Wearable technology, or “wearables” are a broad range of electronic devices worn on the body that share data or functionality. The very first wearable gadget was produced in 1961 by Edward Thorp and Claude Shannon, it’s purpose? To predict where a ball would land on a roulette wheel. The device was small enough to fit in a shoe, and could be worn in a casino, transmitting a sound to the wearer through an earpiece.

In the intervening 60-odd years, wearables have become everyday technology, used in fitness trackers, key fobs for security access, wristbands used at concerts and smart rings to track sleep.

BEC Group have been involved in the development and manufacturing of body-worn devices for over a decade; working with customers to produce injection moulded wristbands, keyfobs and wellness devices for various industries. With involvement from the initial stages of these projects, BEC has been able to advise on design features to reduce costs and timelines for tooling and injection moulding.

Why Injection Moulding is Ideal for Wearable Devices

Injection moulding is an ideal manufacturing technique for high-volume, complex parts in a variety of plastics, perfectly suited to wearable devices. It presents several other advantages:

  • Versatility

Injection moulding offers versatility across materials; choose from waterproof, anti-microbial, skin-safe, soft-touch, sustainable options and more for your part.

It also offers design flexibility including textures, colours, and various styles of branding. These can all be altered throughout the process or for different customers.

  • Comfort and Ergonomics

Items worn for many hours, or even days, need to be comfortable. Soft-touch TPEs and TPUs as well as silicones can be combined through overmoulding onto more rigid plastics. Allowing for a soft exterior around a stiffer, functional interior.

  • Cost-efficiency and scalability

Once a tool has been designed and made, hundreds of thousands of identical parts can be produced very quickly and at low cost. This makes scaling up to mass-production easy and cost-efficient.

  • Accuracy and Repeatability

Wearables often comprise of tiny, precise designs produced to exacting measurements. Injection moulding is perfect for producing accurate parts time and time again- key for consistent performance and quality assurance.

Past wearable technology projects

Branded Wristband for Barclaycard

Working closely with designers Cambridge Design Partnership and Seymour Powell, BEC were selected as UK manufacturers for Barclaycard’s next generation payment device.

After inheriting old aluminium tooling, we made a prototype tool, carried out Design for Manufacture reviews and many materials trials to find the perfect finish for the device. Several clip iterations were needed to get the desired tightness to hold the chip and allow for easy removal.

Once signed off, BEC produced two cavity steel tooling, and mouldings for the two-part overmoulded housing. The band securely held the contactless payment chip, providing a durable, skin-safe method of convenient payment.

Custom Wearable for International Sporting Event

In collaboration with a major card issuer, BEC worked to produce a custom wristband for access, ticketing, and security for an international sporting event. We produced two prototype tools – one for the strap, and one for the clip to hold the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip in securely. These prototype tools allowed us to meet a tight production deadline for the customer, whilst maintaining part quality.

A TPE material was selected for comfort on the body, and ease of moulding and printing onto. The top face of this was hot foiled with the logo of the sporting event. The tool strap was shot blasted to give a premium, satin finish to each piece.

We supplied the customer with several thousand wristbands for the initial event, and several thousand more for a future event with a separate customer.

Key Fob Housing for Chip

We teamed up with an existing customer to help design and manufacture a key fob housing for security access with a built-in RFID chip. After advising the customer on the design, we made a development tool for proof of concept.

To produce the key fob, we used a two-shot process of insert moulding and overmoulding, resulting in the encapsulation of the RFID chip without the need for support for the inner moulding.

For added decoration, and brand identification we embossed the customer’s logo into the tool – creating a raised icon on the moulding for a sleek, identifiable finish.

What Wearables Can BEC Group Help Me Manufacture?

As the wearable tech world grows across payments, medical and wellness, events and more, so do the options for manufacturing. BEC work closely with customers throughout the design and development phase to ensure designs will work well and be cost effective once tooled and moulded. With decades of expertise in overmoulding, insert moulding and electronics housings BEC are well placed to support the development and production of:

  • Wristbands (fitness, medical, promotional)
  • Smart rings (wellness, ID)
  • Key fobs (security, access control)
  • Sports wearables
  • Clips, tags, buttons, wearables for pets or children
  • Prototyping and low-volume runs for start-ups

Benefits of Partnering with BEC Group

Whether you’re a start-up or long-established brand, working with BEC Group on injection moulding your wearable technology brings many benefits. Our in-house toolmaking facility in the UK brings faster lead times and design control, as well as a personal relationship with your toolmaker. Our end-to-end service takes you from initial design, through tooling, moulding and shipping to you or your customer, all with as much support as you need from us.

Whether you’re just starting out making your big idea a reality, or an established brand looking to scale production, BEC Group can help bring your wearable tech product to life.

Get in touch today to discuss your project or request a quote: Contact BEC Group