Engineering 29 · Manufacturing & Design Communication

Desk Extender

A utility desk extender designed to enhance the lecture experience by providing organized storage for school materials, devices, and personal items—addressing the common problem of insufficient desk space in lecture halls.

Motivation & Problem Statement

In my sophomore year engineering class focused on manufacturing and design communication, our team of three identified a common problem: lecture halls maximize seating space at the expense of desk space, leaving students struggling to organize their materials.

How might we create a practical solution that enhances desk functionality without compromising the existing infrastructure of lecture halls?

Desk extender prototype in use

Product Design & Features

Universal Attachment

Designed to attach to fold-out desks with adaptability for standard fixed desks, maximizing compatibility across different lecture hall setups.

Organized Storage

Provides ample compartmentalized space for school supplies, ensuring quick and easy access during lectures and exams.

Device Integration

Includes a convenient cavity for portable battery packs and designated spaces for phones and water bottles.

Prototype Development

Early prototype development Final prototype assembly Prototype demonstration

Manufacturing & Production

3D Printing (Prototype Phase)

Selected 3D printing for its ability to create intricate shapes and features required by our design. This method allowed rapid prototyping and iteration during the development phase.

Future Production Strategy

For scaled production, we identified injection molding as the optimal manufacturing method to ensure durability, reduce production time, and improve overall product quality.

Technical Drawings

Detail Drawing - Side View
Assembly Drawing - Complete View

Challenges & Key Learnings

Manufacturing Constraints

3D printing size limitations required design modifications and taught valuable lessons about manufacturing constraints in product development.

Precision Engineering

Connection points needed higher precision than initial prototypes provided, highlighting the importance of tolerance design in mechanical systems.

CAD Best Practices

Learned the importance of proper datum references and construction lines in SOLIDWORKS to maintain clean, parametric models.

Iterative Design Process

Multiple prototype failures led to better understanding of design for manufacturability and the value of rapid iteration in engineering.

Project Impact & Reflection

This project served as a comprehensive introduction to both manufacturing processes and product design methodology. The experience of moving from concept to functional prototype provided valuable insights into the engineering design process, including requirement definition, iterative development, and manufacturing considerations.

Technical Growth: Gained hands-on experience with 3D printing limitations, CAD best practices, and the importance of precision in mechanical design. The challenges faced with connection points and sizing constraints provided practical lessons in design for manufacturability.

Design Process: Learned to balance user needs with manufacturing constraints, iterate based on testing feedback, and document design decisions effectively. The transition from prototype to production planning highlighted the complexity of scaling engineering solutions.

Future Applications: The principles learned—user-centered design, iterative prototyping, and manufacturing awareness—have become foundational to subsequent engineering projects and product development work.