When a cosmetic company sought to innovate their new over-the-counter skin ointment with a UV LED face shield, they turned to a skilled engineering team. Their goal was to create a safe, user-friendly, ergonomic, and mass-producible product that could activate the ointment’s key ingredient using UV light.
The engineering team, experienced in product development and industrial and mechanical design, created an initial prototype using breadboards and Arduinos. They gained approval from the customer regarding the strength and wavelengths of the LED. The prototype showcased:
- Automatic timing for treatment cycles
- Safety features
- Driving strings of LEDs
However, the team faced a significant challenge: they lacked the expertise to design a production-grade circuit board.
Recognizing the need for specialized assistance, they reached out to Henway Technologies to elevate their proof of concept to a mass-production-ready state.
The project had an additional layer of urgency as they needed a prototype in time for an upcoming tradeshow. Having worked with our team before, the cosmetic company trusted our ability to miniaturize and professionalize the core circuit board, which included USB-C battery charging, the processor, and LED drivers.
The primary challenge was to mount the LED strings on a curved surface, ensuring close proximity to the skin—a task complicated by time and budget constraints that ruled out ordering and assembling flex PCBs.
That’s when we responded with a creative solution.
We joined forces with the engineering team, initiating the design of the core PCB while other members of our team engaged in brainstorming sessions with the product design team. Together, we came up with a method to use very thin FR4 and strategically drill holes for strain relief. This allowed us to achieve the required bend radius without causing stress.
Utilizing FR4 enabled us to integrate the control board and LED strips onto a single panel and order expedited USA PCB fabrication. We produced a dozen prototypes in-house using our PCB production facility and made it in time for the customer’s tradeshow.
While the electronics are not yet ready for mass production, the design decisions made during the rush phase will be directly applicable in the next stage. This includes the processor selection, the code, and the main ICs. One more quick round of development and this customer will be ready to go!
We take pride in delivering effective solutions for our clients, no matter the timeline. If you need expert PCB designers to help with your current project, contact Henway Technologies today!