Technical Product Designer
Technical product designer is a recognized training occupation under the Vocational Training Act (BBiG). The training lasts 3.5 years. A school education is also possible.
Emergence
The profession of technical draftsman had existed since 1937, and since the 1990s has increasingly also included learning to use CAD programs. Like the profession of technical system planner , the technical product designer developed from the profession of technical draftsman , with the focus on the application of technical software and cooperation with engineers and product designers. In 2005 the training regulations for the technical product designer apprenticeship came into force. In fact, the choice of term meant confusion with the established academic profession of product designer and the combination of a technology-oriented creative activity. This led to reactions from design associations who recommended the term technical product designer as an alternative .
job profile
Technical product designers create and modify 3D data sets and documentation for components and assemblies on the basis of design and technical specifications. They take into account manufacturing processes and material properties, plan and coordinate workflows and construction processes, and control and evaluate work results.
requirements
According to the Vocational Training Act (BBiG), no specific school education is required. However, good knowledge of the following school subjects is the best prerequisite for successfully completing an apprenticeship:
- Mathematics : When a new product is designed, technical product designers calculate lengths and areas, volumes and masses as well as the center of gravity of the product. To do this, they must have mathematical knowledge and master geometric principles.
- Factory / technology : Before a new product can be manufactured, z. B. three-dimensional views of the component, sketches, drafts and construction documents are made. Methods and skills in technical drawing are therefore required in training.
- Physics : Technical product designers create assemblies and individual parts. In order to assess their resilience or flexibility, you need to know their material properties. Basic physical knowledge and an interest in materials science are therefore advantageous.
- Information technology : Complex CAD software is used in construction and development departments. Basic knowledge of the computer is therefore helpful. In addition, a presentation is usually created to introduce the product to be developed.
- Economy : Product designers learn to calculate the costs of development, manufacture and materials for a new product. Business knowledge from school can therefore be useful.
In addition, the following personal characteristics should be present:
- systematic working method (fulfillment of tasks along the product development process)
- analytical working method (production-oriented design taking into account a wide variety of requirements)
- Creativity (developing new ideas)
- Care (observe construction guidelines and technical standards)
- Teamwork (cooperation with engineers and clients)
- good spatial imagination (planning a product)
education
During dual vocational training, technical product designers are trained in the training company and in the vocational school. This training is offered in industry and by engineering service providers. Most of the trainees complete their training in the aviation and automotive industries, with automotive suppliers and mechanical engineering companies, in furniture and interior design and in the consumer goods industry. Engineering service providers who take on (sub) projects for these industries also train this profession. The trainees mainly work in the development and construction department in offices at computer workstations.
exam
The examination is carried out by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry . This is an extended final exam that consists of two parts. It consists of four examination areas:
- Technical documents: Here, the trainee demonstrates that he is planning, documenting and classifying work steps in the product development process, creating freehand sketches, creating and changing structured 3D data sets according to geometric, manufacturing and material-related features, performing calculations and creating technical documents, in particular Derive drawings in views and sections as well as assessing and entering dimensions , tolerances , fits and surface properties. He creates an examination product within five and a half hours and solves written tasks in a further 90 minutes. This examination area is completed in Part 1 of the final examination.
- Work assignment: The trainee shows that he is analyzing work assignments, obtaining information, clarifying technical and organizational interfaces, applying methods of operational project management , developing and sketching solution variants, evaluating and selecting from design, technical, economic and ecological aspects, and constructing them methodically, in particular functional , ready for production, stress and testing, to create a 3D data set and technical documents, perform calculations, simulations and animations and create documentation and presentations. He has the choice of working on a nationally created task or an operational order. He has 70 hours available for processing. This is followed by a presentation of a maximum of 10 minutes and an order-related technical discussion of a further 20 minutes with the examination board .
- Product development: The trainee demonstrates that he is handling information and communication systems, explaining information in technical documents, analyzing and describing functions, also in English, assessing manufacturing and joining processes and assembly techniques, assessing material requirements and properties, performing technical calculations, Describe design options, carry out quality assurance measures, apply project management methods in the product development process and be able to communicate with the customer, also in English. He works on written assignments in 150 minutes.
- Economics and social studies: The trainee shows that he can present and evaluate general economic and social relationships in the professional and working world. For this purpose, written tasks are solved in 60 minutes.
