Application Environment and Customer Needs
iPads and iPhones are indispensable electronic devices in modern life, highly valued for their significant cost and intricate internal components. However, these devices are frequently exposed to risks such as drops, collisions, and scratches during everyday use. To safeguard these devices, high-strength metal protective cases have been developed. Additionally, with the widespread adoption of handheld devices as point-of-sale (POS) systems in the food and beverage industry, iPads and iPhones are favored by many businesses for their portability, intuitive operation, and the ability to update software at any time. To maintain the stable operation of devices in high-frequency usage environments and to prevent damage or theft in busy dining scenarios, many businesses opt for anti-theft metal protective cases for their iPads/iPhones.
Metal Cases Present Tremendous Business Opportunities but Face Various Challenges
The demand for metal protective cases has created significant business opportunities for accessory manufacturers. However, metal cases come with a notable challenge: interference with wireless signals. For instance, iPads and iPhones in POS systems primarily rely on Wi-Fi or cellular connections to handle online orders, payments, and data synchronization with backend systems. The shielding effect of metal cases can block wireless signals, leading to unstable connections, slower transmission speeds, or even complete disconnection. This not only affects the operational efficiency of businesses but may also result in customer dissatisfaction.
Customer’s Problems and Challenges
In response to market demands, a professional case manufacturer developed an iPad/iPhone metal protective case to capitalize on this business opportunity. However, they encountered several challenges during the design process:
- Protection Material and Design: To ensure effective protection, the manufacturer needed to select materials with the appropriate strength and durability from a variety of options, while also providing comprehensive coverage for the device.
- Wireless Performance Interference: The use of metal cases severely impacted Wi-Fi signal strength and quality, resulting in unstable connections and a decrease in transmission speed of up to 35%.
- Violation of Design Guidelines: According to Apple’s Accessory Design Guidelines, the use of materials that may interfere with wireless signals is explicitly discouraged.
- Conflicting Requirements: The manufacturer had to balance the need for a highly protective case with maintaining good wireless connectivity performance.
Faced with these challenges, the customer urgently needed a solution that could:
- Maintain High Protection: Ensure the protective case provides high strength and durability while also preserving good Wi-Fi performance.
- Adhere to Apple’s Design Guidelines: Either comply with Apple’s design guidelines or find acceptable alternatives.
- Ensure System Stability and Reliability: Meet the rigorous requirements of commercial environments.
Given these complex requirements, the customer sought Allion’s professional technical support and innovative solutions. They aimed to develop a new type of protective case design that would offer necessary physical protection while minimizing interference with wireless performance.
Allion’s Comprehensive Solutions
Interference from metal cases to wireless device signals has long been a major challenge in electronic product design. This issue becomes even more prominent when mobile devices like iPads and iPhones are widely used in scenarios that require stable wireless connections. Allion, with years of experience in wireless communication testing, offers the following comprehensive solutions tailored to the customer’s needs:
- Comprehensive Wireless Performance Evaluation:
- Utilize advanced OTA (Over The Air) testing technology to analyze Wi-Fi performance across all frequency bands.
- Precisely measure and compare various key Wi-Fi performance indicators under strictly controlled conditions.
- Visualize signal propagation characteristics through 3D antenna field analysis.
- Professional Data Analysis and Diagnostics:
- Quantify the impact of metal casing on Wi-Fi performance by analyzing data.
- Study the relationship between metal casing and the contact area with iPads/iPhones to identify key factors affecting performance degradation.
- Develop detailed diagnostic reports to provide clear improvement directions for the customer.
- Innovative Design Optimization Solutions:
- Based on analysis results, offer recommendations for improving casing materials to effectively reduce signal interference.
- Provide suggestions for optimizing the casing structure and spacing between the iPad/iPhone and metal casing, based on data and extensive experience, to minimize signal interference.
- Integrate multiple design improvement recommendations to achieve near-case-free Wi-Fi performance excellence.
- Iterative Optimization and Validation:
- Offer detailed product revision guidance and technical support to the customer.
- Perform comprehensive performance validation using advanced testing equipment after modifications.
- Provide detailed comparative data and third-party performance certification reports.
- Continuously follow up and offer long-term optimization recommendations to ensure ongoing product performance enhancement.
Through this series of professional and systematic services, Allion not only helps customers resolve current technical challenges but also provides valuable technical accumulation and innovative ideas for future product development. Our solutions enhance product performance and strengthen the customer’s market competitiveness.
Create Value
Time to Market with Quality！
Faster！Easier！Better！
The Allion consulting team, with its fast, efficient, and professional services, has successfully helped clients overcome the challenges posed by metal casings on Wi-Fi performance, demonstrating its ability to precisely identify issues and provide customized solutions. We can create tailored wireless application environments based on different products and protocols, assisting clients in enhancing product quality, accelerating time-to-market, and generating greater business value.
Allion’s outstanding capability in balancing metal casings with Wi-Fi performance exemplifies our “Faster, Easier, Better” service philosophy.
Faster－Accelerating Product Time-to-Market
- Shortened Development Cycle: Our expert consulting services helped clients reduce their product development cycle from the originally planned 3 months to 2 months.
- Comprehensive Wireless Validation Environment: Allion’s well-equipped wireless validation environment helps clients quickly identify product issues and provides customized solutions, thereby shortening the development cycle and improving product quality.
Allion offers a comprehensive suite of RF testing equipment, including:
Allion has invested significantly in building RF testing environments of various sizes:
- Efficient Testing and Analysis: Allion boasts advanced testing equipment and an experienced engineering team capable of swiftly completing wireless performance evaluations, precisely identifying issues.
- Customized Solutions: Based on in-depth data analysis, Allion can quickly provide targeted solutions, shortening product development cycles.
- Iterative Optimization: Through continuous testing and optimization, we rapidly validate the effects of design improvements, ensuring that products meet market standards as soon as possible.
Easier－Streamlining Development Processes
- One-Stop Service: From initial product design to final validation, Allion offers comprehensive services, eliminating the need for clients to engage multiple vendors, thus saving on communication costs.
- Expert Consultation: Allion’s engineers possess extensive wireless communication knowledge, providing clients with professional technical advice to make optimal design decisions.
- Clear Reporting: Allion delivers detailed test reports and optimization recommendations, giving clients a clear understanding of their product’s performance and facilitating subsequent development efforts.
Better－Achieving Outstanding Performance
- Precise Improvement: Allion uses accurate data analysis and optimized design to help clients achieve seemingly contradictory goals: providing excellent protection while maintaining outstanding Wi-Fi performance.
- Innovative Thinking: Continuously exploring new solutions, we offer innovative design suggestions to enhance product competitiveness.
- Long-Term Partnership: We not only resolve current issues but also provide ongoing support for future product development, fostering long-term partnerships.
Allion’s expert technical consulting team, through detailed testing analysis and customized solutions, has successfully addressed the wireless performance challenges of our clients, enhancing their R&D capabilities. This success story highlights Allion’s expertise and experience in the wireless field. Moving forward, we will continue to offer more comprehensive testing and consulting services to help clients create more competitive products.
If you have any needs related to testing, validation, or consulting services, please contact us via the online form. The Allion service team is here to assist you!