Comment 40 years of design solutions
Introduction... B
ack in 1971, when publishers were working hard to launch the first issue of OEM Design (this was re-named Design Solutions in 2003), Edward Heath was
Prime Minister, the average house cost around £5500 and those driving popular cars like the Morris Marina or Ford Capri were filling them up for just over 30p per gallon. That same year, hot pants and platform shoes were in fashion, Sean Connery took to the big screen as James Bond in Diamonds are Forever, and record players – or the new ‘cassette player’ – played Rod Steward, The Doors and Benny Hill singing about Ernie, the fastest milkman in the west! It was also the year that Philips launched the VCR video recorder, children were bouncing about on space hoppers, and
have offered such benefits as the strength of metal, without the corrosion resistant issues. We have also witnessed the development and then growth in internet and email usage, and now the development of ‘cloud computing’. Furthermore, products today are getting smaller, and quite often cheaper, yet their capabilities are expanding at an ever increasing rate. We have, however, also seen numerous recessions, and it is interesting to see that a number of companies that featured in those first few issues
‘This supplement has been created to give you an insight into the changes in technology that have happened over the decades, and a glimpse into the future. We hope you enjoy it’
Disney’s Magic Kingdom opened in Orlando, Florida. Technologically it was a time for change – not only did IMB create the floppy disc, but in the US Ray Tomlinson devel- oped electronic mail (email), Intel released the world’s first microprocessor, and Apollo 14 landed on the moon. Over the following 40 years technology has developed at a great pace. Designers have gone from sketching ideas on paper to not only designing but being able to prototype products via software on a computer. We have seen the introduction of wireless networking, and the need to go ‘energy efficient’ to meet both cost and legislation issues. We have also seen the introduction of new directives such as WEEE and RoHS, and the Machinery Directive; and the creation of new materials that
of the magazine are still around today. In fact it is quite clear that in order to remain competitive, and stay in business, many companies have branched out over the years to provide solutions for different areas of industry. From a consumer point of view, the changes and develop- ments over the last 40 years have also been quite astounding. Who would have imagined back then that most people today would be walking around with smart phones, enabling them to connect to the internet at any second of the day or night. Or that miniature devices could hold thousands of music files or films; that most of our homes would have a television just an inch or so deep; and that our cars would be filled with mp3 players, satellite navigation systems and other equipment designed to make our lives easier and safer.
As a child in the 1980s growing up with such films as Back to the Future, I half expected that by the middle of this decade cars would be flying. We’re not there – yet – but who’s to say what will happen in the next 40 years!
This supplement has been created to give you an insight into the changes in technology that have happened over the decades, and a glimpse into the future. We hope you enjoy it.
Rachael Morling – Editor
Having joined the magazine in 1974, Paul Munslow, area sales manager, Midlands North, gives his own view on 40 years of Design Solutions...
F
orty years ago this summer we changed to decimal currency, ITV was in colour for
the first time and I was informed that a new design magazine – to be called OEM Design – was to be launched in October. The then publisher was Mercury House and the titles Product Design Engineering, Machine Design and Control and Light Engineering would
In February 1974 I was tempted to trade in my Ford Escort for a Ford Cortina 1.6L 4 door, every salesman’s dream car – and so began my long association and love affair with OEM Design.
During my 37 years on the magazine I have seen changes of ownership, new design magazines launched and older estab- lished titles disappear; and whereas in the seventies virtually every space sold was a 12 month schedule, it is now usually decided on a month by month basis. The design press will always be at the forefront of British engineering and the next ten years will no doubt see many new developments and exciting projects being launched.
form the circulation of the new title. At that time I worked on Engineering Materials and Design, the only subscription book in the market, which cost five shillings per issue. Controlled circula- tion was beginning to take off and we also had Design Engineering, and Design and Components in Engineering, all vying to appear on every industrial advertising schedule. In October 1972 Design and Components merged with Engineering Materials and Design so we then had three titles in the design press.
S4
‘In February 1974 I was tempted to trade in my Ford Escort for a Ford Cortina 1.6L 4 door, every salesman’s dream car – and so began my long association and love affair with OEM Design’
I would like to think that I will still have an involvement with Design Solutions in 2021. Here's to the next ten years!
Paul Munslow - 40TH ANNIVERSARY SUPPLEMENT - Design Solutions 1971-2011
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