Multi-functional Food Cooking System
The SuniSea Combo Multi-functional Food Cooker design project constitutes a set of instructional materials for engineering and technology students. The origin of this project is the Engineering Design Challenge Curriculum Project, a homework assignment for the NCETE (National Center for Engineering and Technology Education) Core Course 4 (Engineering Design in STEM Education), doctoral level graduate course at the University of Georgia, offered in Spring 2009, taught jointly by Dr. Kurt Becker at Utah State University, Dr. Mark Tufenkjian at California State University Los Angeles, Dr. Rodney L. Custer at Illinois State University, and Dr. Jenny Daugherty at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with Dr. John Mativo as the Advisor (submitted on Thursday, April 9, 2009).
After I graduated from the University of Georgia (September2009) with an Education Specialist degree, I thoroughly re-developed the project as a set of instructional materials for
Four-year university students majoring in mechanical and electrical engineering, and industrial design undergraduate programs and enrolled in senior-year design project courses (usually lasting three quarters or two to three semesters. Students from both majors will develop the entire food-cooking system (including both internal electro-thermal converting mechanism, the electronic control mechanism, and the external food containing and cooking components) with working prototypes and technical documents ready for mass production, in a real-world like, collaborative team-work environment.
Two-year community or technical college students majoring in computer-aided engineering drafting and design technology, in industrial product design, and in CNC-based manufacturing technology, and enrolled in design and/or portfolio preparation or independent studies curses. Students from the above majors will develop the external parts of the food-cooking system (including the external food containing and cooking components, and the external housing of the electro-thermal converter and electronic controller units) with prototypes made with CNC-based equipment and technical documents with 3D digital models and 2D drawings.
Although the above senior-year design curriculums are for students in engineering and technology majors, they are integrated with art, social studies, and other relevant disciplines; and this interdisciplinary approach is nowadays widely used in industry practice, and in technology education.
The structures of the above curriculums have been inspired by the Interdisciplinary Design Project for Mechatronics and Robotics Program at Ohio Northern University Technological Studies Program, designed and implemented by Dr. John Mativo and his assistants in 2005, for both K-12 (grades7-12) and college students.
For high school students: Under this program, a weekend program to be complemented by a summer capstone experience, called "animatronics," has been implemented with high school students (grades 7-12). A three-day summer camp for students under the gifted and talented program from four local middle school (sponsored by Ohio Department of Education, has been implemented as STEM Enrichment activities. Cross-disciplinary faculty collaboration took place with an art professor to strengthen the art component of the program (using earth based, polymer based and oil based clays as 3D modeling materials. Dr. Mativo and his assistants' pedagogic experiment indicated that learning engineering design helped high school students to increase interests in STEM and enhance academic success.
For college students: Students designed animated mechatronic blob, penguin, robotic trash can, and a humanoid monster hybrid, combining analytic and design skills from several different but interconnected fields of study: (1) mechanical engineering (material selection, manufacturing process, mechanical design and assembly), (2) electronics (actuators, sensors, and controls), (3) microcontrollers structure and programming, (4) emerging technologies (muscle wires, air muscles, micro- and nano-controllers), (5) 2D and 3D art (costuming from fabrics to rubber latex and clay modeling), and (6) industrial product design.
Dr. John Mativo, now teaching at the University of Georgia, is an expert in robotic or mechatronics engineering and design; and his expertise stretches from mechanical engineering, electronics engineering, to materials science and manufacturing technology. Dr. Mativo has developed many engineering and technology curriculum for high school students (“Education Model Lessons”).
This page displays some of the major components of SuniSea Combo Multi-functional Food Cooker that I have developed in the years 2012-2013 as classroom demonstration samples using SolidWorks software, including the master unit (the Electro-thermal Converter Box and Multi-functional Food Cooker Assembly), as well as various food-cooking attachments performing the functions of those appliances available in the marketplace, such as steamer, egg poacher, griller, baker, toaster, hotpot cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, waffle-maker, pizza-maker, deep-fryer, and stir-fry pan.
Any question? Please email me: [email protected].
After I graduated from the University of Georgia (September2009) with an Education Specialist degree, I thoroughly re-developed the project as a set of instructional materials for
Four-year university students majoring in mechanical and electrical engineering, and industrial design undergraduate programs and enrolled in senior-year design project courses (usually lasting three quarters or two to three semesters. Students from both majors will develop the entire food-cooking system (including both internal electro-thermal converting mechanism, the electronic control mechanism, and the external food containing and cooking components) with working prototypes and technical documents ready for mass production, in a real-world like, collaborative team-work environment.
Two-year community or technical college students majoring in computer-aided engineering drafting and design technology, in industrial product design, and in CNC-based manufacturing technology, and enrolled in design and/or portfolio preparation or independent studies curses. Students from the above majors will develop the external parts of the food-cooking system (including the external food containing and cooking components, and the external housing of the electro-thermal converter and electronic controller units) with prototypes made with CNC-based equipment and technical documents with 3D digital models and 2D drawings.
Although the above senior-year design curriculums are for students in engineering and technology majors, they are integrated with art, social studies, and other relevant disciplines; and this interdisciplinary approach is nowadays widely used in industry practice, and in technology education.
The structures of the above curriculums have been inspired by the Interdisciplinary Design Project for Mechatronics and Robotics Program at Ohio Northern University Technological Studies Program, designed and implemented by Dr. John Mativo and his assistants in 2005, for both K-12 (grades7-12) and college students.
For high school students: Under this program, a weekend program to be complemented by a summer capstone experience, called "animatronics," has been implemented with high school students (grades 7-12). A three-day summer camp for students under the gifted and talented program from four local middle school (sponsored by Ohio Department of Education, has been implemented as STEM Enrichment activities. Cross-disciplinary faculty collaboration took place with an art professor to strengthen the art component of the program (using earth based, polymer based and oil based clays as 3D modeling materials. Dr. Mativo and his assistants' pedagogic experiment indicated that learning engineering design helped high school students to increase interests in STEM and enhance academic success.
For college students: Students designed animated mechatronic blob, penguin, robotic trash can, and a humanoid monster hybrid, combining analytic and design skills from several different but interconnected fields of study: (1) mechanical engineering (material selection, manufacturing process, mechanical design and assembly), (2) electronics (actuators, sensors, and controls), (3) microcontrollers structure and programming, (4) emerging technologies (muscle wires, air muscles, micro- and nano-controllers), (5) 2D and 3D art (costuming from fabrics to rubber latex and clay modeling), and (6) industrial product design.
Dr. John Mativo, now teaching at the University of Georgia, is an expert in robotic or mechatronics engineering and design; and his expertise stretches from mechanical engineering, electronics engineering, to materials science and manufacturing technology. Dr. Mativo has developed many engineering and technology curriculum for high school students (“Education Model Lessons”).
