Rendyr | Sophie Dukes

Building Manufacturing Systems and CX at Rendyr

At Rendyr, I was employee #7 and wore almost every hat imaginable, from optimizing assembly lines to designing packaging systems to creating marketing content. Over 18 months, I helped take the Optic from early prototypes to 300+ units shipped to customers. This is the story of how we built a hardware company from the ground up.

Role

Industrial Designer

Team

Cross-functional (Engineering, Marketing, Operations)

Timeline

2 years

Optic - the Portable Laser Cutter

The first portable laser cutter with built-in filtration and infinite workspace capabilities. Optic gives you the ability to create anywhere, such as your studio apartment, garage woodshop, or even onsite for a special project. Simply unfold Optic within seconds to bring the power of laser cutting and engraving to your creative pursuits.

Portability

Easily switch between the compact 4.5 x 6.5 x 24.75 inch storage size and the generous 12 x 18 inch base work area

Built-In Filtration

Laser-generated smoke and fumes are pulled in through the filter where the HEPA and high-activity carbon media capture contaminants

Infinite Workplace

Detach the cutting mat to use Optic directly on surfaces of any size and thickness and cut or engrave your design in sections instructing the software to precisely align each part

The Challenge

When I joined Rendyr, the Optic was still in early prototype phase. The assembly process was chaotic, documentation barely existed, and we had hundreds of Kickstarter backers waiting for their orders. My challenge was to help the team scale from building one-off prototypes to consistent, repeatable manufacturing—while also thinking about how customers would experience the product when it arrived.

Key Stats

30 hrs -> 16 hrs

200+ pages of documentation

300+ units shipped

Early Production Builds

As the Optic prototypes started to be consistently made, it became time to build more, define processes, and test for consistency as well as accuracy. My early contributions included learning assembly processes and optimizing them. In addition, space and system planning became imperative to manufacturing systems.

With a long, extensive manufacturing process, the Optic building experience became imperative to investigate and improve upon. I helped encourage design and process changes where pain points impacted the ease of assembly, resulting in both tens of hours cut from the assembly time as well as less frustrating processes.

Comprehensive Assembly Documentation

As the business scaled, documentation became required to support the manufacturing process to preserve consistency and record process changes along with tool and material requirements. At this time, I led the creation and editing of hundreds of pages of documentation from laser diode focusing to soldering cables and boards to part installation.

Through the design for manufacturing process and optimizing processes, we were able to take the assembly time of an Optic from over 30 hours to under 15 hours.

Packaging Development and Management

Soon Optics were ready to be shipped to Kickstarter backers! I developed systems and instructions for the final cleaning, boxing, and shipment of the Optics and some accessories. I created and maintained a Packaging Bill of Materials to organize costs and inventory, communicated shipping times to customers, and supported the development of new packaging designs.

Optic Shipping Preparation

Optic In-Box Accessories

these items were intentionally picked to support the easy use and maintenance of the Optic in a user's hands

Cleaning Kit

Laser Safety Goggles

Maintenance Kit

Power + Data

Custom Cutting Mat Brush

I designed this brush to integrate into the 3D printing queue along with other Optic parts. Six brushes can be printed at a time on the 7"X7" Prusa Mini print bed. The ergonomic design allows for easy downward pressure, and the scouring pad can be changed out as needed.

Drop Testing

To ensure the packaging design was sufficient for protecting the Optic during shipping, we completed drop and vibration testing. Luckily, the Optic functioned after these tests, and with that, the packaging was approved for use.

Welcome Envelope

This envelope is the first physical point of contact with a customer. It is the first item a user sees when opening an Optic box.

Getting Started Guide

order confirmation slip

blank "Hello World" project cards (x3)

completed "Hello World" project card

protective aluminum card for "Hello World" project

sticker with logo

custom branded envelope

Getting Started: Hello World

With everything set up, it's time to make the first project with your Optic! We designed the 'Hello World' project to cover the basics from start to finish and to confirm that your Optic is in the same excellent condition as right before we shipped it to you. Once you finish your 'Hello World' project, you can compare it with the benchmark we placed in the envelope.

User Experience

User Profiles

Using customer feedback, industry research, and my own user experience, I strategized communications with current users and potential customers through customer support, social media engagement, and advertising. User profiles aided in decision making.

User Optic Project Journey

Using my own experience along with others, I mapped the process of beginning a new Optic project. This helped me easily identify painpoints and strengths of using the Optic in comparison to other laser cutters. This aided in project planning, customer advice, as well as informed the engineering team of areas of improvement.

Customer Support

"I was having a problem with my Optic and was in the area, so I stopped by Rendyr... and then the technical staff member came by. They did a great job answering my questions!"

"One of my main concerns when

purchasing was support, but that has also been an incredible experience - I ran into an issue where I manually pushed material tolerances too far and not only did Rendyr respond quickly, they tested my project and gave me details on what went wrong and what the fix is within 12 hours."

"I reached out to the service team to troubleshoot and they were very understanding and allowed me to ship it back to them to fix my oops. These guys were great to chat with, they were very fast and they understood that sometimes hobbyists have their own personal challenge."

Website Planning + Development

As the fulfillment of Kickstarter orders neared completion, my focus transitioned to project development and web design. I initiated the homepage design by creating a foundational structure that integrated existing content and prioritized new additions. Based on user and competitor research, I supported the design of an intuitive, inspirational website. Additionally, I managed communications with our partnered marketing firm and actively participated in early marketing strategy meetings. My efforts then shifted to designing and implementing Optic projects that effectively highlight the machine's capabilities.

Marketing Content Goals

Diversity

With the e-commerce sales impending, not all materials and use cases had been investigated or displayed online, so I focused on a diverse variety of projects

Highlights Optic

As shown above, the Optic has several distinctive features, so I honed in on projects that either can only be done with the Optic or work particularly well with the machine

Inspirational

Although many projects can be done, I wanted my work to evoke curiosity and inspiration through unique designs that stand out online or are easily modifiable for users

Project Content Gallery

I designed targeted content that highlights the benefits and applications of laser cutting technology, appealing to current users and potential customers.

Octopus Coffee Table

30"x60" plywood coffee table engraving with hairpin legs

Coffee Table Engrave

Special Thanks

Martin Angst

Grayson Morrow

Robert Worley

Kaelum Hasler

Hans Stahl

Chris Hanks

Paris Parsons

James Trixler

Ron Flanary

Ed Coe

Travis King

Joe Lawson

Mikila Young

Austin Alley

Jarid Scott

Sarah Trixler

Travis Wiehe

Mike Abbott

Vincent

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