Mechanical Design

Concept       → Creation

Petri-Dish Imaging Dome V1

A prototype of a precision imaging electromechanical device for a pharmaceutical company.

Designed on SolidWorks from the ground up.

Prototyped using materials like Acrylic, Foam, 3D printed PLA and MDF

Petri-Dish Imaging Dome V1

The first prototype delivered to the client, post-processed & painted. 

Every component of the design was designed, manufactured, assembled, painted and tested by me.

Imaging Dome V1 - Project Overview

Precision Imaging Electromechanical Device Prototype

Project Summary

Provide a brief overview of the project.

Developed a rapid prototype of a high-precision imaging device to capture reproducible images of petri dishes for a pharmaceutical giant.

Objectives:

Images should have:

·        No shadows

·        No glare

·        Identical lighting conditions

·        Identical noise levels, within a specified range

Design Process:

- Designed from the ground up using SolidWorks.

- Conducted multiple iterations to understand the optomechanical principles ensuring diffused lighting.

Materials and Prototyping:

- Utilized Acrylic, Foam, 3D printed PLA, and MDF for various parts of the prototype.

- To optimize on time, and cost, the design was tailored to rapid prototyping methods like 3D printing, laser cutting and 3D routing.

Key Achievements

- Validated the geometry of the lighting dome

- Validated the usability of the fixed focus camera, electronics and software

- Took over 1000 images, and over 1M images were taken using this device once it was installed with the client

Challenges and Solutions

- Ensuring structural integrity with lightweight materials.

- Difficult to maintain tight tolerances for precise placement of the petri dish

Outcome and Impact

- Successfully delivered a functional prototype that met all client specifications.

- The prototype is now being used as a basis for further development and production.

Petri-Dish Imaging Dome V2

Redesign of the petri-dish imaging dome, for better image quality, more consistent diffused lighting, and sturdier materials with a better user interface.

Designed, prototyped, hand-finished and spray-painted.

Sketch Finished product in 4 weeks

Petri-Dish Imaging Dome V2

"Accumen" installed in the client's office. 

The revised version of the Colony counter had a sturdier design, which was less susceptible to damage, vibrations and misalignment.


Pharmaceutical Autonomous Robotics validation prototype

A robotic automation prototype for inserting petri dishes into a rotating conveyor system

A continuation of the previous project, an idea was proposed to make the colony counter completely autonomous, which meant an automated feed feature for petri-dishes (Inlet hopper)

Proof of Concept

One of the most complex design projects of my life, and my first introduction to "integration hell"

For every complex idea, I iterate through my solutions with working prototypes. This prototype was a successful proof-of-concept for the inlet hopper, and was later incorporated into the fully-autonomous product.

Automated Colony Counter

The automated table-top colony-counter prototype without the automated feed feature. 

This was the second half of the solution for the fully autonomous colony counter project, an autonomous conveyor system added onto the Imaging dome. 


Intermediate prototype

A 3-month long project, including the initial sketches, mechanism development, design, manufacturing, finishing and assembly. 

This product had a conveyor system that carried petri-dishes over a barcode scanner, took precise images on them, analyzed and sorted petri-dishes into groups based on the analysis.

Autonomous deep-learning pharmaceutical robot

The conceptual design of the automated inlet hopper, integrated with the autonomous colony-counter

Both halves of the solution merged into the finished final product - a fully autonomous imaging device. 

Post-processed prototype

The first-of-its-kind fully automated colony counter, installed in a client's office. 

Automated inlet, conveyor, imaging and sorting in a compact, tabletop solution. 

The conveyor used a geneva mechanism to ensure high-precision, stepwise motion.

Deep learning Colony Counter Prototype

Concept ideation of a fully autonomous, self-reliant, hyper-efficient colony-counter.

PIX-III Senior

Fully-functioning pharmaceutical robot delivered to a client, installed and running (Patent pending)

The final iteration of design that brought in the computational power and a power backup feature, along with an industrial design influence to the Colony Counter.

Mass-manufacturable prototype

Desktop friendly petri-dish imaging station

PIX-III Junior

A seamless electromechanical design prototype, delivered to a client.

A desktop friendly, semi autonomous version of the successful Colony counter design. 

A indoor Gypsum-sprayer

A breakthrough portable gypsum spraying machine for Asian Paints

Gypsos

The fully-realised machine, currently available on the market, sold by Asian Paints