Book excerpt: The Industrial Design Reference & Specification Book is the first book to gather all the essential pieces of information industrial designers need on a daily basis in one concise handbook. It's a reference you'll turn to over and over again to efficiently create designs that work, last, and minimize unnecessary risk. To make designs that work and endure (and are also legal), designers need to know—or be able to find—an endless number of details. Whether it's what kind of glue needs to be used on a certain surface, metric equivalents, thread sizes, or how to apply for a patent, these details are essential and must be readily available so designers can create successful products efficiently. These pages are filled with information that is critical to successful product design, including information on: Measurement conversions Trademark and copyright standards Patents and product-related intellectual property rights/standards Setting up files for prototyping and production runs Manufacturing and packaging options to optimize the design The Industrial Design Reference & Specification Book is an essential resource for any industrial or product designer. The Reference & Specification Book series from Rockport Publishers offers students and practicing professionals in a range of creative industries must-have information in their area of specialty in an up-to-date, concise handbook.