Designing a Compact TV Soundbar for Cost Effective Manufacture

Design by Barnaby Ward

Completed
April 2026
Category
Design
Location
Auckland
Role
Industrial Designer - 3D/Product Visualisation Expert

About this project

A compact TV Loundspeaker.

Orbitsound needed a compact TV soundbar designed around its patented Airsound technology. The product had to respond to changing home entertainment habits, where better TV picture quality, varied content, and compact living spaces were shaping how people used audio products at home.

The challenge was to create a product that could meet acoustic requirements while still feeling quiet, considered, and acceptable in the living room. The design needed to work within the physical constraints of sound reproduction, support a small range of colourways, and pair with an existing passive sub unit.

As the freelance Industrial Designer, I developed the soundbar with both user experience and manufacture in mind. The work included product form development, mechanical design, working prototype drawings, initial injection moulding studies, and supplier handoff documentation. A 3D printed enclosure was also created to support testing and help the client understand the product’s build, cost, and production direction.

Barnaby Ward

Industrial Designer - 3D/Product Visualisation Expert

Location
Auckland