This page displays some of the major components of SuniSea Combo Multi-functional Food Cooker that I have developed in the years 2012-2013 as classroom demonstration samples using SolidWorks software, including the master unit (the Electro-thermal Converter Box and Multi-functional Food Cooker Assembly), as well as various food-cooking attachments performing the functions of those appliances available in the marketplace, such as steamer, egg poacher, griller, baker, toaster, hotpot cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, waffle-maker, pizza-maker, deep-fryer, and stir-fry pan.
Any question? Please email me: [email protected].
Figure MFC-3A. Slides from PowerPoint classroom demonstration files showing how the new design works. The slide on the top left displays images of some of the existing food-cooking appliances available from various retail chain stores, from their websites, and explains that all of the existing products have one similar feature, that is, an electro-thermal converter that transforms electrical power into heat to perform various food-cooking functions. The slide on the top right displays the basic components of a rice cooker, i.e., an electro-thermal converter, and a food-cooking attachment with heat transfer interface and food container. The slide at the bottom shows how the new design could have a master unit with a variable-temperature electro-thermal converter and heat transfer interface, and many separate food containers.
Figure MFC-4. An egg poacher/cooker designed previously during my undergraduate studies at California State University Northridge (1992). In this double-functional product, eggs could be steamed and poached at the same time, with two holding plates, one for steaming shelled eggs to be cooked by steaming, and the other for scrambled eggs to be poached. The two slides on the top display various design ideation sketches; and the slide at the bottom displays the orthographic multi-view working drawings, a 3D model of the egg-poacher plate, and visual prototype of the system. The concave shapes of the egg poaching plate in my sample design is intended to diversify the shapes of the poached egg cakes.
Figure MFC-5. Various food-cooking containers and other attachments that I have designed so far, which could perform various food-cooking functions. The slides display various component setups designed in SolidWorks and a variety of food that could be prepared with these attachments: egg-poacher (steam-cooked eggs and poached eggs), hot pot soup-making (fish fillets, meat slices and noodle), steamer setup (steamed fish and vegetables), grilling, baking, toasting (toasted bread slice and baked steak), slow-cooker setup (hot and spicy seafood soup), stewing and soup-maker setup (meat and fish ball soup, hot and sour soup, wanton soup and cooked vegetables), waffle-maker setup (waffle cakes), cookie and pastry-maker setup (cakes), pizza-maker setup and deep-fryer setup (fried bean curd, and potato chips), and stir-fryer setup (fried rice, spicy vegetable and chicken).
photo-realistic rendering of completed design in solidworks
Rendering Background in SolidWorks (Grill Attachment):
Suggested Project:
The following categories of students could adopt the assignment listed below to design a Multi-functional Food-cooking System:
Undergraduate students (mechanical/electrical engineering, and industrial design) in senior-year design project courses.
Community college students (computer-aided drafting/design, industrial design, and manufacturing technology) in design or portfolio preparation courses.
Students from both categories could email me the screen shots of the major subassemblies and assemblies of the Multi-functional Food-cooking System for publication in the Submitted Projects Section of this website. Please note that (1) the project must be completed in parametric modelers (such as SolidWorks, Mechanical Desktop, Inventor, SolidEdge, CATIA, Pro-Engineer), (2) the major subassemblies and assemblies must be zoomed to the largest size possible and the screen shots should indicate the software used, (3) for the protection of intellectual property rights, do NOT email the original CAD files of the 3D models, or any 2D drawing files, or digital photos of any individual part. Please include a short paragraph stating your request and authorization to publish it on my website’s Student Works Section, including your name and the name of your school; if you want viewers to contact you through email, please indicate so. Please number your screen shots and include short paragraphs to describe the major subassemblies and assemblies. If your work has been recommended by your instructor, or is interesting to me, I will upload it to my website. To create a screen shot, press the Print Screen Sys Rq key on the top right corner of your keyboard to copy the screen image into the Clipboard, create a new file in Photoshop (Ctrl+n), paste the image (Ctrl+v), flatten the layers and save the file as a JPEG file; if you do not have access to Photoshop, then create a new file in Microsoft Word, paste the screen shot (Ctrl+v) and save the file.
The Assignment for Undergraduate Students
(Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, and Industrial Design)
in Senior-Year Design Project Courses
First Semester
Students from the participating majors are to work as a whole group (a "Big Team") or as "Small Groups" of 4-5 students to individually and collectively work on this product development project, depending on the needs to develop R&D (research and development) strategy, and to design individual devices and components that constitute the multi-functional food-cooker system. The whole project could take two semesters or three quarters, but the duration of time (number of weeks) needed to complete each step is basically similar for both semester and quarter systems. The following steps constitute the general procedure for the whole semester.
First Step: Market Investigation (1st week, 1st and 2nd class meetings)
For the First Semester, one instructor with solid academic background and industry experience in both mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, or two instructors with solid academic backgrounds and industry experience in either mechanical engineering or electrical engineering respectively, will serve as principal advisors to students throughout the entire semester. If necessary, a third instructor experience in CNC-based prototyping will serve as an advisor during the prototyping and testing steps.
The Instructor(s) will supervise, advice, review and/or teach pertinent knowledge and skills, and ensure safety. In addition, instructors from the art department will be invited to give lectures on history and aesthetics of industrial product design.
Before the start of the semester, the instructor(s) will do a Google search with the keyword "cooking appliances" and come up with a list of relevant company websites for online market research, including (1) the websites of 10-20 major nation-wide chain stores such as Walmart, Macy, Sears and Roabuck, CostCo, and others, (2) websites of 10-20 kitchen appliances manufacturers such as Cuisinart, and (3) websites of 10-20 local stores); the list will be given to students at the beginning of the first class meeting; and the URL of each website will be printed and folded up for students to draw lots and work on during the first class meeting.
During the first class meeting, students from the participating majors are to form Small Groups of three to four to work collectively on the design project; each group will select a Group Leader for each step of the project during the entire semester; and the role of Group Leader will be rotated among the group members. Students from the entire class will exchange email addresses, cell phone numbers to facilitate communication. Next, each Small Group will investigate existing food cooking devices available in the markets by Internet search, from the URLs selected through drawing lots. By drawing lots, the Group Leaders will elect the Market Research Coordinator to summarize the results from the Market Research Reports presented by all Small Groups.
After the first class meeting, Small Groups of students will visit relevant local stores within the county where the university is located. Each Small Group will write a Market Investigation Report with tabulated data on relevant existing products (names, model numbers, basic functions, prices, vendors, etc.) and develop a related PowerPoint presentation file. The Group Leader of each Small Group will email the Market Investigation Report to the Market Research Coordinator, who will then summarize the outcomes with tabulated data on relevant existing products (names, model numbers, basic functions, prices, vendors, etc.), and prepare an initial recommendation on relevant existing food-cooking appliances for further investigation.
