Work Done on Upcoming MyPitboard™ Product
MyPitboard™ SmartBar
Goal
In the spring of 2022, I was brought on as mechanical designer for MyPITBOARD’s next generation product. This product was envisioned as a low cost Bluetooth enabled informatics device for motocross racing. Later on, it developed into the MyPITBOARD SmartBar, a product suite that aimed to integrate the informatics device to the motocross bike.
To complete this project, I had to design low cost solutions for the electronic device casing, a motocross handlebar, and mounting systems to integrate the device with the bar.
Process - VXLC
To develop the casing for the electronic device, I began with quick sketches to develop potential shapes, and quickly transitioned to CAD modeling once the general size and dimensions of the device were agreed upon.
To bring the CAD model towards its final design, numerous iterations were made. Once the casings outside shape was finalized, I began to 3d print prototypes, so as to check fit between the casings pieces and the electronic components within.
Process - Handlebar
Once the devices casing dimensions were finalized, work could begin on the handlebar system. The most important was the method affixation. We decided to embed the device within uniquely designed foam handlebar pads, a foam tube usually attached to the top of handlebars. For this solutions, two bar pads had to be designed, one for crossbar handlebars and one for fat bar handlebars, which are two distinct shapes for motocross handlebars.
Work began with CAD iterations, until a shape we liked was decided upon. Once the shape of the pads was determined, I began prototyping through the use of homemade polyurethane molds I 3D printed. After a few iterations, we outsourced the molding of prototypes to our manufacturing company, and refined the designs.
Halfway through this project, we decided to include a proprietary handlebar in the product. To do so, we polled motocross users for popular handlebar dimensions and designed 4 bars accordingly. the final step was to design and apply our branding to these bars, which I designed on Illustrator.
Product
The final product includes a small electronic device, two unique foam bar pads for the device to nestle in, four branded handlebars, and branded cardboard packaging for the whole system.
The electronic device is small and sleek, and can fit in the palm of your hand. It is actioned with a single silicone button on its top surface, and charged through a port on its side. Device state and feedback is communicated through a ring light that encircles the device.
The foam bar pads are shock absorbing, hold the device securely, and can secure themselves on most motocross handlebars.
The handlebars are standard light and durable motocross bars, and are branded with the companies logo and art.
