MIT: Polaroid Camera Yo-Yo
Objective
As part of the Special Student Program at MIT, I took Design & Manufacturing II. In this course, my team designed and created yo-yos using CNC mills and the thermoforming and injection molding processes. We decided to make a Polaroid-themed yo-yo that was modeled after an early Instagram logo. My specific contributions to the team were creating tool paths for the body piece, injection molding all of our pieces (and press fitting in our magnets), collaborating on the overall design, and cutting the thermoformed pieces down to size.
Impact
Hard Skills
Soft Skills
Overall, my MIT experience exposed me to a new campus culture, a different perspective on undergraduate engineering education, and a diverse group of peers to learn from. This class was my favorite experience from my semester. It was a whirlwind of exposure to different manufacturing processes: injection molding, CNC machining, thermoforming, punching, and SLA printing dies that inspired me to pursue manufacturing as a central part of my graduate program.
3D Printing
CNC Milling
Turning
Injection Molding
Overmolding
Thermoforming
CAD: Fusion 360
Teamwork & communication
Learning in a new environment
Capturing ideas with sketches
Thinking through toolpaths