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
Our Capstone project investigates the end to end design, development, and production of a 6‑foot long portable putting green marketed for individuals seeking a high quality, competitively priced golf product for home or office use. The capstone project examines the full lifecycle of product creation applying manufacturing principles learned through the center of manufacturing’s coursework. From the initial concept through engineering design, market research, prototyping, manufacturing optimization, and final production the project emphasizes cross‑functional collaboration across engineering, business, and accountancy majors. Methods used to gather data included marketing surveys, CAD drawings, time studies during production runs, value stream mapping, and controlled documentation through standard work instructions. Additional procedures involved the creation of jigs and fixtures, line balancing analysis, and multiple prototype revisions to validate production capabilities and improve efficiency. Findings from the marketing survey showed a strong interest in a medium sized and moderately priced putting green. From there CAD design was done resulting in twelve detailed drawings and some revisions. In completing Production Run 1 significant inefficiencies were revealed, including excessive measurement time, an overly complex inner channel, and unbalanced workstation loads. After implementing engineered fixtures, color‑coded measurement guides, and replacing the inner channel with a simplified V‑channel, Production Run 2 demonstrated better results. These results included a reduction in total lead time, improved line balance, and more consistent assembly outcomes. Overall the capstone project concludes that a structured approach integrating engineering design, market analysis, and lean manufacturing principles across a cross functional team can help successfully produce a scalable, high quality consumer product. The project demonstrates the value of prototyping, controlled documentation, and continuous improvement in reducing waste and enhancing manufacturability. These results can also support the launching of the putting green through Amazon and direct to consumer channels and provide recommendations for future automation, expanded product testing, and long term production scaling as possible.
Recommended Citation
Webster, Tabitha R., "Development of a Putting Green Manufacturing Process" (2026). Honors Theses. 3407.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3407
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