peratech
tendo
tu delft
Five short case studies of glObal best practice in the integration of materials technology and design to improve innovation
in materials and design
KYOCERA
Best Practice
granta
BACKGROUND
BRIEF
InnoMatNet facilitates networking
The brief called for the case studies
between materials technology, design
to explore:
and other industry sectors in order to support and stimulate product and process innovation across Europe. It is funded under the NMP (Nanosciences, nanotechnologies, materials and new production technologies) theme of the European Commission (EC) 7th
• Project background, objectives, activities, partners, funding, tools used, lessons learned. • Best-performing business models to bring ‘communities’ together. • Views as to where in the value
Framework Programme.
chain it makes more sense to
In addition to an EU-wide survey of
integrate designers into materials
key materials, design and industry organisations, a database of expertise
production companies. • The perception of materials
and a series of inter-disciplinary
in different cultures inside and
networking events, it was felt that a set
outside the EU.
of case studies highlighting best practice would be a valuable project outcome.
• The appropriateness of an EU infrastructure for ‘open innovation’.
The task of researching and compiling the case studies was allocated to InnoMatNet consortium partner the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, and delivered through the Materials and Design Exchange (MaDE), a group within the UK Materials Knowledge Transfer Network.
Consortium
www.innomatnet.eu
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Best Practice in Materials and Design
granta
Best Practice in Materials and Design
SELECTION As part of the InnoMatNet survey led by consortium partner Chemistry Innovation
KYOCERA
KTN (CIKTN) in mid 2012, respondents were invited to propose examples of best practice that could “help speed up the
peratech
tendo
tu delft
design and commercialisation of innovative products and services which exploit the potential of new materials technologies�.
Granta Design
The resulting offers were reviewed by the
Granta Design creates software tools,
Materials KTN’s MaDE group and CIKTN
databases and visual aids to help
against the specified criteria, along with
engineers and designers more easily
proposals from academic researchers
access and apply information about
known to the consortium. To enable a
material properties, including their
wide range of approaches and contexts
environmental impact. With its origins
to be examined, the five selected case
in a pioneering materials education
studies comprised a small UK regional
programme at Cambridge University,
manufacturer (Peratech), a leading global
Granta is an active partner in several
brand (Kyocera), a design & materials
international research consortia that
research lab in the Netherlands (TU Delft),
aim to improve the choice and use of
a university spin-off consultancy (Granta
materials in manufacturing.
Design) and an historic study of a design-
www.grantadesign.com
led Japanese manufacturer (Tendo Mokko).
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Best Practice in Materials and Design
Best Practice in Materials and Design
Kyocera
Peratech
Kyocera is a global manufacturer based
Peratech Limited is an award winning
in Kyoto, Japan, with over 71,000 employees. Its products all employ advanced use of ceramic materials as the starting point for design innovation. Kyocera is founded on Buddhist principles and has evolved a unique corporate culture which informs its dealings with customers and supply chain partners. This has led to a pioneering emphasis on the role of sustainability in materials, product and service innovation. Dr Kazuo Inamori
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www.kyoceradocumentsolutions.co.uk
small company established in the north of England to develop and exploit QTC™ – an electrically conductive material that has pressure switching and sensing capabilities for use in products from sportswear to power tools. Peratech has taken a highly entrepreneurial approach to product development, and is an active collaborator with university physicists, product and textile designers, government agencies and EC research programmes. www.peratech.com
David Lussey
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Best Practice in Materials and Design
Best Practice in Materials and Design
light.touch.matters
Tendo Mokko
the product is the interface
Tendo Mokko is an innovative plywood furniture maker based in Tendo, Yamagata, Japan. The company has flourished despite its difficult wartime origins, making full use of design and technology
TU Delft
expertise to find inventive ways of
Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) was founded in 1842 and is now the largest
manufacturing with an unpredictable
Dutch technical university with over 19,000 students and 40+ Masters programmes.
raw material. The story of Tendo
The Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering maintains the TU Delft tradition of
Mokko’s early development has
strong links with companies and business schools, and is also a partner in several
been researched by Royal College
EC research projects. A particular interest is how best to facilitate collaboration
of Art historian of design and
between materials science and design practitioners, as explored in the FP7 project
manufacturing Dr Sarah Teasley.
