Industrial Design for Measurement Technology and Sensors: Instruments That Make Precision Tangible
Industrial design for measurement technology and sensors: housings, HMI and product families for professional instruments. 300+ series products. Get in touch.
Industrial Design for Measurement Technology
We develop professional instruments and sensor systems for manufacturers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, from the handheld meter to the device family.
A measuring instrument sells precision. Its design decides whether you believe it.
Measurement technology and sensors are among the most demanding fields of industrial design: functional range, ergonomics, robustness, safety and usability have to come together in a single concept that holds up in daily professional use. Eckstein Design has been developing instruments and sensor systems for manufacturers in the DACH region for over 20 years, from design strategy through housing and HMI to series maturity. More than 300 series products and over 50 design awards show: in measurement technology, good design is not an accessory but a business decision.
Why measurement technology needs special design
Measuring instruments are precision tools, and their users are professionals under time pressure. This creates design requirements that hardly any other product category combines at this density:
Legibility under real conditions
Displays and scales must be clearly legible against backlight, in dark control cabinets and from awkward angles. Display hierarchy, contrast and font sizes are safety features here, not questions of style.
Operation with gloves
Those measuring in the field often wear protective gloves. Button sizes, spacing, rotary controls and touch concepts must be designed for that, without letting the device size get out of hand.
Harsh environments and protection ratings
Dust, moisture, drops, chemicals: the required protection rating (IP rating) shapes joint lines, sealing concepts, material choice and wall thicknesses. Good design integrates these requirements instead of concealing them.
Calibration and maintenance access
Measuring instruments live long and are calibrated regularly. Access for service and adjustment must be reachable yet protected against unintended opening, an engineering and design task at once.
Trust in precision as a design task
A measured value is only worth as much as the trust placed in it. A high-quality material feel, precise joints, a calm design language and consistent operating logic communicate measurement quality before the first value is shown.
Our range of services for measurement technology manufacturers
We support measurement technology and sensor manufacturers across the entire development path, as one team of designers and engineers:
Industrial design and housing design
From concept through rendering and model making to the series-ready housing: we design instruments that combine ergonomics, robustness and brand identity. We factor in manufacturing processes, protection ratings and cost structures from the first sketch. The basis is our industrial design as a core discipline; an overview is given by our industrial design agency.
UI/UX design for instrument HMIs
We develop operating concepts for embedded displays, touchscreens and device software that make complex measurement functions intuitively accessible, from the menu tree to the display of measured values. The basis is our experience in UI/UX design for technical applications.
Design engineering and construction
For manufacturers without their own engineering capacity, we take on full implementation: 3D construction, sealing and joining concepts, manufacturing drawings and series support, as an integrated service of industrial design, engineering and construction.
UI and UX: the interface is where the value is won
A measuring instrument is used through its interface, not its datasheet. How menus are structured, how readings are displayed and how inputs flow decides the pace and the error rate in daily use – on an embedded display as much as on a touchscreen. A well-considered interface reduces operating errors, shortens onboarding and speeds up recurring tasks. Good HMI design is therefore not a surface concern but a direct lever on productivity and operational safety. How that pays off in practice is shown, for example, by the Profitest MF from Gossen Metrawatt.
References: instruments that hold their own in the market
For leading manufacturers of measurement, test and sensor technology we have developed products that have held up in professional use for years. What they share: a clear strategic starting point, a user-centred development process and a result that makes precision visible.
Gossen Metrawatt: a product family across generations
For many years we have designed Gossen Metrawatt's test and measuring instruments as a consistent family: from the Secutest safety tester through the Profitest MF installation tester to the MetraHit IM Xtra digital multimeter. Housing design, interface and operating logic from a single source position the brand clearly in its market segment.
Leuze: RSL 200 safety laser scanner
For Leuze we designed the RSL 200 safety laser scanner: compact sensor technology for automation, where functional states must be recognisable at a glance and the design carries the brand's product identity.
SmartRay: Ecco75 3D sensor
The Ecco75 3D sensor shows how sensor design communicates precision: a compact, rugged housing for continuous industrial use that makes high technology visible without putting it on display.
Xylem: MultiLab Pro IDS laboratory measurement
For Xylem we designed the MultiLab Pro series for laboratory and analytical measurement: precise measurement technology for everyday lab work, where cleanability, legibility and efficient operating routines set the pace.
One device family, one face: corporate industrial design for measurement technology
Measurement technology portfolios grow over decades. New device generations, new product lines, acquisitions: without defined design codes the portfolio fragments into individual products, and the brand loses its recognisability at the point of use. Corporate industrial design solves exactly this. We define form, colour, material and interface principles that carry across device generations, so that a new device is immediately recognisable as part of the family while still being able to evolve technically. Gossen Metrawatt's product families show how this approach builds market position over many years. How we translate brand values into product language is described on our page corporate design.
Design as a business decision
That design investment pays off is measurable: according to the McKinsey study on the business value of design, companies with strong design capability achieve on average 32 percentage points more revenue growth than their industry benchmarks. In measurement technology the leverage is especially clear: instruments that are intuitive to operate cause fewer operating errors, shorten onboarding times and are preferred for replacement and expansion purchases. Which developments shape industrial design in 2026, from modularity to AI-supported development, is laid out in our article on the industrial design trends 2026. How AI-supported operating concepts further increase the usability leverage is shown in our article AI in HMI. And which mistakes in product development are the most expensive we have summarised here: avoiding pitfalls in product development.
Let's talk about your instrument
Are you planning a new device generation, an HMI redesign or building a consistent product family? In a free initial consultation we clarify where design offers the greatest leverage for your portfolio.
Case studies measurement technology and sensors
FAQ industrial design for measurement technology
How do you design a professional measuring instrument?
It starts with analysis: who measures what, where and under what conditions? From this come requirements for ergonomics, legibility, protection rating and operating logic. On this basis we develop the housing concept, interface and construction in parallel, iteratively, with models and user feedback, all the way to series maturity. What matters is that design, electronics development and manufacturing work together from the start.
What does housing design for electronics and measurement technology cost?
That depends on complexity, volume and scope: a housing redesign on existing electronics has a different scope than a new development with HMI, sealing concept and construction. We recommend a no-obligation initial consultation to scope the need and give a transparent assessment with schedule and budget range.
What makes good HMI design in measurement technology?
Clarity under pressure. The most important measured value must be graspable at a glance, states and warnings must be clearly distinguishable, and the menu structure must follow real workflows rather than the device's internal logic. Add to that legibility in difficult lighting and operability with gloves. Good HMI design measurably reduces operating errors and onboarding time.
What protection rating does my instrument need?
The use context determines it: for laboratory devices IP40 is often sufficient, mobile field devices frequently need IP54 to IP67, depending on dust and moisture exposure. The protection rating should be defined early because it shapes the sealing concept, joint lines, material choice and thus the entire housing design. We advise on the classification and develop the sealing concept as part of the construction.
Does Eckstein Design also handle construction through to series maturity?
Yes. Our team unites industrial designers and engineers. We handle 3D construction, manufacturing drawings, tooling coordination and series support as an integrated service, a decisive advantage especially for manufacturers without their own engineering department.
Does Eckstein Design work only in Munich or across the DACH region?
Our studio is in Munich, our clients are located throughout Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Established digital workflows, regular on-site meetings and a clear project structure make collaboration efficient regardless of location.