How industrial designers create enclosures for new electronic products

Do you want to create a product that will conquer the electronics market? Then take industrial designers on your team. Style and visual thinking, human psychology and ergonomics of new electronic devices are in their power.

It all started with the German school of industrial design “Bauhaus” (bau — “build,” haus — “house”), which in the 1920s covered all aspects of life, combining logic and aesthetics. They laid the basics of engineering in industrial design, emphasizing that function and design determine form — the more functional the device, the more effective it is.

We use the results of industrial designers’ work every day. Various gadgets are so prevalent that we can’t imagine how we would live without our smartphone, laptop, or other electronic devices. However, the process of their industrial design remains in the shade. I will try to take a closer look at it inside. To get started, let’s figure out how much the roles of graphic designers and industrial designers differ.

Our industrial designer at Promwad works on another project

A graphic designer creates mass visual messages covering a vast sphere of use: books, cinema, advertising, etc.

An industrial designer combines the skills of an artist-designer, designer, and engineer. He or she connects the usage and interaction, marketing, and psychology in his/her work.

Today, the supply fully meets consumer demand, and the emotional component is fundamental in choosing a product. Therefore, an industrial designer tries to create a commercially successful product that meets the needs of potential customers and changes their life for the better.

When creating new devices, industrial designers should accompany the customer at all stages of the project. Be sure that you get not only 3D-models of sketches but a design project based on DFM principles (DFM = design for manufacturing). The turnkey design should include all the necessary documentation to start mass production of your enclosures in China or at your local manufacturing facility.

While preparing pre-project sketches and studies, industrial designers consider the technological and commercial features of the future device. They work in a team with hardware engineers and mechanical designers to take into account manufacturing technologies and calculate the net cost of the product.

The most complex and time-consuming part of the work is to develop a concept, which includes research and sketch proposals. Industrial designers study the experience of domestic and international companies, write the terms of reference (ToR), based on their clients’ requirements, and generate a set of ideas reflected in several concepts.

3D modeling for one of Promwad’s clients

The best sketch proposals are reproduced as 3D models to be approved by the customer. As a result, the enclosure’s final design is based on the chosen design concept and 3D model. It takes into account the possibilities of production, assembly, and characteristics of materials.

After 3D modeling, mechanical design engineers take over the project. They use modern design automation systems (CAD), such as CREO (ex Pro/Engineer).

An example of the mechanical design for an enclosures created at Promwad

In practice, industrial designers can be involved at various stages: at the very start of the project or the stage of a ready-made hardware platform. The designers will provide the product with a brand style; will help select the right materials, respecting manufacturing costs.

A prototype of the echo sounder (3D printing, in the foreground) & a finished product, made with three-piece injection molding (in the background).

After checking on prototypes and assessing the possibility of repair and maintenance, you will be ready to launch mass production.

So, now you have a general idea of the design process. The next step is the selection of the optimal production site for the manufacturing and assembly of your electronics enclosures. It will be the subject of a different story that I will certainly write about some other time.

About the author

Hi, my name is Ivan Kuten. I’m a co-owner & CTO at Promwad, where we design for our clients new electronics and embedded software for smart TV, IoT, telecom, automotive, and other industries. As long as I can remember, I always loved solving complex engineering challenges and learning about new technologies. In my blog, I share my experience in building and manufacturing hardware products for the global market. Feel free to add me on LinkedIn; I’d love to connect with you.