Product Design Learning

Building skills by learning the mechanical design of resourceful engineering products to understand their functioning (purely for learning/educational purposes)

AirPods Max - Apple (with soft materials)

Summary and Motivation

AirPods Max – Completely re-imagined over-ear headphones providing a perfect balance of high-fidelity audio and the effortless magic of AirPods

Components – canopy (headband), soft polymer (foam) cushions, anodized aluminum ear-cups, and stainless-steel frame sliding arms

Source: Apple AirPods Max Homepage
and Apple Support (Materials Information)

Image Source: Apple AirPods Max Technical Specifications Page

3D CAD model designed in Fusion 360

Render

Project Details - CAD Modeling and Material Assignments (Fusion 360)

- Try to understand the design of AirPods Max headphones and its components (using Softgoods)

- Designed a CAD model of the unique product using 3D CAD software (Autodesk Fusion 360) and assigned soft polymer materials and metals to the assembly

- With a goal to strengthen my knowledge of product design engineering principles

Image Source: Apple AirPods Max Homepage

Earcups – Aluminum Anodized Rough

Ear Cushions – Polyurethane Foam

Mesh textile wrap on the ear cushions

Stainless steel sliding arms

Canopy Headband – Polyurethane Foam

Assembly

3D CAD model assembly in Fusion 360 (with material assignments for polymers and metals)

Note: Due to the unavailability of pink or green material textures in Fusion 360, I chose a purple-colored design. My goal was to assign soft polymer materials to try and learn their correct product design features.

For reference, I have provided images of my designed model in a glossy pink appearance without material assignments.

3D CAD Model – Pink version (without material assignments)

Drawings and Renderings

Note: The dimensions of the CAD model are roughly based on ‘Apple AirPods Max’s’ technical specifications page on its website. My main goal was to gain basic mechanical design knowledge of the remarkable headphones.

FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED ARE:

Improve the canopy headband curve

efficiently assign relevant colors (material textures) for components

Refine the mesh-textile design for cushion and earcup component attachments

Thank you for taking the time to visit. Please feel free to contact me for feedback or if you have any questions. I would love to hear from you.