Welcome to the tear down of the Lomi Massage Gun! It is your average 30 dollar massage gun from Walmart. I was excited to figure out how something so uniquely shaped on the outside would look on the inside.
TOOLS:
Small Phillips Head Screwdriver
To start, I observed six screws on the outside of the gun and unscrewed all of them. The massage gun popped right open, and I was able to carefully take out all of the parts.
Turns out, there are not that many parts inside, making the outside more complex than the inside.
PARTS:
3 Different Plastic Massage Heads
7 Small Metal Screws
1 Massage Control Board (AKA Motherboard)
1 Micro USB Battery
1 DC Motor
1 Silicone Power Button
1 Massage Gun Plastic Shell
DESIGN CHOICES
The massage heads are interchangeable using a Push-and-Pull Mechanism. This allows for ease of use, reliable products, cost effectiveness, and any other push-and-pull head can be inserted into the gun.
The Massage Control Board was secured in place at the top of the gun by slipping between two plastic ledges that held it. This was interesting because the battery and motor were really heavy, and would crush the motherboard if it was on the bottom.
The JBL Speaker looks very seamlessly integrated from outside with zero screws. So I used a file and a hammer to pry the curved perforated metal front off to examine further.
I broke off the soft silicon pads on the bottom of the speaker and smashed open one end.
I tried to pry off buttons from the other end to reveal inner structures, then used it as a breaking point to pry open the exterior shell. The exterior shells turned out to have three layers and screwed to the black inner part in an invisible way (screws were hidden behind the two round pads at the ends).
Breaking down the innermost part was very painstaking. I first unscrewed all the screws I could find only to realize the halves of this chunk seems tightly glued along the middle line. I tried to pry it open from multiple angles with no luck. Inspired from the teardown videos of other JBL speakers, I managed to find a hidden screw located at the central back and via here was finally able to break it open.
Here’s what’s at the heart of the JBL Speaker: a tube, some damping foams, two speaker drivers, one main circuit board, and one lithium battery underneath.
Here’s the final look from the JBL teardown with labeling.
Two Interesting Designs
Bass Reflex Tube
How it works: when the speaker is on, the speaker drivers push air through the tube to the outside. The shape of the tube is also carefully designed to resonate in a way that boosts lower frequencies and improves bass response.
Three-Layer Outer Shell
The three layers tightly bind with one another and add extra colors & textures to the speaker’s exteriors. They also provide stronger binding for the relatively delicate inner part and protect it from potential impacts. I also think their particular shape acts as a weight balance for the speaker to stay flat on the table with the perforated steel front always facing forward.
Tools & Techniques during Teardown
Tools
Techniques
Pliers of different sizes
Screwing/Unscrewing
Cutting plier
Prying
Files of different sizes
Smashing (attempted)
Philips screwdriver
Component & Material & Manufacturing
Component
Material
Manufacturing Technique
Perforated Steel Front
Perforated Steel
Sheet Metal Punching, Stamping
Outer Shell (Three-layered)
Plastic (ABS/Polycarbonate)
Injection Molding
Round End Caps
Plastic (ABS or Polycarbonate) with Rubber Inserts
Injection Molding, Overmolding
Speaker Drivers
Diaphragm: Mylar/Polypropylene, Frame: Metal (Steel/Aluminum)
I removed the four screws on the back panel and lifted off the casing to expose the internal components.
The disc tray was stuck inside, which I suspect was one of the reasons for the device’s failure. I forcibly removed the tray from the housing.
Next, I unscrewed the board connected to the charging port and separated it from the main logic board of the DVD Writer.
I then removed the circuit board near the charging port, which seems to be responsible for charging functions. I detached the FFC/FPC cable (Flexible Flat Cable/Flexible Printed Circuit) connecting this board to the main DVD circuit board. The cable was plastic-like and difficult to remove, so I cut it in two.
I took out the metal plate attached to the main structure of the DVD writer. This plate was used to secure the internal components and prevent them from moving. Some screws were difficult to remove, so I forcibly took them out.
I removed the spring mechanism responsible for ejecting the DVD tray. It was jammed inside, but only required unscrewing one easily accessible screw.
I removed a FFC/FPC cable, a long metallic strip used to connect circuit boards. Additionally, I removed some nearby PCB mounts or clips used to secure the circuit board.
I detached the upper part of the spindle motor assembly, which is responsible for rotating the disc. I also removed the associated control PCB.
Lastly, I removed the spindle motor and its mechanical components, which drive the disc’s rotation within the DVD Writer.（As shown in the figure below）
Part
Material
Manufacturing Process
Back panel casing
Plastic PC
Injection molding (plastic), stamping or casting (metal).
I find the internal structure of this device particularly intriguing because of its compact and portable size, which leads to a very tight arrangement of components. To maximize space efficiency, the spring mechanism is cleverly shaped to conform to the central structure.
For this exciting assignment, I’m tearing down the Wemo Maker. It looks like a WIFI Extender but it’s actually a device for smart home integration. It allows DIY enthusiasts to remotely control low-voltage devices through an app, such as blinds, sprinklers, powered gates, etc.
Here is a list of tools I used and the process:
1, Wire cutter (failed):
The casing of this device consists of a box and a cover plate with no screws on it. So, I first tried using a wire cutter to cut open the casing, but the plastic had become brittle, and I could only cut off the edges.
2, Drill:
Then I tried using a power drill to make holes onto the casing so that I would have a place to pry it open. After succeeding, I found that the cover plate was glued into a precise slot in the casing, making the device appear seamless and preventing people from opening it.
3, Utility knife:
The PCB board and some wires were fixed inside the box with hot glue, and I used a utility knife to separate them. (I was surprised that they use hot glue. Such a convenient way, isn’t it?)
