The client, Regler Ltd wished to take the technology used to great effect in their Xylobands wristband products and create a lanyard which could be used at trade-shows, exhibitions and conferences. Hillside Product Design were tasked with collaborating with Regler Ltd’s radio and electronics engineers as well as their manufacturing partners to design a product that was safe, attractive and engaging as well as cost effective to manufacture in large volumes.
Hillside Product Design conducted a risk assessment in order to identify possible modes of failure for an LED lanyard product used by members of the public, and created a comprehensive list of scenarios and mitigating features which were incorporated into the design to make it the safest it could possibly be.
With the specification in place, Hillside Product Design embarked on a concept design stage to explore possible forms for the lanyard module, taking into account the constraints of wireless and the internal arrangement of PCBs, batteries, and LEDs. The external form was agreed with the aid of CAD derived images and 3D block models, dimensional PCB specifications were created to enable the electronics engineer to integrate the sophisticated LED and radio arrangements.
Once the mechanical and electronic elements of the design had been developed, high resolution 3D printed prototypes of the module were commissioned. Hillside Product Design used its in-house CNC machining capability to prototype the PCB layout and battery contacts. This enabled a full review prior before Regler Ltd committed to tooling.
Once the lanyard tooling was commissioned, Hillside Product Design reported on moulding samples and liaised with the factory to establish ongoing quality control. The end result is a unique product that has been used in venues all over the world to great effect.