Representative Mechanical Engineering/Product Packaging and Labeling Design Projects


So, how can you use the combination of my mechanical and artistic design skills? The same way my clients did - product label design, screen printing artwork design, packaging design, front panel control design...


Projects such as these stretch both halves of my brain and I enjoy them. The combination of the mechanical precision and artistic components to these gets my juices flowin'.

Most of these projects were for products still in enginering, prior to production release. Being involved in new products and following them through to their launch was exciting.

I have a special place in my heart for the "O-Wrap" retail package, and the slidechart. When you look at those two examples in particular, I hope you'll understand why...




Product Label Design Example: Appliqué

This project is typical of probably a hundred similar ones I designed directly for the VP of Engineering for a telephone headset and accessory client. They would send me the basic dimensions of the label itself and what needed to be included. I would execute the layout and artwork, ready for their label

vendor. That simple statement belies the close working relationship I had with the VP-E, and the "take care of it for us" attitude. I was a part of their design team; I just didn't happen to commute to their plant.

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Printing Placement Guide Example: Telephone Amplifier

This example is a bit different than the others provided here. This drawing shows the manufacturer the relative printing location of various icons to be screen printed onto the product, and the

appropriate ink colors. Separate artwork was provided for the actual screen printing artwork, similar to the previous example (above).

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Packaging Design Example: Retail Packaging Mockup

This is a rendering of a 3D model of both the product and proposed retail packaging (blister pack) for an aftermarket motorcycle

accessory that monitors battery health, and provides a warning before the battery dies. Very handy. Works on Harleys (only).


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Mechanical/Artwork Design Example: Product Carton

This happens to be one of two almost identical drawings done for this third-party product and my client. This one is the artwork for what is printed on the carton.

The other is a dimensioned version, without the artwork, that is used as the diecutting and folding guide once the cardboard carton is printed.


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Retail Packaging Example: Slip on, "O-Wrap"

This is a photograph of one of my favorite - and most stressful - mechanical/artwork design projects. This one required taking into account the thickness of the cardstock that would be used to make the o-wrap,

so that when folded and glued, it would still fit around the box with the product in it. I was a bit nervous about it until my client told me the prototype came back and fit the box perfectly.


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Product Labeling Example: Two-Color Pad Printing Artwork

I'd be given the engineering drawing of the product, the requirements for the artwork, and it would be left to me to design it so

the two colors would print in perfect register. One of many such projects.

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Mechanical and Artwork Design Example: Physical Not-to-Scale Models

This was an interesting project. The actual component is about a quarter-inch long. These wood models were made for a tradeshow, and were about 28" long. I sent the drawing to someone who turned them on a wood lathe. They were spray painted

silver and clear nomenclature decals were applied. A wood dowel was inserted into axial holes drilled in the center (pvc pipe is shown on the drawing for conceptual purposes.)

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Mechanical/Artwork Design Example: Front Panel Prototype

I was provided with 1) dimensional data for the components to be mounted to the front panel, 2) the functionality required, and 3) the dimensions of the case

in which the equipment would be housed. With this information, I designed this first-pass of the front panel for a piece of industrial process equipment.


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Precision Mechanical Artwork Design Example: 3/8" Two-Color Decal

The artwork for this telephone headset swivel cover is similar to some of the other multi-color artwork projects. This one required a bit more precision due to the

final size of the decal - 3/8". Registration between the two colors gets critical; I made sure my artwork was right - if there were any problems, it would be with the printing process...


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Mechanical/Artwork Design Example: Slidechart

This slidechart project was both interesting and incredibly challenging. There was/is a nationally-known company out there that did nothing but slidecharts back in the day when they were very popular. They wanted a fortune for the modest quantity run my client was planning to do. I designed everything for the slidechart - the mechanical design, the artwork layout,

everything - just from the engineering data they wanted to convey in slidechart form. When the project was completed, we had it printed and produced for about one-third of what the national supplier had quoted. We all felt pretty good about that one! The product photography was mine as well from a previous project.

Outside of slidechart "shell"

Front and back of the "slide"

Inside of top flap

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