Goodsticks

Final Report
4/22/2020

Sara Liebler
Project Lead

Morgan Foster
Build Studio Engineer

Ben Frothingham
Build Studio Engineer

Liza Russell
Build Studio Engineer

Isabella Stepanek
Build Studio Engineer

Jack Streed
Build Studio Engineer

Table of Contents

1
Executive Summary 3

Background Research 4

Assembly/Systems Overview 6

Mechanical Design 8
Overview 8
Outer Housing 8
Feeding Mechanism 10
Dispensing Mechanism 11
Sealing Mechanisms 13

Next Steps Error! Bookmark not defined.

Appendices 17

2
Executive Summary
Goodsticks are a product that aims to reduce the amount of waste generated by single-use utensils in
large dining areas. Made of upcycled flour with a hydrophobic coating, these chopsticks are both edible
and fully biodegradable. Because these utensils are a sustainability-oriented food product, the way they
are distributed must eliminate the need for individual packaging and preserve the freshness of the
product. Generate’s role in this venture is to provide a dispenser for Goodsticks that meets these
requirements. The priority deliverables of the project included a Product Requirement Document
(PRD), a Functional Prototype, and an Engineering Prototype. The Generate team performed
research, defined product requirements, and conducted user testing in order to iterate through the
product development cycle and complete these deliverables. Reach deliverables for the project
included the production of multiple engineering prototypes, integrating design for manufacturing
(DFM) within the CAD, and selecting sustainable prototyping materials. Due to the COVID-19
outbreak mid-semester, some goals were shifted and reprioritized to accomplish the priority
deliverables as the team continued to work remotely. The reach deliverables became out of scope for
the project. The proposed solution includes four main subsystems: dispensing mechanism, feeding
mechanism, outer housing, and sealing. Each subsystem underwent at least two iterations based on
previous learnings. This project provided the team with experience in following the product design
cycle, creating CAD in Fusion 360, mechanism design, material selection, and using common rapid
prototyping techniques such as laser cutting, 3D printing, and use of hand tools. The team also built
valuable skills in client interaction, time management, communication, and teamwork.

3
Background Research

Utensils are distributed in many ways in large dining areas. Since Goodsticks cannot be individually
packaged due to environmental concerns and must be in a sealed container to preserve freshness,
market research was conducted based on common dispensers used in supermarkets, dining halls,
and food courts. Typical methods of dispensing may involve motion detectors, gravity-fed levers,
or simply picking an item from an open box. Since the inclusion of electronics was not within
scope, the team looked to gravity-fed dispensers for mechanism inspiration. No dispensers
currently on the market create an air-tight seal, so there are no direct competitors of the
Goodsticks dispenser. However, existing dispensers provide important insight into size,
manufacturing techniques, and user experience. The main goals of the Goodsticks dispenser are
to hold a large volume of Goodsticks, easily dispense a pair of Goodsticks, and keep Goodsticks
fresh.

One of the most prevalent dispensers used today is the Dixie Ultra™ SmartStock® Dispenser.
The user presses a lever to release one fork, knife, or spoon into an open trough below. Although
this dispenser does not include the necessary sealing mechanism, there are several things to learn
from its design. The user experience of this design is intuitive due to its graphic design, indicating
which type of utensil it contains and how to use the dispensing lever, a mechanism already very
familiar in society. The Goodsticks dispenser also includes informational graphics to show how
to dispense a pair of Goodsticks. The SmartStock dispenser is manufactured mainly by injection
molding plastic, so the Goodsticks dispenser was intentionally designed with components that
could be injection molded in the future. Lastly, SmartStock measures 8.25” x 6.185” x 17.34”
(width x depth x height) and has a volume of approximately 885 in 3, helping to form the size and
volume requirements of the Goodsticks dispenser.