In the beginning of the second class meeting, each Small Group will present the initial results of market investigation. The Market Research Coordinator will make an initial recommendation on relevant existing food-cooking appliances for further investigation. The Instructor will make an analysis on the available products and give an approval for the selection of a series of existing appliances for reverse engineering. The Group Leaders will then select one to three appliances for reverse engineering, depending on affordability of the retail prices of the products (each student should be prepare to spend up to $50 to purchase product samples). Next, each Small Group ill purchase selected product samples from local chain stores and online, to be ready for the Second Step (Reverse Engineering Analysis) in the following weeks.
Second Step. Reverse Engineering Analysis Activities (2nd and 3rd weeks, 3rd through 6th class meetings)
Each of the Small Groups will conduct Reverse Engineering Analysis Activities on purchased product samples, disassemble them, analyze the functions of various parts, and collect pertinent technical data (especially those related to the electro-thermal converting mechanism in each existing product, such as current, voltage, resistance, etc.), using relevant measuring tools available in a typical engineering design lab. Each of the Small Groups will select a new Group Leader for the Reverse Engineering Analysis Activities. The Group Leaders will develop Reverse Engineering Analysis Reports to be presented at the start of the 6th class meeting. The new Group Leaders will elect the Reverse Engineering Analysis Coordinator to summarize the results from the Reverse Engineering Analysis Reports presented by all Small Groups.
Third Step. Design and Prototyping of the Master Units (4th through 11th weeks, 7th through 22nd class meetings)
At the start of this Step, instructor(s) from the art department will offer lectures and PowerPoint presentations on history, principles, and aesthetics of industrial product design, and provide the students with a list of relevant websites to study. Process of product design and engineering will be explained to students. Throughout this Step, "brainstorming" techniques will be extensively used by each Small Groups and the ideas and concepts of design will be shared within the Small Groups or with other groups.
Based on the summary presented by the Reverse Engineering Analysis Coordinator and approved by the Instructor, the entire class will collectively work on the development of the master units of the Multi-functional Food-Cooking System with variable temperature control, i.e., an electro-thermal converter system with (1) a power-inlet box with a rotational temperature selector knob using a relevant device such as a potentiometer and a plug, plus (2) an interface base unit to place various food-cooking containers (see Figure MFC-2 below for reference), under the guidance of the instructor. Although this step will be completed by the whole class as a team, individual tasks ill be performed by Small Groups or by individual students based on the principle of "division of labor," in a real-world like "teamwork" environment. Knowledge and skills gained during the previous courses will be used to conduct relevant computations necessary for the design of the master unit. SolidWorks, Mechanical Desktop, Inventor, SolidEdge, CATIA, Pro-Engineer, Electronic Workbench and/or other parametric software programs could be used in the design activities. CADD 3D models and 2D drawings will be made for prototyping and legal documentation purposes. As much as possible, stock items available in the marketplace should be incorporated into the new design. The Instructor will analyze, evaluate and approve the design. Next, equipment (as much as possible, NC-based prototyping equipment) will be used to create the working prototype of the master units. Ideally, the maximum volume of the power-inlet box should no exceed 4 inches by 6 inches by 3 inches; and the maximum diameter of the round top surface of interface base unit in contact with the food container should no exceed 14 inches.
Fourth Step. Design and Prototyping of Various Food-cooking Container Attachment Units (12th through 14th weeks, 23rd through 28th class meetings)
Small Groups of students will work on the design and prototyping of various food-cooking attachments performing the functions of those appliances available in the marketplace, such as steamer, egg poacher, griller, baker, toaster, hotpot cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, waffle-maker, pizza-maker, deep-fryer, and stir-fry pan, depending on the product samples these Small Groups have purchased in the First Step. Due to the nature of the components, most of the above attachments will be made of stainless steel (or at least the bases in contact with the interface base unit will be made in stainless steel). Due to constraint of time, only one attachment per Small Group will be required for grading purposes. The rest of attachments will be completed in the second semester.
Fifth Step. Testing and Re-Developing the Prototype of the Master Units (15th through 17th weeks, 29th through 34th class meetings)
The whole class will test the working prototypes of the master units and attachments developed so far, with real food produce purchased from local supermarkets; observations will be made with regard to the quantity of food and the duration of time it takes to performing various cooking functions with various attachments, and the records will be used to develop parts of user manual and other technical documents by the Small Groups, which shall elect a Documentation Coordinator to compile the parts into a single user manual. In case any component of the working prototypes fail to perform its intended function, then the students will try to find the cause, to propose a solution (required for grading), to re-design, to make a new working prototype, and to re-test (these tasks are optional for the first semester, and could be left for the second semester).
2nd Semester
For the Second Semester, one instructor with solid academic background and industry experience in both mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, or two instructors with solid academic backgrounds and industry experience in either mechanical engineering or electrical engineering respectively, will serve as principal advisors to students before the Midterm of the Second Semester. If necessary, a third instructor experience in CNC-based prototyping will serve as an advisor, for the prototyping and testing tasks, also before the Midterm of the Second Semester (the 8th week). The Instructor(s) will supervise, advice, review and/or teach pertinent knowledge and skills, and ensure safety.
After the Midterm, one instructor with either academic background or working experience in sheet-metal design using Inventor, SolidWorks, SolidEdge, CATIA, Pro-Engineer or other parametric modelers with teach students how to design packaging patterns and materials. One instructor with backgrounds in packaging graphics (from the arts and design departments) will teach students to use Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign programs to develop professional quality artworks for the packages containing the master units and attachments of the Multi-functional Food-Cooking System. One instructor with backgrounds in intellectual property protection laws and copyrights and paten application procedures will teach students how to secure legal protection for the outcomes of the project.
The students from the same participating majors will continue to work as a whole group (a "Big Team") or as "Small Groups" of 4-5 students to individually and collectively work on this product development project, depending on the needs to revise R&D (research and development) strategy, and to design additional individual devices and components that constitute the multi-functional food-cooker system, to design and prototype product packages with appropriate graphics, to secure legal protection for intellectual property rights, and to market intellectual properties. The procedures to elect Group Leaders and Class Coordinator will stay the same as in the First Semester. The following steps constitute the general procedure for the whole semester:
First Step: Design Optimization and Revision (1st through 8th weeks, 1st through 16th class meetings)
The whole class will continue to test the working prototypes of the master units and attachments developed in the First Semester, with real food produce purchased from local supermarkets; observations will be made with regard to the quantity of food and the duration of time it takes to performing various cooking functions with various attachments, and the records will be used to develop parts of user manual and other technical documents by the Small Groups, which shall elect a Documentation Coordinator to compile the parts into a single user manual. In case any component of the working prototypes fail to perform its intended function, then the students will try to find the cause, to propose a solution (required for grading), to re-design, to make a new working prototype, and to re-test (these tasks are optional for the first semester, and could be left for the second semester).
In addition, students will design, prototype and test new attachments performing different food-cooking functions, so as to optimize the values of the Multi-functional Food-cooking System.
