Product Design vs. Machine Design vs. Mechanical Design...

Design Discussions general design discussion
1

I’m looking to hire contract help to design and build a custom foodservice oven. I’m struggling to understand what would be the correct terminology for the type of skills I need:

Product/Industrial designer or engineer?
Machine designer or engineer?
Mechanical designer or engineer?

This commercial oven is not a consumer product. It will be used by trained staff only and will have single digit quantity production. It will be used in a retail setting, so I’d like a sexy looking stainless exterior. But what I really care about is how well the oven operates and cooks, i.e. mechanical operation and heat transfer. The oven will have to successfully heat the product in unique ways current foodservice ovens cannot. I have done preliminary research on key engineering issues and have a particular design already in mind.

What’s the right terminology for the skills I’m looking for? Is it possible to get the skills I need in one person or from one shop? Also welcome any tips on good places to start looking for the talent I need. Thanks.

Thanks

2

There are Industrial Designers that could help you, many work with “associates” in other fields; a mechanical engineer with experience in thermal dynamics for example.

It will be used by trained staff only and will have single digit quantity production.

But single digit production? I’d have a hard time actually calling it “production”. If you are going to use this oven in a commercial setting it will have to meet stringent UL requirements in order to be installed, and with less than 10 units in mind, you are going to have a very expensive oven on your hands.