What Is a Freelance Industrial Designer?

A freelance industrial designer is self-employed and in most cases works on a contract basis for a number of clients. Freelance industrial designers typically perform the same work as industrial designers. Such duties include designing products that will be manufactured as well as improving products already on the market.

The freelance industrial designer is typically brought in to help design a product. He or she is responsible for planning and creating the look and style of goods to be manufactured and sold. Products that a freelance industrial designer may be hired to develop include automotive parts, packaging for food, household products, and medical equipment. In addition, industrial designers or freelance industrial designers are also brought in to design consumer electronic products.

Freelance industrial designers can be hired to work on improving already developed products. Assisting different specialists, such as engineers, scientists, and marketers, is part of the freelance designer's job. These professionals let the designer know what past problems have been encountered with already manufactured product design. Working with these departments ensures the freelance designer knows exactly what the client is looking for.

The marketing department provides consumer feedback for the designer to use in preparing product design. Accounting employees give the designer an idea of what budget the company is working with. This allows the designer to design using suggested material within that budget. Engineers can tell the designer how viable each suggested design will be when the time comes to manufacture the product. All of these elements are used by the designer to create product designs.

A freelance industrial designer uses computerized and freehand sketches to capture the essence of what the client wants in a product design. The client is asked to approve the design or ask for revisions until the client is satisfied. CAD programs are then used by the freelance industrial designer to produce a three-dimensional graphic model of the product design. The approved product design is then readied for manufacturing, and the freelance designer moves on to the next project.

The typical freelance industrial designer has a bachelor's degree in industrial design. In addition, many work as industrial designer employees before moving out on their own as freelance industrial designers. Building a solid client base is paramount to success for any freelancer.