sergio antonio salvi, materials for kids and toys (lecture extract)

MATERIALS FOR KIDS AND TOYS

an introduction

Sergio Antonio Salvi

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

AND MANUFACTURING

TECHNOLOGIES


an introduction

Thank to kids imagination, hypothetically every kind of material could be used to get a new toy, even wet sand…

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGIES



an introduction

From the productive point of view, an object suitable to be industrialized, as the product design culture states, must be manufacturable

Artisanal toy soldiers, Mexico




an introduction

In the past, due both to limited markets and lack of materials knowledge, toys could be manufactured by traditional processes, like metal sheet drawing

Metal toy robot




an introduction

Nowadays the so called “global market” drives manufacture towards new materials and transformation technologies; this orientation also matches the productive quality strategy purposes

Lego injection moulded bricks




an introduction

Senses stimulation

Sense of touch: softness-hardness and flexibility-stiffness sensation

Hevea natural rubber puppets




an introduction

Senses stimulation

Sense of touch: smoothness-roughness sensation exploited in Braille comprehension




an introduction

Senses stimulation

Sense of touch: hot-cold sensation due to both mental evocation and, above all, thermal conductivity




an introduction

Senses stimulation

Sense of sight: colours probably determine the most important kind of sense stimulation; some types of classes of materials, like polymers, allow to choice almost all colours parameters (hue, nuance – darkness, saturation –)

NCS 3D space




an introduction

Senses stimulation

Sense of sight: the so called “new materials” sometimes allow to configure high level stimulation

“Foglia”, made of light emitting material (des. Branzi, prod. Memphis)




an introduction

Senses stimulation

Sense of hearing: depending on their nature, mass, dimensions, geometry, materials can emit either noises or sounds if strained…

Diapason




an introduction

Senses stimulation

Sense of hearing: … from the other hand, for the same reasons, they can absorb them

Interior panels designed to absorb noises and sounds




an introduction

Senses stimulation

Senses of smell and taste: even these senses, if necessary, can be stimulated by adding substances to materials




an introduction

“Functional” and “structural” materials

Some of the materials herein indicated are functional, because used to exploit some well defined characteristics; anyway the most important characteristic of a material is the “structurality”, because materials, first of all, must resist




an introduction

Materials safeness

Selecting materials for a new product, especially in case it is dedicated to kids, a very important goal is to guarantee their safeness

Avent feeding bottles and pacifier



OMITTED

sergio antonio salvi, materials for kids and toys (lecture extract)

Design