Smart Thermostat Case Study
Introduction
Challenge
With only 2 months until the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas and product specifications still fluid Allure Energy had a big opportunity to show their product in Freescale Semiconductor’s private suite. Allure had a product vision that involved best-in-class aesthetics and usability combined with functional and frugal design elements.
Solution
Aavid worked closely with the Allure team to quickly complete the design and fabrication of prototypes of the first generation device. The design included housings, back painted display glass, speaker covers and provisions for mounting electronics.Following the outstanding reception at CES Aavid Design moved towards a pro-duction ready design with a focus on quality and usability. The following process was taken to reach the final design goals:
• Complete conceptual design including thermal and structural analysis
• Mechanical design for injection molding of all parts snapping together
• Maintaining superior aesthetics and usability throughout the product
• Build two rounds of prototypes completed with variations on color and finish
• Prepared control documentation for process and fabrication in mass production
• Completed tooling design, and first article reviews before shipping final product
Results
Aavid’s prototypes were showcased on Fox News on the first morning of CES. The connection between the media center and the dock is robust and easy to use due to the unique alignment and snap features – the hold is just right that it stays in place well, but it not too difficult to attach and remove. Both the media center and the dock assemble quickly and easily by minimizing wired connections and employing only plastic snaps to hold parts together minimizing the cost of producing the product. The dock on its own has a unique and beautiful appearance from all angles, yet its functional features allow better usability than other products in the market such as the simi-circular array of terminal plugs that give ample room for making connections to the home. The transition from design to manufacturing was seamless due to Aavid Design being fully integrated with the Aavid factory teams that are producing the device for Allure Energy.
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