Microsoft shows off Surface 2 in design and engineering video

In a video interview posted on the Surface blog, director of design Ralf Groene talks about the design and engineering process in involved in producing the Surface 2.

Ralf points out that the two aspects are very closely intertwined: “We don’t design it first and then engineer it, we design and engineer it always together. It’s almost like ping pong game”.

He goes on to talk about the antenna cover describing how precision cutting it used to make it fit “like a puzzle piece into a puzzle”.

Moving on to look at the material used in the Type Cover 2, Ralf describes engineering and inventing a new micro fiber that feels like a high-end garment. For a device that is designed to be handled, fingerprints are an issue and this is smoother problem the team had to overcome.

This was a problem not only for the covers, but also the casing of the Surface 2 itself. The engineering team investigated the chemistry physics of greased repelling surfaces and then had to find a way to incorporate this idea into the magnesium exterior.

Take a look. The video gives an interesting glimpse into how the Surface 2 ended up in its current form.