This project was completed during the ‘Product Realisation’ course at Boston University. The goal was to produce a total of 10 iterations of a product with at least 3 different, non-purchased parts, along with thorough documentation of the manufacturing and assembly processes employed.
Our team decided to make a multi-use scooping device. Given the complex geometry of the device, we went with aluminium casting as our primary manufacturing process for the body of the product. The springs and washers were also made by the team, with the former being made using a CNC lathe and the latter with a waterjet cutter. I took charge of designing the moulds for the casting process (including cores for the hollow hemisphere used for scooping), as well as developing the GibbsCAM files for the post-processing of the cast parts. In addition, I also aided in the documentation of the standard operating procedures for the casting, post-processing of casts, spring manufacture, and final assembly.
This project was challenging mainly due to the casting and post-processing. We had to iterate on the design multiple times to improve issues we had with porosity and fracturing in the cast parts, and make these more capable of undergoing post-processing in the CNC mill. It was a great exercise in quick, iterative design and making a consistent product.
Cast Ice-Cream Scoop
Collaborators
Skills
CAD (SolidWorks)
3D Printing
Sand Casting
CNC Machining
DFMA
GD&T and Engineering Drawings Prototyping
Documentation
Design and Manufacturing Process
Multiple iterations of the scooper were made with improvements on issues found in each iteration, from part thickness increases to improve machinability to changing the spring for better functioning.
The scooper body was made with a custom 3D printed casting mould as well as a core to allow for the hollow hemisphere. The parts were then post-processed using custom soft jaws in a CNC mill. We initially ran into issues due to the porosity of the cast, as this aided in it cracking under the pressure of the CNC mill. We improved on this by de-gassing the aluminium prior to pouring, as well as by thickening the parts.
3D Printed Cast Moulds
Cookie Scooper Design Evolution
Mould with Cores
Part in Custom Soft Jaws for CNC Mill Post-Processing
Standard Operating Procedure Documents | These documents are SOPs written by me for the development of the scooping product.