Anyone here design toys?
Anyone here design toys?
(OP)
O.K. while struggling to assemble The Disney Dream Kitchen last night with all its plastic parts and screws, I started thinking. Who designs this stuff? I know most of it's made in China but I assume it's not designed there. So some questions for discussion:
1. Does anyone here design toys?
2. Is it fun? (seems that it would be maddening to me)
Any feedback welcome.
Thanks
1. Does anyone here design toys?
2. Is it fun? (seems that it would be maddening to me)
Any feedback welcome.
Thanks





RE: Anyone here design toys?
Don
Kansas City
RE: Anyone here design toys?
RE: Anyone here design toys?
TTFN
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RE: Anyone here design toys?
Question 2...madenning??....My position was 'Mechanical Designer'. Back then, by the time a mechanical designer was called into play, the basic geometry of the toy was pretty well defined, as it was pretty well developed before it actually got to me. Most maddening part of the task was the fact that the 'artsy' types that came up with the general look of the toys did not give realistic consideration as to how the toy would be assembled or snapped together, and left little if any room for necessary things like snaps and screw bosses.
Having a good understanding of molds, plastic part design, and mechanical aptitude helps a lot.
RE: Anyone here design toys?
http://www.immnet.com/
RE: Anyone here design toys?
Heckler![[americanflag] americanflag](https://www.tipmaster.com/images/americanflag.gif)
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SWx 2007 SP 4.0 & Pro/E 2001
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This post contains no political overtones or undertones for that matter and in no way represents the poster's political agenda.
RE: Anyone here design toys?
TTFN
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RE: Anyone here design toys?
2. it's work, like any other design project.
Most toys' margin is ridiculously low as is there market life, hence most companies complete offshore manufacturing. Companies constant assault on costs and familiarity with their offshore partners have engendered some rather cavalier development processes, of which Mattel practices as well:
A sketch, literally, is sent to one of their offshore manufacturing companies with a few simple questions: cost, time. Sometimes the sketch will be sent with a price target. With minimal other specifications, the Chinese company operates as their assigned product manager sees fit in delivering the toy to their customer. Often, the end company only sees their toy in the stores, never in process or in their warehouse.
I'm being a bit cavalier in my description, for example colors and graphics are often carefully specified, especially if it's a character-based branded toy (movie, tv show), but for many companies and toys on the market this is their birth process.
RE: Anyone here design toys?
He provided an observation similar to the one from mousetrap above; that the "artists" develop a sketch of what they want, and it's the engineer's job to make reality match their sketch. His specififc example was the relatively new road-race ride, and how the artists came up with the visual stuff they wanted is anyone's guess, but the engineers found a way to make it happen.