Early in the semester, the team worked to create a Product Requirement Document (PRD) which
defined thirteen key requirements for the Goodsticks dispenser. These requirements were created
based on client and team goals, design for manufacturing and cost reduction, and similar product
market research. The requirements include: holds at least 1000 chopsticks, has a footprint less
than 900 cm2 (139.5 in2 ), requires 10 N force or less for user interaction, can be opened for
maintenance, is resistant to jamming, does not break chopsticks, is made completely of food-safe
and corrosion-resistant materials, does not allow hands to come into contact with dispensing
surface, dispenses the correct number of chopsticks per user interaction, is sealed to outside air,
is easy to open and reseal for loading, has self-explanatory operation, and does not tip over. More
information justifying and explaining each requirement can be found in the PRD. Some
requirements were revisited as the semester progressed, such as lowering the holding requirement
to 200 chopsticks because of the expected lower package quantity. The team also put together a
user story for both the “loader” and the “consumer” which was helpful in envisioning
requirements and overall design.

4
Some items that were deemed out of scope for this project were electronics integration, injection
molding, analyzing effects of climate, and packaging design. Electronics were not included because
they would increase dispenser cost, increase the complexity of the design, and are not essential to
the dispenser’s functionality. Injection molding was out of scope because of the timeline and price
of ordering tooling. The effects of local climate and packaging design could not be accounted for
due to a limited timeline.

5
Assembly Overview

Figure 1: CAD renderings of top level assembly final design. Note, graphics and branding are not final.

The engineering prototype dispenser design was divided into four main subsystems, or subassemblies,
which will be discussed in depth in later sections. Individual subsystems were defined based on their
ability to be designed independently and serve a different function. As the team worked simultaneously
on each subassembly, it was kept in mind how the system would come together to function as a whole.
Note that during DFM many of these subassemblies could be combined through injection molding
and part count would be dramatically reduced.

The four subassemblies consisted of the outer housing, feeding mechanism, dispensing mechanism,
and sealing mechanisms. The outer housing consists of the components necessary to contain all other
subsystems while creating a sleek exterior aesthetic. It was important to create cutouts for doors, other
mechanism interfaces, and assembly hardware while maintaining desired dimensions. This subsystem
was comprised mainly of laser-cut acrylic panels, brackets, threaded inserts, and bolts.

The feeding mechanism included the sloped internal walls that guide chopsticks into the desired
location for the dispensing mechanism. In addition to sloped walls, it contains vertical walls that stack
three pairs of chopsticks prior to dispensing to prevent jams and mechanical failures. It attaches
directly to the outer housing using angled brackets as well as to the dispensing mechanism for
repeatable positioning. The feeding mechanism also consisted mainly of laser-cut acrylic panels as well
as screws to interface with custom 3D printed brackets to support the sloped walls.

The design of the dispensing mechanism was the focus of the first half of the semester. It consists of
the user interface button, linkages to translate motion, a spring to return the mechanism to its “ready”
state, and a channel for chopsticks to follow as they are dispensed. With moving parts, this subsystem
required the most design work and precision. Throughout the semester, efforts were made to decrease
part count and optimize the motion of these parts. It is designed to interface directly with the front

6
and back of the housing, the sealing mechanism, and the feeding mechanism. The dispensing
mechanism was built from several 3D printed PLA parts, laser-cut acrylic parts, nuts and bolts, and a
spring.

The sealing mechanisms consisted of all components needed to seal the several physical gaps present
in the dispenser and make it airtight. The main sealing area is the hole in the outer housing where the
chopsticks are dispensed. Two compressible foam gaskets are embedded within the housing to create
a seal that the chopsticks can push through. There is also foam gasket material around the loading and
maintenance doors that allow them to seal when closed. Gaps in the acrylic outer housing are sealed
with food-grade RTV silicone sealant. This is applied at all housing interfaces.

7
Mechanical Design

Overview
Throughout the course of the semester, the dispenser underwent two full iterations. The first fully
functional prototype did not include any sealing elements and focused on the development of the
dispensing mechanism. This prototype was user tested at All Hands [Appendix B] and results were
used to inform the next iteration. The final prototype is an engineering prototype incorporating
improved dispensing and sealing. This section focuses mainly on the final prototype design. The full
Bill of Materials (BOM) can be found in Appendix A.

