LensAR Femtosecond Laser System
Role: Senior Industrial Designer
Company: Bleck Design Group
Year: 2010
Expertise: Industrial design, Rhino, Prototyping, DFM, Engineering Collaboration
Overview
The LensAR Femtosecond Laser System is a sophisticated ophthalmic platform developed for cataract surgery, combining advanced laser technology with precise patient positioning and an intuitive clinical workflow. My role was to transform an established design concept into a production-ready enclosure that balanced aesthetics, ergonomics, serviceability, durability, and manufacturability.
Working closely with the client and engineering team, I led the industrial design development from physical appearance models through detailed Rhino CAD, refining every exterior component for production while preserving the original design vision. The project required continuous collaboration to ensure the enclosure met engineering, manufacturing, and clinical requirements without compromising the user experience.
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Design Challenge
The laser's internal architecture and critical functional components had already been engineered. My challenge was to develop an exterior enclosure that integrated seamlessly around the existing hardware while creating a refined medical product suitable for a demanding clinical environment. The design needed to balance aesthetics, ergonomics, serviceability, manufacturability, and durability without compromising the engineering requirements of the system.
Key design objectives included:
- Create a clean, professional appearance appropriate for a premium medical device.
- Provide intuitive access for service and maintenance.
- Design durable exterior components for daily clinical use.
- Incorporate smooth, easily cleaned surfaces to support infection control.
- Improve ergonomics for clinicians and service personnel.
- Develop production-ready geometry optimized for manufacturing.
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My Role
I led the industrial design development of the production enclosure after the initial design direction had been established. Working closely with the client and engineering team, I translated the design vision into a manufacturable product while refining every exterior component for production.
My responsibilities included:
- Translated concept sketches into accurate production CAD using Rhino.
- Built scale urethane foam appearance models to evaluate form and present design concepts to the client.
- Designed and refined every exterior enclosure component for manufacturability and assembly.
- Produced full-scale ergonomic mockups to validate user interaction and operator comfort.
- Guided the design through multiple client review cycles, incorporating feedback while preserving the overall design vision.
- Delivered production-ready CAD geometry that served as the foundation for engineering development and manufacturing.
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Design Process
Physical Model Development
Initial design concepts were translated into scale urethane foam models that allowed the client to evaluate proportions, form, and overall appearance before committing to detailed development.
CAD Development
Following concept selection, the enclosure was developed as a complete Rhino model. Every exterior component was refined while considering manufacturing constraints, assembly methods, durability, and serviceability.
Ergonomic Evaluation
Critical user interface components were produced as full-scale physical mockups to evaluate comfort, reach, and overall usability before finalizing the geometry.
Design Refinement
Several rounds of design refinement were completed in collaboration with the client to optimize aesthetics, functionality, and manufacturability while preserving the original design intent.
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Results
The finalized industrial design was approved by the client and transferred to engineering for production development. Rhino geometry was delivered for recreation in SolidWorks, supporting the transition from industrial design to manufacturing engineering.
- This project strengthened my experience translating conceptual design into manufacturable products while balancing aesthetics, engineering constraints, usability, and the practical requirements of medical equipment used in clinical environments.
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Skills Demonstrated
- Industrial Design
- Medical Device Design
- Rhino
- Physical Prototyping
- Ergonomic Evaluation
- Appearance Modeling
- CAD Development
- Design for Manufacturing
- Engineering Collaboration
- Client Presentation
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The initial orthographic sketches were made by another designer at the company. With those as a reference, I created scale models out of urethane foam to have relatively quick concepts to present to the client.  Physical models allowed the client to evaluate the overall form, proportions, and user interaction early in development, making it possible to refine the design before committing to detailed CAD and production tooling.
With the internal architecture already established, the enclosure was developed around the existing hardware while preserving service access, structural integrity, and manufacturability. Every exterior component was carefully integrated to create a cohesive medical device that balanced engineering requirements with a clean, modern appearance appropriate for the clinical environment.
The LensAR project provided the opportunity to guide a sophisticated medical device from concept development through production-ready industrial design. Working closely with the client and engineering team, I translated an established design direction into a manufacturable enclosure that balanced aesthetics, ergonomics, serviceability, and the demanding requirements of a clinical environment.
Throughout the project, physical modeling, ergonomic evaluation, CAD development, and continuous design refinement ensured the final product remained true to the original vision while meeting the practical needs of manufacturing and everyday clinical use. The experience reinforced the importance of close engineering collaboration and demonstrated how thoughtful industrial design can transform complex technical requirements into products that are intuitive, refined, and production-ready.
Project Takeaways
- Developed a production-ready medical device enclosure from an established design direction.
- Refined the design through physical modeling, CAD development, and ergonomic evaluation.
- Collaborated closely with engineers to preserve design intent throughout production development.
- Balanced aesthetics, manufacturability, serviceability, and clinical usability in a cohesive product.
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