Second Step. Packaging and Graphics Design and Prototyping (9th through 14th weeks, 17th through 28th class meetings)
Students will learn how to use sheet-metal design tools of Inventor, SolidWorks, SolidEdge, CATIA, Pro-Engineer or other parametric modelers to design packaging patterns and materials.
In addition, students will learn how to design professional quality packaging graphics using digital camera, and Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign programs, for the packages containing the master units and various attachments of the Multi-functional Food-Cooking System.
Students will make prototypes of packaging materials, and assemble the components of the Multi-functional Food-cooking System in the packages for display and presentation.
Third Step. Seminars on Intellectual Property Rights and Marketing Strategies (15th through 17th weeks, 29th through 34th class meetings)
Students will study intellectual property protection laws and copyrights and paten application procedures, and secure legal protection for the outcomes of the project, under the guidance of the instructor.
The Assignment for Community College Students
(Computer-Aided Drafting/Design, Industrial Design,
and Manufacturing Technology)
in Design or Portfolio Preparation Courses
First Semester
Students from the participating majors are to work as a whole group (a "Big Team") or as "Small Groups" of 4-5 students to individually and collectively work on this product development project, depending on the needs to develop R&D (research and development) strategy, and to design individual devices and components that constitute the master units of the multi-functional food-cooker system. The whole project could take two semesters or three quarters, but the duration of time (number of weeks) needed to complete each step is basically similar for both semester and quarter systems. The following steps constitute the general procedure for the whole semester.
First Step: Market Investigation (1st week, 1st and 2nd class meetings)
For the First Semester, one instructor with solid academic background and industry experience in both mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, or two instructors with solid academic backgrounds and industry experience in either mechanical engineering or electrical engineering respectively, will teach students knowledge and skills from material science, mechanical design, electrical circuitry design, and other fields of study, which are relevant to the project, throughout the entire semester. If necessary, a third instructor experience in CNC-based prototyping will serve as an advisor during the prototyping and testing steps. The Instructor(s) will supervise, advice, review and/or teach pertinent knowledge and skills, and ensure safety. In addition, instructors from the art department will be invited to give lectures on history and aesthetics of industrial product design.
Before the start of the semester, the instructor(s) will do a Google search with the keyword "cooking appliances" and come up with a list of relevant company websites for online market research, including (1) the websites of 10-20 major nation-wide chain stores such as Walmart, Macy, Sears and Roabuck, CostCo, and others, (2) websites of 10-20 kitchen appliances manufacturers such as Cuisinart, and (3) websites of 10-20 local stores); the list will be given to students at the beginning of the first class meeting; and the URL of each website will be printed and folded up for students to draw lots and work on during the first class meeting.
During the first class meeting, students from the participating majors are to form Small Groups of three to four to work collectively on the design project; each group will select a Group Leader for each step of the project during the entire semester; and the role of Group Leader will be rotated among the group members. Students from the entire class will exchange email addresses, cell phone numbers to facilitate communication. Next, each Small Group will investigate existing food cooking devices available in the markets by Internet search, from the URLs selected through drawing lots. By drawing lots, the Group Leaders will elect the Market Research Coordinator to summarize the results from the Market Research Reports presented by all Small Groups.
After the first class meeting, Small Groups of students will visit relevant local stores within the county where the university is located. Each Small Group will write a Market Investigation Report with tabulated data on relevant existing products (names, model numbers, basic functions, prices, vendors, etc.) and develop a related PowerPoint presentation file. The Group Leader of each Small Group will email the Market Investigation Report to the Market Research Coordinator, who will then summarize the outcomes with tabulated data on relevant existing products (names, model numbers, basic functions, prices, vendors, etc.), and prepare an initial recommendation on relevant existing food-cooking appliances for further investigation.
In the beginning of the second class meeting, each Small Group will present the initial results of market investigation. The Market Research Coordinator will make an initial recommendation on relevant existing food-cooking appliances for further investigation. The Instructor will make an analysis on the available products and give an approval for the selection of a series of existing appliances for reverse engineering. The Group Leaders will then select one to three appliances for reverse engineering, depending on affordability of the retail prices of the products (each student should be prepare to spend up to $50 to purchase product samples). Next, each Small Group ill purchase selected product samples from local chain stores and online, to be ready for the Second Step (Reverse Engineering Analysis) in the following weeks.
Second Step. Reverse Engineering Analysis Activities (2nd through 5th weeks, 3rd through 10th class meetings)
At the beginning of this Step, the instructor(s) from the engineering and technology departments will teach students knowledge and skills from electrical circuitry design and measurement, electronics and other fields of study, which are relevant to the project; and relevant home works will be assigned. Under the guidance of the instructor(s), each of the Small Groups will conduct Reverse Engineering Analysis Activities on purchased product samples, disassemble them, analyze the functions of various parts, and collect pertinent technical data (especially those related to the electro-thermal converting mechanism in each existing product, such as current, voltage, resistance, etc.), using relevant measuring tools available in a typical engineering design lab. Each of the Small Groups will select a new Group Leader for the Reverse Engineering Analysis Activities. The Group Leaders will develop Reverse Engineering Analysis Reports to be presented at the start of the 10th class meeting. The new Group Leaders will elect the Reverse Engineering Analysis Coordinator to summarize the results from the Reverse Engineering Analysis Reports presented by all Small Groups.
Third Step. Design and Prototyping of the Master Units (6th through 13th weeks, 11th through 26th class meetings)
At the beginning of this Step, the instructor(s) from the engineering and technology departments will teach students knowledge and skills from material science, mechanical design, and other fields of study, which are relevant to the project; and relevant home works will be assigned. In addition, instructor(s) from the art department will offer lectures and PowerPoint presentations on history, principles, and aesthetics of industrial product design, and provide the students with a list of relevant websites to study. Process of product design and engineering will be explained to students. Throughout this Step, "brainstorming" techniques will be extensively used by each Small Groups and the ideas and concepts of design will be shared within the Small Groups or with other groups.
Based on the summary presented by the Reverse Engineering Analysis Coordinator and approved by the Instructor, the entire class will collectively work on the development of the master units of the Multi-functional Food-Cooking System with variable temperature control, i.e., an electro-thermal converter system with (1) a power-inlet box with a rotational temperature selector knob using a relevant device such as a potentiometer and a plug, plus (2) an interface base unit to place various food-cooking containers (see Figure MFC-2 below for reference), under the guidance of the instructor. Although this step will be completed by the whole class as a team, individual tasks ill be performed by Small Groups or by individual students based on the principle of "division of labor," in a real-world like "teamwork" environment. Knowledge and skills gained during the previous courses will be used to conduct relevant computations necessary for the design of the master unit. SolidWorks, Mechanical Desktop, Inventor, SolidEdge, CATIA, Pro-Engineer, Electronic Workbench and/or other parametric software programs could be used in the design activities. CADD 3D models and 2D drawings will be made for prototyping and legal documentation purposes. As much as possible, stock items available in the marketplace should be incorporated into the new design. The Instructor will analyze, evaluate and approve the design. Next, equipment (as much as possible, NC-based prototyping equipment) will be used to create the working prototype of the master units. Ideally, the maximum volume of the power-inlet box should no exceed 4 inches by 6 inches by 3 inches; and the maximum diameter of the round top surface of interface base unit in contact with the food container should no exceed 14 inches.
