The 4Ward Thinker

Designed in a 48-hour sprint: an affordable, mass-manufacturable meal-serving robot rated to 60 kg load capacity, verified by Fusion360 FEA and built for real-world deployment in cafeterias, senior homes, and hospitals.

The goal: strong enough for real loads, safe around people, cheap enough that scaling to dozens of units stays realistic. Full concept, CAD, simulation, and electronics layout in two days.

Fusion 360FEA StressCircuit DesignUltrasonicModular Build

GitHub source

Modular chassis

Tray assembly

Sensor ring

PRIMARY ASSEMBLY / 3D VIEW4WT-ASM-001

SECTION A / EXPLODED ASSEMBLY

Exploded Assembly

Every component, laid bare.

4WT-EXPL-001

Structural rails

Battery compartment

Tray arm assemblies

Lid-lock mechanism

Motor enclosure

Cable routing

SECTION B / SPECIFICATIONS

Bill of Specifications

The numbers.

PARAMETERVALUENOTES

Total assembly mass32.67 kgPLA thermoplastic

Rated load capacity60 kgVerified by FEA simulation

Tray configuration4 × 15 kgStacked, independently mounted

Tray footprint30 × 40 cmParametric, resizable

Collision sensors6 sensorsUltrasonic, 360° coverage

Motor enclosureDedicated housingIsolated vibration paths

Build timeline48 hoursConcept → CAD → analysis

Target deploymentCafeterias · hospitalsSenior care facilities

SECTION C / ORTHOGRAPHIC VIEWS

ORTHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION / ALL VIEWS4WT-ORTH-001

Mechanical Design Notes

The assembly balances stability with portability at 32.67 kg. PLA was chosen for its low carbon footprint and the stiffness needed within a 48-hour development window.

FEA simulation of tray bending and torsion under full load

Motor enclosure with isolated vibration paths

Cable routing channels for fast assembly and maintenance

Battery compartment with passive cooling gaps

Tray arms designed for easy lid-mechanism replacement

SECTION D / TEAM

Collaborators