Today's product designers are presented with a huge number of choices when creating their work and preparing it for manufacture. With some 1,200 specially commissioned photographs and technical illustrations, this is the definitive, clearly organized reference for product designers, 3D designers, engineers and architects who need highly accessible and practical information. The book explores innovative production techniques and materials that are having an impact on the design industry worldwide. Organized into four easily referenced parts - Forming, Cutting, Joining and Finishing - over seventy manufacturing processes are explained in depth with • full technical descriptions • analyses of the typical applications • design opportunities and considerations for each process • information on cost, speed and environmental impact Step-by-step case studies look at a real-life products or components being manufactured. The directory of more than fifty materials includes • detailed technical profiles • images of typical applications and finishes • an overview of each material's design characteristics