Design Innovation can help you with mechanical design of components, subassemblies and entire products. We're ideally positioned to be an as-needed contributor to your design team. We're available when you need us.

We design for structural and performance requirements plus usability and aesthetics, with a focus on cost-effective manufacturing and assembly. Our experience covers a wide range of engineering and decorative materials, including surface finishes that are durable and attractive. Additionally, we have expertise at modifying commercially available plastic and metal enclosures for getting small to medium volume products to market at a lower cost than investing in a custom enclosure.

We're a Solidworks Manufacturing Network Partner. More about why we use Solidworks 3D CAD. We also offer writing of assembly manuals with photo and CAD illustrations, industrial photography, production documentation and consulting on product design methodology for your company.

Some examples of our design and prototyping work:

Ford DeWalt Tool Link™ RFID System - The mechanical design for this product included the injection-molded antenna shroud, several steel support brackets, a machined heatsink, two molded rubber seals, and die-cut thermal pads. We also modified an existing die-cast environmentally sealed enclosure to hold the RFID circuitry and a group of sealed connectors. All components and assemblies tested passed impact, shock/vibration and environmental tests on their first try. More about our work on Tool Link RFID, and Ford's own website about Tool Link.

ActionTracker - The mechanical and cosmetic design for this product included the injection-molded enclosure and a waterjet-cut backplate and seal assembly. We also modified an existing battery terminal to fit in an extremely small space. The ActionTracker is water and impact resistant, smaller than an iPod Nano and weighs less than 1oz.. Photo copyright 2008 by AWare Technologies Inc.

Lift Mechanism For A Designer Writing Desk - This mechanism included structural parts made from stainless steel plate, plus gas springs, torsion springs, precison bushings and stainless steel and Delrin hardware. More about our work on the desk lift mechanism.

Initial Concept Prototype For The OLPC Computer Housing - The mechanical and cosmetic design for this prototype included all the sheet metal and machined parts for the aluminum shell and folding mechanism, a polycarbonate display protector, sheet rubber gaskets, keyboard block, and plastic bushings and endcaps. We also sourced the sheet metal and fasteners, made all the other prototype components and assembled the prototypes. CAD simulation of the opening and closing mechanism allowed the prototypes to function perfectly from the first assembly onwards.
Laptop photo copyright 2005 USA Today.