7) Conclusion - Onion Cutter

The journey to building the onion cutter proved to be a lot more extensive than expected. The design process, kinematic analysis, initial prototyping, and the final build were fundamental to a successful product. Concepts learned from all different classes (not just ME350R) were applied throughout the semester. Some of the most notable class concepts we applied were from dynamics, machine elements, Computational Methods, and ME302. There are a couple of areas with the project we feel could be improved. In order to make this product more user friendly, we would create a more compact design. The cutting board assembly is bulky and finicky. If we were to do a redesign we would try and make the bottom slider crank links more confined. The other redesign element would be to make the motion of the knife smoother and have a more natural arc. 

Projects are the best way to relate school to real life. Overall, we exceeded our success criteria. The Onion Cutter solves the problem of slicing an onion without eye discomfort and uses a unique mechanism to achieve that goal. The infomercial market should be quaking in fear after seeing the demo video.