Outer Housing

Figure 2: CAD images of outer housing subassembly

The outer housing encloses all of the other components within the model and provides structural
support to the assembly. It consists of six panels that form a box as well as an additional front panel
which helps to improve the aesthetic of the exterior by hiding hardware and housing the chopstick
hole sealing mechanism. These panels are connected by angle brackets and M3 bolts with heat-set
inserts in the panels. They are also designed to be interlocking so that they can be easily positioned
during assembly. In addition to the panels that form the main structure of the design, two doors were
added to provide access for loading and maintenance. The loading door is part of the right panel wall
and hinges at the bottom so that it forms a ramp for loading chopsticks. It is designed as a ramp
because the team was concerned about the chopsticks breaking due to impact if they were dropped in
from the top as they are loaded. Rolling the chopsticks along a ramp provides more support to the
chopsticks and reduces impact as well as preventing misalignment and jamming. The maintenance
door is part of the left panel wall and hinges at the side. This allows room for an operator to reach

8
inside the dispenser to unjam the mechanism or provide any mechanical maintenance necessary. This
door is important because it prevents taking the entire dispenser apart whenever there is an issue. The
doors are secured with a thumb screw opposite the hinge. This provides secure closure and sealing
and somewhat prevents tampering by the consumer while allowing the operator to easily access
loading and maintenance. The outer housing front panels also include cutouts for the dispensing
mechanism user interface.

There were several changes to the housing between the first and second full prototype iterations. Heat
set inserts were added to the panels instead of using nuts, making it easier to assemble and making the
design sleeker. The additional front panel was added to improve aesthetics and support the sealing
mechanism. A bottom panel was added to fully enclose the design and provide support for the
dispensing mechanism. The loading door was moved from the top to the side to improve the loading
process as previously discussed, and the maintenance door was added. Thicker acrylic was used for
added structure. Graphics were added to the front panel of the outer housing for branding and
informing users of the product.

All panel parts were laser-cut from 3/16” or 1/4" acrylic. Acrylic is safe for food contact and an easy
plastic to rapid prototype using laser cutting, although it is not commonly used in production. Black
acrylic was chosen for the front and bottom panels to provide a clean look while clear acrylic was used
for the sides and top so the mechanism could be easily observed during demonstrations. If this
dispenser was to be tested around campus as planned before the COVID-19 outbreak, the housing
would have been completely black to make the outer appearance more sleek. Rubber feet were also
added to the bottom of the housing to prevent tipping during use. The hardware, including brackets,
bolts, thumb screws, hinges, and inserts were purchased from McMaster-Carr. The total cost of
outsourcing laser cut parts for the housing was about $130 without shipping and handling. The parts
were manufactured by Pololu Robotics and Electronics, a rapid prototyping company. Additional
information on parts and materials in this subassembly can be found in Appendix A.

9
Feeding Mechanism

Figure 3: CAD images of feeding mechanism subassembly

The feeding mechanism acts as a system to direct chopsticks to the correct position for dispensing. It
interfaces directly with the walls of the outer housing as well as the dispensing mechanism itself. There
are two angled panels that funnel the chopsticks into two vertical channels. The vertical channels
consist of three walls that slot into the housing to align the chopsticks above the dispensing
mechanism. The walls establish two channels for chopsticks to vertically stack within. To
accommodate the tapered profile of the chopsticks, tapered inserts were attached to the dividing walls
to keep the chopsticks correctly oriented, with the thick end pointing towards the user. Additionally,
the feeding mechanism contains a back panel that acts as an interior wall so that the chopsticks do not
become staggered or fall behind the mechanism.

In the first full iteration, the angled walls of the feeding mechanism were adjustable so that the angle
could be changed to determine the optimal slope. The team decided that a low angle was desirable
because it did not impact the function of the design and minimized dead space. The new walls utilized
custom 3D printed angle brackets to interface with the housing. The need for custom parts would be
eliminated in manufacturing with injection molding. The improved design including tapered walls also
allowed for the more repeatable alignment of the chopsticks and accounted for the taper of
Goodsticks, which was not considered in the first design.

The panels in this mechanism were laser-cut from 1/8" and 1/16” acrylic sheets. These panels did not
need to be as thick as the outer housing because they do not provide the same level of structure.
Outsourcing from Pololu, these parts cost about $45. Brackets at specific angles and tapered walls
were designed to be 3D printed. These parts were printed out of PLA, which is a food-safe material
when sealed to prevent bacteria buildup between printed layers. An all-natural, food-safe spray coating
was used to ensure the printed parts are food safe. 3D printed parts for this assembly cost about $30
from a rapid prototyping vendor called 3D Hubs. Some off-the-shelf hardware components were also

10
used in this assembly. Additional information on parts and materials in this subassembly can be found
in Appendix A.

