Heated and Cooled Smart Aviation Cupholder

Summary

Rosen Aviation, a leader in innovative aircraft cabin technologies, sought to enhance the private air travel experience through the development of a 'Smart' Aviation Cupholder. Recognizing the growing demand for comfort and modern technologies in international travel, Rosen partnered with Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Team 27 from Design Center Colorado to create a powered cup holder capable of maintaining beverage temperatures and communicating drink levels to aircraft staff. This project aimed to push the boundaries of aviation interior standards by providing a quiet, low-power, and compact solution.

Throughout the year, our team designed, manufactured, integrated, and tested a smart cup holder featuring heating, cooling, RFID detection, and weight sensing capabilities. Despite encountering challenges, we successfully navigated a $2000 prototype budget and developed a promising product. Our design achieved a small package size, low weight, and efficient power consumption.

Out of the 26 agreed-upon specifications, 16 were successfully met, with 75% of these being Priority 1 or 2. Although some tests were not conducted due to time constraints, we proposed design changes to meet heating and cooling specifications. Our prototype passed significant tests, showing potential for marketability and the ability to set a higher standard for in-air user experience.

Overall, the Smart Aviation Cup Holder project demonstrates the potential to revolutionize the aviation interior industry by enhancing travel comfort and efficiency, providing a valuable addition to Rosen Aviation's catalog of groundbreaking technologies.

My Contributions

In this project, I played a key role as my team's CAD Engineer, managing CAD files and leading the overall design of our prototype. I fostered a collaborative environment by encouraging team members to contribute their design ideas and ensuring everyone was included in the decision-making process. Working closely with our manufacturing engineer and in-house machinist, I ensured manufacturability, which allowed us to complete the design phase ahead of other teams, giving us an edge in machining and manufacturing.

I conducted 1D thermal analysis to ensure our design met safety specifications and created a comprehensive drawing package for our client and machinists, adhering to machining standards. Additionally, I gained hands-on experience using CNC Mills and Lathes, participating actively throughout the manufacturing process. Beyond my primary role, I also assisted our electromechanical engineer by troubleshooting electronics and circuitry, further contributing to the project's success.

My leadership in creative influence, cohesive teamwork, and technical troubleshooting significantly enhanced our project's outcomes.

Concept Sketches

Utilizing my excellent design visualization skills I was able to quickly create and iterate concept sketches to communicate design intent to my team and client.

CAD Models and Renders

Below are CAD models I created, showcasing my meticulous modeling skills and attention to detail through detailed assemblies and exploded views. Utilizing SolidWorks Composer, I also developed an animation to illustrate the assembly sequence and individual parts, highlighting my ability to visualize and communicate complex designs effectively.

Check out or final report for:

• SolidWorks models (subsystems and parts)

• Bill of Materials

• Detailed descriptions of key assemblies

• Testing and Results

Manufacturing and Assembly

In addition to leading the project design, I collaborated closely with our manufacturing engineer in the machine shop. Thanks to the efficiency of our design phase, we gained early access to the shop, giving us a edge compared to other teams in the program. My hands-on experience included operating CNC mills and lathes, which allowed me to directly contribute to the precise manufacturing of our components.