The Semi-Automatic Taco Dispenser Decompression
1. Document Your Project. 50-60 Words.
The Semi-Automatic Taco Dispenser is a machine that aids a taco eater in preparing their taco in a streamlined and efficent manner. The user inserts a tortilla, turns on the conveyor belts, and dispenses their taco ingredients, and then consumes their taco.
2. The Process
After sketching out a few different ideas ranging from toy 2-d platforming, and a collapsing building, I decided to go with my first love: tacos. I sketched out a taco dispenser, and brainstormed the feasibility:
Basically, I wanted to get my hands dirty with power tools and create something purely mechanical. I hadn't done so in years, and felt this would combine my love of tacos with learning how to use power tools.
- On Which day did you settle on a plan?
I brainstormed on Tuesday and Weds, but ultimately realized my final design decision on Thursday. I consulted with my father, a mechanical engineering, about the feasilbity of the project. On Friday morning, before going to work at my internship, I consulted with a family friend who is a carpenter. We brainstormed on my design, and came up with a list of hang ups and a list of materials. From then on, the design was finalized.
- When did you actually get started?
Saturday morning, I began shopping for materials. I experiemented with a variety of bottles, but concentrated more on buying the parts for the treadmill. All day Sunday, and on Monday evening construction went underway.
- Did you prototype? How did prototyping altar your final project? What in terms of process didn't work this week? How will you avoid this isssue while doing your thesis?
No. And this would have helped extremely well. I should have approached the project by tackling the problem of the meat dispensers. That was the largest hang up as larger items did not dispense properly. If I had figured out this problem, than I could have designed the box according to the dispensers. Instead, I designed the treadmill system before thinking about the dispensaries.
Had, I given that are more thought than perhaps I could have tackled the next problem: complete automation. In hindsight, I could have easily designed a trigger system that would release ingredients automatically when a taco reached a certain position on the treadmil. The next step after that would be letting the user, program what ingredients they want and letting the machine dispense the taco accordingly.
In terms of my thesis, the lesson learned here is to keep my eyes open to bigger idea of the project. I got carried away with one aspect of the design, and didn't budget my time accordingly to fix the problems that came after. Overall, when working on my thesis project I will have to give myself time to iterate and re-design.
3. Rate your project in terms of expectaton
I started this project with the right amount of enthusiasm to carry out my idea. I felt the construction of the project was done well. However, I missed a crucial point of solving the problem of creating an automated taco dispenser. It wasn't very automatic. Interactive, yes. But Automatic, no. And even though the audience in general enjoyed the idea, eating tacos and shooting tortillas out of the machine- it missed the mark. Overall, I'm glad I got to work on this project- as it was a ton of fun and I learned some valuable lessons.
