Product Design
RAYO - EXPERIMENTAL DRILL-POWERED MOBILITY VEHICLE
Award-winning experimental vehicle prototype powered by a cordless drill, designed and built for an international design and engineering competition in Germany.
Year :
2018
Company :
HAWK University Lab
Products :
RAYO Prototype
Scope :
8 weeks
Context :
RAYO is an experimental micro-mobility vehicle developed for an international design and engineering competition at HAWK University (Germany). The challenge required building a fully functional single-passenger vehicle powered exclusively by a cordless drill motor.
The project demanded full-stack product development, from system architecture and mechanical design to prototyping and assembly, under strict dimensional, time and performance constraints.
The prototype received an academic excellence award and scholarship recognition.
Problem :
Design and build a fully functional single-passenger vehicle powered only by a cordless drill motor, capable of:
Supporting one rider safely
Transforming and packing within strict size limits
Assembling in under 3 minutes
Operating with mechanical efficiency using limited power
Maintaining structural stability and maneuverability
Being entirely self-designed and self-built
Solution :
I designed with my team the prototype RAYO as a lightweight modular vehicle system optimized for torque transfer, stability, and rapid assembly.
The solution combines:
• Reducer gear transmission to amplify drill torque
• Compact chassis geometry for balance and maneuverability
• Ackermann steering configuration for controlled turning radius
• Modular frame architecture for fast assembly and transport
• Mixed manufacturing strategy (steel + FDM printed connectors)
• Quick drill mounting and swap mechanism
• Ergonomic rider positioning for control and weight distribution
The system was engineered as a cohesive mechanical platform rather than a collection of parts.
Design & Engineering Decisions :
Key technical decisions included:
• Gear reduction system to optimize torque output
• Steel structural frame for rigidity under load
• Printed modular connectors to accelerate iteration
• Stabilizer bar to improve cornering behavior
• Modular joint system to reduce assembly time
• Torque-aligned drill mount to prevent power loss
• Foldable footrest and compact storage geometry
• Center-of-mass optimization for rider balance
Each decision was validated through iterative prototyping and assembly testing.
Constraints / Challenge :
This project was developed under strict competition constraints:
Cordless drill as the only power source
Maximum assembled width limit
Packing volume restriction
Assembly time under 3 minutes
Functional racing performance required
Self-manufactured components
Limited fabrication resources
Tight academic timeline
Balancing mechanical performance with modularity and assembly speed was the main system challenge.
Process
Requirement breakdown from competition brief
System architecture definition
Transmission and steering exploration
CAD modeling and structural iteration
Component prototyping (FDM + metal)
Assembly testing and reinforcement
Ergonomic adjustments
Final integration and race preparation
IMPACT :
• Fully functional competition-ready prototype
• Assembly time achieved under required limit
• Stable steering and maneuverability performance
• Modular architecture validated in real use
• Academic excellence award received
• Scholarship recognition granted
The project demonstrated how constraint-driven design can accelerate system-level thinking and engineering clarity.
Skills demonstrated
Product & System Design
Mechanical Integration
Constraint-Driven Design
Rapid Prototyping
Modular Systems
Engineering Collaboration
Functional Prototyping
Design for Assembly
Experimental Mobility Design
More Projects
Product Design
RAYO - EXPERIMENTAL DRILL-POWERED MOBILITY VEHICLE
Award-winning experimental vehicle prototype powered by a cordless drill, designed and built for an international design and engineering competition in Germany.
Year :
2018
Company :
HAWK University Lab
Products :
RAYO Prototype
Scope :
8 weeks
Context :
RAYO is an experimental micro-mobility vehicle developed for an international design and engineering competition at HAWK University (Germany). The challenge required building a fully functional single-passenger vehicle powered exclusively by a cordless drill motor.
The project demanded full-stack product development, from system architecture and mechanical design to prototyping and assembly, under strict dimensional, time and performance constraints.
The prototype received an academic excellence award and scholarship recognition.
Problem :
Design and build a fully functional single-passenger vehicle powered only by a cordless drill motor, capable of:
Supporting one rider safely
Transforming and packing within strict size limits
Assembling in under 3 minutes
Operating with mechanical efficiency using limited power
Maintaining structural stability and maneuverability
Being entirely self-designed and self-built
Solution :
I designed with my team the prototype RAYO as a lightweight modular vehicle system optimized for torque transfer, stability, and rapid assembly.
The solution combines:
• Reducer gear transmission to amplify drill torque
• Compact chassis geometry for balance and maneuverability
• Ackermann steering configuration for controlled turning radius
• Modular frame architecture for fast assembly and transport
• Mixed manufacturing strategy (steel + FDM printed connectors)
• Quick drill mounting and swap mechanism
• Ergonomic rider positioning for control and weight distribution
The system was engineered as a cohesive mechanical platform rather than a collection of parts.
