The final product!
Some sketches from my logbook from the initial design to the redesign
Exploded view of the CAD model for the original design. Including an insane number of parts!
Punching out the candy slot in sheet metal for a functional prototype.
Creating notches for the sheet metal to fold together properly.
The gap for each corner that would need to be TIG welded.
The functional prototype that was never functional. TIG welds are hard!
CAD model of the redesigned dispenser.
Engineering drawings in hand, ready to start the base.
Creating the notch for the polycarbonate to rest in an early base.
Creating the proper inside diameter
Using the mill to create the candy slot and slot for the dispenser mechanism
A hard day's work on the lathe!
Using the lathe to create the part of the base that would direct candy out of the slot
Mounting the bottom part of the base to create the proper angle
Angle completed! Candy could now come out of the dispenser with ease.
Using the lathe to create the top that would sit on the top of the candy reservoir.
Disaster! The thin flow control piece proved difficult to mill. This part was ultimately 3D printed.
Cutting off the knob after it had been machined using the radius cutter on the lathe.
CANDY TOWER DISPENSER
Materials
Aluminum, polycarbonate, steel
Processes
Turning, milling, 3D printing
Size
12" tall, 4" wide
Idea Iteration/Design Duration
5 weeks
Creation Time
3 weeks
Being a lover of candy, I wanted to build a Skittles dispenser from scratch. Originally, I imagined a box-like design, similar to ones often seen near the entrance of grocery stores. However, while trying to create a functional prototype out of aluminum sheet metal, it became clear that the design was overly complex and required difficult TIG welds.
Thus, a complete redesign occurred, with a much sleeker (and internally simpler) design. Numerous prototypes were created, failures were made, and hours were spent in the machine shop, but ultimately resulted in an end product I was hugely proud of. Follow through my process through initial sketches to finished product below!
Major lessons learned from the project were to never fall in love with your first idea, fail often and fail early, and how to recognize designs that would be difficult to manufacture.