We were inspired by stable and flexible arms used in other products, such as lamps with flexible necks and the stable arms holding up overhead lights at the dentist. We envisioned using a similar device to hold welding torches for the user. After a few iterations our of our design, we transitioned into designing a completely handheld attachment, but kept many of the same principles of our initial inspiration.
Our design comes in two parts: An attachable extension to the welding torch's handle and a custom-made gooseneck tip with a clear nozzle for better reach and visibility.
We searched for a common and versatile welding torch used in the industry, the Miller MDX-250, and designed a handle and nozzle around our model of the the torch.
Designing a model of the MDX-250 from the limited info we had proved to be difficult, but we managed to identify key components on images of the torch, like screws, and scale our own model accordingly. From there we designed our attachments.
We are proud of our final design. We believe it's simplicity makes it intuitive for any Chart welder to add to their toolkit yet also effective in it's aid of difficult welds.
In the process of designing we learned a lot about the various kinds of welding, and the need to be versatile and allow for the welder to have control over the tool.
Our team had an amazing experience during this challenge, and look forward to competing in similar challenges in the future.
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