Hearing aid acoustics
Music to the ears of the hearing aid industry.
The client
German manufacturer of hearing aids.
The task and the challenges it poses
Our client was looking for a development partner with outstanding capabilities in silicone and 2K materials to refine their hearing aids.
The client's problem
The removable part of the aid, known as the hearing aid dome (whereby a hard component is overmoulded in silicone for the part inside the ear, known as the ear mould), should audibly 'click' into place when connected with the main part of the device, even though it has a soft coating.
Frey & Winkler's solution
A new injection tool produced by Frey & Winkler was able to resolve the click issue, and more besides. An additional integrated cerumen protection feature (cerumen: ear wax) in the silicone part put an end to the fiddly job of cleaning the hard overmoulded component, while also making it easier to handle and more comfortable to wear.
The result
A markedly improved product offering multiple benefits to the end wearer and to our client: Increased hygiene and a significantly higher acoustic quality, plus increased wearer comfort.