Our MIDI controller the EL8. Aimed at specific functionality within Ableton, the instrument rack. The hardware layout of the physical knobs and buttons matches the software on screen. This makes it really intuitive to control your custom instruments, effects racks and synthesisers. We also included 4 macro buttons so you can trigger presets. The display keeps you up to date with the value of the active knob and the name of the patch. 

3D printing on the Bambu Labs X1C to confirm the distance between the potentiometers. This device is designed to be portable but having the control elements too close is a problem for the user.
At Engineering Lab we constantly 3D print prototypes in house as part of our design process. The Polyterra Peanut PLA from Polymaker is a great material for prototyping.

The PCB is a 4 layer board with USB C, 5 tactile buttons, a reset microswitch and for the EL8, 8 potentiometers. We chose potentiometers for this model over rotary encoders for a more feel and immediate view of the value of the parameter. The device runs on an RP2040 but for production may be changed to a ESP32-S3 to handle the high refresh rate of the display. The display is a 320x170 pixels TFT LCD connected in parallel mode for maximum responsiveness.

At our design office in Amsterdam, Netherlands. We are a small engineering design agency working with startups and grownups to develop new technologies. The MIDI controller project is our own internal product development which we love working on.