sundberg-ferar is an industrial design consultancy headquartered in walled lake , michigan .

founded in 1934 by partners carl sundberg ( 1910 – 1982 ) and montgomery ferar ( 1910 – 1982 ) , the company was among the first industrial design firms to be established in the u.s. sundberg-ferar employs approximately 20 employees in the disciplines of industrial design , mechanical engineering , research , model making and prototyping , interaction design and packaging design .

the firm has designed products for hundreds of clients in categories such as home appliances and housewares , automotive and medical products , consumer electronics , industrial equipment , mass transit vehicles , vending machines and aircraft interiors .

sundberg - ferar

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© 2013 sundberg - ferar , inc . all rights reserved . site by pdco
roosevelt elementary students assist in designing a tennis shoe at sundberg ferar dec . 11 , 2015 .
sundberg - ferar’s dan “the man” genord shares his process for creating the beautiful sculptures on display at the michigan design prize awards .
takes gold ! ! sundberg - ferar helped create this product by desin , llc that won gold at the medical design excellence awards .
in the rehabilitation and assistive - technology products category . to learn more about sundberg - ferar ' s contribution to the product , click
enjoying speakers including jeff deboer , chairman of the michigan design council and chief innovation officer of sundberg - ferar at the michigan design prize awards ceremony .
© 2013 sundberg - ferar , inc . all rights reserved . site by pdco email list signup 4359 pineview dr . | walled lake | michigan 48390 - 4129
. sundberg - ferar is proud to have contributed to a product that enables a more fulfilling and inspiring life for so many through the simple pleasure of eating .
“detroit : city of design” is a film by stephen mcgee . see sundberg ferar at 1 : 09 . produced by detroit creative corridor . jeevak sits on the
the firm’s widespread influence is evident in the multitude of sundberg - ferar product designs that have been produced and marketed by a vast array of clients . products designed by sundberg - ferar include home appliances , automotive products , industrial electronic products , mass transit vehicles , vending machines , aircraft interiors , medical tools , and concept models for the nasa space station .
in 1934 carl sundberg and montgomery ferar established sundberg - ferar . their bold , innovative , and enthusiastic ideals have influenced the function , assembly , and appearance of consumer and industrial products representing billions of dollars in sales around the world . in addition , the two founders have been mentors to many of today’s industrial product design leaders who , at one time in their careers , have held positions at sundberg - ferar . “carl and monte” stories depicting their pioneering spirit are still widely told throughout the industry today . their professional relationship continued until 1975 , when they retired . both men passed away within 6 days of each other in 1982 . however , their unprecedented creative energy has remained the backbone of the firm throughout sundberg - ferar’s long history .
, as well as mdc communications manager , michelle zurowick of sundberg - ferar , and jessie craig , also of sundberg - ferar . the ceremony began with jeff deboer speaking on changing the world with design . he was followed by dan genord of sundberg - ferar speaking on the process behind his sculpture “aspiration” , which was used as the trophy for the evening’s awards . before explaining his sculpture , dan shared his joy that these young prizewinners are being exposed to the spirit of industrial design from a young age . their amazing ideas are being affirmed and brought to life through this competition - an opportunity dan wishes he could have experienced and is overjoyed to help create for the next generation .
sundberg - ferar , located in metro - detroit , is a product innovation studio specializing in innovation strategies , design research , industrial design , user interface , ergonomics , engineering , model making , and packaging . for decades we have spearheaded the cross - category design trend by specializing in multiple categories , namely consumer products , medical equipment , and vehicles of all types . sundberg - ferar’s innovation process cross - references multiple user experiences with competitors’ vulnerabilities to reveal uncontested market spaces for our clients . we exist to help our customers uniquely differentiate their products and experiences increasing their profit margins , market share , and ultimately advancing strong brands . this creative diversity is our defining strength – a gift that allows us , with each unique project , to improve people’s quality of life and daily experience through impactful “concept–to - completion” product design and development . urltoken contact : hello @ urltoken twitter : @ sundbergferar instagram : sundberg - ferar linkedin : sundberg - ferar company
sundberg - ferar , located in metro - detroit , is a product innovation studio specializing in innovation strategies , design research , industrial design , user interface , ergonomics , engineering , model making , and packaging . for decades we have spearheaded the cross - category design trend by specializing in multiple categories , namely consumer products , medical equipment , and vehicles of all types . sundberg - ferar’s innovation process cross - references multiple user experiences with competitors’ vulnerabilities to reveal uncontested market spaces for our clients . we exist to help our customers uniquely differentiate their products and experiences increasing their profit margins , market share , and ultimately advancing strong brands . this creative diversity is our defining strength – a gift that allows us , with each unique project , to improve people’s quality of life and daily experience through impactful “concept–to - completion” product design and development . website : urltoken contact : hello @ urltoken twitter : @ sundbergferar instagram : sundberg - ferar linkedin : sundberg - ferar company
sundberg - ferar designers david thimm and josiah lacolla recently returned from a series of trips through the shandong , zheijang , and guangdong provinces of china . over the course of three weeks , they embarked on a quest to collect primary research to gain insight into a particular segment of the chinese domestic vehicle industry . these findings provided direction for the design phase of a vehicle , currently underway in the design studios of sundberg - ferar . immediately following the research trip , josiah participated in the launch event for a commercial truck recently designed at sundberg - ferar . he returned full of colorful tales of mind - blowing cuisine , warm and compelling exchanges with industry professionals , and a freshly recharged drive to complete design activities in phase ii .
