Industrial Design Degree Student's Wireless Portable Charging Hub

Harry Jones: Industrial Design Degree Student 

Harry Jones completed his Industrial Design degree with Loughborough University in June 2019. The four-year course included a work placement year in industry. With a strong desire to understand what techniques were used for what products by those currently working in the industry, Harry chose to spend his placement with Prototype Projects.

During the placement, Harry worked within the rapid prototyping team and experienced the different 3D printing technologies and vacuum casting. He had intended to rotate around all of the departments at Prototype Projects during his placement, including CNC machining & milling and laser cutting, but he said: 

“Once I saw what was possible with SLS, SLA, FDM and DLP, I opted to stay within the rapid prototyping team.”

Returning to university in September 2018 for his final year, the focus was on his final degree project. 

Research and early design work

In the first semester of Harry’s final Industrial Design degree year, he undertook research and early design work for his project. Harry decided to focus his research around a pet hate of his: the clutter of wires and charging paraphernalia.

Initially, Harry designed a cable tidy system but, through his research, the product progressed into a portable charging hub aimed at professionals using a multitude of devices on-the-go. 

Harry’s vision was for a device that could charge more than one device at a time without the need for the device to touch the charging hub. Also important to the design was the hub’s portability; Harry developed the hub in such a way that it can be compact for ease of travel and then open, much like origami, when in charging mode.  

Developing detailed designs

The detailed design work was carried out during Harry’s second semester as he developed the product, named Qi3 (Chee cubed). Harry based the design of Qi3 on wireless technology – yet to be released – inspired by Pi, a US tech company.

In theory, the Qi3 would be capable of charging four qi-enabled devices simultaneously, assuming the devices were no further than 30cm from the hub, because the resonant inductive coupling bends the magnetic fields thereby projecting the charge.

Prototyping the Qi3

With the research and detailed design work complete, Harry moved on to the prototyping phase in his third and final semester.

A word from Prototype Projects

Justin Pringle, Managing Director of Prototype Projects, said, 

“It has been incredible to see Harry’s transformation from the time he was on his placement with us to him designing and producing his own product for his final degree project. We wish Harry all the very best with his degree show – and hope to see the Qi3 being manufactured soon!”

Ready to start your next prototype project?

Prototype Projects is a UK-based prototyping bureau delivering high-quality prototype parts in fast turnaround times.

We offer a next day dispatch service for SLA, SLS, FDM, Polyjet and DLP 3D printed parts. Use our My 3D AM service for online SLS 3D printing and SLA 3D printing instant quoting and ordering for additive manufacturing. We also offer CNC machining and CNC milling, Vacuum Casting and laser cutting services.

Contact us on 01763 249760 to discuss your next prototype project.