Applying a toolless assembly process to extruded plastic sheet, Tool-Less Plastic Technologies provided just the right housing for a transceiver developed by the Fleetwood Group''s Electronics Div. The new audience response system, dubbed the Reply IQ™, represented an expansion of its product line that would leverage its existing dealer and distribution channels. Because the product was entering a new market, estimating annual usage was difficult, with the best estimate at between 80-200 systems per year.
The system is comprised of a base station transceiver and from 1-70 handheld remotes (IQK 1000). The base station transceiver connects to a PC and receives radio frequency communication from the remote units. Used in settings such as corporate conference rooms, meeting halls, classrooms, arenas, or anywhere a meeting may be held, the ReplyIQ™ is designed for real-time polling and dynamic interaction with audiences.
Mechanical engineer Steve Post was assigned the enclosure for the base station transceiver.
"We needed a distinct shape for our enclosure because the 2 antennas had to be separated by a specific distance," he recalls. "We looked at some off-the-shelf (enclosure) solutions but the proportions weren''t right and the production quantities didn''t justify tooling." Because many customers rent the sender and transceiver units for meetings, the units would be moved frequently from place to place, so the design had to be rugged and durable enough to survive a 3 ft drop onto concrete with minimal damage.
"Our previous product was very durable, and there was a significant advantage to have visual similarity by using the same material and color," Post adds.
Post designed the transceiver to be manufactured using Tool-Less™ technology, a proprietary CNC machining and fabrication process used by Toolless Plastic Technologies, LLC, located north of Seattle in Mukilteo, WA. Low up-front costs of less than $1,500 for design, CNC programming, and prototyping, flexibility of both design and material, and the product''s injection molded appearance fit the economic and design criteria better than sheet metal, injection molding, or off-the-shelf enclosure solutions. Also, Toolless Plastic Technologies produced Fleetwood''s previous product.
As project engineer, Post worked with Tool-Less engineers to develop the enclosure.
"The pcb mostly influenced the enclosure," he responded when asked which aspect of the project drove the enclosure design. "The antenna separation dictated the pcb length and width, which dictated the enclosure dimensions, and most of that was in place by the time we started working with Toolless."
He provided a series of initial CAD datasets based on detail design information obtained from Tool-Less engineers, such as wall thickness, bend radii, clearance requirements, pcb mounting boss details, etc. These datasets were evaluated prior to starting the project, and modified at the conclusion to match actual part configuration. Hidden details such as locations and dimensions of Tool-Less'' standard tongues and grooves were handled by Tool-Less engineers and therefore not included in the datasets.
Kydex™, an acrylic and PVC blend extruded by Kleerdex™, was chosen by Fleetwood for the new product as well as its previous product because of its high impact strength and scratch resistance. It carries a UL94-V0 flame rating and was tinted to a custom grey to match Fleetwood''s other product colors. The 3/16 in. thickness was selected to meet the durability requirements, and a sandblast texture was chosen to minimize fingerprinting and dirt accumulation.
"The unknown annual usage and trying to maintain visual similarity and durability made the Tool-Less™ technology the best choice for this project," says Post, in his wrap-up of the project.