Dispensing Mechanism

Figure 4: CAD images of dispensing mechanism subassembly

The dispensing mechanism translates the motion generated by the user to dispense two chopsticks
from a hole in the front panel of the dispenser. It includes a button connected to a bar that provides
a rigid displacement to another linkage at the back of the mechanism. This second linkage pivots about
a point situated closer to the button side to create mechanical advantage when pushing the chopsticks
out. The back linkage also attaches to an extension spring connected to the back panel of the housing.
The spring provides the force necessary to return the button and pusher back to their original state,
resetting the mechanism. The back linkage acts as a pusher which directly contacts the end of the
chopsticks. The original motion from the button push is translated to the chopsticks, pushing them
out the front of the dispenser. The end of the pusher is curved so that it does not get stuck when
contacting the chopsticks. The next pair of chopsticks rests on the pusher and the pair of chopsticks
being pushed out when the button is activated, preventing the next pair of chopsticks from dropping
down into the channels which would create a jam. The dispensing mechanism also contains a flat plate
that interfaces with the feeding mechanism for the chopsticks to slide along as they are being pushed
out. All parts of this mechanism contain through-holes for bolting to the outer housing to keep the
design from deflecting during operation.

The dispensing mechanism underwent the most iterations throughout the course of this project. After
initial brainstorming, two concepts were selected for prototyping separately from the dispenser as a
whole. These concepts included a version similar to the final linkage design and another concept that
used a rotating index wheel, as seen in Figure 5. The index wheel design used a long cylindrical
component with sections designed to hold two chopsticks at a time. A lever push would cause a gear
and cam system to rotate the cylinder a certain angle, allowing two chopsticks within the section to be
released with gravity into small hooks from which the user would receive the chopsticks. The current
design was ultimately selected for future iterations through a decision matrix exercise [Appendix C].
A decision matrix allows features and specifications to be compared between designs. A weighting

11
system then determines which design is better overall. The linkage design was selected because it was
easier to prototype, cheaper to manufacture, and simpler to seal. Preliminary user testing also showed
that users prefer this design. Between the functional and engineering prototypes, the team considered
adapting the linkage mechanism to be actuated with a lever instead of a button. While this gave
considerably more mechanical advantage to the user, it was not integrated because it would add parts,
create another plane of motion, and there was not enough time to change the design.

Figure 5: Initial mechanism prototypes, index wheel (left), and linkage mechanism (right)

The linkage design was incorporated into the first full prototype and improved in the final prototype.
To streamline the design and reduce part count, the number of linkage bars was reduced from five to
two, and the sweeping design of the pusher eliminated the need for the two side guides. The length
and ratio of the pusher arm also changed to allow the chopsticks to move further with the same
pushing distance. This change was necessary because the new sealing method involving compressed
foam added distance that the chopsticks had to move, and also because user testing suggested that the
chopsticks should protrude farther out from the dispenser. Originally, the button only worked
optimally when pushed from the bottom, so it was redesigned to ensure no unnecessary torques were
created. The spring force was reduced by selecting a new spring to make the button easier to press. In
the final design, the spring is connected in a straight position to the housing rather than wrapping
around the mechanism. Interfaces for robust housing and filling channel connections were also added
along the mechanism. A graphic was added to the front of the button to signify that it should be
pushed because some users tried to twist or pull it during user testing.

Components in the dispensing subassembly were mainly laser-cut or 3D printed depending on

whether they were planar (2D) or required more complex geometry. All laser-cut parts in the
mechanism used 1/8" acrylic, and all 3D printed parts, such as the button, were made from food-safe
coated PLA. The cost of laser-cut parts was approximately $10 and the cost of printed parts was about
$40. Some additional hardware such as bolts and the spring were ordered from McMaster-Carr.
Additional information on parts and materials in this subassembly can be found in Appendix A.

