Optimized mixing with minimal waste

The objective of this project was to design a container whose physical properties were optimal for mixing Ephemeral ink while simultaneously reducing ink that may be lost due to the container corners. The container was designed to be compatible with all equipment and machinery, including various mixers and filling machines. 

Responsibilities

I was the Lead Engineer on this project, working under the supervision of the Director of Engineering, Design and Fabrication and was responsible for the design, development and logistical coordination. This project allowed me to have a great deal of autonomy, which translated to significant growth in both my role and skill sets. 

The container features a snap fit, living hinge and was designed for injection molding. Additive manufacturing was used to test the containers mixability and expedited learnings which allowed us to go through many iterations rapidly. I also worked closely and communicated directly with the manufacturer to review and finalize material selection and design for manufacturability. Sourcing and researching manufacturing partners was a vital part of this project, as we were able to make an informed, final decision on where to manufacture the part. 

The end product was successful in significantly increasing the mixability of Ephemeral ink, which allowed for the ink to be mixed by a small desktop vortex mixer vs a lab-scale planetary mixer, that was previously being used. In addition to increasing mixing effectiveness, the cost to produce the proprietary container was $0.07 less per unit than purchasing a ready-made container, after the initial cost of the injection mold. This leads to a return on investment of less than two years.