In a project-based course, my team and I were given drawings of toys from 4th graders at a nearby elementary school and tasked with designing and manufacturing a product to meet their desires using injection molding.
We modeled a matching product in NX using principles of design for manufacturing and design for assembly in an injection-molding application. The products were required to reflect the original intent and desire of the consumer while avoiding deep pockets, undercuts, and areas that would be prone to deformities.
We then modeled aluminum molds and created CNC programs using NX CAM to fabricate them as efficiently as possible. Finally, we experimented with injection molding parameters such as injection pressure, temperature, and time as well as mold modifications to allow better venting in order to complete a production run of perfect parts.
In our final presentation, we were judged on our design process, methodology, and final result. We presented our toys to the students who drew the original concepts and they were a hit!