consumer and industrial products have been a part of sundberg - ferar’s heritage from the beginning . through long relationships with a variety of manufacturers , we’ve developed an expertise in a wide spectrum of product categories , most notably products for the american home .
casabella , a manufacturer of premium home cleaning products , asked sundberg - ferar to develop a line of environmentally friendly cleaning tools . the result was eclipse™ , combining improved functionality with dramatic styling and cradle - to - grave sustainability . s - f conducted extensive
sundberg - ferar’s innovation process cross - references multiple user experiences with competitors’ vulnerabilities to reveal uncontested market spaces for our clients . we exist to help our customers uniquely differentiate their products and experiences increasing their profit margins , market share , and ultimately advancing strong brands .
sundberg - ferar’s detroit location has ensured that we have always been involved in transportation products . significant experience in mass transit , automotive interiors , golf cars , and a variety of other utility and agricultural vehicles , makes us a unique resource for manufacturers of vehicular products .
the sundberg - ferar team at the michigan design prize awards ceremony . represent ! ! ! ! special thanks to michelle zurowick ( not in picture ) and jessi craig for helping to make this night possible ! # sundbergferar # idsa # medc # dmi # puremichigan urltoken
the conference will culminate with the grand idsa international design excellence awards ( idea ) 2017 ceremony on august 19 so plan to stay through the end ! these events will be moderated by jeevak from sundberg - ferar design studio and kevin shankwiler from georgia institute of technology .
sundberg - ferar was established in 1934 and is the second longest standing industrial design company in the united states . the walled lake company is an industry leader with a product roster that includes home appliances , automotive products , industrial electronic products , mass transit vehicles , vending machines , aircraft interiors , medical tools , and concept models for the nasa space station . take a look inside sundberg - ferar with this oakland county prosper video by matthew stanton . prosper is a free electronic newsletter about economic development in oakland county . watch the video
celebrate high achievement for creative sector businesses . these esteemed annual international awards recognize the work , the agencies and the talent that push boundaries and move the creative bar higher . joining the jury from sundberg - ferar is jeevak badve , vice president of strategic growth . jeevak brings energy , passion & curiosity to his role at sundberg - ferar , a full service industrial design ( id ) studio supporting the product and vehicle industries , since 1934 . special thanks to product design jury chair , roshi givechi , partner and executive design director at ideo , for her contribution and leadership .
on thursday evening , october 2 , 2014 , sundberg - ferar will be hosting a party at the henry ford museum in dearborn , michigan . we will be celebrating the anniversary of our founding in detroit in 1934 . we are excited to be able to host this event at the henry ford museum as many of our historical works can be found in their collection and will be on display , as well as full access to the entire museum . this will be a fantastic evening to celebrate industrial design and the role sundberg - ferar has been fortunate enough to play over the last eighty years .
sundberg - ferar’s ability to infuse high technology equipment with problem solving task analysis is vital for success in the medical equipment field . surgical tools , rehab equipment , patient mobility , and diagnostic devices all benefit from our understanding of ergonomics , human behavior , and our unique ability to identify ideal user experiences .
sundberg - ferar product design crew is on board for ride to work day 2017 - - ( though this is most days for several of the team members ) ! ! the only challenge was picking which bike to ride and who would ride it . . . there was a lot of trading going on . . . great effort by the
, the third film in the drive tomorrow documentary series about the future of the automobile . this four - part series includes exclusive interviews with experts from autoweek , ford motor company , sundberg - ferar , ricardo , roland berger , michigan department of transportation , university of michigan mobility transformation center , u . s . senate , and wind river .
usa today reported on july 17th that the white house hosted a made in america event featuring one invited company from each state that boasts products that are made in america . sundberg - ferar would like to congratulate two product development companies / oems that we have had the great pleasure of working with on their inclusion in this esteemed event . the florida based company ,
sundberg - ferar , located in metro – detroit , is a product innovation studio specializing in innovation strategies , design research , industrial design , user interface , ergonomics , engineering , model making , and packaging . for decades we have spearheaded the cross - category design trend by specializing in multiple categories , namely consumer products , medical equipment , and vehicles of all types .
unit , but the aesthetic difference between the two car series has been reduced through the application of a new livery , replacing the original mint green and alpine white , designed by sundberg - ferar to make the two series flow better in mixed consists - - a silver body with a charcoal band through the windows to ramifies the difference in windows heights of the two car types .
the henry ford museum publishes a annual magazine that offers insights , behind the scenes stories and opportunities to gain perspective , get inspired and make history . curt bailey , sundberg - ferar’s president , was asked to write a guest column for the magazine’s “innovation nation” section . if you do not receive the magazine in printed form , you can read it here on your pc . . .
