Accessories Designer LA NPDT

There were several challenging aspects of this project for an accessories designer. The U Speaker Holder needed to be made in one piece to ensure inexpensive manufacturing.

Another challenge of this tech design was the necessity of making it easy for a consumer to insert the U Speaker into its holder while at the same time keeping the holder’s fit snug so that it securely held the speaker in place.

Throughout the entire process of tech design, we also had to consider the aesthetic appeal of the material. We wanted to make it possible to add decorative designs to the holder later in development.

Regarding Fashionit’s marketing materials, the challenge was to create renderings that would replicate the real features and “look” of the U Speaker Holder.

At the same time, we had to consider that these renderings would need to appear in several different settings, such as the product’s packaging and Fashionit’s website.

By choosing a single accessories designer to create the design, prototypes, and marketing materials for their product, Fashionit saved time and money they would have otherwise spent reiterating their vision for their product for different teams from multiple businesses.

With LA NPDT’s accessory design services, they gained a high-quality, profitable product and the materials they needed to publicize it.

Accessory product design at a glance

Scope	Fit study, industrial design, CAD, prototypes, DFM
Constraint	Must fit an existing device family without modification
Deliverables	Production CAD, prototypes, molding package, renderings
Typical timeline	6-14 weeks

Accessories live or die on fit

An accessory has no tolerance budget of its own — it inherits the host product's variation. Designing to nominal dimensions produces a holder that grips one unit and rattles on the next. The work is characterizing real part variation and designing compliance into the geometry.

What we designed

We measured the host devices, designed retention features with enough flex to absorb variation while still holding firmly, and prototyped across multiple units before committing geometry. The final part molds in a simple two-plate tool and ships flat-packed to keep freight and packaging cost down.

Frequently asked questions

Can you design an accessory for a device you do not have CAD for?

Yes. We measure or 3D scan physical units and build a reference model from that.

How do you verify fit before tooling?

Printed prototypes tested across several host units, plus material-adjusted clearances for the production process.

Do you handle packaging for accessories?

Yes — peg-ready retail packaging and shipper sizing are commonly included.