Examination areas of the final examination Exam area weighting Technical documents 30 percent Work order 35 percent Product development 25 percent Economics and Social Studies 10 percent
The final examination is passed if the overall results of parts 1 and 2 of the final examination are at least "sufficient" and in the work assignment examination area with at least "sufficient". in the result of part 2 of the final examination with at least "sufficient", in at least one of the other examination areas of part 2 of the final examination with at least "sufficient" and in no examination area of part 2 of the final examination with "unsatisfactory". If necessary an oral supplementary examination is possible if the examination can be passed.
The qualifications to be verified in the field of product design and construction have been formulated identically with those in the field of machine and plant construction, but the tasks will be adapted to the respective field.
Reorganization in 2011
The training occupation was modernized in 2010 and 2011. The new training regulations came into force on August 1, 2011. The job title will remain, but the duration of the training will be increased from three to three and a half years. The occupation was issued in a joint training regulation with the related technical system planner , the successor to the technical draftsman . Both professions have common training content with a duration of 12 months.
The previous mono job was given two specializations: 'Product design and construction' and 'Machine and plant construction'. The updated content of the previous occupation can be found in the first-mentioned subject. In the second subject, contents from the subjects wood technology as well as machine and system technology of the technical draftsman were transferred.
In the first 3 semesters of training, all training content is identical. From the 4th to the 7th semester of training, different topics are taught depending on the subject:
| Product design and construction | Machine & plant construction |
|---|---|
| Assessment of materials and auxiliary materials | |
| Planning and designing components and assemblies | Planning and designing components and assemblies |
| Design, elaboration and calculation of components and assemblies | Design, elaboration and calculation of components and assemblies |
| Selection of manufacturing and joining processes as well as assembly techniques | Selection of manufacturing and joining processes as well as assembly techniques |
| Run simulations | Run simulations |
| Creation and design of objects | |
| Construct with free-form surfaces | |
| Constructing objects | |
| Use of information and communication technologies | |
| Work planning and organization | Work planning and organization |
| Implementation of quality assurance measures | Implementation of quality assurance measures |
| Changing and checking material properties | |
| Control & electrical engineering | |
| Design, elaboration and calculation of components and assemblies | |
| Creation of constructions | |
| manufacturing engineering | |
| Joining & assembly technology | |
| Simulation and presentation | Run simulations |
| Work planning and organization | Work planning and organization |
| Implementation of quality assurance measures | Implementation of quality assurance measures |
| customer focus | customer focus |
Advanced training
Since CAD technology, materials and manufacturing processes are constantly evolving, technical product designers have to continue their education. The demands of customers are also changing.
The following options are possible:
- Certified designer - IHK
- Technician - machine technology (construction)
- Designer (state-certified) - product design
If you have a university entrance qualification:
- Dipl.-Ing. (FH) - Mechanical engineering (construction technology)
- Graduate designer (FH / Uni) - industrial / industrial design
literature
- Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Ed.): Train yourself now - Technical Product Designer, Bonn / Berlin, 2006:
- Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (Ed.): Technical Product Designer - Implementation Aids and Practical Tips, W. Bertelsmann Verlag: 2008, ISBN 978-3-7639-3814-8
Web links
- Technical product designer in Berufenet the Federal Employment Agency
- arbeitsagentur.de: Training Ordinance of the Monoberufs of 2005 (PDF; 384 kB)
- arbeitsagentur.de: Framework curriculum for the single occupation from 2005 (PDF; 98 kB)
- State Institute for School Development: Framework curriculum for the newly organized profession from 2011 (PDF; 180 kB)
- Federal Law Gazette: Training ordinance for the newly organized profession of 2011 (PDF; 290 kB)
- Berufe.tv of the Federal Employment Agency: professional information film
Individual evidence
- ↑ KURSNET: school training centers
- ↑ Berufenet.de: Technical Product Designer ( Memento of the original from May 11, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Info for the practice of the IHK Region Stuttgart on the new construction professions ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed October 22, 2015.
- ↑ New training regulations for technical draftsman ( BGBl. 2011 I p. 1215 ).
- ↑ Information from the BiBB on the technical product designer ( memento of the original from November 6, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , accessed July 11, 2011.
- ↑ Ordinance on vocational training for technical product designers of June 21, 2011 (PDF; 264 kB), accessed on July 13, 2012.
- ↑ BERUFENET: Design engineer ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 1.2 MB)
- ↑ BERUFENET: Technician ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ BERUFENET: Designer ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
