Team Members & Role:

Josh Goldhammer: Team Lead

Kevin Roche: Design Lead

Michael DiFranco: Analysis Lead

Aaron Hines: Fabrication Lead

Leif Riley: Evaluation Lead

Abstract:

The Automated Beverage Pourer is a device designed to pour an opened, 12 oz, canned beverage into an American pint glass. This product minimizes spilling and excessive foaming creating a repeatable process useful for individuals with fine motor function disabilities, those in a fast-paced food service environment, or enthusiasts. Although similar products are commercially available, they are costly, slow to pour, and tend to create excessive foam. SolidWorks models and prototypes were iterated, employing validation/analysis performed via Ansys, MATLAB, and hand-calculations. Issues arose in the prototype assembly process, underscoring the importance of reducing complexity and design-for-manufacturing. The final design takes 11 seconds to pour, spilling 0.8 mL, and requiring four steps of human interaction to initiate. Currently, the product can be manufactured for $250, with expectations that continued development could reduce the cost below $150. R&D and prototyping totaled $105 out of a $200 budget. The next steps of this project would consist of accommodation for varying can/glass form factors, as well as adoption of can-opening into the scope. The Automated Beverage Pourer provides practical assistance through innovative design and reliable functionality.