Stable Stove

The Problem:

Every year, over 22,000 Americans visit the ER due to outdoor cooking-related injuries. As a part of my Engineering Projects class, I was tasked with building a new product that improved peoples’ experience outdoors within a team of four. We felt this a worthwhile issue to tackle within our 3-month timeframe.

Our Solution:

We aimed to solve this problem with a portable camping stove attachment that kept propane canisters stable while cooking in the mountains of Colorado. This would be printed out of PLA plastic to keep weight at a minimum. It would also feature foldable and extentable legs, rotating feet, and an adjustable clamp to ensure a nominally 0 degree angle could be achieved.

My Role and Contributions:

I was in charge of the prototyping phase, as well as being the primary CAD designer within the team. First, I brainstormed potential element designs using our pre-determined criteria (low weight, heat resistant, easily adjustable, beginner-friendly). I utilized SOLIDWORKS and OnShape to design each part and 3D printed various prototypes throughout the project timeline. Components developed include: ball-jointed feet, length-adjustable legs, hinge-locking leg angles, and an adjustable clasp (taken from a snowboard!). I performed various tests post-print to determine how best to improve on each prototype.

Outcome and Award:

We presented this invention at the 2024 Collegiate Engineering Design Expo, competing against 89 teams and over 500 participants. We placed in the top four teams, being awarded the Tensentric Human Centered Design Award which was given to the team that “best optimized user experience”. This project introduced me to design for manufacturability, as well as giving me experience designing CAD models for ease-of-use by consumers.