I graduated as Industrial Designer and I moved to California. I worked 'freelance' for about a year, then went to work for Centaur Enterprises. This was a sculpting and prototyping house of toy premiums for Disney on Ice and the Ringling Brothers Barnum Bailey circus. My job included making rubber molds, design and sculpting of prototypes. I gained experience in the mechanics of what needs to be conveyed to our sub-contractor's to make the final product. This period for me was right at the beginning of the digital boom, so I had opportunity of learning many of the traditional modeling tools/methods, and at the same time, the new computer techniques. The basic understanding using the traditional methods is a valuable insight on how to do things and has been helpful for me more than if I had just always done digital techniques.
I went to Maisto in 2002 as a designer of retail die-cast toys and collectibles. Here I gained more experience in the “artists concepts” viewpoint. Collectible die-casting gave me valuable experience for attention to detail. Experience learning the “in’s and out’s” of license approval and the back and forth between the licensor and the vendor is invaluable to me.
My latest position was “Senior” Industrial Designer for Strottman Inc. My duties include deciding which ideas are possible. Responsibilities include working with the engineer(s), and do a concept analysis, costing analysis, merging the essential ideas and functions with the different production processes to make a viable product. This includes working with the manufacturing team designing the item(s) and constituent parts. I use 3D CAD programs to help model and prototype everything for the most accurate “ball-parks” that can be produced. Additional responsibility includes control of information given and received as to what the product will look like and how it is to function. This includes filling in the gaps for manufacturing issues as needed.
As Senior Designer, I worked with Customer Account and Marketing department, deal with licensors. Often, the licensor will come to us with revisions and concerns, that need to be implemented into the design. It was my job to interpret and explain these often times "vague" instructions to the production model shops and make sure that what the licensor is asking us to do can be done.
What can I do for you?
The most efficient way I could do these things for you is as an art-director/designer doing part drawings of items and dealing with the licenser’s getting the proper materials needed to create the tooling models. I’m fluent in working in 3D CAD or traditional modeling techniques so depending on your company’s existing prototype infrastructure, I have experience to do both in-house or in Hong Kong, digital or by hand. I have contacts with US sculpting houses, as well as offshore Hong Kong based modelers. You will see from my portfolio that I’m skilled in just about everything you could be looking for. Let me do the dirty work for you.
• Initial conceptual brainstorm moderation.
• Specifications and ballpark cost analysis.
• Initial styling exploration and presentation illustration.
• Modeling breadboards proof of concept functional models.
• Directing outside resources for product development, US and China assets.
• Generating 2D and 3D deliverables for tooling and manufacturing models.
• Assist directly Marketing and Account teams in client and licenser services.
• Prototype testing and assessment of functional and licenser expectations.
• Maintaining 45 to 50 different toy items in the different stages of development at any one time.
• Experienced with developing products with the safety regulations of 0+.
• Extensive knowledge of materials and processes as it is related to custom plastic molded items.
Professional References:
Tony Bagladi - Director of Product Design @ Strottman International - (847)358-0107 tony@bagladi.com