sundberg - ferar , located in metro - detroit , is a product innovation studio specializing in product design , innovation and design research , engineering , and prototyping . for decades we have spearheaded the cross - category design trend by specializing in multiple categories , namely consumer products , medical equipment , and vehicles of all types . sundberg - ferar’s innovation process cross - references multiple user experiences with competitors’ vulnerabilities to reveal uncontested market spaces for our clients . we exist to help our customers uniquely differentiated their products and experiences which increases their profit margins , market share , and ultimately advances strong brands . this creative diversity is our defining strength – a gift that allows us , with each unique project , to improve people’s quality of life and daily experience through impactful “concept–to - completion” product design and development .
jeff deboer sees industrial design as something the public probably doesn’t know about , even though most products they own both work and look better because of industrial designers . “if you think of an automobile , everyone knows what ford is , but not too many people know who the industrial designers are that created a cool look for a particular vehicle , ” said deboer , who is vice president of the michigan - based industrial design firm sundberg - ferar . the lack of public knowledge about michigan’s rich industrial design history is one of the reasons deboer and other thought leaders in the profession created the michigan design council . along with deboer , the group includes multiple members of academia and heads of design for several global companies , like teckla rhoads , who is general motors co . ’s executive director global industrial design , and ralph gilles , who is head of design for fca global . sundberg - ferar has deep roots in industrial design , having worked for a long list of different companies , including many in the automotive industry . founded in detroit during the 1930s , sundberg - ferar is the second oldest industrial design firm in the nation and has continued to call michigan its home . . . read the rest of the article
sundberg - ferar , a product design firm , helps the world ' s leading durable product companies to turn consumer insights into market winning products . we have clients in a broad range of categories including consumer products , automotive , housewares , transportation , electronics and medical products . we are distinguished by our deep understanding of the
emotional
aspects of a product ' s purchase decision . we don ' t make your products , we make your products cool ! most companies set out to design a product that everyone loves ; what they end up with is a product that no one hates . at sundberg - ferar we call these products
porridge
. . . warm , mushy and bland . we believe that the very best products have an emotional appeal and that their purchase decision is based , in part , on emotion . in the early stages of product development however , this emotional response can manifest itself in the form of polarizing market research results ; results that often scare companies away from the best designs . sundberg - ferar understands how to leverage the power of emotion in a purchase decision . we understand how to make logical business arguments for seemingly polarizing designs . we understand that there is no more room for porridge !
sundberg - ferar , located in metro - detroit , is a product innovation studio specializing in product design , innovation and design research , engineering , and prototyping . for decades we have spearheaded the cross - category design trend by specializing in multiple categories , namely consumer products , medical equipment , and vehicles of all types . sundberg - ferar’s innovation process cross - references multiple user experiences with competitors’ vulnerabilities to reveal uncontested market spaces for our clients . we exist to help our customers uniquely differentiated their products and experiences which increases their profit margins , market share , and ultimately advances strong brands . this creative diversity is our defining strength – a gift that allows us , with each unique project , to improve people’s quality of life and daily experience through impactful “concept–to - completion” product design and development . contact us at hello @ urltoken
wind river® presents the autonomous car , the first film in the drive tomorrow documentary about the future of the automobile . the documentary is a four - part series that includes exclusive interviews with experts from autoweek , ford motor company , sundberg - ferar , ricardo , roland berger , michigan department of transportation , university of michigan mobility transformation center , and wind river . for more information and to watch the films , visit
sundberg - ferar , located in metro - detroit , is a product innovation studio specializing in innovation strategies , design research , industrial design , user interface , ergonomics , engineering , model making , and packaging . for decades we have spearheaded the cross - category design trend by specializing in multiple categories , namely consumer products , medical equipment , and vehicles of all types . sundberg - ferar’s innovation process cross - references multiple user experiences with competitors’ vulnerabilities to reveal uncontested market spaces for our clients . we exist to help our customers uniquely differentiate their products and experiences increasing their profit margins , market share , and ultimately advancing strong brands . this creative diversity is our defining strength – a gift that allows us , with each unique project , to improve people’s quality of life and daily experience through impactful “concept–to - completion” product design and development . website :
action 7 news in detroit shared how a group of metro detroit companies are coming together to collaborate and innovate . the pit crew is a unified group of innovators , designers and developers ready to deliver distinctive client solutions and insightful technology . this group brings the horsepower of best - in - class , industry defining organizations with more than 100 years of combined experience and sundberg - ferar is proud to be on this team .
yesterday atlas obscura shared a post about the morgantown personal rapid transit ( prt ) and it caught brian wilson ' s , our digital access & preservation archivist , eye . brian took a look at our archives and found slides from our sundberg - ferar collection . ( you might remember this collection from a post brian wrote about sketches for a manned space station in the 1980s . ) sundberg - ferar worked on a number of public transit and rapid transit projects , and our collection contains material dating from the 1960s into the 1980s . among those projects are the bart system in san francisco , and the morgantown , west virginia , transit system which is illustrated by these four images . different exterior and interior design concepts are shown , along with a scale model of a vehicle between two station platforms . you can see a portion of those concept drawings there in the background of the scale model photo .
