From Idea to Mass Production

Connecting Design, Engineering and Manufacturing

The smart wearable market continues to grow as brands introduce products that combine connectivity, sensors, batteries, wireless charging, and compact electronics. According to Wissen Research, the global wearable technology market is projected to reach USD 212 billion by 2031, with a 15% CAGR during the forecast period.

As wearable products become more complex, the challenge extends beyond the device itself. Companion products such as charging cases and protective covers are also becoming part of the product system, combining engineered soft goods, electronics, materials, and mechanical structures in a compact form.

For product and sourcing teams, the difficult part is not generating an idea. It is making sure that decisions made during design can still work when the product reaches engineering, validation, and production.

When the Accessory Becomes Part of the Product

Charging cases are a clear example. A case may need to protect the wearable, house a battery, support charging, provide status indicators, and still meet the brand’s requirements for size, material, and appearance.

OSM Group has developed a collection of smart glasses charging case concepts for brands looking beyond the common designs already available in the market. The collection explores different case forms and user interactions while combining rigid structures with engineered soft goods. Across the collection, a removable magnetic charging stand separates the charging function from the main case construction. The same charging element can be used across different cases within the collection, while the surrounding case design can be adapted to create a distinct look and user experience for each concept.

Color, Material, and Finish (CMF) decisions are then considered alongside the product construction. Material selection and surface treatment influence the look and feel of the case, while the combination of hard and soft components affects how the product is built and finished.

The important point is that these decisions cannot be treated as separate design tasks. A material change can affect forming or bonding. A change in the internal electronics can affect the available space for the soft goods. A change in the case structure can affect tooling and assembly.

That is where product development becomes more than industrial design.

Connecting the Decisions Before Production

We bring product development, engineered soft goods, electronics engineering, and manufacturing capabilities into the same development path. Our service offering covers ideation and concept design, material development, industrial design, electronics design, prototyping, testing, DFM validation, and manufacturing.

For hybrid products, the connection between disciplines matters early. Our Engineered Soft Goods and Electronic Engineering R&D teams are co-located in the China manufacturing facility, supporting direct collaboration on products that combine the two disciplines. This setup allows teams to address practical questions while the design is still changing.

• Can the selected material support the required construction?
• Can the electronics fit within the available space?
• Can the chosen bonding or forming method be repeated in production?
• Does the assembly sequence support the intended product design?

These questions are easier to answer before tooling and production are committed.

A Customer Case: From Electronics to a Pocket-Sized Charging Case

The Focals by North Smart Glasses Charging Case shows how these disciplines come together in a real product.

The case was designed to charge both smart glasses and a gesture-control ring while fitting a rechargeable battery, USB-C charging circuitry, LED charge indicators, and a felt-like enclosure into a compact form.

The project involved electronics engineering, engineered soft goods design, battery management, and quality assurance. The construction combined a formed shell, die-cut components, fabric wrapping, charging contacts, and a battery module. The result was a premium charging case capable of providing up to three full charges for the glasses and ring, while maintaining the compact form and appearance required for the product.

The case illustrates why integration needs to happen during development, rather than after individual components have already been designed.

Dig deeper: Premium Charging Case Delivers Portable Power for Smart Glasses Ecosystem [URL to the detailed Focals by North success case page]

From Prototype to Production

Integration also needs to continue after the concept is defined. Our product development lab in China supports prototype builds, material selection and verification, DFM validation, and small pre-production runs using production equipment. The lab includes processes such as heat press bonding, forming, die cutting, high-frequency welding, ultrasonic welding, 3D printing, and assembly.

Using production methods during development gives the engineering team an earlier view of process risks. A prototype can look correct while still requiring changes to tooling, assembly, materials, or production methods before it is ready for scale. This is why manufacturing readiness should be considered during product development, not only after design is complete.

One Development Path, From Idea to Mass Production

For brands developing AI-assisted device, smart wearables, portable audio, personal protection, or other products that combine engineered soft goods and electronics, we provide multiple ways to engage.

As an ODM, we can support the product from early concept through manufacturing. For JDM projects, we can work alongside the customer’s existing product and engineering teams. Our capabilities cover engineered soft goods, electronics integration, product development, R&D, prototyping, testing, and manufacturing across facilities in China and the Philippines, with R&D resources in Sweden, Hong Kong, and China.

The value is not simply having more services in one business partner. It is having the right teams involved before a design decision becomes a production problem.

• From idea to concept, from engineering to validation, and from prototype to production, we help connect the decisions that determine whether a complex product can be built at scale across a wide range of product categories, including:
• Portable Audio e.g. Industrial and Consumer Headphones, ANC Headphones, Bluetooth Speakers, Radio Communication Systems
• Personal Protection e.g. Advanced Hearing Protection Solutions
• Hybrid solutions – Engineered Soft Goods with Integrated Electronics e.g. Diagnostic Pads, Tracking Devices, Smart Wearable Charging Cases, AR Laptop Covers with Integrated Speakers
• Carry Solutions e.g. Travel Case, Carrying Laptop Bag, Backpack
• Specialised Sports Gear e.g. Weighted Training Vests, Hydration Packs and Functional Accessories

Get-in-Touch

Sources:

1. Wearable Technology Market, Wissen Research

About OSM Group

OSM Group was founded in Sweden in 2004. With strategically located production facilities in China and the Philippines and R&D in Stockholm, Hong Kong and China, we support leading brands worldwide with expertise-driven and reliable manufacturing solutions. Our vision is to deliver exceptional and sustainable products that strengthen our customers’ market competitiveness and long-term success. By combining Scandinavian heritage with a culture rooted in integrity, collaboration, and continuous improvement, we are committed to building enduring relationships based on trust and mutual growth.

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