Challenge

When China’s largest OEM launched its True Wireless Stereo (TWS) earbuds in 2020, it entered the market successfully. Unfortunately, they received an increasing number of returns in the following months. To prevent a reputation loss, the OEM took a closer look at the returned products and was able to detect the root of the problem.

Luckily, the OEM has already worked with Gore on previous projects and knew we were able to develop a solution that would fit their needs.

Solution

As Gore has not worked with TWS earbuds before, we first examined the product further and quickly realized that it held special challenges.

Since the device in question is mostly used to listen to music, the set standards for sound quality are higher than for other devices, such as smartphones for example. Also, because the earbuds are completely wireless, the built-in microphone is farther away from the mouth. Therefore, the solution we were looking for needed both: A high filtration efficiency and a high acoustic transparency.

These requirements are already difficult to meet. To complicate it even further, the matching solution needed to be developed in a new dimension of construction size. Since the MEMS microphones are integrated into an already small device, the protective vent needs to be even smaller but still suitable for an automatic packaging process.

With these specifications in mind, Gore customized a product that stood out with its industry-leading protection against particles, acoustic performance, and easy application before: GORE® MEMS Protective Vents Style 200.

The Technology Behind the Solution: GORE® MEMS Protective Vents Style 200

The solution used to help the smartphone OEM in need was GORE® MEMS Protective Vents Style 200 for microphone manufacturers. These are just a few benefits of the product:

  • High protection against particles, high filtration efficiency
  • High acoustic transparency with minimal transmission loss
  • Can be auto-installed inside the MEMS microphone during the microphone packaging process
  • Parts are digitally mapped in a wafer format
  • Compatibility with high-speed die attach equipment, so no extra equipment investment is needed for the installation
  • Accommodation of very small form factors to suit small components and devices

For specifications and more detailed installation information, please visit GORE® MEMS Protective Vents Style 200.

Result

With their expertise from previous projects, the Gore team developed a solution that exceeded the OEM’s expectations. Because of its high and consistent performance, they continued to rely on Gore’s MEMS Protective Vents Style 200 after this project and integrated it not only in the following generations of TWS earbuds but also in their smartphone portfolio. Here is what convinced them:

  • A potential reputation loss was averted
  • The reclamation rate dropped from 1000’s ppm to a two-digit number, saving costs throughout the entire value chain
  • The acoustic insertion loss was kept below 0.5 dB, which secured a high sound quality
  • The microphone vendors improved their yield and thus increased the cost efficiency of their production

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