︎ Elium Vapor
Upon joining the Elium team, I became the sole Mechanical Designer overseeing the migration of their first prototype to a manufacture-ready design. Right away, I reduced the device's size by 40%. Working closely with the electrical engineer and manufacturers, we aimed the product for a smooth launch.
Elium's goal was to be the most powerful portable dry herb and extract vaporizer with precise dosing controls. We combined all of the best features of the market-favorite vaporizers and coupled them with precise dosing control found in medical devices. Elium was started in 2016 after years of speaking directly with consumers, researching, and testing every vaporizer on the market.
Links: Elium Vapor Website
︎Version 3, CAD Model
After 20 successful functioning prototypes (see below), the device changed to focus more on the concentrates market. A glass water bubbler was added.
This change allowed me complete freedom to rebuild the device as I saw fit. Before, I was held to follow the design path that I joined in on. However, with the redesign, I could start from the ground up.
In this version, I prioritized assembly and manufacturing procedures. I switched to a unibody design with a chassis that all components could be assembled on, before being closed up. The heater assembly used progressive dies and extruded metals, previously it was to be CNC'd. Wire management followed the order of assembly operation. A magnetic pick tool was added to the bottom. We switched to an e-Ink screen to conserve power. An extra compartment for storing concentrates was also included.
︎Version 2 and Functioning Prototypes
I made Version 2 after tearing down the heater from Version 1 and focusing on the size. I reduced the device’s overall size by 40%. A lot of cord management and spatial trade-offs were considered to make the reduction. I had to keep the design aesthetic of Version 1.
There were 20 functional prototypes made using the real materials (not final processes).
︎Version 1
This Version 1 was what the team had before I joined in as the sole Mechancial Designer. My first effort was to reduce size by making the internals much more compact.
