When a feature we thought would be simple to implement became a design challenge we had to go back to the drawing board multiple times to get the product performance we needed. Here's a visual road map showing each step we took to make it to production.
Edit: The component you see below is the spring button for the telescopic sections of the CRC System.
Iterations
The image below shows all of the different versions we made of the spring buttons for the CRC System to test and verify functionality.
Start Here
The very first version of the buttons we used were based on off the shelf components already being put to work in similar (but different!) applications.
Modify
The second version of the button attempted to improve retention performance by squaring the button profile but we discovered there were limits to how "square" the profile could be manufactured with the forming process.
Testing
The third button we made was a prototype using off the shelf copper tubing, an old button design and some brazing. We verified that the square edge was extremely important for retention.
Lessons Learned
This version of the button increased the height to maintain a square edge contact with the tubes in the CRC System. The extra height meant more pressure on the head of the button as it slid so we attempted to mitigate the loud, high friction contact with a ball bearing.
Finiding Limits
After failing the new design with stress tests we further investigate with another modification and prototype.
Solution
We arrive at a novel security solution that prevents passersby from tampering with mounted equipment and ensures security in extreme conditions (impacts etc.). Satisfied with our solution we move on to the next step.
Implementation
After testing several production assembly methods, we arrive at the final solution and are able to finish our first production run.
Retrospect
We look back at our process and work to internalize the experience. As our own abilities grow our process improves, our products become more refined and our company becomes stronger.
Look Ahead
Looking ahead to the future there is always room for improvement. We're excited to keep on growing as individuals and as a company. Thank you for following along, we hope you enjoyed this behind the scenes look at one of our less glamorous, but important, design features.
