“Our collaboration went smoothly, and Huld’s designers were full of ideas. The work was extensive, and all the changes and improvements we made during the design phase outweigh fine-tuning the finished product.” – Hannu Lohi, Innovator and Researcher, Natlink.
The Tracker brand of the Natlink Group is internationally known for its high-quality dog trackers. Tracker’s products are designed for the demanding needs of hunting dogs. Now, decades of experience have been harnessed to a new top-quality product, Tracker Luna.
Tracker wanted to design Tracker Luna as a high-quality companion for hunters and their furry friends. Tracker chose Huld as their partner, as their cooperation has become seamless over the years.
“We chose Huld because we have had previous good experiences and familiar people. Huld offered excellent options for design and 3D expertise to complement our expertise.” – Hannu Lohi, Innovator and Researcher, Natlink.
Tracker’s goal was to create a high-quality and compact product that can be trusted in any situation, standing out from its competitors. The development of Tracker Luna began with a joint workshop, where the requirements for the future radar were carefully reviewed.
The visual look of Tracker Luna was explored through various image boards. The two-part battery influenced the product’s design: separating the battery into two parts, the collar would fit well on the dog’s neck while allowing the antenna to be positioned appropriately.
After brainstorming and sketching, the work proceeded with modelling 3D shell prototypes with ergonomics and usability in mind. The prototypes were designed to be ergonomic and fit the dog’s neck, ensuring the comfort and safety of the product. With precise design, the product would not, for example, damage the dog’s paws even when running in deep snow or otherwise dangerously get caught on plants or terrain.
Hunting dogs tried the prototypes out at an early stage, when the functionality of the product was tested in real terrain conditions. The winning concept of the tests proceeded to more detailed mechanical design.
In the mechanical design, special attention was paid to the durability and performance of the tracker. The starting point for the design was to have the best possible antennas combined with reasonable battery life, small size and ergonomics. Water resistance and mechanical durability also became important criteria. The needs were fulfilled by mechanical design, taking all details into account:
In addition, Huld’s comprehensive service included the coordination of prototypes, pre-series and subcontractors, as well as participation in tool design and optimisation of the part casting process.
Comprehensive service as well as regular weekly meetings and reviews ensured that Tracker Luna’s product design remained on schedule and on budget. The cooperation of design and mechanical design resulted in a top-quality product that is part of every hunter’s and their furry friend’s equipment.
“Our team had a great dynamic. We met in a good spirit, and our cooperation felt natural. Tracker received all possible support for the design and manufacture of their product, from material knowledge to design.” – Lasse Kettunen, Mechanical design specialist, Huld.