Broadlink Research Dual Display Flip Phone
A Design In Time
Broadlink Research, Inc., specializing in wireless and mobile communications products for the worldwide market, asked IDE to provide the industrial design for their new dual display flip phone. Some of the principal members of Broadlink Research had worked with IDE on several projects and, thus, had first-hand knowledge of our professionalism and product design expertise.
The new cell phone, to be sold in Mexico and throughout South America, would be architecturally akin to the Samsung S105 clamshell
handset. It had to have the quality needed to compete in these very competitive markets, yet be easy and inexpensive to manufacture
and sell at an affordable price.
But there was a catch: they needed the fully-developed industrial design and a world-class design model completed in time for the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January, less than one month away.
Accepting the challenge, IDE assigned three industrial designers, a mechanical engineer and a graphics designer to the project, all
working concurrently. Because of the very aggressive deadline, we gave ourselves just over two weeks to develop and present our
design concepts to Broadlink Research for review, refine the approved concepts into final design renderings (again approved by the
customer), and manufacture a show-quality model.
IDE's mechanical engineers, using Pro Engineer, began the 3D solids modeling even before the industrial design was completed. This
approach allowed us to release the 3D files to our model shop, where they began programming the CNC machining centers that machine
the precision plastic parts for the phone model.
Then, IDE model makers, skilled craftsmen that they are, carefully assembled the
model, making sure it fit together like a fine Swiss watch. And, as promised, the model was delivered to Broadlink Research the
evening before the opening of the show.
Once the model was introduced at CES, IDE transferred the 3D design files to Broadlink Research's Asian manufacturer who could then complete the product engineering, tool the parts and manufacture the new phone.
