LIGHTDISK

Tron-inspired yo-yos

LIGHTDISK is a series of tron-inspired light up yo-yos. It is a group project aimed to explore manufacturing processes like thermoforming and injection molding.

Exploded view of one side. From left to right: front plate, light diffuser, electronics plate, back plate.

My group designed the yo-yo in SOLIDWORKS and split up to manufacture each part. I focused on the thermoformed light diffuser.

Thermoform Die with Vacuum Holes and Brass Alignment Pins

This mold was made on a CNC lathe and mill. Sketches were initially drawn up in SOLIDWORKS and then ported into Mastercam to design tooling paths

Process optimization was done using this mold to determine assorted parameters of the thermoforming process to get an optimal light diffuser. piece.

Finally, a run of 100 pieces was made. and measurements of it's critical dimension were taken to understand variability in the thermoforming process.

Here's a video to highlight the manufacturing processes and techniques we used to create LIGHTDISK.

In collaboration with Anthony Mark, Christina Sung, Jennie Block, Nicholas Kwok and Thomas "TJ" Burns for 2.008 Design and Manufacturing II in Spring of 2016.

More information on the project can be found here.