While most commonly found in topographic maps to illustrate elevation changes, contour lines can be equally effective for product designers and engineers during the design iteration stage. Among other reasons, it’s a quick and easy way to add subtle design features – such as a groove or a lip – without spending too much time…

If you count yourself amongst one of the early adopters of the iPad Pro, chances are you’ve also been using the device for the bulk of your digital sketching purposes, too. But for users who still prefer analog sketching with paper for the earlier part of the ideation process, digital sketching – iPad Pro or…

I love new types of Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs). When it comes to demonstrating design projects, you typically need both hands – unless you’re a badass who can fold origami cranes with one hand like it’s nothing. Now imagine trying to capture images while simultaneously working on a dual-wielding project. Yeah, it’s not that easy,…

Like 3D printers, 3D scanners are also rarely owned by people who don’t use them regularly – and the occasional need to use one rarely justifies the cost of owning one. Unsurprisingly, commercial 3D scanning companies exist for exactly this purpose, but finding one that’s both close and suits your needs isn’t always easy. Thankfully,…

It’s no secret that we’re big fans of industrial designer Spencer Nugent around here. The designer, who is well-known for his highly communicative design sketching abilities, is also the founder of ID Sketching; one of the best resources for industrial design sketching online. More recently, Nugent has been publishing his industrial design sketching tutorials directly…

When it comes to saving sketches digitally, we’ve seen nearly every possible tool or gadget that could possibly be conceived: touchscreen stylus designs that emulate analog pens, sketchbooks that make it ‘easy’ for snapping pics that get uploaded to the cloud, iPad apps that emulate natural writing materials, dual ink pen/stylus combos and professional sketching…

Although nothing will ever replace the experience of uncapping a fresh marker and “layin’ down” on top of a ready-to-go sketch, it can still be a time-consuming process that many may not have time for in today’s fast-paced, quick-turnaround world of product development. Although we don’t necessarily approve of ditching analog sketching altogether in favor…

Since launching nearly four years ago, the IFTTT (If This Then That) web service platform has enabled its users to connect a variety of online tools and services through unique “recipes” that are based on an “if this happens, then do this” formula. To date, these recipes have included everything from automatically receiving an email…

Running any form of business that revolves around manufacturing can be challenging – especially for small businesses with limited resources and bandwidth. While a well-organized team and sufficient capital investment are a great starting point, challenges ranging from project management and client relations to asset management and billing can be just as tough to wrangle…

For all of the adult LEGO model builders out there (you know who you are), do you ever face the problem of building a LEGO model from scratch only to wish that you had some sort of a ‘back bone’ structure to begin with – such as for creating a mech robot with movable joints…

Regardless of which stage of your career you’re in, having recent and relevant documentation of your work can oftentimes be just as important as the work itself – whether you’re using the proof of your abilities to level-up in a new job search or simply just want to keep a clean record of where you’ve…

It’s no secret that tablets and smartphones have changed the way we gather inspiration images and formulate the beginning stages of a creative process. Whether its through their constant presence while out in the ‘real world’ when ideas actually manifest or simply because of the functions of a clever app design, our devices have become…

When it comes to the process of designing something – anything – in the 21st century, the internet is awash with millions of ‘resources’ that are both free and for sale. Whether the resources are 3D CAD files for a motor assembly, an After Effects template for a video transition, a Photoshop mock-up for a…

Unless you’re a professional iPad sketcher – chances are you like to use a little bit of assistance with your (lack of) drawing abilities. For this, it’s hard to deny that Paper by FiftyThree is without a doubt the best in its category; some people have even admitted to being swayed into purchasing an iPad…

It’s hard to deny that when it comes to speeding up your workflow in any given software, keyboard shortcuts (AKA Hot Keys) are far and away among the most efficient ways of shaving time off of your digital tasks. Whether you’re gathering some inspiration images in Photoshop, starting some sketches in Sketchbook Pro, Developing a…

It stretches. It bounces. It tears and it shatters – now put it next to a magnet and it comes alive! Of course you remember playing with Silly Putty as a kid. Thinking Putty, however, is no longer just Silly; it’s all grown up and developed even more superpowers! Thinking Putty is a silicone polymer-based…

Before the era of smartphone video and video sharing sites such as YouTube and Vimeo, one of the more frustrating skills to learn was sketching – and to be more specific – design sketching. As the old saying goes, “kids today don’t know how good they have it,” using video to learn new skills is…

