{"id":7848,"date":"2017-03-31T10:44:03","date_gmt":"2017-03-31T14:44:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/?p=7848"},"modified":"2017-03-31T10:44:03","modified_gmt":"2017-03-31T14:44:03","slug":"fusing-design-engineering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/2017\/03\/31\/fusing-design-engineering\/","title":{"rendered":"Fusing Design and Engineering"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI got into mechanical engineering because I liked to build stuff and tinker, solve problems, and I was good at math,\u201d states Mike Scully, the founder of Lever Gear,<\/a> a manufacturer of handheld multi-tools. Based on his talents and interests, Scully was encouraged to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering at NC State. It was a good fit.<\/p>\n

While attending, he was offered a co-op with IBM. He participated in a collaborative project that also included industrial design students. \u201cSeeing what they did and the creative side seemed interesting and fun.\u201d This led him to take a design course for non-design majors; through that experience, he decided he would complete his engineering degree and continue his education at the College of Design.<\/p>\n

He became a graduate student in industrial design. A Track 3 student\u2019s first year is focused on learning the fundamentals of design and the needed skills: drawing, ideation, design thinking, and the iterative process. The environmental change from engineering to design was unique and refreshing to Scully. \u201cIn engineering, there are a lot of right and wrong answers, and it is very rigid,\u201d he says. \u201cIn design, it is wide open, and there is more flexibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a purposeful design process to go through\u2014a very structured creative process\u201d that Scully describes as part of the ideation and brainstorming to discover the design possibilities. \u201cIt\u2019s broad to narrow, broad to narrow, until you formulate the best design solution.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a design student, Scully took part in the Product Innovation Lab, an interdisciplinary course in which student teams from various disciplines formulate, design, and evaluate new product concepts. This PIL course was co-founded by Professor Emeritus of Industrial Design Haig Khachatoorian, IDSA (in 2009, the course was named by Forbes Magazine one of the top ten innovative business courses in the US). It was during this course that Scully realized the value of his engineering degree complimented by design. He also learned an invaluable lesson: In engineering, there are tight constraints to solving problems. Design is all about \u201cletting go of the constraints of the project at the beginning and [being] more creative,\u201d he says. Scully credits Vince Foote and Bryan Laffitte, both professors of industrial design, as continually impressing this upon him.<\/p>\n

A summer internship with Compaq in their commercial laptop division, located in Houston, TX, provided additional real-world experience for Scully. He was given the opportunity to come up with a mini-thesis project of his choosing and develop it throughout the summer. The project became the property of IBM, but he was encouraged to use it in his portfolio.<\/p>\n

In 2000, Scully received his MID degree and was ready to put his engineering and design skills to use and experience some fun. He headed to San Francisco, CA, and landed a job at a consulting firm. His dual degree was beneficial, as the firm provided engineering and design services. Being a part of a small firm offered him the opportunity to experience all aspects of the business, and he learned a lot.<\/p>\n

Needing a \"\"<\/a>change, Scully started to look for a position in a larger firm. At the time, he had his portfolio online, which was garnering freelance work that continued to flourish. \u201cI decided to start my own firm and became a freelance design agency working on contract projects,\u201d Scully states. \u201cIt was great experience, but I was missing the collaboration and group environment, and I felt isolated.\u201d He decided to ask around on Facebook \u201cto find other designers who were in a similar position,\u201d and the response he received was enthusiastic. It led to the founding of Design Guild San Francisco, a collaborative studio environment for professionals with a variety of design discipline expertise to come together and share space, ideas, and resources. \u201cIt was co-working before co-working was an idea,\u201d he says. The creative space offered an opportunity to collaborate, as well as and the socialization and interaction Scully sought.<\/p>\n

Business was great, but his clients were all companies who had their own visions of a product. Despite the resources and connections they offered, Scully was yearning to design his own products\u2014from the inception to the manufacturing.<\/p>\n

A move from San Francisco to Asheville, NC, became an opportunity to take the leap of faith and start a company that would satisfy his desire to design products that he says could \u201ctick all the right boxes with aspects of design and engineering\u201d and that were not just aesthetic, but functional and engineered to last.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was always looking for the right project and had a few stalled starts that didn\u2019t work for whatever reason,\u201d he muses. With his new company, Lever Gear, his intent is to design high-quality, timeless products that fit within the everyday carry market, or EDC, a niche of the items that you carry with you on a daily basis. Items include all aspects of preparedness and will be well-designed for a personal style.<\/p>\n