Fourth Step. Testing and Re-Developing the Prototype of the Master Units (14th through 17th weeks, 27th through 34th class meetings)
The whole class will test the working prototypes of the master units and attachments developed so far, with real food produce purchased from local supermarkets; observations will be made with regard to the quantity of food and the duration of time it takes to performing various cooking functions with various attachments, and the records will be used to develop parts of user manual and other technical documents by the Small Groups, which shall elect a Documentation Coordinator to compile the parts into a single user manual. In case any component of the working prototypes fail to perform its intended function, then the students will try to find the cause, to propose a solution (required for grading), to re-design, to make a new working prototype, and to re-test (these tasks are optional for the first semester, and could be left for the second semester).
2nd Semester
For the Second Semester, one instructor with solid academic background and industry experience in both mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, or two instructors with solid academic backgrounds and industry experience in either mechanical engineering or electrical engineering respectively, will serve as principal advisors to students before the Midterm of the Second Semester. If necessary, a third instructor experience in CNC-based prototyping will serve as an advisor, for the prototyping and testing tasks, also before the Midterm of the Second Semester (the 8th week). The Instructor(s) will supervise, advice, review and/or teach pertinent knowledge and skills, and ensure safety.
After the Midterm, one instructor with either academic background or working experience in sheet-metal design using Inventor, SolidWorks, SolidEdge, CATIA, Pro-Engineer or other parametric modelers with teach students how to design packaging patterns and materials. One instructor with backgrounds in packaging graphics (from the arts and design departments) will teach students to use Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign programs to develop professional quality artworks for the packages containing the master units and attachments of the Multi-functional Food-Cooking System. One instructor with backgrounds in intellectual property protection laws and copyrights and paten application procedures will teach students how to secure legal protection for the outcomes of the project.
The students from the same participating majors will continue to work as a whole group (a "Big Team") or as "Small Groups" of 4-5 students to individually and collectively work on this product development project, depending on the needs to revise R&D (research and development) strategy, and to design additional individual devices and components that constitute the multi-functional food-cooker system, to design and prototype product packages with appropriate graphics, to secure legal protection for intellectual property rights, and to market intellectual properties. The procedures to elect Group Leaders and Class Coordinator will stay the same as in the First Semester. The following steps constitute the general procedure for the whole semester:
First Step: Design, Optimization and Revision (1st through 8th weeks, 1st through 16th class meetings)
The whole class will continue to test the working prototypes of the master units developed in the First Semester. Small Groups of students will work on the design and prototyping of various food-cooking attachments performing the functions of those appliances available in the marketplace, such as steamer, egg poacher, griller, baker, toaster, hotpot cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, waffle-maker, pizza-maker, deep-fryer, and stir-fry pan, depending on the product samples these Small Groups have purchased in the First Step. Due to the nature of the components, most of the above attachments will be made of stainless steel (or at least the bases in contact with the interface base unit will be made in stainless steel). Due to constraint of time, only one attachment per Small Group will be required for grading purposes. After the design and prototyping of various food-cooking attachments, students will test these attachments with real food produce purchased from local supermarkets; observations will be made with regard to the quantity of food and the duration of time it takes to performing various cooking functions with various attachments, and the records will be used to develop parts of user manual and other technical documents by the Small Groups, which shall elect a Documentation Coordinator to compile the parts into a single user manual. In case any component of the working prototypes fail to perform its intended function, then the students will try to find the cause, to propose a solution (required for grading), to re-design, to make a new working prototype, and to re-test (these tasks are optional for the first semester, and could be left for the second semester).
Second Step. Packaging and Graphics Design and Prototyping (9th through 14th weeks, 17th through 28th class meetings)
Students will learn how to use sheet-metal design tools of Inventor, SolidWorks, SolidEdge, CATIA, Pro-Engineer or other parametric modelers to design packaging patterns and materials.
In addition, students will learn how to design professional quality packaging graphics using digital camera, and Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign programs, for the packages containing the master units and various attachments of the Multi-functional Food-Cooking System.
Students will make prototypes of packaging materials, and assemble the components of the Multi-functional Food-cooking System in the packages for display and presentation.
Third Step. Seminars on Intellectual Property Rights and Marketing Strategies (15th through 17th weeks, 29th through 34th class meetings)
Students will study intellectual property protection laws and copyrights and paten application procedures, and secure legal protection for the outcomes of the project, under the guidance of the instructor.
Undergraduate students (mechanical/electrical engineering, and industrial design) in senior-year design project courses.
Community college students (computer-aided drafting/design, industrial design, and manufacturing technology) in design or portfolio preparation courses.
Students from both categories could email me the screen shots of the major subassemblies and assemblies of the Multi-functional Food-cooking System for publication in the Submitted Projects Section of this website. Please note that (1) the project must be completed in parametric modelers (such as SolidWorks, Mechanical Desktop, Inventor, SolidEdge, CATIA, Pro-Engineer), (2) the major subassemblies and assemblies must be zoomed to the largest size possible and the screen shots should indicate the software used, (3) for the protection of intellectual property rights, do NOT email the original CAD files of the 3D models, or any 2D drawing files, or digital photos of any individual part. Please include a short paragraph stating your request and authorization to publish it on my website’s Student Works Section, including your name and the name of your school; if you want viewers to contact you through email, please indicate so. Please number your screen shots and include short paragraphs to describe the major subassemblies and assemblies. If your work has been recommended by your instructor, or is interesting to me, I will upload it to my website. To create a screen shot, press the Print Screen Sys Rq key on the top right corner of your keyboard to copy the screen image into the Clipboard, create a new file in Photoshop (Ctrl+n), paste the image (Ctrl+v), flatten the layers and save the file as a JPEG file; if you do not have access to Photoshop, then create a new file in Microsoft Word, paste the screen shot (Ctrl+v) and save the file.
The Assignment for Undergraduate Students
(Mechanical/Electrical Engineering, and Industrial Design)
in Senior-Year Design Project Courses
First Semester
Students from the participating majors are to work as a whole group (a "Big Team") or as "Small Groups" of 4-5 students to individually and collectively work on this product development project, depending on the needs to develop R&D (research and development) strategy, and to design individual devices and components that constitute the multi-functional food-cooker system. The whole project could take two semesters or three quarters, but the duration of time (number of weeks) needed to complete each step is basically similar for both semester and quarter systems. The following steps constitute the general procedure for the whole semester.
First Step: Market Investigation (1st week, 1st and 2nd class meetings)
For the First Semester, one instructor with solid academic background and industry experience in both mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, or two instructors with solid academic backgrounds and industry experience in either mechanical engineering or electrical engineering respectively, will serve as principal advisors to students throughout the entire semester. If necessary, a third instructor experience in CNC-based prototyping will serve as an advisor during the prototyping and testing steps.
