This video says the convenience of being able to charge your devices without wires comes with tradeoffs.

This wall hook, which was manufactured at least as far back as 1908, is designed to be installed without the use of tools. Though pre-drilling might make it easier, the lower hook is used for leverage to screw it into place, and the wire is of a thick enough gauge to not get bent out of whack.

It's such an elegant piece of manufacturing, made of a single length of wire rod, put through its paces on a bender, then threaded.

The original designer is impossible to track down; it seems no one ever (properly) locked up the copyright, and versions of this were produced by multiple companies in the 20th century, including the Atlas Manufacturing Co,, Dominion Wire, Gem Manufacturing, etc.

You can find vintage versions on secondhand sites…

…and, over a century later, still buy new ones at hardware stores for a few bucks.

This is what I'd call a wildly successful design: Useful, affordable, easy to install, straightforward to source and manufacture, and long-lived.

Leif Jørgensen is the Danish architect/furniture designer who designed that Loop Stand for Hay.

While that piece involved a trio of welds, Jørgensen asks more of the welder for his more recent LJ Spider Chair, produced for his own brand:

It's one of those pieces that's simple and complicated at the same time.

I count no less than 34 rods! I'd love to see the jigs used in getting one of these together.

The chair is available in two finishes, Galvanized Steel and Green, and runs €504 (USD $537) and €530 (USD $565), respectively.

When it comes to kitchen items, certain objects will last forever, like a cast iron frying pan. Other things get chewed up and need eventual replacement, like cutting boards. But if you want a cutting board that falls in the former category, here's your chance.

This Siki cutting board, up on Kickstarter right now, is made out of freaking titanium. This seems insane to me; whether you're slicing or chopping, your knife can't hold a keen edge when it's contacting metal, and I'd think you'd need to re-sharpen constantly.

(The campaign writes: "Titanium…has a hardness that is about one-third of the steel used in most kitchen knives.… Pure titanium has the characteristic of being a soft metal. It is however harder compared to other materials that are used in other chopping boards such as wood or plastic, and so you may need to sharpen your knife a little more than necessary [sic].")

Another caveat is that, being softer than steel, it will show scratches on its surface (unless you're some kind of EDC maniac that's using titanium kitchen knives).

Interestingly it's manufactured by Asahi Tekko, which is not a kitchen goods company; they're a Japanese automotive supplier that makes engine and transmission parts(!).

The board is roughly the size of an 11" squircle, and is just 1mm thick; to make it possible for you to lift it, one corner has been bent upwards for clearance.

The company says the benefits of a titanium cutting board are that it won't transfer odors, it's easy to clean, it can be wiped dry instantly (for when you wash it and want to get it right back into service, but are cutting something that oughtn't get wet, like bread), it's lightweight, it cannot trap mold, and it is of course likely to last forever.

The Siki cutting board runs $147, and has already been successfully Kickstarted, with 18 days left to pledge. It's expected to ship next January.

I'd love to get my hands on a copy of this book. "The Function of Colour in Factories Schools & Hospitals" is a British book published in 1930. UK-based stationery retailer Present & Correct owns a copy, and posted these (uncaptioned) scans on their blog:

I found an old eBay listing to an already-sold copy, and was able to make out some of the text in the industrial section:

Woodworking Mill

The Problem
The material being fabricated supplies large areas of neutral colour which need some slight colour-contrast in the surroundings to prevent monotony and the consequent loss of production efficiency. It is desired to achieve harmony with the various machines employed—originally supplied in various colours—by repainting them to tone-in with the main scheme.Heavy Engineering Works

The ProblemThis is a large area in which the presence of a great number of very high and heavy machines gives an impression of overpowering weight. It is necessary to reduce the feeling of oppression caused by the size and quantity of machinery, for otherwise premature fatigue will be caused to workers.Cigarette Sorting Room

The ProblemA large room lit almost entirely from the roof, with a consequent oppressive feeling of enclosure. The work done in it is monotonous and repetitive, and the staff entirely feminine. It is desirable, by the use of colour, to create a pleasant scheme which will diminish the feeling of enclosure and, while being quiet enough to prevent distraction, will be sufficiently stimulating to counteract the monotony of the work.

Color vs. monotony, oppression, repetitiveness. Which do you reckon won?

It is nice to think that a hundred years ago, the publishers thought to put this book out at all. (I wonder what the uptake was.) If you look at most modern factories, it sure doesn't seem like color is a big priority.

We’re also looking at sustainable industrial automation, variable frequency drives, and fluid control technologies.

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Consider these tips for engineering sustainability into products and processes without compromising performance and safety.

Deploying the software may be a breeze, but getting the new system to work with your company’s culture can be a tough climb.