Step 1: Brainstorming

Like any engineering project, our team of 4 started with brainstorming potential solutions for the problem we had developed.

The process was mostly asking smaller, more detailed, questions to each other and bouncing ideas around. We created a concept map to sort through the ideas we had come up with.

Although, it's important for everyones ideas to be heard and written down, noting them down without biases is more critical.

Step 2: Draft Design

The next step was to conceptualize the ideas that we had come up with. This involved 1 and 2-point perspective drawings, side views, and dimensions.

It is important to learn this concept because it is the cheapest and easiest method of visualizing and communicating an idea to team members.

Step 3: CAD

Communication is key for this step as everybody on the team was working on different parts that would eventually be assembled together. Specifically, communicating design choices such as dimensions and tolerances.

Step 3: Prototyping/3D Printing

The final phase of this project was to prototype a working model of the toy.

I led and managed the manufacturing stage of this project. It involved a lot of planning time during exam season. I worked independently in Texas A&M's Engineering Design Center while learning different woodworking and other prototyping tools.

Slicing and printing parts of our project were also new to me.