Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-9-2026
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Center for Manufacturing Excellence
First Advisor
Rick Hollander
Second Advisor
Scott Kilpatrick
Third Advisor
John Samonds
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
The purpose of this thesis is to document the design, development, and manufacturing of a wooden tortilla press completed as a capstone project through the Center for Manufacturing Excellence (CME). The project follows a structured product development process that began with problem definition and concept development, progressed through design, prototyping, and jig fabrication, and culminated in a full production run on the CME shop floor. A multidisciplinary team, including engineers, a marketer, and an accountant, collaborated throughout the project to support both technical development and manufacturing execution. Project planning and scheduling were established early and maintained throughout the project to guide task sequencing and milestone completion. Iterative prototyping and jig fabrication were used to refine the wooden tortilla press design and address manufacturing challenges prior to production. Market research and cost analysis informed design decisions and production planning, while the manufacturing floor layout and workstation organization were developed to support efficient workflow. Lean manufacturing principles, including waste reduction, standardized processes, 5S organization, and continuous improvement, are applied and refined during trial production runs. This thesis provides an analysis of the product development process, manufacturing strategy, and team-based execution of a repeatable and scalable production system.
Recommended Citation
Walker, Glenn H., "Manufacturing of a Wooden Tortilla Press: Idea to Production" (2026). Honors Theses. 3398.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3398
Creative Commons License
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Included in
Accounting Commons, Business Analytics Commons, Computer-Aided Engineering and Design Commons, Manufacturing Commons