Cast Study: Aura 10W

If you've ever wondered why a product is designed a certain way, or how material, form, and finish are decided upon, you've found the right place! In this behind the product, we explore the design decisions for Aura 10W the process involved from design conception, prototyping, and testing to final design. At Scanstrut we design a mixture of products, from the Marine, Agriculture, Commercial, and RV sectors. Back in 2022, we were approached by an OEM and given the challenge of designing a 12/24V magnet-compatible waterproof wireless charger that would hold your phone in place, ensuring a constant charge all while being designed for the harsh on-water environment.

The design process:
Understanding the core needs of the project and the environment of use was key to the success of designing a product with the right features.

At Scanstrut we always test out ideas early on in the design process, not only is it a great day out on the water, but it is an essential element of our process.

"Testing the magnet charger out on the water as early as possible was key, we found that if it was to be suitable for harsh offshore conditions, then additional holding power would be required (George Bowles - Head of Design).

Through this method of real-life testing, we often find new challenges to design for, which would not be considered stationary in the design room, as a by-product they often transcend into new design innovations.

This is used alongside our SCA standardization tests, to ensure our high level of durability, performance, and reliance on our products.

Pivoting the design process:
Taking the new knowledge from the 'real-life' testing out on the RIB, back into the design process led directly to the implementation of the front clamp, to give extra mechanical grip.

With each new design implementation, new considerations to the overall design need to be considered. In the case of the addition of the front clamp, this had a knock-on effect on the mounting lever changing the angle of the mounting surface to ensure a neat and unobtrusive finish. As a side note, the bezel accessory was developed for those who will not be mounting Aura 10W below sea deck foam, to ensure a clean finish.

Expanding knowledge:
Designing with magnets was a first for us at Scanstrut. Having to acquire new knowledge is not a new process for us at Scanstrut - in fact with every design, there is always new knowledge to attain, this ensures we stay up-to-date with current and future technology and trends.

• Successfully designed Aura 10W, which has been adopted by multiple OEM's
• Successfully designed a new mag-safe compatible wireless charger that can withstand harsh offshore weather conditions
• We grew our design teams' knowledge of designing with magnets, making way for a new range of Mag-compatible chargers