Universal Kitchen Tool
Graduate Manufacturing Project
The task of this project was to redesign a food processor to improve manufacturability, life cycle, and function of the product. The KitchenAid KFP600 Food Processor was chosen because it was a common household appliance that could be improved.
We evaluated the requirements and characteristics of the current food processor on the market and decided to incorporate design changes in 4 components: the lid, the containers, the blade and the addition of the side scraper. The food processor container was modified to a bowl shape so there were no corners for food to get caught. This bowl shape led to the blade component to have a long blade on top and short blade on the bottom. The blade was also made of ceramic because it is harder and would last longer. A taller second container was designed to enable the device to also blend smoothies and other drinks or soups. A scrapper mechanism was added to make it easier for the use to chop small amounts of food without having to remove the lid and scrape the sides frequently. The lid had been modified to accommodate the side scraper and feed tube. The Universal Kitchen Tool was designed for customer needs, ease of assembly, manufacturability, reliability, and low cost.
The product was modeled but only the added side scraper was 3D printed for demonstration in a store-bought food processor. The team collaborated on many parts of the project. My part of the project included the part reduction analysis, material selection, and manufacturing process. The project was designed for the students to utilize Design for Manufacturing tools to deliver the best product.