sundberg - ferar conducted a genesis™ strategic innovation exercise to identify new product opportunities in the kitchen cabinet category . as a result of extensive research , sf observed that a significant number of u . s . homes had water damage in the under - sink cabinet . bucking traditional wisdom and manufacturing paradigms , sf created an entirely new cabinet construction methodology . coreguard offers a smart solution to help homeowners protect their investment by keeping their cabinetry beautiful inside and out .
is an impressive hardback coffee table book , collection of important essays touching on all aspects of michigan’s architecture and design heritage . the great lakes state has always been known for its contributions to twentieth - century manufacturing , but it’s only beginning to receive wide attention for its contributions to modern design and architecture . brian d . conway , michigan’s state historic preservation officer , and amy l . arnold , project manager for michigan modern , have curated nearly thirty essays and interviews from a number of prominent architects , academics , architectural historians , journalists , and designers , including historian alan hess , designers mira nakashima , ruth adler schnee , and todd oldham , and architect gunnar birkerts , describing michigan’s contributions to modern design in architecture , automobiles , furniture and education . it is an privilege and honor to see carl sundberg and monte ferar’s design studio , sundberg - ferar , featured in it . we are so proud ! more about the
david byron spoke with his alma - mater at the north american international auto show about design diversity and the value of providing a simplified connected experience . ccs is focusing more effort towards educating young designers about the impact and value of a holistic design approach and it’s evident by the quality of overall design throughout the show . david talks about the strategy work going on at sundberg - ferar to help the automotive industry focus on the entire human - centered experience that starts from the moment users wake up . watch the interview
• jeevak badve , vice president , sundberg - ferar • rafael de cárdenas , founder , rafael de cárdenas / architecture at large • ray huff , director , clemson architecture center • randy j . hunt , vice president of design , etsy • mia lehrer , landscape urbanist , mia lehrer + associates • lisa perry , designer , lisa perry style • sandy speicher , partner and managing director of education , ideo • lisa strausfeld , principal , informationart • robert wong , vice president , creative lab , google , inc .
. throughout the interview , jeevak emphasized that paving the way to fully autonomous personal transportation necessitates building trust with the user through human - centered design while also considering their changing values . he echoed the thoughts of phil gilbert of ibm who mentioned a quote from nathan shedroff ( associate professor at california college for the arts ) : “the role of the designer is to trigger the right response” . ( by the way , did you know that in the fifties , sundberg - ferar served as design consultant to ibm for their electric typewriter , the “
the 2016 sundberg - ferar halloween party marked the next chapter in the hilarious ways we put the daily grind on hold and keep tabs on the crew’s creative sprit , and a good measure of the overall studio whack - o - meter . costumes were great this year and lunch was tasty , but we must tip our hats to sf’s newest engineer , will koederitz , for the studio good sportsmanship award . will came to his first day of work in full costume . this raised the bar in the area of being a team player and shored up the team’s commitment to creative risk - taking !
jeevak , vice president of strategic growth at sundberg - ferar was invited to speak about building trust and values into autonomous vehicle design on john mcelroy’s “autoline this week” . a journalist , lecturer , commentator and entrepreneur , mcelroy created “autoline daily” as the first webcast of its kind on the automotive industry . he continues to host weekly shows discussing shaping forces in the automotive world . his show , “autoline this week” , is a michigan classic enjoyed by thousands over their morning coffee . jeevak , alongside phil gilbert , general manager of ibm global design , and phil borchard of dassault systemes , shed some light on how shifts in the industry are driving vehicle design towards a systems thinking approach , and how designers are becoming “stewards of morality” . watch the video
sundberg - ferar ( sf ) , located in metro - detroit , is a product innovation studio specializing in product design , innovation and design research , engineering , and prototyping . for decades we have spearheaded the cross - category design trend by specializing in multiple categories , namely consumer products , medical equipment , and vehicles of all types . sf’s innovation process cross - references multiple user experiences with competitors’ vulnerabilities to reveal uncontested market spaces for our clients . we exist to help our customers uniquely differentiated their products and experiences which increases their profit margins , market share , and ultimately advances strong brands . this creative diversity is our defining strength – a gift that allows us , with each unique project , to improve people’s quality of life and daily experience through impactful “concept–to - completion” product design and development .
