Calvin and Hobbes Yoyo

This was a team project developed for MIT’s 2.008 - Design and Manufacturing II course, which emphasized manufacturing processes, equipment control, systems, and design for manufacturability.

Project Overview

The project involved designing and fabricating a custom yoyo featuring Calvin and Hobbes theming. The yoyo combined multiple manufacturing techniques: two injection molded parts, a thermoformed insert, and two laser cut pieces.

Manufacturing Process

• CAD design in SolidWorks
• CNC tool path creation using MasterCAM
• CNC machining on Bridgeport Mill and CNC lathe

My Role

I designed and manufactured the thermoform mold from aluminum. Key features included:

• Hand-drilled vacuum holes for thermoforming optimization
• Press-fit mounting pins allowing post-thermoform shearing
• Adjustable lip diameter design to accommodate injection molding variations

Design Iterations

Black mold design iteration

Orange mold design iteration

Thermoformed insert components

Additional Documentation

For expanded project documentation, visit the project blog.