\u201cI discovered there was this whole market already built. The Toolcard, our first project, fit all the parameters of a quality product and the market I wanted to be in,\u201d he emphasizes. He also wanted his product to be simple, with a limited number of parts that would allow him to control the entire process. In the consumer electronic market, the product is so complex it may require a large amount of contracting out componen\"\"<\/a>ts and pieces.<\/p>\n

In addition, he wanted his product to be small, easy to store and ship, and be within a certain price point. The Toolcard, again, satisfied these requirements. The idea for the Toolcard started years earlier with a design exercise he self-initiated. The idea was to design something about the shape of a credit card; however, the design and the project never went anywhere. That is, until years later when he was in a gift shop and stumbled upon a multi-purpose wallet and realized that it was similar to his unfinished idea. \u201cThis item was neat, but not very well optimized, and I realized I could design this product and do it a lot better.\u201d<\/p>\n

And so the Toolcard was developed. Scully did some market research to determine the viability, what was currently on the market, and how he could improve for better functionality. What he designed is a product that incorporates 40 tools and a detachable money clip into a compact, stainless steel device for under $30. Some of the features included are a bottle opener, a can opener, various wrenches, a ruler, a cord cutter, a nail puller, a screwdriver, and a protractor. The items can also be personalized.<\/p>\n

Scully believes that \u201cif you are going to carry something around for a while, [you should] get something that lasts.\u201d Sales seem to be supporting his vision.<\/p>\n

