Block models are models that are used to give the designer a general idea of the products look. We use block models to:
Communicateform and shape
Test ergonomics
Present to a client
Analyse aesthetics
Visualisesurface details
See position of buttons
Sketch models are used in the development stage of to design process and are mainly made to help visualise ideas in their 3D form. We use sketch models when designing products to see:
Scale and size of the product
Anthropometrics
Function issues
Moving parts and mechanisms
Aesthetic factors
Test models are subjected to various tests on to ensure the safety and performance of a product is up to the designer and manufacturers expectations. We use test models to test and determine:
How well a product preforms
Efficiency
Structural stability
Material choice
If a product meets health and safety regulations
Any changes that need to be made before manufacture
Scale models are to the scale of the final product. (duh) We use scale models to:
Gather info about sizes
Check proportions
Test ergonomics
Figure out assembly methods
Use for market
Prototypes are full-sized, working models of the product which are made after testing and modelling other designs. We use prototypes to:
Prove the visibility of a design
Test a fully working product
Assist with marketing
Check for flaws before manufacturing
Why are prototypes expensive?
They are made of the same material as the final product
What model is used to visualise initial ideas?
Sketch models
What product is used in simulations of real life conditions?