Student Members: Lawrence Giron Jr. and Ryan Parks
Faculty Advisors: Dr. Jennifer Brock and Dr. Raghu Srinivasan
3D Printing Lab Technician: Will Lamb
Client/Inventor: Ashley Castle
Abstract: As hairstyles and hair trends are dramatically changing over time, modern hair styling tools were developed to provide a quick method to alter the way one’s natural hair looks. With the fast and easy approaches to styling hair with modern technology, such as a hair dryer diffuser and hair curling iron, the risk of damage to the hair is greatly increased due to the intense high heat applied directly to the hair. This project analyzes the design of a hair styling product that serves as a healthier for hair alternative to hair dryer diffusers and hair curling irons to dry and curl hair. The TiltACurl is a hair styling tool meant to work alongside a hair dryer to prohibit the overheating of hair while acting as a curling tool to curl hair at temperatures lower than that of a curling iron.
Project Statement: This project is based on the initial prototype design of a new hair styling product, the TiltACurl, which was created to provide a healthier and efficient alternative to hair dryer diffusers and hair curling irons by combining the beneficial aspects of both while providing solutions to the harmful effects. In this project, design modifications based on engineering concepts of heat transfer, as well as user feedback, will be considered to enhance its effective use of curling and drying hair. The product will also be considered for manufacturing, comparing the manufacturing process of injection molding and 3D printing. Material selection, as well as a cost analysis of the TiltACurl, will be studied to prepare the product for mass production.
Conclusions:
Material Selection: Polypropylene will provide the best qualities for this product as it performs well in high heat and moisture conditions, as well as being relatively cheap for manufacturing. Polypropylene is also used in many modern hair styling products.
CostAnalysis: The breakeven number for justifying injection molding compared to 3D printing as a means of mass producing is around 1900 parts. An additional benefit to injection molding is a lower production time compared to 3D printing.
FinalDesign: The desired outcome of the final design was to improve user experience of the product through an increase in effective curling and a reduction in curl time. After testing the new design all desired changes were met, ultimately increasing the ability of the TiltACurl to serve as a healthy tool to style hair.
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