Despite there being more options than ever before for on-the-go digital sketching, it’s still all too easy to get lost in the maze of accessories, dongles, and apps needed to create a single line. Oftentimes, just pulling out an actual piece of paper is more effective when creativity strikes. And while tablets such as the…

As you might have guessed, manufacturing chain link fences involves a similar process to that of knitting a sweater—assuming that the machine is a mad giant with a flock of steel wool—bearing sheep. Typically made from galvanized or LLDPE-coated steel wire, chain link fences feature a distinctive zig-zag pattern that isn’t just there for looks;…

From 3d printing to recycled ocean plastic, Adidas has thrown everything we know about traditional sneaker manufacturing on its head as a part of their sustainability-focused Futurecraft initiative. Described by the company as a “[creative hub] where imagination meets innovation,” their mission is to “expose the illusion of impossible and venture beyond the limits defined…

When it comes to finding new uses for old tech, there’s more than one way to skin the cat. From turning an old tablet into a smart home controller to creating a dedicated home entertainment server with an old laptop, the possibilities for keeping your devices protected against the principles of Moores Law are seemingly…

As anybody who sits in front of the computer for at least eight hours a day knows, a great office chair is an absolute necessity if you plan on walking upright without pain any time in the next 20 years (or good heavens, the next 20 minutes). And unsurprisingly, behind every great office chair is…

Despite drastic efforts to increase STEM education across the country, as well as a renewed interest in industrial design thanks to a new crop of product design startups in London, the number of skilled UK engineers is actually on the decline. Enter James Dyson. As the sole owner of Dyson Ltd, James Dyson is no…

We don’t really know where to begin with this one, so we’ll just start by putting our hands on our heads to keep our brains from exploding. Created by a student at the Jade University of Applied Sciences in Lower Saxony, Germany, the Papercube is a “LEGO Mindstorms Education-Based Process for Manufacturing Paper Cubes” at…

While plenty of exciting developments are happening in the product design space, few are as revolutionary as advancements in generative design. The result of artificial intelligence and the simulation of complex scenarios has enabled modern CAD software to play a participatory role in generating forms based on specific inputs provided by a user. The result…

Say what you will about headphone jacks, dongles, and the post-Steve Jobs era, there’s no denying that Apple is still somewhere at the front (if not the very front) of the pack when it comes to their collective of industrial design and design engineering feats. While some of their more recent design decisions might be…

With the recent backlash from the #designfail that is the new MacBook Pro to those who want more mobility without sacrificing computing power, the near future of hardware options for professionals is looking…interesting. And while tablets continue to cater to many needs of design professionals, they still lack the power needed for, well, actual design…

While tablets continue to grow ever more powerful, they rarely ever satisfy the full product development pipeline needs for today’s professionals. Nevertheless, that divide is continuing to grow more narrow as hardware developers and third-party developers continue to push the envelope. More recently, Duet Display, the iOS app that previously let users turn their iPad…

Whether it’s an F1 race car, an iPhone or the Death Star, people just can’t seem to look away once they get a glimpse of what’s underneath the covers. From the mesmerizing illustrations over the past two decades from Stephen Biesty (as seen in his collection of Cross Sections books) to more modern uses of…

Since they came screaming onto the scene in 2010 with what is arguably the most original light bulb design since…forever (?) with the Plumen 0013, the Plumen crew has kept their innovation streak going with new updates to the humble light bulb in all sorts of different shapes and sizes. For their latest collection, the…

Although some manufacturers have created specific multi-tools for various applications, little has changed over the years for all-in-one tools since Tim Leatherman created the first “Boy Scout knife with pliers” back in the 1980s. While convenient, multi-tools are rarely something you want to use unless you are in pinch and didn’t have standard tools nearby.…

It goes without saying that if you own a piece of equipment that can blast away material at 60,000 PSI, chances are you’re going to be spending a good deal of time having all sorts of dangerous fun with that kind of water-blasting power, too. Such is the premise behind the Waterjet Channel on YouTube.…

From glass to cardboard, skaters today are ready to try just about anything to see if it can ollie with four wheels. But LEGO bricks? That’s a new one. With the goal of making an actual LEGO skateboard capable of human kickflips and pop shove-it’s, woodworker Peter Brown from the YouTube channel Shop Time recently…

When it comes to designing toys, it should come as little surprise that sometimes kids themselves are the best designers. After all, who else knows the target user the best? Which is why for their latest collection of stuffed toys, IKEA eschewed hiring a professional (boring adult) toy designer in favor of crowdsourcing designs from…