12
Sealing Mechanisms

Figure 6: CAD images of main sealing mechanism subassembly integrated with dispensing and feeding mechanisms

To prevent the Goodsticks from becoming stale, the dispenser must be sealed wherever there is
potential for air to enter. There are three main ways in which the dispenser is sealed: putting a gasket
around the chopstick exit hole, compression of foam or rubber around the loading doors and button,
and RTV food-safe silicone around all panel interfaces of the outer housing. The most involved
portion of sealing was around the chopstick hole because it needed to close a large gap while still
allowing the chopsticks to poke through without much friction. The solution in the final prototype
used food-safe compression foam material commonly used for sealing windows on housing. Two
pieces of the gasket material are enclosed in a rectangular cutout within the two front panels of the
housing. They adhere to the top and bottom surfaces of the cutout, creating a compression with
enough interference to seal. When the chopsticks are dispensed, they further compress the air space
within the foam of the gaskets to push through the center of the two pieces. Two panels on either
side of the cutout enclose the gasket material and contain cutouts for where the chopsticks exit the
dispenser.

The doors and button are sealed with food-safe rubbers or foams. This thin material lies between flat
surfaces in compression to create air-tight seals. On the loading and maintenance doors, the foam
surrounds the perimeter of the cutout in the housing panel while the oversized door seals against it.
A ridge on the back of the button contains a similar rubber gasket which seals against the inside face
of the front panel due to the force of the spring. Food-safe, clear, RTV silicone was used to create a
seal between all panel interfaces. This silicone is dispensed as a semi-liquid and cures to create an air-
tight seal in gaps. The need for a post-processing step to seal in this way would be eliminated with
injection molded parts.

Sealing concepts were not heavily explored until the final prototype so that more attention could be
devoted to the dispensing mechanism. One concept that was originally considered was to create a

13
rubber flap with cutouts over the chopstick dispensing hole. This design was prototyped separately,
and it was determined that if friction was minimized using cuts in the rubber enough to allow the
chopsticks to pass through, the flap would not create an air-tight seal. The idea of compression foam
gaskets was then adopted for use in the final prototype. Unfortunately with a lack of prototyping
resources due to COVID-19, the team was unable to test this concept until the final build. Much more
time and effort should be put into sealing in future iterations.

The materials used for sealing were purchased off-the-shelf from common vendors such as McMaster-
Carr, and the laser-cut panels used to contain the gaskets were ordered from Pololu. Food safe
materials generally tend to be expensive, and sealing materials overall cost about $75 for the final
prototype, with some unused excess material. Additional information on parts and materials in this
subassembly can be found in Appendix A.

14
Next Steps
The final dispenser prototype created this semester works as an engineering prototype because it
functionally and aesthetically meets the product requirements. The dispensing mechanism is refined
and works repeatedly. It creates a unique user experience that should be maintained in future iterations.
The inner cavity profile of the final dispenser can be maintained in future versions because it guides
the chopsticks to their dispensing location while effectively minimizing dead space. The side loading
door feature of the final prototype is also a desirable feature for new iterations because it helps to
prevent chopstick breakage and misalignment.

There are some continuing issues with accommodating the dimensions of the Goodsticks within the
dispenser. Since Goodsticks have a dramatic taper to one half of their original diameter, they do not
stack well. Within the dispenser, this creates an increasingly slanted pile as the chopsticks build up in
the same orientation, which is an issue that the team did not have time to address this semester. A
similar problem is that in order for the dispensing mechanism to work correctly, all Goodsticks must
be loaded in the same orientation, with the wider end facing the front. The team did not have time to
find a solution that ensured either chopsticks were all loaded in this direction or that the orientation
of the chopsticks did not matter. These are challenges that should be explored and solved before
moving on to design to manufacturing.

One limitation of this project is that the team was restricted to using only rapid prototyping materials,
whereas a product of this nature would be designed and constructed much differently if manufacturing
methods such as injection molding were available. Injection molding was out of scope for this project
because it is expensive and impractical at this early stage of development. In order for this dispenser
to be mass-produced and manufactured, it would need to be redesigned for injection molding. Several
elements of the design could be kept the same, such as the button interface, dispensing mechanism
function, slanted design of the dispensing walls, and location of the loading door. Injection molding
would allow part count to be dramatically reduced by combining multiple parts into organic geometries
too large to be created with typical 3D printers. Creating these large organically shaped parts would
also allow the aesthetic design of the dispenser to improve. Different sealing options could be explored
with the use of injection molding such as overmolding or custom molded gaskets. Although the sealing
in the final prototype was not fully refined, many of the designs would be made easier with these
options.

