06 · Virginia Tech · Design & Economics · Fall 2024
A team-designed portable workspace for students and mobile professionals, developed through customer research, concept selection, CAD, and prototyping.
Concept 01 · Individual work
A guided surface extends from a compact housing.
01 / My sliding concept
01 / My sliding concept
My early concept puts a dark work surface over a compact housing. Sliding the surface outward creates usable space without unfolding a large panel. The model follows the arrangement in my individual CAD image.
02 / Surface + guide tracks
The paired tracks shown in the CAD image guide the tabletop as it extends. This animation isolates that straight-line movement so the relationship between the surface, guides, and housing is easy to see.
03 / Packaging + support
The raised side of the housing packages the clamping area, while the lower body includes the control openings. Extending the surface changes its overhang; support, stiffness, and secure attachment would all need evaluation.
04 / From individual concept to selection
This was my contribution to concept generation. The team compared alternatives before developing the final hinged design shown next. The sliding model is a visual reconstruction, not a tested load rating or an exact CAD export.
Concept 02 · Team development
The team’s final design introduces a hinge and an underside clamp.
01 / The team’s folding concept
01 / The team’s folding concept
The final concept replaces the sliding surface with a hinged panel. Folded over the fixed surface, it keeps the assembly compact; opening it extends the workspace. The housing below contains the clamping mechanism.
02 / Controlled fold-out motion
The moving panel rotates about the edge of the fixed surface. As it passes through the upright position shown in the CAD and prototype photos, the hinge becomes the link between the two tabletop sections.
03 / Look underneath
The central screw and two parallel guide rods run along the long axis of the table’s body. The screw advances the clamping plate lengthwise toward the fixed end of the housing, while the guides keep the plate aligned. Actual holding strength depends on the completed mechanism and its attachment.
04 / Intended motion + prototype lessons
ABS printing, hinge attachment, wiring, and the motor–battery combination all created practical lessons. The animation explains the intended motion; the prototype and course report document what the team actually built and what still needed improvement.
From CAD to the workshop
Photographs retouched to remove temporary rubber bands and background clutter. These remain views of the course prototype; the development findings below are unchanged.
The challenge
The project began with customer interviews and surveys to understand the needs of students and mobile professionals working in limited space. The team translated those needs into specifications and compared multiple portable-table concepts.
The resulting design combined a folding tabletop with an underside clamping mechanism. A compact closed form and adjustable attachment were central to the concept.
My contribution
My documented responsibilities included project planning, mission-statement reasoning, concept generation and selection, design-for-assembly analysis, final CAD drawings, and shared bill-of-materials work. Every team member also contributed customer research, concepts, and CAD parts.
The team assembled a 13-part model in Siemens NX. I produced the assembly drawing and housing-cover drawing shown in the report. For assembly planning, I used Boothroyd–Dewhurst methods and a learning-curve model.
Outcome & lessons
The physical prototype was made with ABS 3D printing. The report records warping, wiring difficulties, an insufficient hinge adhesive, and a motor–battery mismatch. These are practical findings from building the design.
The $77.63 figure is the course bill-of-materials estimate, not a verified production cost. Similarly, the presentation’s theoretical assembly estimate is distinct from the roughly five hours reported for the first prototype assembly.
Failure modes
The team’s failure-mode analysis considered loss of clamp grip, tabletop and hinge failure, and motor limitations. These concerns connect the design calculations to real use: holding securely, supporting the working surface, and moving the clamp reliably.
Sources: DP3 Design & Economics report, final video presentation, design portfolio, and LinkedIn project record. Team results and my individual responsibilities are distinguished above.
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