209: Materials Research for Consumer Product Design
Jan 12, 2024
auto_awesome
Ori Yudilevich, CTO of Materials Zone, discusses the importance of materials research in hardware product design, current trends in materials science, and how to select the right materials for manufacturing and marketing. Materials impact functionality, efficiency, and design. Staying updated on the latest technologies, sustainability, and supply chain problems is crucial. Material Zone is a platform for connecting procurement data and aiding material selection.
Materials research is crucial for product development and often overlooked by non-designers.
Sustainability and staying updated on the latest materials are key trends in product development.
Deep dives
The Importance of Materials in Product Development
Materials are the building blocks of everything around us, from everyday objects to advanced technologies. They play a crucial role in product design, functionality, and performance. Materials research and selection are vital to progress and innovation, especially in the context of sustainability and efficiency. Choosing the right materials can optimize product quality, performance, and cost-effectiveness. Moreover, materials can impact the visual design, engineering details, and functionality of a product. Understanding material parameters allows for informed decision-making in the design and manufacturing process.
Key Trends in Materials Science
Several key trends in materials science are shaping the landscape of product development. Sustainability has become increasingly important, with a focus on reducing carbon footprint and adopting eco-friendly materials. Supply chain constraints and geopolitical factors have led to the need for flexibility and alternative material choices. Strengthening regulations also influence material selection, with a greater emphasis on safety and health. Staying updated on the latest technologies and materials can enhance product quality, reduce costs, and address issues like sustainability and time-to-market.
The Role of Material Zone in Streamlining Material Selection
Material Zone, a materials information platform, helps companies streamline their material selection process. By centralizing data from procurement, sustainability, pricing, regulations, and more, Material Zone provides a unified view for R&D engineers. The platform leverages AI and machine learning to model data and predict material performance. This accelerates material discovery, reduces trial and error, and saves time and resources. Material Zone also promotes collaboration and visibility across different departments, ensuring a well-informed and optimized material selection process.
Ori Yudilevich is the CTO of Materials Zone, a materials information platform for hardware product development. He has a Ph.D. in Mathematics in the field of differential geometry and served as a Lecturer in the realm of higher education for over 15 years before transitioning into the industry. Today, Ori will share valuable knowledge for inventors, startups, and small manufacturers on why materials research is so important to the hardware product design process, burgeoning trends in materials science, and how to ensure you select the right materials to streamline manufacturing and maximize the efficacy of product marketing.
Here are the key takeaways from the episode:
Materials are in everything!
The product development process for all products requires a lot of research into materials.
Materials research is core to achieving progress with your invention idea.
Materials selection is an integral component of hardware development and is often overlooked by non-designers.
Materials selection is much like selecting ingredients when cooking. You can cut corners to minimize cost, but it will ultimately be noticeable to the consumers!
How to choose materials that best align with your product's purpose and the process of making those materials.
Materials are evolving, so it is important to remain up-to-date on the best materials available today.
Sustainable materials selection is a big trend right now!
Your customers are looking at what your product is made of, so carefully thought-out materials selection will boost its success beyond the manufacturing process.
The supply chain is a critical consideration, so it is best to choose materials that have supply flexibility.
Researching materials regulations according to your location is key, as certain rules need to be adhered to depending on the country you are selling in.
Think of materials selection from a manufacturing perspective and a product sales (customer) perspective.