sundberg - ferar assisted the chrysler corporation with the development of their automotive touch screen interface , uconnect . sf designers worked closely with the chrysler team to create a system that supports the brand personality and styling of each vehicle . uconnect is intuitive to use , beautiful , and can be applied across many new chrysler vehicle platforms . “the garmin system fitted to the dodge charger ranks highest in owner satisfaction with factory - installed navigation systems and performs particularly well in the navigation display screen , ease of use and speed of system factors . ” _ autoblog . com “the big news in terms of visible interior changes is the uconnect touch connectivity system . with its 8 . 4 - inch touch screen , uconnect touch is so important that the journey’s interior was designed around it . ” _ family car guide
these cars , the 2400 - series , feature interior and exterior esthetic design by sundberg - ferar , the design consultant retained by bay area rapid transit ( bart ) , metropolitan atlanta rapid transit authority ( marta ) , washington metropolitan area transit authority ( metro ) and boeing - vertol . built by boeing - vertol , these cars feature smooth curved , stainless steel exteriors and contoured fiberglass front ends ( a featured pioneered by the pullman 2000s , but discarded in the 2200s ) . the interiors of these cars feature fiberglass seats with padded inserts , walnut grain wainscot panels , and brown floors . these cars are notable as the first cars built for the
l
in over 50 years to have sliding instead of the blinker - type doors . this gives a wide opening more suitable for access by handicapped persons .
the intouch critical - care hospital bed combines advanced connectivity technologies , intuitive operation , and backsmart ergonomics . caregivers can access patient data and protocol reminders via the bed touch screen interface . stryker asked sundberg - ferar to help them set a new standard for the appearance and fit & finish for the high acuity hospital bed market . stryker had developed multiple new state of the art technologies that needed to be tastefully integrated into the new bed . the intouch critical - care hospital bed combines advanced connectivity technologies , intuitive operation , and backsmart ergonomics . caregivers can access patient data and protocol reminders via the bedï¿½s touch screen interface . the new athletic styling , integration of new technologies and the world class fit and finish have driven tangible market distinction . results include a prestigious 2008 medical design excellence award and extraordinary sales growth in a tough competitive market .
, an 84 - year - old , detroit - born industrial design studio to innovate a strategy for the future of industrial design in michigan . from this collaborative vision - casting came the idea to form the mdc , a council specifically for developing and celebrating the state’s exceptional industrial design talent . the mdc was founded in 2015 and in turn realized the michigan design prize , an annual competition giving students the opportunity to tackle a design challenge as an industrial designer . the challenge topic is linked to the state and to greater societal issues . winners are awarded time with a mentor who is a professional industrial designer in order to further realize their concepts . they are finally awarded for their outstanding work at the awards ceremony . this year’s event was made possible thanks to the work of mdc chairman , jeff deboer , a vp of sundberg - ferar , mdc directors , katrin robertson and diane tamblyn of
too often , the automotive design and engineering communities operate in silos with little communication and a disconnect between ideas and execution . grey parker , the lead engineer at sf , discussed how new product development can offer greater impact by leveraging a design and engineering partnership . with specific case studies of successful projects and the use of new tools that can help bridge the disciplines , parker argued a convincing case . grey parker spent seven years in the automotive industry sharpening his design skills as a seat engineer for american honda motor co . grey acquired excellent project management skills while leading complex systems with hundreds of components ; for example , the design of all three rows of the 2013 acura mdx . he joined sundberg - ferar inc . in 2013 and leads the company’s engineering department and specializes in innovation engineering and mechanical concept development . grey graduated from the university of new mexico with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering .
and how can i leverage this capability in my company strategy” , you are not alone . few people may know what industrial design is , but here at sundberg - ferar , it’s what we’re all about ! that is why we host our quarterly innovation round table , an intimate , by - invitation gathering of innovation - hungry professionals from diverse industry categories . together , we raise the bar of thought - leadership at the intersection of art , engineering and business . our innovation round table is a facilitated session to grow in awareness of industrial design and discuss what it means to create truly unique services and products for the future using design tools and design thinking . as a multi - disciplinary team of industrial designers , engineers , design researchers and model - makers , we get the opportunity to show you what really happens in an industrial design studio and how we use our creativity and capabilities for the betterment of mankind .
. the conversation revolved around the core question , what is industrial design and how it ' s applicable in our everyday lives . how does the average man get affected by it ? it makes an attempt to put forth some light on the ( not so understood ) world of emotion , beauty , aesthetics and elegance which are a part and parcel of our daily lives . the dialogue also leads to the question of why do mature companies hire independent design studios and the advantages thereof . it also touches on jeevak ' s personal journey so far , and also on the amazing 82 - year long legacy of the 2nd longest standing design studio in the nation , sundberg - ferar . the discussion is about 45 minutes and it was aired on july 09th , 6 : 00pm est . wood radio is a very renowned radio station in michigan , with live listenership of 50 , 000 + . the broadcast was also simulcast on
, customers will begin to trust the product , he explained . jeevak also elaborated on designing for the average “citizen on the road” . we are finally at a time in history when drivers are taking a stand on the foundational design values and long - term effects of the vehicles they use . in response to customers’ growing awareness of the environmental and social impact of their rides , the automotive industry is now grappling not just with the effect of a product in one context , but with the entire ecosystem in which it will exist . finally , jeevak added , building trust in autonomous vehicles is also a matter of re - familiarizing the public with the demonstrated value of a chauffeured transportation experience . after all , not long ago in our own history , we all enjoyed the luxury of freely working , socializing , or resting en route in trains , buses and driver - operated streetcars . ( incidentally , sundberg - ferar has worked on the industrial design of many modern
jeff deboer was the featured speaker at the michigan economic development corp . press conference at the 2015 naias , where the michigan design council was introduced . sundberg - ferar will lead this advisory council , whose goal is to enhance michigan ' s position as the top spot in the nation for industrial and product design . with the automotive business in detroit , and the furniture and appliance businesses on the west side , michigan already has the most industrial designers of any state in the country . council members will come from design industry leaders such as fiat chrysler automobiles , newell rubbermaid , whirlpool , university of michigan , college for creative studies , and continental . the council will meet quarterly at various locations around the state . one of the first orders of business is to select a location for a concentrated 1 - 10 square mile
design zone
for creatively focused business activity . maybe a
district 313
in detroit and a
district 616
on the west side .