Light.Touch.Matters. Also discussed is the Faculty’s growing involvement with the
www.tendo-mokko.co.jp www.rca.ac.uk
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‘Circular Economy’ in relation to materials and design education. www.tudelft.nl
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Best Practice in Materials and Design
Best Practice in Materials and Design
METHODOLOGY • Initial telephone discussions were held with senior individuals at each selected organisation to explain the InnoMatNet project and case study brief in more detail, and to understand better the background to their proposed case study. This was augmented by study of their respective websites and other public-domain materials. • It was decided that face-to-face
THEMES discussion and the interview terms
While operating in diverse markets and
and conditions.
at different scales, there are similarities
• Interviews comprising closed and open-ended questions were audiorecorded by prior agreement, and where possible a short video was made at the end, summarising key findings. These can be seen on the InnoMatNet website. Audio recordings were subsequently transcribed, edited and illustrated to
interviews would be the best way of
draw out the main insights and enable
capturing each story, and of inviting
easy dissemination online or in print.
respondents to engage further with InnoMatNet by speaking at project workshops and conferences. This also made it possible to film as well as record interview highlights. • Where possible interviewees were
• In addition to contributing case studies, several interviewees have since presented their work at InnoMatNet events across Europe
in organisational culture that help to explain why Granta Design, Kyocera, Peratech, Tendo Mokko and TU Delft are all successful at materials and design innovation. This might be summed up as open-mindedness, whether underpinned by the Buddhist philosophy that is central to Kyocera, or by Peratech’s sustained experimentation with QTC™ smart materials. Themes explored in the case studies include the accumulation of knowledge and expertise, the key role of business entrepreneurs, the value of travel and why collaboration is fundamental to innovation.
and we are grateful for their active championing of the project.
seen at their workplace, giving InnoMatNet an opportunity to see products and processes first hand and to meet other key people. The case study brief was sent in advance of each visit, together with a mind map showing potential areas for
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Best Practice in Materials and Design
Best Practice in Materials and Design
EXPERTISE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
All five case studies highlight the
The organisations and projects we
An enterprising approach is also
importance of having a solid core of
looked at were founded by and
noticeable in Tracey Rawling Church
high-level craft skills, process knowledge
still employ highly entrepreneurial
at Kyocera Document Solutions (UK)
or other forms of expertise at the core
individuals, whose vision, leadership
Ltd, whose work on changing industry
of the organisation. This has driven their
skills and willingness to experiment has
procurement systems is influenced
willingness to learn, made them more
created new opportunities and alliances.
by the company’s focus on genuine
David Lussey at Peratech displays
improvement through innovation and
endless enthusiasm for the possibilities
her own deeply held values.
of his materials invention, and has been
Meanwhile TU Delft’s Erik Tempelman
At Peratech in the north of England,
quick to exploit design and marketing
has stepped outside the comfort of
hundreds of practical materials
opportunities such as early interest from
academia to take on the challenge
experiments with a mortar and pestle at
Apple’s Steve Jobs. Both Tendo Mokko
of proving to the EC that design-led
the kitchen sink led to the break-through
and Granta Design recruited a business
materials development can work and
invention on which this small but
entrepreneur early on, which helped
lead to significant innovations.
enterprising company’s success is based.
transform them from local ventures
comfortable with experimentation, and given them credibility when working with external partners. Their deep understanding of the variable properties of wood gave Tendo Mokko’s ornamental carpenters the confidence to experiment with volume plywood furniture manufacture in post war Japan. Also from Japan, global brand Kyocera’s products are all inspired by decades of research into industrial ceramics technologies.
While at both Granta Design and TU Delft, their openness to working with external
to international organisations with extensive networks.
partners and developing new research is built on having access to exceptional academic and consultancy talent.
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Best Practice in Materials and Design
Best Practice in Materials and Design
LOCAL-GLOBAL
COLLABORATION
While emphasising the importance of
In the case of global brands like Kyocera,
It’s noticeable that the organisations
Examples here include TU Delft’s
local resources and expertise, engaging
basing Japanese nationals in European
studied are proactive collaborators –
enthusiasm for involving materials
with national and international suppliers,
territories as ‘translator-managers’ has
they don’t just join industry groups or
scientists in the Light.Touch.Matters
researchers or consumers has kept all five
enhanced communications and made it
consortiums but in several cases have
project, and Assistant Professor David
organisations’ thinking refreshed.
easier for local sustainability initiatives to
taken the lead by setting up consortia
Peck’s belief that multi-stakeholder
influence central product development.
to research materials and design
collaboration is the only way to tackle
innovations, or facilitate cross sector
big 21st century challenges like the
dialogue. They seem driven not only
Circular Economy. They caution,
to improve the quality of their own
however, that safeguards need to be
products and services, but to be part
in place to protect small companies
of making industry-wide and societal
from the commercial risks of open
change happen.
innovation, particularly when powerful
This willingness to absorb new influences was particularly noticeable with the Tendo
Granta Design’s profile was boosted
Mokko carpenters, who not only made
through their trading partnership with US
arduous journeys across mountains to
based ASM International, while Peratech
study at a Craft Research Institute, but
haven’t hesitated to get involved with
eventually sent employees to Europe to
EC research projects or work with OEMs
extend their design network.
across the world. Others make a point of travelling virtually by keeping up with international trends and building the insights gained into their local activities. For instance, David Peck at TU Delft noticed significant variation in the ranking different countries apply to critical materials, and is now among those arguing for common standards to enable workable solutions to be found.