Although the team planned to perform user testing with the final prototype design, due to the
COVID-19 outbreak, this was not able to happen. The final design should be tested with a
questionnaire similar to the one used in the functional prototype to collect valuable feedback to
incorporate in future iterations.

15
Despite unprecedented circumstances, two full iterations of the dispenser design were completed. The
final prototype works repeatably to dispense two chopsticks with the push of a button, creating a
unique way for Goodsticks to be enjoyed by consumers. In the next phase of this project, sealing
design should be further explored, ways to account for chopstick taper should be incorporated, and
DFM should be the main priority.

16
Appendices

Appendix A: Top Level Assembly Bill of Materials

Item/Part Total
Number Description Material Source QTY Unit Price Price
Top Level
Assembly:

Shellac
Coating Used to seal 3D printed parts Lac Amazon 1 $7.98 $7.98
Silicone Sealant, Dow Corning 700, McMaster
7425A5 10.1 oz. Cartridge Silicone -Carr 1 $6.66 $6.66

Outer
Housing:

Acrylic, 3/16",
Left panel Outer housing left wall clear Pololu 1 $18.80 $18.80

Acrylic, 3/16",
Right panel Outer housing right wall clear Pololu 1 $18.80 $18.80
Acrylic, 3/16",
Back panel Outer housing back wall clear Pololu 1 $18.80 $18.80

Inner Front Acrylic, 1/2",

panel Outer housing inner front wall black Pololu 1 $20.00 $20.00
Outer Front Acrylic, 1/2",
panel Outer housing inner back wall black Pololu 1 $20.00 $20.00

Acrylic, 3/16",
Top panel Outer housing top panel clear Pololu 1 $18.80 $18.80
Acrylic, 1/2",
Bottom panel Outer housing bottom panel black Pololu 1 $20.00 $20.00

Acrylic, 3/16",
Loading door Door for loading chopsticks clear Pololu 1 $9.40 $9.40
Maintenance Door for maintenance on inner Acrylic, 3/16",
door mechanism clear Pololu 1 $9.40 $9.40

304 Stainless Steel Corner Bracket 304 Stainless McMaster

19155A34 1-3/16" x 1-3/16" x 1/2" steel -Carr 16 $5.32 $85.12
Surface-Mount Hinge with Holes
Polished 304 Stainless Steel, Non Zinc-Plated Low- McMaster
1586A22 Removable Pin, 1.5" x 5/8" Leaves Carbon Steel -Carr 3 $1.12 $3.36

Stainless Steel Raised Knurled-Head

Thumb Screw, M3 x 0.50 mm Thread 18-8 Stainless McMaster
92558A330 Size, 12 mm Long Steel -Carr 2 $6.00 $12.00
Tapered Heat-Set Inserts for Plastic,
Brass, M3 x 0.50 mm Thread Size, McMaster
94180A331 3.800 mm Installed Length Brass -Carr 64 $0.13 $8.54

17
 18-8 Stainless Steel Hex Drive Flat
Head Screw, M3 x 0.5 mm Thread, 6 18-8 Stainless McMaster
92125A126 mm Long Steel -Carr 64 $0.05 $2.88

Subtotal: $265.90

Sealing
Mechanism:
Sealing Acrylic, 1/8",
outside plate Retains sealing mechanism clear Pololu 1 $2.08 $2.08

Sealing Tape for Large Gaps and

Voids, 1/2" Wide, 32 Feet Long, Polyurethane McMaster
7650A22 0.125" Compressed Thickness Foam -Carr 1 $9.93 $9.93
Trim-Lok D-Shaped Rubber Seal
(Thick Wall) – .50” Height, .50”
Trim-lok Width, 25’ Length – EPDM Foam Seal EPDM Closed Cell
foam with HT (General Acrylic) Sponge Rubber Zoro 1 $20.45 $20.45

