Model Solution developed 14 new tools enabling volume manufacturing of Thalmic's muscle recognition armband.

Model Solution, with facilities in South Korea and California, has created a one-of-a-kind manufacturing solution for a company trying to validate the mass production potential of its unique wearable device design. The Myo armband from Thalmic offers touch-free control of technology with hand gestures and motion, using a wearable presentation remote to read a user's muscle activity and hand motion to control presentation software. Thalmic needed to prove the touch-free controller could be manufactured at a reasonable cost, and turned to Model Solution for the answer.

Model Solution developed 14 new individual tools used to generate the production run. An innovative new method to hold flexible PCBs in place while molding around them was also engineered.

A long flexible PCB in the Myo device was very difficult to work with because it did not have the restitution force necessary for efficient assembly or injection molding. Choosing suitable materials to be used in the injection molding process also proved difficult. The wearable device also needed to utilize a flexible, yet rugged material to provide a comfortable user experience with high reliability.

Model Solution worked with Thalmic's design team to utilize insert molding and sub-overmolding techniques that enabled the creation of a thin flat FPCB that could be curved into a U-shape, increasing its force of restitution. After selecting a suitable material, Model Solution drew upon its advanced quick-turn tooling capabilities utilizing a combination of semi-automatic and manual tooling to produce the production run.

The Myo armband was the first device to be made from this process, which reduced Thalmic's time to market.