Industrial design is the artistic design of objects that we use in everyday life, in production, etc. Everything that surrounds us is created either by nature or by man. If in the first case the appearance of an object is influenced by natural processes and physics, then in the second we often deal with the result of the work of an industrial designer.
At Rostec enterprises, which are committed to increasing the share of civilian products, great attention is being paid to product design today: industrial design centers are being created, young creators are being attracted. One of the indicators of this great work is the high appreciation of the professional community and awards at specialized competitions. For example, several products of the Corporation this year became laureates of the national award "The Best industrial Design of Russia".
About how industrial designers create masterpieces at the intersection of beauty and functionality – in our material.
How masterpieces are born
Industrial design combines aesthetics and an engineering understanding of user needs. Industrial or industrial designers play a key role in creating products that not only look attractive, but also perform their functions efficiently and conveniently.
In order for this formula – function plus aesthetics − to work perfectly, an industrial designer first builds a product hypothesis and its basic user principles based on a variety of factors. He thinks over scenarios for the use of an object in everyday life, determines what kind of object will create emotional impressions for the user.
Having come up with several embodiments of the subject, the industrial designer creates sketches and concepts in which he experiments with shapes, materials and colors, relying on the customer's technical specifications and his own observation.
Technical Aesthetics Magazine
If the customer approves the created concepts, working prototypes are created based on the most promising ones. They can be physical models or digital layouts, on the basis of which you can test their key functions and ergonomics in use.
When the design is finally approved, cooperation with engineers begins to prepare the product for mass production. It is important to take into account technological limitations here: how the product will be manufactured, what are its performance characteristics. All these aspects affect the final result.
One of the main tasks of industrial design is to balance beauty and functionality. Masterpieces of industrial design are able to evoke emotions among consumers due to their aesthetic design while remaining practical to use.
Examples of such iconic products can be seen in many areas of life — from a faceted glass and a Viennese chair to an iPhone. These products have become symbols of their time due to the fact that they not only meet the practical needs of users, but also inspire with their design.
Design in Russian
Industrial design in Russia is a relatively new phenomenon, despite the fact that it has existed since Soviet times. Notable examples of Soviet design include the world-famous Zenit camera. Its first model appeared back in 1952. In 1965, the now iconic Zenit-E camera manufactured by the S.A. Zverev Krasnogorsk Plant (part of the Rostec Shvabe Holding) became available to Soviet citizens. The camera is considered one of the most popular in the world – about 12 million copies were produced in various modifications during the Soviet period.
Zenit-EM development team: V.I. Shtannikov, G.S. Blynsky, V.A. Gapeev, N.M. Marenkov, V.A. Povalyaev
Another example of a cult Soviet product is the AK-47 assault rifle. The image of the most widespread automatic rifle in the world is reflected both in popular culture and in folk art — the model of the machine gun can be found in paintings, jewelry, interior design and even on the flags of some countries. New models of Kalashnikov assault rifles continue the tradition of visual minimalism with perfection of function.
Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov reports to the officers of the inventions Department of the Main Artillery Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the USSR on the new layout of the machine gun
The products created during the Soviet period had competitive technical characteristics, but their appearance often lost out to foreign analogues. Now the field of industrial design in Russia is on the rise, and Rostec is one of the active participants in this process.
According to the plans, the share of civilian products of the State Corporation's enterprises should be 50%, and these products should differ favorably in the free market, including design and ergonomics, and meet the needs of customers. To do this, industrial design centers are being created at Rostec enterprises, and industrial designers are being introduced into the staff.
To prepare in this direction, the Rostec Academy has developed the Industrial Design program, where designers, engineers, developers and marketers of the Corporation are trained in current trends and the necessary competencies to create competitive products. The training is conducted by well-known designers and experts in this field. The program is the first step in the cycle of measures for the introduction of industrial design and ergonomics at the enterprises of the State Corporation.
Decipher the design code
The results of this activity are not long in coming, because the need for a fresh look, ergonomic and bright solutions is important even when designing industrial equipment.
The "Best Industrial Design of Russia" award is engaged in stimulating the development of modern design thought, which for the second year selects the most interesting and striking works in various categories. The award is held under the patronage of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Culture of Russia and the Government of Moscow. In 2024, the award received the status of a national award.
Photo: KRET
This year's laureates include several developments of Rostec enterprises. The first place in the nomination "Design product" of the category "Design of medical equipment" was awarded to the artificial lung ventilation device "Mobivent ARM" of the Ural Instrument-Making Plant (UPZ, part of the Concern Radioelectronic Technologies of Rostec State Corporation).
The designers of the plant connected intensive care doctors to the development of the device, who expressed their wishes on ergonomics. The design of the device has absorbed the best experience of domestic and foreign manufacturers. The materials used, shape and color scheme fully correspond to the purpose of the ventilator – to save the lives of patients in hospital conditions, in ambulances and on the boards of sanitation.
Another award-winning development of the State Corporation was the design project of the VMB 55 machine tool model of the STAN machine tool holding. He took second place in the category "Industrial equipment Design", and also became the third according to the results of the popular vote.
The VMB55 machining center is designed for complex milling of complex shaped parts. While maintaining the functionality necessary for the industry, the designers of the machine, the KUZIN Machinery team, applied strict smooth surfaces and rounded transitions. One of the key elements of the developed design code is the company logo and the contour illumination of the details loading window. The perforation pattern of the cabinet protection of the machine is based on the brand of the STAN company. According to the designers, the new look of Rostec machines is an attempt to comprehend and emphasize the characteristic traditional features of the Russian engineering school − calm reliability, romanticism and rational moderation.
