**production-ready mechanical CAD** for the *entire cutting-end system* of a **battery-powered, handheld vegetable prep tool**—but with throughput comparable to a **countertop commercial machine**. This is explicitly a **functional, high-torque rotating food-grade cutting system**, not industrial design. ## Core requirement: “One manufacturable assembly” per disc Each **cutting disc CAD** must be a **single manufacturable assembly** that fully defines: * **Blade geometry** (edges, slots, reliefs, cut features) * **Hub interface** (how it mates to drive/shaft) * **Automatic disc-swap features** (quick-change mechanism built into the disc + mating hardware) In other words: each disc isn’t “just a blade plate”—it’s a **complete tool head module** with all features required to *mount, locate, lock, and identify itself reliably*. ## Mandatory disc features (explicit list) Every disc model must include, as actual modeled geometry (not implied): * **Self-centering drive geometry** (e.g., taper/cone/kinematic centering or equivalent) * **Positive locking** (mechanical lock preventing rotation slip and axial release) * **Disc ID features** (physical coding for recognition/selection—could be keyed pattern, magnets, notches, etc.) * **Balance provisions** (features or specs to enable dynamic/static balance) * **All datum surfaces** needed for **repeatable alignment** (disc-to-tool and disc-to-grid registration) ## Cutting geometry requirements Blade edges, slots, and clearances must be **fully dimensioned** to: * **Minimize clogging** (self-shedding slot shapes, reliefs, no dead pockets) * **Survive high-torque stall events** without permanent deformation (so thickness, fillets, slot radii, hub strength, and retention must be stall-load tolerant) This is a big hint: you must design for **impact + torsional shock + repeated stall-start cycles**, not steady-state cutting. ## Functional outcomes the head must support The “head” (disc family + grid cassette) must reliably produce: * **Slice** * **Dice** * **Julienne** * **Slit** * **Rings** * **Cube** Each cut style may use: * a **dedicated disc**, or * a **shared disc** + different grid/cassette setup And the geometry must handle both: * **firm produce** (carrots) * **soft produce** (tomatoes) So you need edge geometry and clearances that don’t crush soft items but don’t chip/roll on hard items. ## Performance priorities (what will drive the mechanical architecture) 1. **High torque durability** * Hub/keying/retention must tolerate **repeated stall-starts**. * Avoid **fretting** (micro-motion wear) and **backlash** (play that grows over time). * Implies robust drive engagement, preload strategy, hard contact surfaces, and wear-resistant interface design. 2. **Fast one-handed disc swapping** * “Power-tool quick-change” is the benchmark. * Implies: self-aligning insertion, tactile lock confirmation, no small fiddly parts, and captive retention. 3. **Anti-clog + easy rinse-clean** * Geometry should **shed vegetable matter**. * Surface finish and drainage paths matter. * Avoid crevices, undercuts, and trapped volumes around the grid cassette and hub. ## Scope of work (deliverables you must produce) You’re being asked for a complete package that a machine shop can quote immediately: ### CAD * Detailed 3D CAD for: * **each cutting disc** * **interchangeable dicing/julienne grid cassette** * **all mating interfaces**: shaft, bearings, seals, latching/quick-change mechanism ### Manufacturing readiness * **Material specs** (food-grade, corrosion resistance, wear zones, hardness targets) * **Blade angles/clearances / edge treatments** * Processes must be compatible with: * stamping * laser cutting * wire EDM * plus standard sharpening/finishing ops ### Documentation * Fully **dimensioned drawings** with **tolerances** * **Assembly BOM** * **Exploded renderings** showing the disc swap mechanism * File formats: * native **SolidWorks** (preferred) or **STEP** ## Key implied engineering constraints (not stated, but unavoidable) * You must define a **repeatable datum scheme** so discs and grids align every time. * You must design for **washdown/food hygiene** (no trapped debris, cleanable seams). * You must account for **balance** (especially with asymmetric blade/slot patterns). * The locking system must prevent: * **rotational slip** under stall torque * **axial ejection** during shock loads * **gradual loosening** from vibration/thermal cycling