Design & Engineering Decisions :
Key technical decisions included:
• Gear reduction system to optimize torque output
• Steel structural frame for rigidity under load
• Printed modular connectors to accelerate iteration
• Stabilizer bar to improve cornering behavior
• Modular joint system to reduce assembly time
• Torque-aligned drill mount to prevent power loss
• Foldable footrest and compact storage geometry
• Center-of-mass optimization for rider balance
Each decision was validated through iterative prototyping and assembly testing.
Constraints / Challenge :
This project was developed under strict competition constraints:
Cordless drill as the only power source
Maximum assembled width limit
Packing volume restriction
Assembly time under 3 minutes
Functional racing performance required
Self-manufactured components
Limited fabrication resources
Tight academic timeline
Balancing mechanical performance with modularity and assembly speed was the main system challenge.
Process
Requirement breakdown from competition brief
System architecture definition
Transmission and steering exploration
CAD modeling and structural iteration
Component prototyping (FDM + metal)
Assembly testing and reinforcement
Ergonomic adjustments
Final integration and race preparation
IMPACT :
• Fully functional competition-ready prototype
• Assembly time achieved under required limit
• Stable steering and maneuverability performance
• Modular architecture validated in real use
• Academic excellence award received
• Scholarship recognition granted
The project demonstrated how constraint-driven design can accelerate system-level thinking and engineering clarity.
Skills demonstrated
Product & System Design
Mechanical Integration
Constraint-Driven Design
Rapid Prototyping
Modular Systems
Engineering Collaboration
Functional Prototyping
Design for Assembly
Experimental Mobility Design
More Projects
Product Design
RAYO - EXPERIMENTAL DRILL-POWERED MOBILITY VEHICLE
Award-winning experimental vehicle prototype powered by a cordless drill, designed and built for an international design and engineering competition in Germany.
Year :
2018
Company :
HAWK University Lab
Products :
RAYO Prototype
Scope :
8 weeks
Context :
RAYO is an experimental micro-mobility vehicle developed for an international design and engineering competition at HAWK University (Germany). The challenge required building a fully functional single-passenger vehicle powered exclusively by a cordless drill motor.
The project demanded full-stack product development, from system architecture and mechanical design to prototyping and assembly, under strict dimensional, time and performance constraints.
The prototype received an academic excellence award and scholarship recognition.
Problem :
Design and build a fully functional single-passenger vehicle powered only by a cordless drill motor, capable of:
Supporting one rider safely
Transforming and packing within strict size limits
Assembling in under 3 minutes
Operating with mechanical efficiency using limited power
Maintaining structural stability and maneuverability
Being entirely self-designed and self-built
Solution :
I designed with my team the prototype RAYO as a lightweight modular vehicle system optimized for torque transfer, stability, and rapid assembly.
The solution combines:
• Reducer gear transmission to amplify drill torque
• Compact chassis geometry for balance and maneuverability
• Ackermann steering configuration for controlled turning radius
• Modular frame architecture for fast assembly and transport
• Mixed manufacturing strategy (steel + FDM printed connectors)
• Quick drill mounting and swap mechanism
• Ergonomic rider positioning for control and weight distribution
The system was engineered as a cohesive mechanical platform rather than a collection of parts.
Design & Engineering Decisions :
Key technical decisions included:
• Gear reduction system to optimize torque output
• Steel structural frame for rigidity under load
• Printed modular connectors to accelerate iteration
• Stabilizer bar to improve cornering behavior
• Modular joint system to reduce assembly time
• Torque-aligned drill mount to prevent power loss
• Foldable footrest and compact storage geometry
• Center-of-mass optimization for rider balance
Each decision was validated through iterative prototyping and assembly testing.
Constraints / Challenge :
This project was developed under strict competition constraints:
Cordless drill as the only power source
Maximum assembled width limit
Packing volume restriction
Assembly time under 3 minutes
Functional racing performance required
Self-manufactured components
Limited fabrication resources
Tight academic timeline
Balancing mechanical performance with modularity and assembly speed was the main system challenge.
Process
Requirement breakdown from competition brief
System architecture definition
Transmission and steering exploration
CAD modeling and structural iteration
Component prototyping (FDM + metal)
Assembly testing and reinforcement
Ergonomic adjustments
Final integration and race preparation
IMPACT :
• Fully functional competition-ready prototype
• Assembly time achieved under required limit
• Stable steering and maneuverability performance
• Modular architecture validated in real use
• Academic excellence award received
• Scholarship recognition granted
The project demonstrated how constraint-driven design can accelerate system-level thinking and engineering clarity.
Skills demonstrated
Product & System Design
Mechanical Integration
Constraint-Driven Design
Rapid Prototyping
Modular Systems
Engineering Collaboration
Functional Prototyping
Design for Assembly
Experimental Mobility Design