The Instructor(s) will supervise, advice, review and/or teach pertinent knowledge and skills, and ensure safety. In addition, instructors from the art department will be invited to give lectures on history and aesthetics of industrial product design.
Before the start of the semester, the instructor(s) will do a Google search with the keyword "cooking appliances" and come up with a list of relevant company websites for online market research, including (1) the websites of 10-20 major nation-wide chain stores such as Walmart, Macy, Sears and Roabuck, CostCo, and others, (2) websites of 10-20 kitchen appliances manufacturers such as Cuisinart, and (3) websites of 10-20 local stores); the list will be given to students at the beginning of the first class meeting; and the URL of each website will be printed and folded up for students to draw lots and work on during the first class meeting.
During the first class meeting, students from the participating majors are to form Small Groups of three to four to work collectively on the design project; each group will select a Group Leader for each step of the project during the entire semester; and the role of Group Leader will be rotated among the group members. Students from the entire class will exchange email addresses, cell phone numbers to facilitate communication. Next, each Small Group will investigate existing food cooking devices available in the markets by Internet search, from the URLs selected through drawing lots. By drawing lots, the Group Leaders will elect the Market Research Coordinator to summarize the results from the Market Research Reports presented by all Small Groups.
After the first class meeting, Small Groups of students will visit relevant local stores within the county where the university is located. Each Small Group will write a Market Investigation Report with tabulated data on relevant existing products (names, model numbers, basic functions, prices, vendors, etc.) and develop a related PowerPoint presentation file. The Group Leader of each Small Group will email the Market Investigation Report to the Market Research Coordinator, who will then summarize the outcomes with tabulated data on relevant existing products (names, model numbers, basic functions, prices, vendors, etc.), and prepare an initial recommendation on relevant existing food-cooking appliances for further investigation.
In the beginning of the second class meeting, each Small Group will present the initial results of market investigation. The Market Research Coordinator will make an initial recommendation on relevant existing food-cooking appliances for further investigation. The Instructor will make an analysis on the available products and give an approval for the selection of a series of existing appliances for reverse engineering. The Group Leaders will then select one to three appliances for reverse engineering, depending on affordability of the retail prices of the products (each student should be prepare to spend up to $50 to purchase product samples). Next, each Small Group ill purchase selected product samples from local chain stores and online, to be ready for the Second Step (Reverse Engineering Analysis) in the following weeks.
Second Step. Reverse Engineering Analysis Activities (2nd and 3rd weeks, 3rd through 6th class meetings)
Each of the Small Groups will conduct Reverse Engineering Analysis Activities on purchased product samples, disassemble them, analyze the functions of various parts, and collect pertinent technical data (especially those related to the electro-thermal converting mechanism in each existing product, such as current, voltage, resistance, etc.), using relevant measuring tools available in a typical engineering design lab. Each of the Small Groups will select a new Group Leader for the Reverse Engineering Analysis Activities. The Group Leaders will develop Reverse Engineering Analysis Reports to be presented at the start of the 6th class meeting. The new Group Leaders will elect the Reverse Engineering Analysis Coordinator to summarize the results from the Reverse Engineering Analysis Reports presented by all Small Groups.
Third Step. Design and Prototyping of the Master Units (4th through 11th weeks, 7th through 22nd class meetings)
At the start of this Step, instructor(s) from the art department will offer lectures and PowerPoint presentations on history, principles, and aesthetics of industrial product design, and provide the students with a list of relevant websites to study. Process of product design and engineering will be explained to students. Throughout this Step, "brainstorming" techniques will be extensively used by each Small Groups and the ideas and concepts of design will be shared within the Small Groups or with other groups.
Based on the summary presented by the Reverse Engineering Analysis Coordinator and approved by the Instructor, the entire class will collectively work on the development of the master units of the Multi-functional Food-Cooking System with variable temperature control, i.e., an electro-thermal converter system with (1) a power-inlet box with a rotational temperature selector knob using a relevant device such as a potentiometer and a plug, plus (2) an interface base unit to place various food-cooking containers (see Figure MFC-2 below for reference), under the guidance of the instructor. Although this step will be completed by the whole class as a team, individual tasks ill be performed by Small Groups or by individual students based on the principle of "division of labor," in a real-world like "teamwork" environment. Knowledge and skills gained during the previous courses will be used to conduct relevant computations necessary for the design of the master unit. SolidWorks, Mechanical Desktop, Inventor, SolidEdge, CATIA, Pro-Engineer, Electronic Workbench and/or other parametric software programs could be used in the design activities. CADD 3D models and 2D drawings will be made for prototyping and legal documentation purposes. As much as possible, stock items available in the marketplace should be incorporated into the new design. The Instructor will analyze, evaluate and approve the design. Next, equipment (as much as possible, NC-based prototyping equipment) will be used to create the working prototype of the master units. Ideally, the maximum volume of the power-inlet box should no exceed 4 inches by 6 inches by 3 inches; and the maximum diameter of the round top surface of interface base unit in contact with the food container should no exceed 14 inches.
Fourth Step. Design and Prototyping of Various Food-cooking Container Attachment Units (12th through 14th weeks, 23rd through 28th class meetings)
Small Groups of students will work on the design and prototyping of various food-cooking attachments performing the functions of those appliances available in the marketplace, such as steamer, egg poacher, griller, baker, toaster, hotpot cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, waffle-maker, pizza-maker, deep-fryer, and stir-fry pan, depending on the product samples these Small Groups have purchased in the First Step. Due to the nature of the components, most of the above attachments will be made of stainless steel (or at least the bases in contact with the interface base unit will be made in stainless steel). Due to constraint of time, only one attachment per Small Group will be required for grading purposes. The rest of attachments will be completed in the second semester.
Fifth Step. Testing and Re-Developing the Prototype of the Master Units (15th through 17th weeks, 29th through 34th class meetings)
The whole class will test the working prototypes of the master units and attachments developed so far, with real food produce purchased from local supermarkets; observations will be made with regard to the quantity of food and the duration of time it takes to performing various cooking functions with various attachments, and the records will be used to develop parts of user manual and other technical documents by the Small Groups, which shall elect a Documentation Coordinator to compile the parts into a single user manual. In case any component of the working prototypes fail to perform its intended function, then the students will try to find the cause, to propose a solution (required for grading), to re-design, to make a new working prototype, and to re-test (these tasks are optional for the first semester, and could be left for the second semester).
2nd Semester
For the Second Semester, one instructor with solid academic background and industry experience in both mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, or two instructors with solid academic backgrounds and industry experience in either mechanical engineering or electrical engineering respectively, will serve as principal advisors to students before the Midterm of the Second Semester. If necessary, a third instructor experience in CNC-based prototyping will serve as an advisor, for the prototyping and testing tasks, also before the Midterm of the Second Semester (the 8th week). The Instructor(s) will supervise, advice, review and/or teach pertinent knowledge and skills, and ensure safety.
