Keycafe

Thousands of companies are using Keycafe’s trusted platform to deploy smart key exchange to their teams and customers.

Over the past 6 years. Tangram Design has collaborated with Keycafe on 2 generations of their hardware enclosures. Each generation featured design and manufacturing strategies intentionally tailored to suit Keycafe’s needs at the time.

Our initial design utilized a combination of formed steel for the primary structure, an injection molded modular bin system, and diecast doors. By opting to injection mold the higher volume modular components and utilizing steel for the lower volume primary enclosure, we achieved versatility across 9, 26, and 30 bin units while limiting the upfront capital and risks associated with tooling large parts in low volume. The injection molded bins were engineered with snap-in capture features, effectively securing and enclosing the diecast doors during assembly without requiring extra fasteners.

In 2022 Keycafe had an established customer base, increasing demand, and the experience gained from thousands of active installations. In response, we embarked on the development of a second-generation enclosure aimed at streamlining part count, enhancing manufacturing, assembly, and deployment processes, and incorporating new features such as video capabilities, LED lighting, proximity sensors, and an expanded user interface.

With significant capital already allocated for tooling and functionality, we consolidated the multiple modular bins characteristic of the previous generation into a single, large injection-molded component. While retaining a steel fascia and internal armor to ensure security and deliver a premium product, we managed to reduce the overall part count by nearly 60%, consequently trimming assembly time.

The introduction of the new fully injection-molded enclosures, available in 9, 18, and 42 bin configurations, was accompanied by a range of accessories including stands, outdoor enclosures, and solar options.

To date, Keycafe devices have facilitated over 1 million key exchanges and are operational in over 3,000 locations spanning more than 45 cities worldwide.