Since many of the basic principles of product design and development engineering apply to all industries, the course benefits numerous sectors, including: traditional engineering, plant and machinery, aerospace, automotive, biotechnology, clothing, food and drink, oil, pharmaceuticals, plastics, fast-moving consumer goods and consumables.
Product design includes: specifying, designing, modelling, producing prototypes and testing. Development engineers and designers need to produce high quality goods efficiently using the most cost-effective methods.
Product designers are often busy juggling different projects, working alongside engineers and colleagues from other disciplines. Typical tasks can include: developing client briefs and specifications, working on ideas as part of a team or developing design concepts using CAD (computer-aided design). Product developers take part in specialist or multi-disciplinary team meetings, sketching initial design ideas and identifying the suitability and availability of materials, producing detailed, final hand drawings and specifications or producing design specifications, including parts lists and costings, through CAD. Making samples or working models by hand
or using computerised prototyping equipment, such as rapid prototyping and additive layer manufacturing machines, is commonplace.