For those needing to create presentations on-the-go, the iPad has been both a blessing and a burden; while it clearly enables users to do something, it lacks the power to create something that most people would feel comfortable standing in front of while giving a presentation. Ultimately, the tablet has become an in-between tool for…

Along with a host of other announcements at Apple’s Spring Forward event earlier this month was the announcement of an entirely new keyboard and trackpad system that focuses on more intuitive experiences and further flexibility for control. While the keyboard keys will provide a more touch-sensitive experience, the Force Touch upgrade on trackpads will offer…

Among all of the possible things that happen in a workshop, there is a seemingly endless supply of pleasurable experiences that include making a final cut, attaching the last piece to an assembly or simply just finding out that your jig concept works flawlessly. Among others though, creating a perfect mold with seamless edges and…

Your office microwave may soon no longer be reserved for just Prismacolor pencils, stale coffee or the occasional Ham and Cheese Hot Pocket anymore. The Rocketbook Cloud-Integrated Microwavable Notebook, which has currently raised over $260,000 on Indiegogo, just might be the zaniest and most impressive crowdfunded sketchbook concept we’ve seen yet. While the Rocketbook is…

Have a great idea for a new product but are afraid to bring it up at meetings or perhaps you are having trouble fleshing-out your idea and need direction? Then Adobe’s Kickbox might just be what you need to solve those issues. The idea behind Kickbox essentially gives all the tools necessary to Adobe employees…

Ever since the first iPad was released in 2010, the discussion regarding what the best portable digital sketching tool or tool combination is has only grown more complicated over the years. Between those who have found success with using the later Microsoft Surface to early adopters of the Wacom Cintiq Companion, the debate ultimately always…

Why is it that the kids get cooler toys than the adults nowadays? Because they’re EDUCATIONAL. MySTEMkits.com just launched on Kickstarter today, offering you and your offspring the chance to learn a few more things about nearly everything that’s cool. Boasting dozens of kits covering topics from biology to design to applied math, mySTEMkits is another…

Last time we checked in with master design sketcher (and even-better sketching instructor) Scott Robertson, he was releasing his second interactive design tutorial book How to Render. The book, which follows the equally-awesome design sketching book How to Draw, features what are quite possibly the most in-depth explanations of how to render sketches ever published.…

Since raising over $10 million USD on Kickstarter in May of 2012, the Pebble E-Paper Watch for iPhone and Android (AKA Pebble Smartwatch) has gone on to be one of the better success stories that has come out of the crowdfunding platform. At the time of their Kickstarter campaign, the smartwatch concept was still relatively…

Although 3D printer sales have grown exponentially in the past few years, the cost of purchasing a desktop 3D printer hasn’t changed drastically enough for a new generation of ‘non-prosumers’ to wholeheartedly adopt the technology yet. While on-demand services such as Shapeways promise the same results (or better), the lack of instant gratification leaves much…

Whether it comes down to finally setting up the workspace of your dreams, refreshing your portfolio with side projects, or simply just committing to doing a given task on a daily basis, organizing and planning for success is among one of the more difficult challenges outside of the daily grind. While one could resort to…

Before the YouTube explosion of self-produced design sketching tutorials, a large amount of the industrial design, concept art and design engineer community learned how to ‘draw through’ and hone their visual communication skills with concept designer Scott Robertson’s sketching DVDs from the Gnomon Workshop. The Art Center-trained concept designer—whose keen ability to bounce in and…

If you’re a product designer or engineer, chances are that side projects have come up on occasion and just like any other design discipline that goes into freelance-land, requires some know-how in regards to accounting and best business practices. Unfortunately, a lot of design and engineering schools depend on students to ‘figure it out’ on…

As time goes on, we are quickly seeing an ever-changing job market. Many employers are looking for new designers with additive manufacturing skills in their bag of tricks. Along with new technology comes new opportunities, and in our realm of 3d design that means instant gratification, well pretty close anyways. These days, you can set…

If you’re familiar with Shapeways, chances are you’ve heard of Shapeways’ Designer Evangelist Duann Scott. The enthusiastic spokesman for the popular on-demand 3D printing service is not only a great voice for the 7-year old company, but also for the small world of 3D printing in general. On Shapeways, Duann describes himself as a Product…

There are five things I want after designing a part–a damn part, damn fast. 3D printing was suppose to be the revolutionary technology that made all our manufacturing woes go away, speed the whole process up and leave machinists in a wake of plastic fumes and corporate laughter. DMLS still holds high hopes for production…