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Other motivations may range from
large brands are also involved.
personal curiosity to funding and publicity, but the overall effect is to increase their understanding of how others think and work. This makes it easier for them to see the potential of, for instance, improved integration of design and materials science, and to network with like-minded people from other disciplines.
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Best Practice in Materials and Design
INTEGRATION OF MATERIALS AND DESIGN All five organisations take the integration of materials and design seriously, but there are differences between the drivers behind their approaches and the practical methodologies they have adopted. Tendo Mokko’s founding group of carpenters were skilled craftsmen for whom the design of furniture was inextricably linked with their understanding of timber properties and Peratech founder David Lussey attributes
Granta Design have gone a step further,
his insatiable curiosity about the
by basing their business model on peer
possibilities of QTC™ smart materials to
development of their materials selection
solving problems in the Royal Air Force.
software. To do this, they joined forces
As a result, Peratech have reached out to
with US material society ASM International
researchers, designers and anyone else
to set up the Material Data Management
who could help - working with a Regional
Consortium (MDMC), and invited Rolls
Technology Centre, Durham University,
Royce, NASA and other aerospace
the Design Council and several EC research
providers to act as ‘problem owners’.
manufacturing processes. Design became even more important as they sought to develop a niche in high-end plywood furniture and employed external designers. This was necessarily matched by constant shop floor experimentation with glues and forming techniques to ensure quality could be maintained during volume production.
projects. David is also a great exponent of industry participation in education – from making QTC™ samples available to education authorities to giving talks in schools and colleges.
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Best Practice in Materials and Design
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS disclaimer
Peratech realised early on that design
Granta Design grew from Professor
was needed to demonstrate the
Mike Ashby’s experience of educating
many potential uses of QTC™ smart
design engineering students at
materials and to create added value
Cambridge University about material
for consumers, as in the addition
properties, and how to select the
of wearable iPod switching to ski
optimum solution for a particular
jackets. After working with external
application. The sophisticated software
consultants for some years, they now
tools they have since developed are
employ in-house designers for optimum
enabling professional designers to be
integration of product, user experience
much better informed about materials
and technical engineering design.
choices, including future scarcity,
Sarah Teasley, Royal College of Art
and hence to be involved at a more
Erik Templeman, TU Delft
fundamental stage of R&D.
Tendo Mokko
The project runs from the 1 April 2012
Stephen Warde, Granta Design
to 30 September 2014. It involves
For Kyocera, careful attention to the design of physical products,
We are grateful to the following individuals
This report forms part of the
and organisations for their contribution to
deliverables from the InnoMatNet
the InnoMatNet case studies:
project which has received funding from
James Goddin, Granta Design
the European Commission’s Seventh
David Lussey, Peratech
Framework Programme FP7/2007-2013
Jamie O’Hare, Granta Design David Peck, TU Delft Tracey Rawling Church, Kyocera Document Solutions (UK) Ltd
under grant agreement n° 290583. The report reflects only the author’s views and the European Commission is not liable for any use that might be made of the content of this publication.
service systems and user experience
The premise of TU Delft’s Light.Touch.
is underpinned by the company’s
Matters project is that designers can
Case study suggestions taken from the
holistic philosophy and decades
play a significant and positive role in
InnoMatNet survey. Reviewed by:
of experimentation with ceramic
material innovation if they are involved
Claire Claessen and John Conti-Ramsden,
materials. R&D takes place at Kyocera’s
from the start. The team anticipate
Chemistry Innovation KTN
found at www.innomatnet.eu
headquarters in Japan, but is informed
that, by combining product designers’
John Bound, The Institute of Materials,
The lead contractor for the case studies
by a global feedback network providing
focus on end users and applications
Minerals & Mining (MaDE, Materials KTN)
was InnoMatNet consortium partner
consumer insight and access to regional
with materials scientists’ understanding
Research & editing:
the Institute of Materials, Minerals
developments in sustainability and
of old or emerging technologies,
John Bound, The Institute of Materials,
and Mining, with delivery through
other innovation drivers.
exciting breakthroughs will be achieved
Minerals & Mining (MaDE, Materials KTN)
the Materials and Design Exchange
in the field of smart materials for use in
Graphic design:
personal care. Practical tools and best practice lessons for materials-design integration are due to be disseminated across the EU in 2014-15.
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Lara Collins, The Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining See individual case studies for photography credits.
eleven partners and is coordinated by Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação (SPI). More information on the project can be
(MaDE), a group within the UK Materials Knowledge Transfer Network. www.iom3.org.uk www.materialsktn.net/made © InnoMatNet 2013
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