From development to production
Modular system comprising 4 componentsWe had the privilege of (co-)developing and manufacturing the casing for a special GPS tracker for footballers on behalf of TRACKTICS GmbH, based in Frankfurt am Main. The GPS tracker is now used to analyse individual fitness data by over 1,400 football teams – ranging from amateur clubs and well-known Bundesliga sides to the youth academies of top international clubs.
Find out in our case study what TRACKTICS is , how the collaboration with Solidtec came about, what challenges we faced in plastic injection moulding, and what role rapid tooling played.
What is TRACKTICS?
TRACKTICS is a GPS tracker developed specifically for footballers to analyse the performance data of individual players and the whole team. TRACKTICS records athletic data such as distances covered, reaction times and acceleration, as well as the number and duration of touches on the ball. A noise sensor is built in to ensure optimal measurement results.
Players can access athletic metrics to analyse and optimise their own performance. How intense was the workload? How long were the sprints, and how effective was the positional play? Where can improvements be seen compared to the last training session?
Coaches use the fitness data from TRACKTICS to develop innovative training programmes. How was the team set up? How intense was the workload for individual players? Who is better suited to which situation?
The data can be accessed via the app on a smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer. You can then analyse the fitness data, which is presented in a visually appealing and easy-to-understand format.
How does TRACKTICS work?
The player wears the GPS tracker on a hip belt. Much like a running belt, it is completely inconspicuous and does not get in the way during training or matches. This ensures maximum freedom of movement.
All GPS trackers are stored in a handy team box, where they are also charged. During a training session or match, the box is positioned at a specific spot on the sidelines, locates all the players’ trackers and records precise data for cluster analysis.
Once the data has been analysed via the app on a smartphone, tablet or PC, areas for improvement are identified: Why did the team only attack down the right flank? Which areas of the pitch were left unused? Who underperformed? Which formation would be more suitable?
In this way, areas for improvement can be identified and implemented for the whole team.
Challenges in implementation at Solidtec
We faced several challenges whilst developing TRACKTICS. After all, a device worn close to the body must be able to withstand a great deal in such a physically demanding sport.
The plastic casing for the GPS tracker had to meet the following requirements, amongst others:
- Ergonomic, compact and lightweight
- Sweat-, rain- and shock-resistant
- A 0.4 mm-wide opening in the casing for a small LED to indicate whether the tracker is switched on
Solidtec was already involved in the TRACKTICS development process. Following a design-for-manufacturing analysis, we worked with the product designers to determine how components could be incorporated into a mould so that they could be produced in small batches using the original material .
The material chosen was translucent plastic with a high proportion of smoked glass.
The housing was implemented as a modular system comprising four components made from hard and soft plastics.
It consists of:
- PC (outer)
- PC/ABS (outer)
- TPE (interior) for the power button and joint seal as soft components
It was not possible to produce the components using 3D printing. This is where the advantages of rapid tooling came into play.
Once the ‘production-ready’ product had been developed, a successful field trial involving 1,000 units began.
TRACKTICS and Solidtec: A resounding success
The innovative measurement and optimisation options offered by the GPS tracker TRACKTICS have won over numerous football clubs – from the district league right up to the Bundesliga.
Over 1,400 football clubs are already using TRACKTICS to analyse and improve their performance and potential.
With 14 trackers per team kit (11 for the squad, 3 as spares), this means Solidtec has already produced 20,000 plastic casings for the GPS tracker – and the trend is upwards.
As you can see, small-batch production of plastic parts is easily achievable using aluminium moulds.
Has this sparked your curiosity?
Are you curious to find out what possibilities we can still achieve in plastics manufacturing thanks to small-batch injection moulding using aluminium moulds?
Find out more about rapid tooling and get in touch!
