The client is a large UK manufacturer of subcontract PCB and electronic assemblies with their own portfolio of products. At this time the Telex was almost redundant because of the fax but many companies still had a Telex line into their premises. The Telex line had a faster data rate than a standard phone line (in an age before broadband) and this made it more suitable for data movements. The client had developed a product which could negotiate the connection to a Telex line and they required a designer to develop an enclosure.

The market for this equipment was known to be constantly diminishing and would be small but specialised. The enclosure had to be cost effective to manufacture in small quantities and have a high perceived value and stylish appearance.

The initial task was to prepare mood boards to help focus thinking on the product, the user, the work environment and a montage of different product builds, materials and finishes. A sketchbook of concepts was prepared in conjunction with the clients own electronics designer and this was shortlisted to three concepts. These were developed by CAD in 3D showing general views and user features from which the client chose one concept. The concept featured a combination of sheet metal top and base plates slid into aluminium extrusion side pieces and profiled aluminiuim extrusion end pieces. Injection moulded rubber feet allowed the unit to stand upright or flat.

The components and assemblies were finalised and manufacturing drawings for each component and schematics for the PCB and major component placing were prepared on CAD.