: level of potential impact on industry , economy , society and individuals in michigan , and around the world . finalists and grand prize winners were selected in three categories ; k–5th grade , 6th–12th grade , and collegiate / professional . one example of this novice / expert engagement was 7th grader jillian distelrath from surline middle school ( west branch–rose city school district ) collaborating with ian cobb , senior industrial designer at sundberg - ferar , inc . ( commerce township based industrial design and innovation firm ) . jillian and ian worked intensely for a day - ideating , sketching , brainstorming , and ultimately creating the “light jacket” product concept . this concept , designed to illuminate on contact with water , used technology and an understanding of youth fashion trends to provide a safer alternative to traditional life saving gear , in a form factor that would drive higher usage rates , thereby improving water rescue and reducing drownings . jillian was awarded the grand prize in the 6th–12th grade category . judges noted that : “ . . the finalist considered versions for both adults and very young children - great thought process ! ” . all of the finalists’ designs have commercialization potential . enjoy the
just when you thought you knew everything about cooking and cleaning ! ! the sundberg - ferar team is just back from the international home and housewares show in chicago . it was a sea of cooking demos , fragrances and color . we are totally inspired after meeting so many creative people with innovative approaches to our ancient basic needs and how these innovative companies continue to reinvent classic form and function with bottomless variety . it was also noteworthy the exceptional booth design . with home , atmosphere and interiors at top of mind , these companies created spaces that far outstrip other sectors in their conference presentation and sense of hospitality . it was hard to keep moving through the venue as there were so many appealing upholstered mid - century modern couches and chairs , plush rugs , juicy and soft lighting , vaulted or split - level booth spaces with elegant conference rooms . all of this steeped in the aroma of gourmet coffee brewing in every direction . the urge to return home , cook rice , steam some milk , cut a red pepper and light up the gas heat has never been so great . well done exhibitors , we look forward to designing for you !
“most people i talk to don’t really know where anything comes from or who creates the things we use in our everyday lives - let alone the fact that michigan’s designers and manufacturers are the source of many of the products we own and cherish as “special” . michigan was also a magnet for design pioneers from around the world - another fact most people don’t know - which runs counter to the popular current narrative that michigan is a place people run from , not to ! my presentation will look back at sundberg - ferar’s role in defining the industrial design profession during the formative years of the 1930’s , show examples of sf’s work intersecting with and defining key points in our country’s history . show how sf is designing and innovating on the global stage today , and then talk about our role and responsibility in creating the next generation of michigan industrial designers - highlighted with a world premiere of a video commissioned by the michigan design council ( mdc ) - that follows the design journey of a 7th grader in mid - michigan , as she tackled the michigan design prize competition ; it’s a powerful reminder of how mentoring can change the life of a student , and prepare them for a lifetime of creative expression and professional success . ”
our innovation round tables are never quite the same twice in a row , but here’s a general idea of what to expect : when you arrive you will be welcomed into our big blue room . brain fuel in the form of snacks and coffee will be waiting for you ! after a brief introduction , time will be provided for you to get all of your questions about innovation , design or anything related on the white board . then , our trusty vp of strategic growth , jeevak , will share our work methodology here at sundberg - ferar . there will be an escorted tour of our studio and prototyping shop ( no image - capturing devices , please ) , and an opportunity to take a closer look at some of the past products we’ve designed . finally , after taking everything in , we will all join in the round table innovation discussion to engage the thoughts and questions that have been presented . bring your big ideas , curiosity , questions , and aspirations ! as a team that takes our mission very seriously , we are so excited to meet fellow travelers on our quest to raise humanity’s quality of living . sound intriguing to you ? if so , let’s talk ! shoot us an email at hello @ sundbergferar . com .
the futuristic front end of the r - 40 cars , as delivered , was designed by raymond loewy . the slant front end soon proved to be impractical and dangerous for passengers to pass from car to car . attempts to improve the safety of the slanted ends immediately resulted in disastrous changes to their appearance . throughout 1968 and the course of the cars ' delivery , the simple handholds were first augmented with larger protruding handhelds , pantograph gates , and finally , even larger ( higher ) handholds . ( the metalwork and chains did not age well during the life of the r - 40 car , turning the once futuristic cars into ugly ducklings . ) by april 1968 it had already been decided that even such modifications were not a solution , and the 100 remaining cars on the order were redesigned . the modified ends were designed by the design firm of sundberg - ferar , which also designed the mta
metropolitan
( m1 ) cars for the mta commuter railroads , and the r - 44 / r - 46 front ends . the r - 40
m
cars retained their smooth front , blue belt rail paint , and large rollsigns until circa 1979 - 1980 when the signs were changed ( to the mta color bullets ) and pantograph gates were installed .
r - 40m
was not an official designation , although it is now in common use to distinguish the r - 40 cars with the modified ( non - slant ) end design .
