Motorola Solutions DS9808

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We like to question the normal plastic moulding strategy whenever it makes sense to - in this case, the benefit of having a long-banded lightpipe had the potential to dramatically improve the feedback visibility from all angles, and therefore create a better user experience. Moulding difficulty, structural stiffness and tolerance control led to shelving this idea.

We love it when a design can be made better for the user and bring benefits to manufacturing at the same time. Here we explored combining the rotating ratchet housing with a lightpipe and potentially saving parts in the process, but alas, it ultimately created issues for assembly.

Motorola Solutions are a very detail and engineering driven company, so the details around the construction and assembly are all key constituents to not only a great design, but one that can be made leaner and more efficient.

Here, the story is around enabling an RFID accessory attachment to integrate into the design cleanly for both ID, ME and EE.

These Alias screenshots show some of the important explorations into the proportion and perception that come with different material, texture and colour breaks. A well placed change in any of these can make the product look very different.

In this view, the lighter colours at the top make the scanner look lighter and less top heavy, whilst the gentler curves also make it look a little more friendly.

The darker bulk in the midsection looks more professional and techy, as well as more balanced in visual weight.

The darker colour band has lent the scanner a top-heavy feel, but has emphasised a 'leaning-forward' like quality and a slight perception of speed.

From right to left: Concept A (appearance model), Concept B (appearance model), Concept C (appearance model) and the previous generation MK2000

From left to right: Concept A (appearance model), Concept B (appearance model) and Concept C (appearance model)

Incredibly imaginative names right?

From left to right: Concept A, Concept B and Concept C

Concepts A and B were liked most, the best elements of which were blended into the final design.

Sweating the details: As with many designs, a lot of thought is put into small details that the user will never see or consider. Here, the opening for the sound output has the potential to have liquid ingress in the event of a spill. A tiny slope (around 8mm long and 2mm tall) in the design was to be moulded in to reduce that chance.