Studio Visit : Desmania Design Studio

IND Visit to Desmania Design Studio, 7th March, 2014

Desmania Design is design studio specializing in the fields of electronics, transportation and home appliances and operates out of offices located in Delhi, Mumbai and the United States. Although a multidisciplinary studio, Desmania has a firm footing on the industrial design scene and their clients include Yamaha, Whirlpool and LG.

A full-scale automotive concept developed by Desmania, created in industrial clay and MDF, finished with a high quality paint finish.

On Friday, March 7th, 2014, students of Raffles Millennium International’s Product Design department were invited by Desmania-New Delhi to tour their clay modeling facilities in Manesar, where full-scale, painted models of their automotive designs are created for design analysis and client presentations.

Product Design students Vidyut Jacob, Dhruv Prasad and Siddhant Khajuria listen and take notes as Senior Automotive Designer and Manager of Operations Mr. Vinay explains the responsibilities and capabilities of the facility.

The students were greeted by Mr. Vinay, Senior Automotive designer and manager of Desmania’s Manesar facility. Mr. Vinay gave an introductory overview to the students of the facilities purpose and how the facility helps complement the creative work at Desmania as a whole. Mr. Vinay then went on to explain the design process there starting with clients’ brief, through concept development, problem identification and solution steps and design development ending with full-scale clay modeling and presentation. Mr. Vinay also explained that after securing clients’ approval of the presented design, engineering and technical steps begin to make the design ready for production.

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IND Visit to Desmania Design Studio, 7th March, 2014

The students then toured Desmania’s clay modeling workshop, which is outfitted with special warming ovens (making the clay soft for application) and carving tools used to work the clay when firm at room temperature. Mr. Vinay explained that the clay model craftspeople work from large technical drawings to create the 3D clay model.

The next stop on the tour was the extra large spray booth, capable of spray painting full scale automotive clay models. The booth is room-sized, dust free, and vents spray fumes to the outside with the use of large exhaust fans, ensuring smooth, professional quality finishes every time.

Product Design student Vibhor Gulati shows Desmania’s warming oven, where “billets” of special industrial clay are softened.

Above: a finished “scale” model. Smaller clay models like these are made to analyze form and make revisions before moving on to full-scale models.

Students posing for a photo in Desmania’s room-sized spray booth, where models and prototypes are painted.

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IND Visit to Desmania Design Studio, 7th March, 2014

Mr. Vinay then went on to give a tour of Desmania’s prototyping facility where craftspeople operate vacuum forming machines, milling machines and Rapid Prototyping machines to create detailed parts for their automotive designs as well as working prototypes for Desmania’s other product design clients.

Due to proprietary reasons, photography was not allowed in the protyping area, but the students still had a chance to see several prototypes for a variety of Desmania’s clients being assembled at various stages of production and others being tested for functionality.

The tour concluded in the front reception area, which showcases high quality examples of what Desmania’s design team and craftspeople are capable of, where a Q & A wrap-up was held.

A collection of vacuum formed parts, at various stages of production, awaiting assembly to models and prototypes.

Upon reflection of the field trip, student of Product Design Vishakh Ranotra said, “Desmania is a proper product and industrial design studio which shows how the discipline is really being practised on an international level right here in India. The design process I saw being followed here is quite direct and incredibly relevant for a student of product design to become familiar with”.

Student Siddhant Khajuria said, “It was amazing to see the variety of things that go on in the field, how professional product designers work, the tools and equipment they use, and the strategies they follow.

One important thing I got out of this studio visit is the importance of deadlines.”

Automobiles, usually symmetric in form, are often half-modeled and placed against a mirror which reflects the other side and completes the form. This technique saves time and cost of materials.

Product Design students Dhruv Prasad, Mohit Singh and Vidyut Jacob look over and discuss one of Desmania’s auto designs.

Reflecting further on the importance of deadlines, Siddhant Khajuria also said “Mr. Vinay explained that the Desmania design team always has time on their minds while working. Fitting in all that conceptualization and development to deliver a project within a certain time frame is a constant thing for designers. All in all I found the trip inspiring.”

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IND Visit to Desmania Design Studio, 7th March, 2014 Sudarsh Singh said “It was eye opening to see the way automotive concepts are really designed in industry. As a student of Product Design, I feel it’s important to know these processes. I was very impressed by their modeling and finishing techniques and am very happy I had a chance to go there and see it being done first-hand.”

Product Design lecturer Antonio Suarez said “the field trip to Desmania let students see how a real product design studio operates. The students got to see different methods of materials and fabrication techniques for model making and prototyping, which gave them ideas on how to tackle some of their ongoing school projects”.

Program Director of Product Design, Devon R. Foster said “the ability to constantly connect with industry and industry practice is invaluable to students of this discipline. We really thank Mr. Vinay and Desmania for their time in showing us their real “nuts and bolts” design studio which is working on such current industry projects.”

Above: Mr Vinay of Desmania Design shows a small scale model of one of their automotive designs and Product Design student Vidyut Naidu stands next to the full-size version.

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