With the goal of learning design for CNC manufacturing, I created a handheld pasta press concept to address the issue that many types of pasta cannot be made at home without a bulky machine. While this might not be a viable mass market product due to the high per unit cost of CNC machining relative to injection molding or casting, it was nevertheless a good learning opportunity.
The first step was characterization of the pasta dough to see if it was even physically possible to do this type of extrusion by hand. I created a set of 3D printed tests to determine how hole size effects extrusion pressure. After these tests I determined that both a screw and lever arm would be needed in conjunction to achieve the required force amplification. A 3d printed mockup was created to prove out these calculations and it was able to extrude the pasta which gave me the confidence to move on with the CNC design.
Reducing the cost and complexity of the design was a major focus. In a multi month long deep dive into the CNC machining field, I learned the factors that effect the costs of parts and was able to further refine the design reducing machine time, tooling costs and setup time. I also considered factors such as corrosion resistance, food safety, friction, and galling to ensure safety and long term reliability. I verified tolerance stack-ups, created schematics and learned the industry standards for GD&T.
At every stage, I would obtain quotes, talk to experts, and even attended a trade show to receive feedback in order to ensure my design was moving in the correct direction.
While I never actually ordered the parts due to the high setup costs, ordering the parts and finally extruding my own rotini is definitely on my bucket list.