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urltoken
urltoken r - 40 - - r - 40m ( st . louis car )
r - 40 car 4425 mid - consist on the
a
line at 190th street / overlook terrace . photo by david pirmann , april 2009 .
4150 - 4249 , 4350 - 4449 ( present numbers 4150 - 4349 ) were built under contract r - 40 , and 4250 - 4349 , 4450 - 4549 ( present numbers 4350 - 4549 ) under contract r - 40a . the fleets were renumbered in january , 1970 , such that all of the slant - end cars were numbered in order ( with the side effect at the time of also numbering the cars without , and with , air conditioning in order too ) .
cars rebuilt 1987 - 1989 by sumitomo . during the overhaul , air conditioning was added to the slant - end cars that did not have it ( 4150 - 4249 , 4250 - 4349 ) .
last run of the r - 40 slant - front cars : 6 / 12 / 2009 , cars : n - 4425 - 4424 - 4415 - 4414 - 4398 - 4399 - 4257 - 4256 - 4433 - 4432 - s , on the
a
line .
last runs of the r - 40 modified - front cars : all remaining r - 40ms were cut out of their mixed r - 40m / r - 42 consists the week of august 25th , 2009 . the last cars in service were as follows : 4544 / 4545 ( 8 / 25 on v ) , 4546 / 4547 ( 8 / 26 on r ) , 4510 / 4511 ( 8 / 26 on r ) , 4530 / 4531 ( 8 / 26 on r ) , 4460 / 4665 ( 8 / 27 on v ) , 4540 / 4541 ( 8 / 27 on v ) , 4484 / 4485 ( 8 / 28 on v ) . last revenue train containing r - 40m cars was ( n ) - 4752 / 4753 - 4660 / 4461 - 4485 / 4484 - 4720 / 4721 - 4763 / 4762 - ( s ) , on the v , friday morning , august 28 , 2009 . laid up at jamaica yard after the am rush . two r - 40m pairs ( 4506 / 4507 and 4518 / 4519 ) were assigned to the refuse train ( based 38th street ) on or about july 14 , 2009 and remained active as non - revenue equipment through september 2 , 2009 , but were
reefed
9 / 26 / 2009 .
any r - 40 ( st . louis , 1968 ) [ 4150 - 4449 ] r - 40m ( st . louis , 1969 ) [ 4450 - 4549 ]
any al bennett , jr . aliandro brathwaite alize jarrett amanda marsh andrew johnson anthony j . liccese anthony maimone anthony modesto bernard chatreau bill demo bill e . bob ristelhueber bob wright brian j . cudahy brian weinberg chao - hwa chen charles ali chris c . shaffer chris m . christopher esposito christopher henderson christopher sattler clay atcher curtis roach d . reinecke daniel borde daniel negron danny molina dante d . angerville david m . david of broadway david pirmann david tropiansky david - paul gerber deandre burrell doug grotjahn ed davis , sr . ed mckernan ed watson / arthur lonto collection emmanuel robinson eric oszustowicz filip matuska gary chatterton george chiasson jr . george cuhaj gerald h . landau gin yee glenn l . rowe ian dale james matthews jason r . decesare jeffrey ornstein jeremy whiteman jin - young yoon joe brennan joe mirabella joe testagrose john barnes john czarnecky john dooley john urbanski jorge catayi joshua cintron kareem williams kevin wong khalis ward lee winson leonard wilson lorraine maruska marc pitanza mark s . feinman max diamond michael hodurski michael pompili michael tricarico mike fioriello mike scott neil feldman nicholas cheung nicholas noel omar pagan oren h . oswaldo c . pablo maneiro paul ferbrache paul p . pete monty peter dougherty peter ehrlich peter naughton peter puleo philip d ' allesandro phillip lee professor j richard brome richard panse robbie rosenfeld robert marrero robert mencher robert taylor roberto c . tobar salaam allah sidney keyles steve hoskins steve kreisler steve zabel steven cruz todd glickman tony mirabella trevor logan wayne whitehorne zach summer
image 89020 ( 286k , 1044x788 ) photo by : zach summer location : newkirk plaza ( fmrly newkirk ave . )
image 104589 ( 264k , 1044x788 ) photo by : glenn l . rowe location : 207th street yard
note : due to the r - 40 and r - 40m cars having been renumbered , the photos indicate the car number when the photo was taken . so some of the photos will show r - 40 and r - 40m cars with the same numbers , taken before and after the renumbering . where known , the original number of the car is indicated in the photo caption .
involved in collision at dyckman st in the 1980s . repaired and returned to service .
hit by
m
train outside 9th avenue , 2 / 5 / 1995 . was worked on in coney island shops for years but never returned to service . moved to sbk yard for scrapping , 7 / 20 / 2007 .
