Mechanism Design

Q4 2015 - Q1 2016

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Challenge:

  • Design and implement a bi-stable open/closing mechanism for a hand-held device in a highly constrained z-space.

Result:

  • Worked in a 2-person ME team to develop and prototype various concepts to quickly downselect to a viable mechanism

  • Benchmarked against existing bi-stable mechanisms

  • Designed and executed spring cycle testing protocols to inform reliability targets and expectations.

  • Conducted a DOE on different spring attributes in order to maximize spring reliability

  • Designed, fabricated, and programmed an automated spring cycle tester based on end-product geometry. The tester was used to test long-term spring reliability and establish comparisons between candidate spring designs

Skills:

  • Mechanism design

  • Test fixture design

  • Reliability testing