Few things go better together than true love and a bag of Quikrete. Well, perhaps we can sit on that one for awhile but in the meantime, this Death Star Vase made from a Star Wars-themed silicone mold is quite possibility one of the better-balanced DIY projects we’ve seen in awhile: not too polished, functional…

As a follow-up to the Tramline Ride showcased last week, we’ve rounded up ten delightful DIY Pallet Hacks to add to your summer project list. Sourcing used (or even new) pallets shouldn’t be hard—nearly two billion and counting are in circulation in the US alone. Needles to say, that’s a lot of wood; however do…

We’re workin’ on something pretty smokin’ for The Smack this week, and in the process we put together a quick tutorial. Check it out on MCADForums. While you’re there, consider posting a question or something so we can make fun of it help out. Have fun kids.

Office warfare can come in many forms. For some it involves competitive games of ping pong or foosball…for others it involves spitballs and the occasional foam dart. Perhaps you even find yourself having to protect your beloved toy collection or Copic marker set from thieving co-workers similar to Milton in the 1999 comedy classic Office…

Open up the pockets or bag of your nearest design or engineer buddy and you’re bound to find at least a couple of common items: a sketchbook, a pen, a multi-tool or knife, and if you’re lucky…an embarrassing driver’s license photo that you can run and make copies of to post around the office. In…

Implementing a fully digital drawing workflow from end to end is a desire of many companies. The digital workflow should be divided into two categories: the workflow for drawing creation and the workflow for drawing consumption. During the creation process, a digital workflow improves collaboration, improves communication between the designers and engineers, ensures data is…

Leave it up to industrial designer Adam O’Hern and his industrial design training site cadjunkie to sharpen those SolidWorks Ninja skills. Released today, the new and improved course pages for the SolidWorks 101, 201 and 301 series are the perfect way to stay on top of your SolidWorks skill set. Featuring projects including a robot…

If you’ve been patiently waiting for the right time to get a new performance mouse for rocking through all those fillets, chamfers, and bridges, Amazon is offering a one-day fire sale on an assortment of Logitech products at half-off for today only.

Grabbing as much data as you can prior to jumping in to a design project is no easy beast to tackle—and this isn’t even including the task of putting that data into something graphically beautiful and communicative. Multi-disciplinary information design firm Column Five has launched the answer for turning that data into something that everybody…

Over in freelance land, sometimes clients want an entire ‘package-deal’ with their product idea and brand ready to go at the flip of a switch. For those who don’t want to play creative director but need a placeholder logo, consider the new Squarespace Logo Generator that combines the simplicity of Squarespace with the massive icon…

As a media company, we’ve seen our fair share of apps, platforms, and ways of getting our content to the masses. Some people prefer to wait for EngineerVsDesigner to roll in over the air on their iPhone while some prefer watching the show here on the Smack. This week brings a whole new way of…

With everything from 3D print fail blogs to in-depth tutorials on how to avoid various 3D printing pitfalls, it was only a matter time before we saw a 3D print preview offering. Unsurprisingly, Autodesk Labs has given us our first taste of what to expect with their all-new Project Miller app designed for testing and…

Few things can tell you more about somebody’s personality than a list of their all-time favorite reads. Okay, maybe a hidden playlist of Dolly Parton’s hits has the potential to be slightly more revealing but regardless, book lists are definitely up there. From various philosophy books to instructional guides on Chinese calligraphy and the biography…

Just one month fresh out of college, graphic designer Jeff Sheldon of Downington, PA found himself moving through quite a few life milestones: he married his high school sweetheart, relocated to a different state (Vermont), and started a full-time job. Soon after, the young designer found himself continually daydreaming about launching his own brand centered…

Stepping back into the school routine after a summer of endless squirt gun fights, milk chugging competitions, and road trips to obscure Route 66 destinations can be hard…we’ve been there. Or perhaps you’re not a student but the first sight of a big yellow school bus and lunch box displays at your local Whole Foods…

After School Smack is a new feature here on SolidSmack where we talk with current design students about the current happenings of their budding design careers. We’ll discuss everything from how they’re approaching the wide-open field of industrial design to how they’re keeping their portfolios fresh and their mind in the game. To kick us…

For those of you who have implemented the new Power Surfacing plug in for SolidWorks into your toolset, your work has no doubt taken a more organic route. For those unfamiliar with the plug in, Power Surfacing allows you to design complex freeform Class A surfaces in SolidWorks without the headache of patching trimmed surfaces…