After the Midterm, one instructor with either academic background or working experience in sheet-metal design using Inventor, SolidWorks, SolidEdge, CATIA, Pro-Engineer or other parametric modelers with teach students how to design packaging patterns and materials. One instructor with backgrounds in packaging graphics (from the arts and design departments) will teach students to use Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign programs to develop professional quality artworks for the packages containing the master units and attachments of the Multi-functional Food-Cooking System. One instructor with backgrounds in intellectual property protection laws and copyrights and paten application procedures will teach students how to secure legal protection for the outcomes of the project.
The students from the same participating majors will continue to work as a whole group (a "Big Team") or as "Small Groups" of 4-5 students to individually and collectively work on this product development project, depending on the needs to revise R&D (research and development) strategy, and to design additional individual devices and components that constitute the multi-functional food-cooker system, to design and prototype product packages with appropriate graphics, to secure legal protection for intellectual property rights, and to market intellectual properties. The procedures to elect Group Leaders and Class Coordinator will stay the same as in the First Semester. The following steps constitute the general procedure for the whole semester:
First Step: Design Optimization and Revision (1st through 8th weeks, 1st through 16th class meetings)
The whole class will continue to test the working prototypes of the master units and attachments developed in the First Semester, with real food produce purchased from local supermarkets; observations will be made with regard to the quantity of food and the duration of time it takes to performing various cooking functions with various attachments, and the records will be used to develop parts of user manual and other technical documents by the Small Groups, which shall elect a Documentation Coordinator to compile the parts into a single user manual. In case any component of the working prototypes fail to perform its intended function, then the students will try to find the cause, to propose a solution (required for grading), to re-design, to make a new working prototype, and to re-test (these tasks are optional for the first semester, and could be left for the second semester).
In addition, students will design, prototype and test new attachments performing different food-cooking functions, so as to optimize the values of the Multi-functional Food-cooking System.
Second Step. Packaging and Graphics Design and Prototyping (9th through 14th weeks, 17th through 28th class meetings)
Students will learn how to use sheet-metal design tools of Inventor, SolidWorks, SolidEdge, CATIA, Pro-Engineer or other parametric modelers to design packaging patterns and materials.
In addition, students will learn how to design professional quality packaging graphics using digital camera, and Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign programs, for the packages containing the master units and various attachments of the Multi-functional Food-Cooking System.
Students will make prototypes of packaging materials, and assemble the components of the Multi-functional Food-cooking System in the packages for display and presentation.
Third Step. Seminars on Intellectual Property Rights and Marketing Strategies (15th through 17th weeks, 29th through 34th class meetings)
Students will study intellectual property protection laws and copyrights and paten application procedures, and secure legal protection for the outcomes of the project, under the guidance of the instructor.
The Assignment for Community College Students
(Computer-Aided Drafting/Design, Industrial Design,
and Manufacturing Technology)
in Design or Portfolio Preparation Courses
First Semester
Students from the participating majors are to work as a whole group (a "Big Team") or as "Small Groups" of 4-5 students to individually and collectively work on this product development project, depending on the needs to develop R&D (research and development) strategy, and to design individual devices and components that constitute the master units of the multi-functional food-cooker system. The whole project could take two semesters or three quarters, but the duration of time (number of weeks) needed to complete each step is basically similar for both semester and quarter systems. The following steps constitute the general procedure for the whole semester.
First Step: Market Investigation (1st week, 1st and 2nd class meetings)
For the First Semester, one instructor with solid academic background and industry experience in both mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, or two instructors with solid academic backgrounds and industry experience in either mechanical engineering or electrical engineering respectively, will teach students knowledge and skills from material science, mechanical design, electrical circuitry design, and other fields of study, which are relevant to the project, throughout the entire semester. If necessary, a third instructor experience in CNC-based prototyping will serve as an advisor during the prototyping and testing steps. The Instructor(s) will supervise, advice, review and/or teach pertinent knowledge and skills, and ensure safety. In addition, instructors from the art department will be invited to give lectures on history and aesthetics of industrial product design.
Before the start of the semester, the instructor(s) will do a Google search with the keyword "cooking appliances" and come up with a list of relevant company websites for online market research, including (1) the websites of 10-20 major nation-wide chain stores such as Walmart, Macy, Sears and Roabuck, CostCo, and others, (2) websites of 10-20 kitchen appliances manufacturers such as Cuisinart, and (3) websites of 10-20 local stores); the list will be given to students at the beginning of the first class meeting; and the URL of each website will be printed and folded up for students to draw lots and work on during the first class meeting.
During the first class meeting, students from the participating majors are to form Small Groups of three to four to work collectively on the design project; each group will select a Group Leader for each step of the project during the entire semester; and the role of Group Leader will be rotated among the group members. Students from the entire class will exchange email addresses, cell phone numbers to facilitate communication. Next, each Small Group will investigate existing food cooking devices available in the markets by Internet search, from the URLs selected through drawing lots. By drawing lots, the Group Leaders will elect the Market Research Coordinator to summarize the results from the Market Research Reports presented by all Small Groups.
After the first class meeting, Small Groups of students will visit relevant local stores within the county where the university is located. Each Small Group will write a Market Investigation Report with tabulated data on relevant existing products (names, model numbers, basic functions, prices, vendors, etc.) and develop a related PowerPoint presentation file. The Group Leader of each Small Group will email the Market Investigation Report to the Market Research Coordinator, who will then summarize the outcomes with tabulated data on relevant existing products (names, model numbers, basic functions, prices, vendors, etc.), and prepare an initial recommendation on relevant existing food-cooking appliances for further investigation.
In the beginning of the second class meeting, each Small Group will present the initial results of market investigation. The Market Research Coordinator will make an initial recommendation on relevant existing food-cooking appliances for further investigation. The Instructor will make an analysis on the available products and give an approval for the selection of a series of existing appliances for reverse engineering. The Group Leaders will then select one to three appliances for reverse engineering, depending on affordability of the retail prices of the products (each student should be prepare to spend up to $50 to purchase product samples). Next, each Small Group ill purchase selected product samples from local chain stores and online, to be ready for the Second Step (Reverse Engineering Analysis) in the following weeks.
Second Step. Reverse Engineering Analysis Activities (2nd through 5th weeks, 3rd through 10th class meetings)
At the beginning of this Step, the instructor(s) from the engineering and technology departments will teach students knowledge and skills from electrical circuitry design and measurement, electronics and other fields of study, which are relevant to the project; and relevant home works will be assigned. Under the guidance of the instructor(s), each of the Small Groups will conduct Reverse Engineering Analysis Activities on purchased product samples, disassemble them, analyze the functions of various parts, and collect pertinent technical data (especially those related to the electro-thermal converting mechanism in each existing product, such as current, voltage, resistance, etc.), using relevant measuring tools available in a typical engineering design lab. Each of the Small Groups will select a new Group Leader for the Reverse Engineering Analysis Activities. The Group Leaders will develop Reverse Engineering Analysis Reports to be presented at the start of the 10th class meeting. The new Group Leaders will elect the Reverse Engineering Analysis Coordinator to summarize the results from the Reverse Engineering Analysis Reports presented by all Small Groups.