The promise of distributed manufacturing—when consumer products can be downloaded and manufactured by consumers locally—was always one of the highest hopes for desktop 3D printing. Unfortunately, that didn’t quite pan out. However, that’s not to say that the occasional project comes through that keeps the hope of distributed manufacturing alive. The SLO (Single Lens Objective)…

While Microsoft has kept their HoloLens under wraps for quite some time now, the tech giant is now opening up preorders to European countries next month with preorders beginning today. Those in the US have already been picking up the HoloLens for $3,000—although it’s primarily been developers and businesses at this point. The augmented reality…

While most of us grew up with LEGO bricks, none of them compare to the LEGO construction kits that exist today; miniaturized infrastructures with thousands of pieces. From the 2,704—piece LEGO Porsche 911 model with build instructions based off of the true-to-life assembly process to the freakin’ 2989—piece LEGO Sydney Opera House, it’s almost as…

Ever since YouTube revolutionized how product designers and manufacturers share their design and manufacturing processes, the resulting content is just as varied and colorful as the end products themselves. But despite the myriad of different fabrication processes and design stories that one can get lost in, few are as unique—and downright fascinating—as YouTuber Primitive Technology.…

While the desktop 3D printer revolution put rapid prototyping and small production run capabilities into the hands of small firms and independent design consultants, unfortunately, the same can’t quite be said for yet another important part of many hardware design projects: building circuit boards. While contractors can be hired to assemble small batches for relatively…

Don your favorite bathrobe, cream that coffee and get comfortable with this week’s SolidSmack Weekend Reader. The Weekend Reader features a handful of the most interesting articles featured on the ‘Smack over the past week ranging from tips and tricks to inspirational designs, processes, and more. So lay back, relax and take a load off…

First introduced in 1955 and used as numeric displays in early digital products, Nixie Tubes were the LEDs of their era before being superseded in the 1970s by the actual light-emitting diodes that we see in today’s products. Among other reasons for their replacement, manufacturing Nixie Tubes was a complicated and pricey process that involved…

While some may believe that the iPhone 7 is a modern day marvel of design and engineering, others loathe the rounded corners and other slippery design details. Among others who think they can do a better job at designing the iPhone is YouTuber PeripateticPandas. Using an industrial saw and belt sander, the gutsy engineer recently…

As the creator (and as a result, Academy Award winner for Special Effects) of the Xenomorph creature from the Alien movie franchise, Harold R Giger (AKA H.R. Giger) was responsible for not only creating one of the most legendary movie monsters of all time, but also fueling generations of nightmares for legions of filmgoers. While…

While some of us grew up with LEGOs and bandsaws to flex our inventor muscles, today’s kids are living a totally different world entirely — a world where creating Bluetooth-enabled hardware is nearly as easy as assembling a LEGO spaceship. Available starting this week, the new littleBits Gizmos & Gadgets Kit, 2nd Edition, is the…

Known for kamaboko fish cakes and traditional woodcraft, the town of Odawara, located in the western Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan, is a woodworkers paradise with expansive wooded areas and a history rooted in centuries-old woodworking traditions. Deep in that forest—in a repurposes shrine—sits the Japanese wood houseware manufacturer brand Hikiyose. Known for their unique aesthetic…

From sketch to assembly, the life of a bolt may not seem all that exciting compared to a cutting-edge smartphone design, but throw in some decent storytelling and somehow you’ll find yourself emotionally attached to that bolt. At least, a humble front suspension bolt by the name of RB12-FS-00663-02. Recently, the Red Bull Racing (Formula…

Unless you sketch every day or have a brilliant sense of hand–eye coordination, chances are that sketching in proper perspective doesn’t necessarily come naturally. That’s okay. Join the club. For the rest of us, using methods such as Scott Robinson’s “Draw Through” help keep things looking the way they should, be it a sketch of…

If there’s one thing that just won’t go away no matter how hard we seemingly try, it’s the amount of waste that ends up in our oceans. While everybody from GStar to Adidas has announced changes to their supply chains or entirely new product lineups made from waste sourced from oceans, few are as passionate…

Since raising over $1.5 million to bring their DIY computer and coding kit to the masses on Kickstarter back in December of 2013, the team at Kano has been on a relentless pursuit to unlock hardware design and programming for the masses. This time around, they’re turning their attention from a DIY computer to a…

As one of the most heavily produced and discarded materials in the world, it’s a dang good thing that paper is also so good at being reused, too. While it’s fairly common for discarded paper to be recycled into yet more reams of paper, New Zealand designer Woojai Lee just might have one of the…

