Fișa disciplinei:

FI-D SFA-133 Sisteme tehnice in design.pdf

Department:

Study of Form and Ambience

Course Leader:

lect. Mihaela Lăcraru

Learning outcomes:

The course provides students with an in-depth understanding of mechanical principles and how they can be integrated into product and furniture design. The emphasis is placed on the relationship between form and function, the analysis of motion, and the transformation of technical concepts into creative, sustainable, and adaptable design solutions. The course aims to develop technical thinking aligned with contemporary design practices and emerging trends such as circularity, modularity, biodesign, and smart furniture.

Content:

Course 1 – Introduction to Technical Systems and Mechanisms Applied in Design

Course 2 – Levers and Pivoting Motion
Study of the lever as a fundamental mechanism for balancing and transmitting force, with applications in everyday objects and furniture.

Course 3 – Pivots and Axial Motion
Analysis of rotational movement around a fixed axis and the application of pivoting principles in joints and adjustable structures.

Course 4 – Pulleys and Their Applications
Exploration of different types of pulleys and the principles of vertical motion transmission, with examples from lightweight systems and suspended structures.

Course 5 – Pendulums and Oscillatory Motion
Examination of periodic motion and oscillation phenomena applied to rocking furniture and kinetic structures.

Course 6 – Joints and Degrees of Freedom
Identification of different types of joints and degrees of freedom in relation to the complex movement of furniture components.

Course 7 – Locking and Fixing Mechanisms
Analysis of common locking, fastening, and positioning mechanisms used in everyday objects and furniture.

Course 8 – Gears and the Transmission of Rotational Motion
Study of the operating principles of gears and the transmission of motion through gear systems in extendable furniture and adjustable mechanisms.

Course 9 – Motion Transformation
Transformation of rotational motion into linear motion and vice versa.

Course 10 – Guidance and Sliding Systems in Furniture
Observation of sliding mechanisms in real applications and analysis of constructive solutions in relation to precision, ergonomics, and durability.

Course 11 – Bionics and Motion Inspired by Nature
Exploration of biomimetic principles and movements inspired by living organisms, translated into concepts for adaptive furniture and functional design.

Course 12 – Kinetic Installations
Movement as an element of expression.

Course 13 – Mechanisms for Transformable Furniture
Study of mechanisms that enable furniture to change its configuration, dimensions, or function.

Course 14 – Final Project
Integration of mechanisms into product design.

Teaching Method:

Courses - online lectures on the ZOOM platform, computer examples, study on three-dimensional representations

Assessment:

Assessments during seminars – 60% of the final grade
Final project – 40% of the final grade
Development of a functional concept model incorporating at least two mechanisms, demonstrating applied usability. Materials are chosen freely by the student. The project must be presented on the exam day.

The overall average of all assessments must be at least 5 (five) in order to pass the course.
Further information regarding the exam organization can be obtained at: mihaela.lacraru@uauim.ro

Bibliography:

• Sorin Vlase, Mecanică cinematică, Editura Infomarket, 2010
• Sorin Vlase, Mecanică statică, Editura Infomarket, 2008
• Neil Sclater, Nicholas Chironis, Mechanisms and mechanical devices sourcebook Publisher McGraw-Hill, 2007
• Traian Demian, Mecanisme de mecanică fină, Editura Didactică și Pedagogică București,1982
• Anna Yudina, Furnitecture, Furniture That Transforms Space, Publisher Thames & Hudson Ltd, 2024
• Elisabeth Darby, Re-issue, Re-imagine, Re-make. Appropriation in Contemporary Furniture Design, Publisher Lund Humphries Publishers Ltd, 2020
• Paul Jackson, Folding Techniques for Designers, Publisher Quercus Publishing, 2022
• Joel Beath, Elizabeth Price, Never Too Small: Reimagining small space living, Publisher Thames & Hudson, 2021
• Julius Panero, Martin Zelnik, Human Dimension & Interior Space: A Source Book of Design Reference Standards, Publisher Watson-Guptill, 1979
• Sandra Persiani, Biomimetics of Motion: Nature-Inspired Parameters and Schemes for Kinetic Design, Publisher Springer, 2019