“Forms Follow Function” is an old key design concept that started in architecture in the mid of the XX’s. Modern product design, so as value analysis and 人体工程学 on one side, and modern 计算机辅助设计 system ability to design almost any 3D shape and injection techniques on the other, make that even more actual for mechanical designers. An extensive image gallery of design examples is proposed here.
The “Forms follow Function” principle states that:
“the shape of a building or object should be primarily based upon its intended function or purpose.” source: 维基百科
它在现代产品设计中应用广泛，在详细的零件设计和制造中应用更为广泛，是任何价值分析的基础。
The Forms Follow Function Principle Applied
The concept can be applied in several ways:
- ergonomics: obtain a good physical product-human interaction from the part’s shape (size, curves, weight)
- ergonomics again: 从形状本身获取清晰的视觉信息或指示。这会带来更好的效果。 用户体验 并将减少使用说明、标签和标记
- value analysis + lean: combine multiple parts into one. Have complex parts from the shape (without complicating the tools). Plastic injection, hot stamping, or metal injection (aluminum, MAZAC …) is often the key here. In each process, find your “designer-magician”, the one that can make the best use of that technology while keeping tools simple.
- value analysis + lean again: use the material properties (soft, flex, hard, spring, leak-tight ….). Or even choose the material with that criteria first
–> the 创新思维 methodology or numerous Design articles are here to help with this
FFF 示例数据库
The gallery below shows good examples of these principles – be inspired for your next Forms Follow Function design:
Video Illustration
No better way to illustrate the form following the function than this work on (very) big shapes by 麻省理工学院 researchers:
常用术语表
Computer Aided Design (CAD): 用于创建、修改、分析和优化工程、建筑和制造等各个领域的设计的软件应用程序，通过数字工具和技术实现精确的图纸和模型。
Computer-Aided Design (CAD): 用于创建、修改、分析和优化工程、建筑和制造等各个领域的设计的软件应用程序，通过数字工具和技术实现精确的图纸和模型。
Forms Follow Functions (FFF): 一种设计原则，指出物体的形状或外观应主要基于其预期功能或目的，强调实用性和可用性而不是美学考虑。
User experience (UX): 用户与产品、系统或服务交互时的整体满意度和感知，涵盖整个交互过程中的可用性、可访问性、设计和情感反应。
