Prototyping a smart device for industrial application

Industry 4.0 (or digitization of manufacturing) widely spread these past years making industrial environments more and more connected and automated. Be it for productivity, monitoring, safety or environmental applications etc., new technologies dramatically changed the way we evolve. Worker will spend more and more time monitoring, controlling and the communication with the industrial environment became subjected to attention. We recently worked on a prototype for a very interested project focused on a “hands-free” radio control for the industry.

The client

SIATECH is a young innovative company which developed the ‘first hands-free wireless controller designed for industrial applications’. The idea of their innovation is to intuitively and safely interact with their environment, by the way of a simple gesture. We accompanied them during their product development process, in the realization of their plastic prototype parts.

The client was looking for a cost-savvy prototyping solution to perform visual tests before validating the aesthetic of the final product. He also needed a high end small pilot series of prototypes for marketing needs (exhibition, presentations).

The prototyping project

The parts of the product had to be both lightweight and robust so as to cope with the everyday production context. Using our vacuum casting technology, we were rapidly able to produce the different parts in up to 10 versions. We used a PU similar to ABS and PC for the main body of the part and an elastic material with 65 shore hardness for the outer components.

Mass tainted body

Three colors, mass tainted, were selected: yellow for the main body, red and black for the softer elastic parts. The parts produced by silicone molds needed to be sealed, the upper and lower part of the housing; the elastomer part was glued.

The result was very interesting at this stage and the client was entirely satisfied with the parts produced. However later production process would require using another method for mass production, over molding plastic insert in a steel mold.

Final Design

The final product

Going through this prototyping stage, the client was able to validate the aspect and functionality of the product parts and can now envisage heading to mass production. You can already have a look on SIATECH website for more details on the end product. At Prototech we are very familiar in prototyping parts for connected devices, watches, trackers etc., do not hesitate to contact us (using our contact form) may you want any more information.