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

Relational Format

pdf

Abstract

This report presents the design and manufacturing process of a raised garden bed box with an integrated irrigation system. The goal of this project was to replicate a manufacturing environment in the creation of a durable, ergonomic, and cost-effective product. The project began in Spring 2025 with initial market and financial research to determine design requirements and materials for prototype development and continued through the end of the Fall 2025 semester with a small-scale production run and team presentation. Following our market and financial research, multiple design concepts were evaluated and refined through the use of computer-aided design and prototype development. A small-scale manufacturing process was implemented to produce the raised garden bed using selected materials and specialized fixtures and jigs to support assembly and fabrication. The completed project demonstrates the full product development cycle, from initial research and design to prototype manufacturing, while highlighting the importance of design considerations, production planning, and testing in creating a practical and marketable product.

Included in

Manufacturing Commons

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