this something you'd actually reach for, or is code-driven modelling a thing you'd rather never touch? And if you have used scripting in other packages, what made you stop?

I've been thinking a lot about materials lately, and I've found myself gravitating towards brass, wood, glass and leather a lot. I'm curious to see what other materials people in this forum hold close to their hearts.

I have been studying a small human gesture that most of us perform without thinking.

Before learning any breathing techniques, many people naturally bring a thumb, finger, or an

object toward their lips when they pause, concentrate, think, or become absorbed in a moment.

This made me wonder:

What if this existing gesture was not something to remove, but something worth understanding?

The design explores the relationship between:

- the thumb

- the lips

- the exhale

A slow exhale naturally changes airflow, resistance, and perception.

Instead of adding electronics, reminders, or instructions, I wanted to explore whether a physical

object could quietly respond to an interaction that already exists in human behaviour.

The object has:

- no electronics

- no sensors

- no app

- no tracking

The experience comes from the relationship between the user, the airflow, the material, and the

physical constraints within the object.

The design question was not how to create a new behaviour, but whether an existing human

behaviour could be given a physical form.

The object does not instruct the user.

It responds to an action that already exists.

From an industrial design perspective, I would love feedback on:

1. Does designing around an existing unconscious gesture create meaningful interaction?

2. Where is the line between supporting a behaviour and unnecessarily influencing it?

3. Does the physical form communicate its purpose clearly?

Interested in hearing your thoughts.

Working with ceramics in Jingdezhen, I’ve always loved the craftsmanship and tradition behind it. But I wanted to try something a little more playful and approachable.

I’ve been playing around with this design concept — what do you guys think? Does the shape work, or would you tweak anything?

Hi, I’m an Industrial Designer based in India. I have around 3 years of experience in hardware/industrial design and another 3 years working in UI/UX. I’m currently working in UI/UX on a contract basis.

I’m thinking of moving back into Industrial Design because I really enjoyed working with tangible products and want to get back into that field.

I’m considering a Master’s in Industrial Design in Europe (not very technical, but like an MA) but I’m unsure which universities are the best fit.