PHYWE Power Supply
A new take on a classic of physics teaching

For PHYWE, we developed a student power supply unit designed consistently around the demands of modern science teaching. Building on decades of PHYWE tradition, we rethought its design, operation and construction from the ground up — from target-group and market analysis, through an intelligent housing concept, to connected UX/UI. The result is a holistic solution that brings together design, function and cost-effectiveness for everyday use in the classroom.

The PHYWE student power supply unit is made for science teaching — for the teachers who use it every day, and the pupils who experiment with it. It is grounded in an in-depth engagement with the classroom itself: lesson observations, teacher interviews and the analysis of real physics rooms built a solid understanding of the target audience.

For PHYWE, this means a product based not on assumptions but on validated user needs — reducing the risk of misguided development and strengthening its position in the competition for teching materials contracts.

For decades, PHYWE has stood for dependable teaching equipment in science education. With the new student power supply unit, we have translated that reputation into a distinctive design language: Friendly Precision.

Soft, inviting forms create a sense of approachability, taking away the technical device's sense of distance and encouraging pupils towards intuitive interaction. At the same time, clearly defined edges, precisely placed details and a pared-back design convey professionalism, safety and technical competence.

The result is a student power supply unit that invites learners to engage with it while still reflecting the precision, reliability and safety for which PHYWE has been valued by teachers for decades. This distinctive design language visibly sets the product apart from the competition, while also laying the foundation for a consistent, recognisable product identity across the entire PHYWE portfolio.

Alongside the hardware, the way the power supply unit is operated was also rethought from scratch — with defined user flows, clear menu structures and a carefully considered system of icons, typeface and settings dialogues. A key focus was networking the devices with one another: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, together with IoT functionality, let teachers retain full control over every student power supply unit in the room. For PHYWE, this opens up a clear point of differentiation from the competition, strengthens its position in tenders with digital requirements, and lays the technical groundwork for future software-based extensions.

The student power supply unit supports safe and intuitive carrying in everyday school use. Ergonomically shaped grip surfaces, together with recessed undercuts in the base and lid, give even children's hands a secure hold. In addition, we developed an optional carrying strap that lets the device be carried single-handedly, integrates the connecting cable, and fully preserves stackability. This allows the system to adapt flexibly to different teaching situations and user habits.

The power supply unit's construction was also consistently rethought. The upper and lower shells are designed as identical parts and are complemented by a wraparound bent-metal component. Fixing and mounting functions for the key components are integrated directly into the architecture.

The result is a product that is easy to assemble, economical and long-lasting. Reduced complexity makes manufacturing and assembly easier, while plug-in and screwed components simplify repair and replacement.

The principle is deliberately designed to be open-ended: by varying the height and the formed sheet-metal part, further devices — such as a teacher's power supply unit or battery variants — can be derived from it. In this way, the housing concept forms the basis for an entire product family, and can also be carried over to quite different products within the PHYWE range, lowering parts costs in the long term.