Parsyl
Parsyl approached us to design and engineer a waterproof shipping tracker that would be able to withstand extreme environmental conditions.
Role: Lead designer, Product Engineer
Year: 2018
Goals
01
Weatherproof
This device would need to not only be IP67 rated, but also need to withstand temperatures down to -40C.
02
Intuitive
This would be a multi-language device, so the interface needed to be easily understood by a variety of users and not rely on text.
03
Customizable
Parsyl had a long term goal of offering brandable solutions for its product. This meant the device needed to be adaptable in a way for outside brands to establish recognition through the design.
Concept Development
Parsyl aimed to be a device with minimal interaction. It is meant to be a quick indicator of whether a shipment is good or bad. This was brought into the concept development by reducing the interactions and iconography on the device to the minimum. The main components consisted of an on/off slider, a status button, and an indicator light. Reducing interactions made the design easier to immediately understand the results of the shipment in question.
Design Development
We tested many iterations of button type, slider mechanism, and LED indicator light to determine the easiest possible solution to understand. This led to a prominent status button being the main feature on the front face of the device and a 360° light pipe that distinguishes whether a shipment is good or bad.
Engineering
Parsyl also used us as their engineering partner in this project. We engineered every element of the design and created the technical drawings and CAD that were used in the final plastics production. We accounted for standard injection molding constraints including wall thicknesses, draft, moldability, and tolerances.
