We used VR to increase the user experience and won!

Virtual reality – the fully immersive experience that brings you to another world (or makes you run into a wall) is so much more than video games or simulated roller coasters. Virtual reality is ushering in a new era of product development through a virtual prototyping environment – something we are perfecting here at Catania. … Read more

Responding to Shark Tank, Design for Cost

Image of person holding a redesigned smaller pulley with the large pulley in the background.

Have you ever made the observation of how products get smaller? Have you ever looked at computers from the 70s and compared them to today’s computers, and asked, how did that happen?    As engineers and designers, we do that all the time. We do it in part because we’re curious about things and we … Read more

Reverse engineering to develop a better product.

Person looking at a custom designed wheel, with the title reading "Design for Manufacturing: Simplifying with Reverse Engineering".

Ever torn something apart or broken something down piece by piece to see what’s inside?  In the process did you discover something new, like how it was made?  I know that I have. Recently, I took apart one of my son’s remote-controlled toys and what I found was that it was surprisingly complex. It was … Read more

From mailbox to MilaBox, Shipping Rethought

An artistic mailbox with words overtop reading "The MilaBox, A Look at Catania Design Process".

“Find a job you enjoy doing and you’ll never work a day in your life.”  Mark Twain’s famous quote is more than just lip service. It’s our mantra. Passion is contagious. It flows from one person to another, feeding the energy and drive from employees to customers. The projects that have the most success are … Read more

The Future of Ab Workouts – User Experience

A product is more than the end result of an idea made into a real-life design. It’s your baby. Your brainchild. But seeing your dream made into a reality shouldn’t signal the finish line. The ultimate goal of any product is to serve its user beyond the original concept to give them the best results … Read more

3 Steps to Ensuring Success before Designing

Text reads "From Render to Reality" and shows the 3D CAD version of the design as the "Render" and the final picture of the prototype as "Reality"

For many inventors and start-ups, success or failure all hinge on proper initial research. This can be one of the hardest things for enthusiastic entrepreneurs to focus on. It is easy to get so excited and emotionally invested in your idea that you do not take the proper time to research your idea for viability … Read more