PK Sound · TX series · 2024
Rotating
logo badge
TX cabinets are installed upright or on their side. One moulded badge, shared by the whole series, turns in 90° steps so the PK logo always reads level.
Outcome In production: one three-shot moulded part for every TX cabinet. Drawings released at Rev.002, September 2024.
- Client
- In-house
- Company
- PK Sound
- Role
- Industrial design, CAD, prototyping, production drawings, manufacturer sourcing, vendor management, timeline and quality correspondence
- Product
- Rotating LED logo badge for TX-series loudspeakers
01Concept to test
Brief and
prototypes
The TX range covers several cabinet sizes, each installed upright or on its side, so a fixed logo reads sideways half the time. One badge had to fit every cabinet, turn to suit the install, stay securely in place and discourage unauthorized removal.
The brief
- One part, common to every TX cabinet
- 180° of travel, set at −90°, 0° or +90°
- Removable only with the grille off
- Same size as the L-Acoustics X15 / X12 badge
- Custom colours on request
Research
Competitor badges set the benchmark. The TX badge matches the L-Acoustics size, and adds custom colour, which neither L-Acoustics nor Meyer offers.
Prototypes
Printed frames and carriers proved the rotation and the fit before any tooling was cut. First-article parts from the manufacturer then showed how the light bar affected hue and diffusion.
Light bar
Test samples with different levels of diffusion additive in the plastic tuned the bar's opacity and evenness. The final mix is 4% diffuser with a 1% black tint.
02Development
Three shots, one part
Instead of assembling a body, a lens and a painted logo, the badge is moulded in three shots. Each shot hides the gate of the one before it, so the Class A face shows no marks, even when it's lit from behind.
- Moulded, not assembled Three shots make one finished part: no lens to glue, no paint line, and the colour is moulded in.
- Gates out of sight Shots 1 and 2 are gated on faces that shot 3 covers. The drawing rejects any visible gate or ejector mark, even with the LED on.
- Even light, set textures The bar's diffuser is matched to an approved light sample. Each face has its own texture: SPI A1, SPI D2 or MT-11440 brushed.
- Held fast Four insert-moulded N52 magnets and VHB tape hold the badge; removal takes more than 8 lb. Rev.002 refined the rotation locator.
Shot 1 · BodyABS/PC blend, black
Shot 2 · Light barMakrolon 2407 polycarbonate, 4% diffuser, 1% black tint
Shot 3 · Logo and trimABS/PC blend, gun metal (RAL 7021)
03Result
One badge for the whole TX series
Now in production, from drawings released at Rev.002 in September 2024. The badge turns to suit any install, and can be moulded in custom colours for customers who want their own.
