Kinn Pill Crusher
Jan 2020
consulting
consumer products
fusion 360
dfm
What I learned
- Understanding client needs.
- Design for injection molding and sample analysis.
- Design for existing systems and interactions.
Im. 01, blade_cover
The product I was asked to redesign was the blade cover for a pill crushing device. The client needed a refresh for minor design changes and a switch of manufacturers. With that in mind, the model was built for injection molding and in a way that could be easily modified based on the manufacturer's feedback.
Im. 02, usage_&_operation
By flipping the position of the blade cover, the pill crusher also serves as a pill cutter. Since this is a core function of the device, ensuring the external dimensions of the device was critical to allow for proper usage in the existing product.
Im. 03, build_process
Since I knew that the draft angles would be influenced by the manufacturers capabilities, the model base plane was also used as the parting plane. Since it needed to interact with an existing product, there were certain areas with complex geometry that couldn't change. To work around this, a strategy of overbuilding and cutting away with complex surfaces was used.
Im. 04, manufacturing_feedback
After submitting the design to several manufacturers, there was still some DFM work that needed to be tweaked. Shown are gate and ejector pin locations. The two halves of the mold are shown in blue and yellow.
Im. 05, manufacturing_sample
A small batch of the final parts were sent for inspection and validation. After lots of time spent designing and fine tuning, it was very rewarding to see the product work as intended.
Im. 06, operation_study
Before sending the parts for manufacturing, an in software simulation allowed for an understanding of the real world interaction of parts while designing. Two rotational mates with limits served to demonstrate the expected motion. Using contact sets to simulate rigid bodies, the two states of the cover could be accurately simulated.
Im. 07, product_rendering
To finish off the process, a simple render was created. The body is a cast aluminum, and in CAD the texture was adjusted to simulate the real life product. A simple glossy plastic material was applied to all molded components.