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By Design News Staff -- Design News, May 21, 2001
Fabric design underrated
I enjoyed your editorial on bra design. As a textile designer, I can appreciate the challenges of the lingerie designers. To say textile design is under-appreciated is the height of understatement.
Textile designers are truly practitioners of the "oldest profession." Yet, surprisingly it is the most overlooked profession. I purchased some "How Things Work" educational software for my daughters. The software made no mention of either the textile industry, its technology, nor its leading innovators (exploded diagrams of toasters, yet no mention of sewing machines). I appreciate Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, but even they wore clothes.
The other side of the equation is the lack of educational awareness of textile design, manufacturing, or management. At a third grade career day, our school is inundated with software, mechanical, and electrical engineers, yet I am the only professional designer present. Thanks for taking textile product evaluation to heart and bringing good textile design to the forefront. Also, congratulations on the successful training of your husband. I shared your column with my wife, who likewise applauded your comments.
Ken Keberle
PPI Manufacturing
Phoenix, AZ
All in the name of fashion
I very much enjoyed your clever editorial of the engineering involved in the new bra design. Having stated the problem in engineering terms, you prompted me to look at the bra in a whole new way. The problem faced by bra designers seems to be related to the fashion trend of the day, which appears to be: uplift and allow for visual access. Without a member over the load, fabric cannot hold up the load. Remember the Playtex "Cross Your Heart" bra? Such a support scheme as employed in that bra design does not allow for visual access.
Thus, designers are left with developing a support scheme from below, which you addressed. I must confess that I am constantly amazed at what the feminine gender suffers through in the name of fashion!
John "David" Dwyer, P.E.
Newport News Shipbuilding
Newport News, VA
Fingerpointing?
Following up on your article "No more lost keys" (DN Sneak Previews 03.26.01), I suppose that all your family members could also have their fingerprints stored in the computer memory. I was wondering what would be done when you leave your car for servicing. How would the mechanic start your car? If you had your car at a parking garage with valet service, how would they be able to deliver your car for you?
Donald Weinstein
Project Engineer
Leonia, NJ
Excited about biking!
This is what engineering is all about. Taking something designed for something else and using it for man's pleasure. Apparently Alec Rivers-Bowerman (DN Readers Write 03.26.01) is not a biker. I am not a fanatic, just a 56-year-old guy that loves to mountain bike. I love to ride with some comfort with designs that take out some of the harsh bumps.
Dick Kelley
Lear Corp
Traverse City, MI
Wired!
Regarding your editorial on "Control by wire," you forgot the largest complaint car owners will have about "WIRE." Haven't you ever tried to trace down a shorted brakelight, speaker, or headlight wire?
Can Detroit REALLY be that STUPID? Ignorance can be fixed, but stupidity is forever!
Merle lehman
Nordson Corp.
Amherst, Ohio
Demise of the backyard mechanic
As the migration continues toward ever more electronics in the automobile (DN Editorial 03.12.01), another especially important factor is the steady decline in the opportunities for the backyard mechanic to tinker with his/her vehicle. (Whether it be out of necessity or simply the pure pleasure of working on it or both!)
The priceless apprenticeship served by many a mechanically inclined youth, who got his (or her) first exhilarating feeling of accomplishment from making a successful repair to their pride and joy, is not even being considered in current automotive design. No one can argue that there are not some efficiencies realized, but looking at the big picture, the gains are not always outweighed by the losses.
James M. Georges, Sr.
Highland, IL
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