If there’s one thing that MakerBot has learned over the course of its short existence, it’s that you can’t please them all. While early adopters seeking a well-rounded user experience for 3D printing at home welcomed MakerBot’s push towards a cohesive ecosystem, those in the Open Source–heavy DIY community pushed back as the company attempted…

Despite raising nearly $4 million across two Kickstarter campaigns, the 3Doodler 3D printing pen never really took off as a tool for professional designers and architects to hash out 3D sketches quickly (note: they are trying to change this). Instead, the hot plastic–extruding handheld device became more popular with artists and sculptors who praised the…

Having been in existence since the 1st century AD, there is nothing necessarily revolutionary about mold-blowing –– an alternate form of the glassblowing method that came shortly after free–blowing. However, designer Fabio Vogel just might have brought one of the more refreshing updates to the glass manufacturing method that we’ve seen in quite a long…

While Gallagher might have pioneered the act of destroying things for the amusement of a late night TV audience, YouTube has certainly helped reinvent it. From compressing random objects with a hydraulic press to cutting them in half with a waterjet cutter, the internet has been strangely fascinated with using industrial equipment to destroy things…

If we had a quarter for every 3D printing-related Kickstarter project that’s swept in over the past four or five years, we’d likely be on our way towards buying our own desktop machine by now with heavy pockets. But frankly, we’re more interested in a different type of desktop fabrication machine at the moment: the…

Although summer is officially coming to a close, squirt gun weather is still in full effect in most places. But regardless if you have sniper-like skills from the bushes or have a more run and gun approach, you’ll likely want to stay home for the afternoon if this (big) kid comes out to play. Built…

If you’ve seen such tv shows as OZ, The Wire or anything of the sort, chances are you’ve seen some brilliantly hacked together tattoo guns made from little more than approved items found in the prison commissary. Needless to say, these prison tinkerers aren’t starting with anything close to a DIY Build Your Own Tattoo…

When it comes to design sketching, one of the most difficult –– but oftentimes absolutely necessary –– components to lay down are various components of the human figure. Among other reasons, understanding the scale and ergonomics of early design ideas can make or break a project early in the process. Which is why the How to Draw:…

While Frank Howarth of Frank Makes may be one of our favorite go-to YouTubers when it comes to woodworking, This Old Tony is close behind when it comes to machining and other forms of metalworking. While the scope of his videos vary from designing and making your own springs to machining tool holders for a…

As one of the most useful suites of creative applications for designers on the iPad, the Morpholio collection of apps –– which range from digital sketching to portfolio management –– is indispensable for today’s on-the-go tablet creators. With the recent “Stencil” update to their Trace app last week, users can now create reusable digital “stencils” from…

It’s been nearly four years since WobbleWorks LLC. screamed onto the scene via Kickstarter and blew everybody away with the 3Doodler –– AKA “The World’s First 3D Printing Pen” –– to the tune of $2.3 million. Since then, the small company has maintained a small but loyal following of artists and retailers including the reputable MoMA…

While known primarily for creating products that digitize analog gestures via a pressure-sensitive stylus, Wacom’s focus as of late has been on extending this experience back over to native analog tools –– yes, the original plain old paper and pen. Utilizing electromagnetic resonance (EMR) technology to bridge the gap between the physical and digital, the…

If the Kickstarter video for the successfully funded Fidget Cube is any indication, fidgeting is a serious problem –– but it just may also be the key to increased focus, too. While some may resort to aggressively folding gum wrappers or twirling a pen between their fingers, Fidget Cube creators Matthew and Mark McLachlan have…

Although MacBook Pro laptops have never been as powerful as they are today, there are still many performance limitations for serious power users that rely on desktop-class specs for working (or playing) efficiently. For many, this usually boils down to the lack of serious graphics card power. With today’s professional design software, video games and…

Although 3D printers have been hogging the bulk of the “printing” limelight within the past few years, 2D printing technologies have been quietly seeing their fair share of technological breakthroughs, too. That said, you’d likely have to be involved in the print industry to catch wind of them. Among others is the new Xerox Direct…

The retail side of 3D printing has been a slippery slope for years now –– as evidenced by lagging 3D printer sales and waning consumer interest. While Bronies may have a thriving warm and safe space to create plastic unicorns over at Shapeways, other brands haven’t had as much success with venturing into this so-called…

While it still hasn’t caught on for more mainstream applications, there’s no denying that generative design is both insanely cool and practical across many applications –– with many more to come. Among others who have already put generative design to use on a consumer product is Brooklyn-based artist and designer Che-Wei Wang. With backgrounds ranging from…