Design

A lovely topic – design. Don’t you think so? Particularly if one consciously distances oneself from the initial connotations that this term triggers, and looks at aspects which may not spring to mind immediately, but which actually have at least as much to do with the idea of “design” as anything else. And it is just this that we have attempted with the articles in this issue of weld+vision.

Design is more, much more, than just giving objects an aesthetically appealing shape. Design is a conscious creative process which may involve very many different levels. Depending upon the objective and the application in question. Because ultimately, a product has to do more than just look right – its functionality, lifespan, ergonomics, eco-friendliness, convenience, even its characteristic sounds, all have to be “right”, too. All these aspects are designed with a view to perfection and to achieving a harmonious whole. “Designed” – that word again! Read for yourself what a complex thing “design” is, in the article about the latest “R&D designer items”, for instance.

Even “noises” have a rôle to play here – a fascinating topic that our cover story will be “sounding off” about: Sound-design.And Klaus Fronius, among others, will be writing on what design means at Fronius. We hope you’ll find this issue of weld+vision has been “designed” with your reading enjoyment very much in mind!