Lever Gear is still in its infancy, however, Scully and his wife, who does the marketing and promotion for the company, are optimistic. \u201cWe have ideas for different products and are currently working on them,\u201d he states. \u201cWe want to take our time with the design and development process. It needs to be right\u2014we don\u2019t want to rush it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"\"\"<\/a>\n\n\u201cI got into mechanical engineering because I liked to build stuff and tinker, solve problems, and I was good at math,\u201d states Mike Scully, the founder of Lever Gear,<\/a> a manufacturer of handheld multi-tools. Based on his talents and interests, Scully was encouraged to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering at NC State. It was a good fit.\n\nWhile attending, he was offered a co-op with IBM. He participated in a collaborative project that also included industrial design students. \u201cSeeing what they did and the creative side seemed interesting and fun.\u201d This led him to take a design course for non-design majors; through that experience, he decided he would complete his engineering degree and continue his education at the College of Design.\n\nHe became a graduate student in industrial design. A Track 3 student\u2019s first year is focused on learning the fundamentals of design and the needed skills: drawing, ideation, design thinking, and the iterative process. The environmental change from engineering to design was unique and refreshing to Scully. \u201cIn engineering, there are a lot of right and wrong answers, and it is very rigid,\u201d he says. \u201cIn design, it is wide open, and there is more flexibility.\u201d\n\n\u201cThere is a purposeful design process to go through\u2014a very structured creative process\u201d that Scully describes as part of the ideation and brainstorming to discover the design possibilities. \u201cIt\u2019s broad to narrow, broad to narrow, until you formulate the best design solution.\u201d\n\nAs a design student, Scully took part in the Product Innovation Lab, an interdisciplinary course in which student teams from various disciplines formulate, design, and evaluate new product concepts. This PIL course was co-founded by Professor Emeritus of Industrial Design Haig Khachatoorian, IDSA (in 2009, the course was named by Forbes Magazine one of the top ten innovative business courses in the US). It was during this course that Scully realized the value of his engineering degree complimented by design. He also learned an invaluable lesson: In engineering, there are tight constraints to solving problems. Design is all about \u201cletting go of the constraints of the project at the beginning and [being] more creative,\u201d he says. Scully credits Vince Foote and Bryan Laffitte, both professors of industrial design, as continually impressing this upon him.\n\nA summer internship with Compaq in their commercial laptop division, located in Houston, TX, provided additional real-world experience for Scully. He was given the opportunity to come up with a mini-thesis project of his choosing and develop it throughout the summer. The project became the property of IBM, but he was encouraged to use it in his portfolio.\n\nIn 2000, Scully received his MID degree and was ready to put his engineering and design skills to use and experience some fun. He headed to San Francisco, CA, and landed a job at a consulting firm. His dual degree was beneficial, as the firm provided engineering and design services. Being a part of a small firm offered him the opportunity to experience all aspects of the business, and he learned a lot.\n\nNeeding a \"\"<\/a>change, Scully started to look for a position in a larger firm. At the time, he had his portfolio online, which was garnering freelance work that continued to flourish. \u201cI decided to start my own firm and became a freelance design agency working on contract projects,\u201d Scully states. \u201cIt was great experience, but I was missing the collaboration and group environment, and I felt isolated.\u201d He decided to ask around on Facebook \u201cto find other designers who were in a similar position,\u201d and the response he received was enthusiastic. It led to the founding of Design Guild San Francisco, a collaborative studio environment for professionals with a variety of design discipline expertise to come together and share space, ideas, and resources. \u201cIt was co-working before co-working was an idea,\u201d he says. The creative space offered an opportunity to collaborate, as well as and the socialization and interaction Scully sought.\n\nBusiness was great, but his clients were all companies who had their own visions of a product. Despite the resources and connections they offered, Scully was yearning to design his own products\u2014from the inception to the manufacturing.\n\nA move from San Francisco to Asheville, NC, became an opportunity to take the leap of faith and start a company that would satisfy his desire to design products that he says could \u201ctick all the right boxes with aspects of design and engineering\u201d and that were not just aesthetic, but functional and engineered to last.\n\n\u201cI was always looking for the right project and had a few stalled starts that didn\u2019t work for whatever reason,\u201d he muses. With his new company, Lever Gear, his intent is to design high-quality, timeless products that fit within the everyday carry market, or EDC, a niche of the items that you carry with you on a daily basis. Items include all aspects of preparedness and will be well-designed for a personal style.\n\n\u201cI discovered there was this whole market already built. The Toolcard, our first project, fit all the parameters of a quality product and the market I wanted to be in,\u201d he emphasizes. He also wanted his product to be simple, with a limited number of parts that would allow him to control the entire process. In the consumer electronic market, the product is so complex it may require a large amount of contracting out componen\"\"<\/a>ts and pieces.\n\nIn addition, he wanted his product to be small, easy to store and ship, and be within a certain price point. The Toolcard, again, satisfied these requirements. The idea for the Toolcard started years earlier with a design exercise he self-initiated. The idea was to design something about the shape of a credit card; however, the design and the project never went anywhere. That is, until years later when he was in a gift shop and stumbled upon a multi-purpose wallet and realized that it was similar to his unfinished idea. \u201cThis item was neat, but not very well optimized, and I realized I could design this product and do it a lot better.\u201d\n\nAnd so the Toolcard was developed. Scully did some market research to determine the viability, what was currently on the market, and how he could improve for better functionality. What he designed is a product that incorporates 40 tools and a detachable money clip into a compact, stainless steel device for under $30. Some of the features included are a bottle opener, a can opener, various wrenches, a ruler, a cord cutter, a nail puller, a screwdriver, and a protractor. The items can also be personalized.\n\nScully believes that \u201cif you are going to carry something around for a while, [you should] get something that lasts.\u201d Sales seem to be supporting his vision.\n\nLever Gear is still in its infancy, however, Scully and his wife, who does the marketing and promotion for the company, are optimistic. \u201cWe have ideas for different products and are currently working on them,\u201d he states. \u201cWe want to take our time with the design and development process. It needs to be right\u2014we don\u2019t want to rush it.\u201d\n\n\"\"<\/a>"},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NCSU Alumni Mike Scully founded his company Lever Gear to satisfy a desire to design products with all the right aspects of design and engineering with both functionality and durability to last.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":7849,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"source":"","ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,1],"tags":[19,6],"class_list":["post-7848","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni-experience","category-uncategorized","tag-_featured","tag-industrial-design"],"displayCategory":null,"acf":{"ncst_posts_meta_modified_date":null},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7848","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7848"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7848\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7848"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7848"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/design.ncsu.edu\/architecture\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7848"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}