Cost

Maintaining a low cost solution for this concept to meet a $30 price point was a challenge that drove multiple iterations. The initial design used TPU “brake pads” to create friction in the hinges. Once this method was determined inadequate in terms of friction, we worked with new suppliers on a custom constant-torque hinge consisting of two pieces of sheet metal wrapped around a simple machined shaft.

Mount Head Variation

Throughout the design process we went through multiple generations of mount heads, which all required design changes. The mount head was an ongoing project in parallel. The earlier design for this mount included a ball joint mechanism which we developed but determined unnecessary and removed to save cost.

Timeline

Speed to market was important for this project which drove an aggressive schedule including multiple rounds of proto tooling and finally production tooling. This required working directly with our CM and multiple trips to China. The project took about one year to get from initial concepts to high volume manufacturing.

Maintaining Aesthetics

As with many Popsockets products within the design language it was a challenge to maintain the curvature and circularity of the form. Minimizing the overall size was critical to promote a portable and collapsible product. By maintaining the overall ID we had to come to a consensus on spacing for mechanical features which limited my options.

Function

When determining mechanical requirements we had to design for the worst case situations. The friction of each joint had to be determined at each orientation from the weight of the largest device on the market in the bumpiest road conditions. The suction cup also had to be strong on various surfaces. This required FEA on components as well as real-life testing in vehicles. I also implemented an add-in plate solution for mounting on heavily textured and curved surfaces.

Assembly

The assembly included many moving components that had to be tight fitting without hindering the movement or creating any unwanted feel or sounds. I performed tolerance stack-ups and many minor tool modifications to tighten the fit while keeping proper clearance. The order and method of assembly was considered throughout the process and optimized for lowest cost.