, november 2009 . part of
train of many metals
nostalgia fleet .
temporarily renumbered cb - 20 to cb - 35 ( in order ) to reflect an ongoing cobra brake shoe test . these cars could only run with like modified cars .
sustained fire damage at pitkin yard at some unknown time . repaired and returned to service .
first r - 40 train in revenue service , on the
f
, march 23 , 1968 . slanted - end doors initially were unlocked but by april 5 , the danger was obvious and they remained locked . by mid - april it was definite that the car ends would be redesigned .
4420 involved in accident with r - 6 1236 in the smith st . tunnel lower level between 7th ave . and church ave . on 2 / 12 / 1973 .
collision at bushwick / aberdeen , 1 / 8 / 1996 . scrapped , 2001 .
image 5254 ( 74k , 768x512 ) photo by : michael pompili location : sbk yard ( 2nd ave at 38th st . ) ( sbk )
image 5255 ( 77k , 768x512 ) photo by : michael pompili location : sbk yard ( 2nd ave at 38th st . ) ( sbk )
ran into
m
train on williamsburg bridge ( r - 42 4664 ) , 6 / 5 / 1995 . rebuilt into a slant - front car and renumbered 4260 , but never ran as such in service , as there was never a mate car available to unitize it with .
suffered severe damage at sheepshead bay in a collision with a crane . 4487 was temporarily mated with 4500 until both their mates were ultimately repaired and returned to service .
collided with r - 16 6304 on
gg
train nr . roosevelt ave . , 5 / 20 / 1970 . two passengers were killed in the r - 16 subway car on the gg line . repaired & returned to service .
when delivered , were used for testing various different new brake shoes ( renumbered as - 10 to as - 25 , in order , during testing ) . during the testing , these cars could only run with the other modified cars . after the completion of the testing , they were renumbered , along with the rest of the r - 40m fleet , to 4334 - 4349 . as far as can be determined , these tests commenced upon delivery and the cars never ran with their original numbers .
image 5375 ( 189k , 1024x671 ) photo by : joe testagrose location : 71st / continental aves . / forest hills
these two cars were experimentally tested with varying shades of brown and orange over the entire interior . this was ultimately used on some older equipment on both divisions .
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cars 2401 - 2402 are
stretching their legs
during test runs in their first months on the system , at armitage on october 31 , 1976 . for a larger view , click here . ( photo by art peterson , collection of joe testagrose )
* rehabbed by skokie shops in 1987 - 1995 + the propulsion package , while capable of higher speeds , is limited by the logic of the car controls and the external signal system .
by the mid 1970s , the last of the 4000 - series cars were approaching the time for retirement , but the minimum service requirements could only barely be covered by the remaining 2000s , 2200s and 6000s , and even the latter series was beginning to show its age . gaining from the experience of 330 cars of the 2000 - and 2200 - series , cta ordered 100 new cars with an option for an additional 100 ( which was eventually exercised ) compatible with the 2000 - and 2000 - series .
the cab was dedicated to the motorman ' s use only from the onset ; rearranged equipment and a better seat for the motorman are two of the benefits gained . ( many who remember the pre - 2400 series cars recall the open cabs as the bests seat in the train . ) the electrical equipment is generally the same as that of the 2200 - series . the major exception to this is the use of a motor - alternator to supply 230 - volt 60 - hertz power for all the auxiliary motors on the car . low - voltage dc is provided by transformers and rectifiers for the control system . use of 60 - hertz ac allows less expensive components to be employed in place costly , high - maintenance dc equipment .
cars 2491 - 2500 were planned to be delivered with advanced , solid - state propulsion control with regenerative as well as dynamic braking , though only 2491 - 2492 were actually delivered with such a package . the solid state ( chopper ) control was expected to provide smoother acceleration and braking , as well as power savings as much as 30 % by utilizing regenerative braking . following extensive testing with the 2491 - 2492 , the decision was made to change the control on all 10 cars to the conventional cam package . prototype testing had revealed unanticipated electromagnetic interference , which could have affected the signal track circuits . cars 2491 - 2492 were returned to the builder for this conversion . the other eight cars had the conversion performed before they were ever delivered to cta .
the cars were delivered in 1976 with a variation of the bicentennial scheme , which had been adopted on selected cars to celebrate the nation ' s two hundredth birthday . the red and blue window surrounds on the end caps were retained , but the red , white and blue stripe on the side was modified and the bicentennial names were dropped . for a time before delivery , it was considered giving the 2400s the platinum and black scheme used on the 2000s , which had allowed them to train more gracefully with the plain stainless steel 2200 - series units . a scale model of a 2400 made by boeing and presented to cta before production began was initially painted in this livery . ( the model was a fixture in room 734 at the merchandise mart for some time . interestingly , it also wore the car number
8490
while in that paint scheme , though this was not meant to reflect the series number . )
between 1987 ad 1995 , the 2400 - series cars underwent their mid - life rehab , performed in - house by skokie shops personnel instead of contracting the job out .