Product development for Telit

We were asked to develop a product for Telit, who specialise in producing chips for IoT products – the internet of things.

It is an electronic device that controls a number of internet-connected products, with a docking station for fast charging.

What the project involved

Developing a consumer electronics product rests on two things happening at once: the outer shell and the internal housing that holds the components. At Telit this was a controller managing connected products, together with a fast-charging dock – which means electrical contacts, heat dissipation, and the experience of setting it down, which has to feel right in the hand.

The project was produced in MJF – Multi Jet Fusion, nylon powder printing. The part is built layer by layer inside a powder bed, with no supports, and the whole build volume is available for parts. That is what makes the technology suit small runs exactly: the chamber can be filled with dozens of different parts in one build, with no dedicated tooling to pay for.

The material is nylon 12 (PA12) – an engineering material with good mechanical durability, dimensional stability and an even matte finish. See more on choosing a material.

Why we chose 3D printing

• Small quantity – tens of units, not thousands. An injection mould does not pay for itself at that volume.
• Timescale – days to weeks, rather than months for tooling.
• Room to change – the file can be corrected and a new version printed without starting development again.
• Geometric complexity – shapes that cannot be milled or cast come straight off the printer.

See product design and development.

A similar project of your own?

Send us a file or a description of the problem and you will get a recommendation on technology, material and timescale – talk to an engineer. See also product design and development and 3D printing production.