Third Step. Design and Prototyping of the Master Units (6th through 13th weeks, 11th through 26th class meetings)
At the beginning of this Step, the instructor(s) from the engineering and technology departments will teach students knowledge and skills from material science, mechanical design, and other fields of study, which are relevant to the project; and relevant home works will be assigned. In addition, instructor(s) from the art department will offer lectures and PowerPoint presentations on history, principles, and aesthetics of industrial product design, and provide the students with a list of relevant websites to study. Process of product design and engineering will be explained to students. Throughout this Step, "brainstorming" techniques will be extensively used by each Small Groups and the ideas and concepts of design will be shared within the Small Groups or with other groups.
Based on the summary presented by the Reverse Engineering Analysis Coordinator and approved by the Instructor, the entire class will collectively work on the development of the master units of the Multi-functional Food-Cooking System with variable temperature control, i.e., an electro-thermal converter system with (1) a power-inlet box with a rotational temperature selector knob using a relevant device such as a potentiometer and a plug, plus (2) an interface base unit to place various food-cooking containers (see Figure MFC-2 below for reference), under the guidance of the instructor. Although this step will be completed by the whole class as a team, individual tasks ill be performed by Small Groups or by individual students based on the principle of "division of labor," in a real-world like "teamwork" environment. Knowledge and skills gained during the previous courses will be used to conduct relevant computations necessary for the design of the master unit. SolidWorks, Mechanical Desktop, Inventor, SolidEdge, CATIA, Pro-Engineer, Electronic Workbench and/or other parametric software programs could be used in the design activities. CADD 3D models and 2D drawings will be made for prototyping and legal documentation purposes. As much as possible, stock items available in the marketplace should be incorporated into the new design. The Instructor will analyze, evaluate and approve the design. Next, equipment (as much as possible, NC-based prototyping equipment) will be used to create the working prototype of the master units. Ideally, the maximum volume of the power-inlet box should no exceed 4 inches by 6 inches by 3 inches; and the maximum diameter of the round top surface of interface base unit in contact with the food container should no exceed 14 inches.
Fourth Step. Testing and Re-Developing the Prototype of the Master Units (14th through 17th weeks, 27th through 34th class meetings)
The whole class will test the working prototypes of the master units and attachments developed so far, with real food produce purchased from local supermarkets; observations will be made with regard to the quantity of food and the duration of time it takes to performing various cooking functions with various attachments, and the records will be used to develop parts of user manual and other technical documents by the Small Groups, which shall elect a Documentation Coordinator to compile the parts into a single user manual. In case any component of the working prototypes fail to perform its intended function, then the students will try to find the cause, to propose a solution (required for grading), to re-design, to make a new working prototype, and to re-test (these tasks are optional for the first semester, and could be left for the second semester).
2nd Semester
For the Second Semester, one instructor with solid academic background and industry experience in both mechanical engineering and electrical engineering, or two instructors with solid academic backgrounds and industry experience in either mechanical engineering or electrical engineering respectively, will serve as principal advisors to students before the Midterm of the Second Semester. If necessary, a third instructor experience in CNC-based prototyping will serve as an advisor, for the prototyping and testing tasks, also before the Midterm of the Second Semester (the 8th week). The Instructor(s) will supervise, advice, review and/or teach pertinent knowledge and skills, and ensure safety.
After the Midterm, one instructor with either academic background or working experience in sheet-metal design using Inventor, SolidWorks, SolidEdge, CATIA, Pro-Engineer or other parametric modelers with teach students how to design packaging patterns and materials. One instructor with backgrounds in packaging graphics (from the arts and design departments) will teach students to use Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign programs to develop professional quality artworks for the packages containing the master units and attachments of the Multi-functional Food-Cooking System. One instructor with backgrounds in intellectual property protection laws and copyrights and paten application procedures will teach students how to secure legal protection for the outcomes of the project.
The students from the same participating majors will continue to work as a whole group (a "Big Team") or as "Small Groups" of 4-5 students to individually and collectively work on this product development project, depending on the needs to revise R&D (research and development) strategy, and to design additional individual devices and components that constitute the multi-functional food-cooker system, to design and prototype product packages with appropriate graphics, to secure legal protection for intellectual property rights, and to market intellectual properties. The procedures to elect Group Leaders and Class Coordinator will stay the same as in the First Semester. The following steps constitute the general procedure for the whole semester:
First Step: Design, Optimization and Revision (1st through 8th weeks, 1st through 16th class meetings)
The whole class will continue to test the working prototypes of the master units developed in the First Semester. Small Groups of students will work on the design and prototyping of various food-cooking attachments performing the functions of those appliances available in the marketplace, such as steamer, egg poacher, griller, baker, toaster, hotpot cooker, rice cooker, slow cooker, waffle-maker, pizza-maker, deep-fryer, and stir-fry pan, depending on the product samples these Small Groups have purchased in the First Step. Due to the nature of the components, most of the above attachments will be made of stainless steel (or at least the bases in contact with the interface base unit will be made in stainless steel). Due to constraint of time, only one attachment per Small Group will be required for grading purposes. After the design and prototyping of various food-cooking attachments, students will test these attachments with real food produce purchased from local supermarkets; observations will be made with regard to the quantity of food and the duration of time it takes to performing various cooking functions with various attachments, and the records will be used to develop parts of user manual and other technical documents by the Small Groups, which shall elect a Documentation Coordinator to compile the parts into a single user manual. In case any component of the working prototypes fail to perform its intended function, then the students will try to find the cause, to propose a solution (required for grading), to re-design, to make a new working prototype, and to re-test (these tasks are optional for the first semester, and could be left for the second semester).
Second Step. Packaging and Graphics Design and Prototyping (9th through 14th weeks, 17th through 28th class meetings)
Students will learn how to use sheet-metal design tools of Inventor, SolidWorks, SolidEdge, CATIA, Pro-Engineer or other parametric modelers to design packaging patterns and materials.
In addition, students will learn how to design professional quality packaging graphics using digital camera, and Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign programs, for the packages containing the master units and various attachments of the Multi-functional Food-Cooking System.
Students will make prototypes of packaging materials, and assemble the components of the Multi-functional Food-cooking System in the packages for display and presentation.
Third Step. Seminars on Intellectual Property Rights and Marketing Strategies (15th through 17th weeks, 29th through 34th class meetings)
Students will study intellectual property protection laws and copyrights and paten application procedures, and secure legal protection for the outcomes of the project, under the guidance of the instructor.
Recommended YouTube Videos: Multifunctional Food Cookers
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