Rapid Prototyping in The World of IoT

Paul Chen, Head of Global Electronic Design, and AF Cheung, VP Finance - APAC, Mattel

Paul Chen, Head of Global Electronic Design, and AF Cheung, VP Finance - APAC, Mattel

3D printing is a well-known tool to rapidly prototype structure and industrial design. Some of the most complex forms and artistic designs can be printed to gather feedback. With consumer electronics - the exterior form is often thought of as an enclosure; protect the internal electronics, keep internals cool, and expose whatever human interaction is needed. That it is an “enclosure” does not mean consumer electronics lack style and a level of functional appeal.

• Mobile phones and tablets – with the extra role of being portable – have the added need to be lightweight, expose touch screens and cameras, and be visually appealing.

• Ergonomics on keyboards and game controllers are often accompanied by a level of stylishness.

• Even the enclosures for the modern coffee makers, TVs, and voice assistants – carefully thought out to both blend into environment and be appealing in a minimalist way.

Rapid prototyping perfect for the early design stage in consumer electronics.

However, as the needs of electronics has evolved towards the Internet of Things -- suddenly new classes of needs are emerging in product form. Take for example the following IoT (Internet of Things) electronics are used:

1. where it operates in harsh, industrial environments.

2. where the sensing is built into the physical mechanics of a product.

3. where the digitalfeedback to the user is important to how the product is used.

The easiest example of #1 is in the case of IoT products intended for commercial and industrial applications; where there is a need to make sure products can handle more extremes intemperature. Commercial IoT and industrial IoT products have to handle 0°C to 85° and -40°C to 100°C respectively.

“With The Ever-Growing Variety of Materials That can be 3d Printed; Using a Material that is Translatable to The Simulation is a Start Combined With Quick Prototype Electronic Using Consumer Grade Components”

While simulations are important; building rapid prototypes are not to be ignored. With the ever-growing variety of materials that can be 3D printed; using a material that is translatable to the simulation is a start combined with quick prototype electronic using consumer grade components. Gives developers a chance to

• measure the Q (heat generated by PCB), TIS (the average enclosure wall surface temperature), and TI (the average air temperature inside the enclosure) before environment pressure

• observe and determine how the product will fail as temperatures are raised or lowered beyond the range of the prototypes.

I have seen cases where there is a sequence simulations to prototypes then back to simulations to get the confidence that final product can handle harsh temperature ranges.

An example of #2 and #3 is the GVK25 Cross Signal game from Mattel. Cross Signal relies on physical mechanics and user feedback. In order to get a wider breadth of usability feedback; rapid prototypes of the Cross Signal were created using the native language of the global test population. Even when the final product would never actually be sold to the countries that speak those languages. This approach could similarly be used for home-health medical IoT; where there are sometimes physical mechanics involved with taking measurements; and where audible user instructions could help the user through setting up and executing those measurements.