Black-Oxide Alloy Steel Hex Drive

Flat Head Screw McMaster
91294A196 M4 x 0.7 mm Thread, 20 mm Long Alloy steel -Carr 4 $0.47 $1.90
Food-Grade Multipurpose Neoprene McMaster
8616K62 Rubber Sheet, 12" x 12", 1/16" Thick Neoprene -Carr 1 $14.66 $14.66

Subtotal: $49.02

Dispensing
Mechanism:

Button Button, user interface PLA, black 3D Hubs 1 $10.97 $10.97

Button Collar Contains button PLA, black 3D Hubs 1 $11.36 $11.36

Chopstick Surface where chopsticks lay before
Bed being pushed out PLA, black 3D Hubs 1 $26.20 $26.20

Modular Pivot
Base Connects mechanism to base PLA, black 3D Hubs 1 $15.02 $15.02

Button
Connector Acrylic, 1/8",
Arm Connects button to linkage black Pololu 1 $2.50 $2.50

Acrylic, 1/8",
Lever Linkage for chopstick contact black Pololu 1 $2.50 $2.50

Steel Extension Spring with Loop

Ends, 1" Long, 0.188" OD, 0.016" McMaster
9654K969 Wire Diameter Music-wire Steel -Carr 1 $0.72 $0.72

Hex Drive Flat Head Screw, M3 x 0.5 Black-Oxide Alloy McMaster

91294A132 mm Thread, 12 mm Long Steel -Carr 13 $0.06 $0.79

Hex Drive Flat Head Screw, M3 x 0.5 18-8 Stainless McMaster

92125A126 mm Thread, 6 mm Long Steel -Carr 1 $0.05 $0.05
Tapered Heat-Set Inserts for Plastic,
M3 x 0.50 mm Thread Size, 3.800 McMaster
94180A331 mm Installed Length Brass -Carr 6 $0.13 $0.80

Subtotal: $71.94

18
 Feeding
Mechanism:
Right Acrylic, 1/8",
Dividing Wall Forms right side of channel clear Pololu 1 $2.08 $2.08

Middle Acrylic, 1/16",

Dividing Wall Divides channel clear Pololu 1 $3.00 $3.00
Back Dividing Acrylic, 1/8",
Wall Keeps alignment in depth direction clear Pololu 1 $6.25 $6.25

Left Dividing Acrylic, 1/8",

Wall Forms left side of channel clear Pololu 1 $2.08 $2.08

Left Slanted Feeds chopsticks to mechanism from Acrylic, 1/8",

Wall left clear Pololu 1 $6.25 $6.25

Right Slanted Feeds chopsticks to mechanism from Acrylic, 1/8",

Wall right clear Pololu 1 $6.25 $6.25

Tapered Heat-Set Inserts for Plastic,

M3 x 0.50 mm Thread Size, 3.800 McMaster
94180A331 mm Installed Length Brass -Carr 4 $0.13 $0.53

Hex Drive Flat Head Screw, M3 x 0.5 Black-Oxide Alloy McMaster

91294A132 mm Thread, 12 mm Long Steel -Carr 6 $0.06 $0.36

Left Bracket Connects left slanted wall to housing PLA, black 3D Hubs 1 $6.66 $6.66
Connects right slanted wall to
Right Bracket housing PLA, black 3D Hubs 1 $6.66 $6.66

Right Accounts for chopstick taper during Printed in

Tapered Wall dispensing PLA, black house 1 $0.00 $0.00
Left Tapered Accounts for chopstick taper during Printed in
Wall dispensing PLA, black house 1 $0.00 $0.00

Subtotal: $40.13

Totals: $441.63

19
Appendix B: User Testing Survey Results

20
21
Appendix C: Decision Matrix for Dispensing Mechanism

Linkage Index Wheel

Categories Design Design Weighting Linkage total Index total

Ease of prototyping 5 3 5 25 15

Ease of manufacturing 5 3 4 20 12

Low part count 2 3 2 4 6

Ease of use 5 5 4 20 20

Resistance to jamming 2 4 5 10 20
Resistance to
contamination 5 4 5 25 20

Repeatability 3 4 3 9 12

Sealing potential 4 3 4 16 12

Ease of maintenance 4 2 3 12 6

Cool factor 4 3 3 12 9

153 132

22