4, Hex screwdriver:
Next, I removed the screws that were securing the PCB board to the casing.
5, Hands:
I pulled some wires connected to the board by hand. This step was easy.
6, Wire cutter again:
Since some electronic components were soldered onto the board, wire cutters were perfect for cutting off their pins.
Let’s take a look at my Nikon AF 600 point-and-shoot teardown. This is a compact point-and-shoot camera equipped with a 28mm f/3.5 lens. I’m a huge fan of film cameras so this is super exciting for me to see the inside of this semi-ancient tool. And surprise – it’s way more complicated than I thought!
For the teardown, I used simple tools – 2 small crosshead screwdrivers, and a tweezer plier.
The teardown process is pretty easy. I took the screws off each layer first and separated the plastic parts to expose the next layer of screws until all components were torn down.
Now let’s take a look at a knolling picture of all the components.
The camera is made out of 5 main parts – the skeleton, the motor (that controls the loading of the film roll), 2 circuit boards (one controls the motor, one main board for light sensing, focus detecting, lens control, and communication with the motor board), and the lens.
The skeleton of the camera is made out of plastic. The motor gear is mainly made of plastic while joined with the skeleton with small metal bars. The motor itself is built with 2 metal parts. The lens is a combination of plastic, metal, and glass. All components in the camera were joined together using screws or glue (for batteries and flex circuits), and the communication between the electronic parts is through thin flex circuit belts and thin wires.
Given the size of the screws and how each layer inside the camera is bonded in a super clean and compact way, I doubt this camera was made on a streamlined machine. The skeleton is likely to be made in specially designed molds and put together with all other components by hand.
Take a look from another angle at the components
Because this camera was made in 1993 when the internet was still young, I can’t find any information regarding any of the chip/motor numbers on the camera. Based on my knowledge of the camera, I suppose the chip on the main circuit board numbered “S2914 A1F10 156” is the chip for light sensing and focus control, the most technical and complicated function for the camera. Another number I found was on the motor “A3311” and “3226D”. No records were found on the internet, but these 2 motors combined with each other load and rotate the film roll in the camera.
One really interesting design I found was how the flex circuit belt goes through 3 layers of the camera skeleton. This design achieve a few things – first, the circuit belt needs to reach to several electric components which are located top and bottom, left and right of the camera, the length of the it becomes a weakness of the thin belt, but securing it in-between layers adds extra strength to combat this problem; second, it allows the circuit belt to utilize empty space on each layer it goes through, while it’s glued to the empty spaces, we don’t need designated area to secure the circuit belt; third, this layout also avoids direct overlap of the circuit belt so camera program is likely to be more stable.
Another interesting design is how the motor gear is spread across the bottom of the camera. This design allows the two motors to line up in different directions while still be able to lock into/respond to each other’s movements, it also makes the camera thinner (in width), so it’s easier to be carried around.
Motor gear at the bottom of the camera
That’s it for this round of teardown! I really had fun digging into this ancient tool for photographs. Enjoy more photos of my tear down process below.
For this teardown project, I used a 2012 Samsung laptop. This is exciting because to me, a 12 year old laptop feels quite retro. Since computers have been around for almost 50 years, this device represents an important part of that history. Let’s take a deeper look at what’s inside this decade-old laptop.
Here is what the laptop looks like after teardown:
Here is the tool I used for disassembly：
Phillips screwdriver to remove nails.
Scissors to remove connecting wires.
A flat-blade screwdriver to pry open the device casing.
Now, let’s take a look at my disassembly process：
First: Open the bottom case of the laptop.
Second: Remove the battery and motherboard, speaker.
Third: Remove the black tape which covering on the keyboard base.
Fourth: Disassemble the keyboard, control panel, computer case and base.
Fifth: Remove the display from the computer case.
Commonents and Function, Manufacturing Process:
Laptop Cover: Plastic, The cover protects the laptop’s screen from physical damage, dust, and spills when the laptop is closed. It also shields the internal components from external elements.
For Manufacturing, for plastic covers, raw plastic pellets are heated and injected into the mold under high pressure. The plastic cools and solidifies into the shape of the cover.
Speaker: Plastic, The primary function of laptop speakers is to provide audio output. They allow users to hear sounds from various applications, directly from the laptop without needing external speakers or headphones.
For Manufacturing, Cutting, shaping, and preparing the diaphragm, voice coil, magnet, and surround for assembly. Wire is wound around the bobbin to form the voice coil, which interacts with the magnet to produce sound. The diaphragm, voice coil, and magnets are assembled into the driver unit.
Battery: Sodium-ion battery materials, to provide power when the laptop is not connected to an external power source.
Motherboard: A hard sheet of nonconductive material, usually plastic,It connects and integrates all major components, including the CPU, RAM, storage, GPU, and peripheral ports, enabling communication between them.
During the manufacturing process, a sheet of fibreglass fabric is coated with epoxy resin and heated until the resin is partially cured. This sheet is called prepreg. Multiple sheets of prepreg are stacked to the required thickness to create a laminated sheet. Sheets of copper foil are applied to both sides, before being placed in a heated press to complete the curing of the resin and allow the different layers to bond together. The end result is a sheet of copper-clad laminate.
Keyboard: Plastic, It allows users to input text, commands, and data into the computer through keystrokes, making it a primary tool for typing and data entry.
Control panel: Aluminum，To control the movement of the mouse, allowing users to access any program on the computer.
Keyboard base: Plastic, To support the keyboard keys.
USB Port: Steel with paint, A USB flash drive or external hard drive can be used to store and transfer digital art files, including paintings and graphics.
Display Form: Liquid crystal, To provide visual output for the user. It shows the operating system’s interface, applications, media, and other content. LCD Screen form.
Interesting Design Choice:
1. When I disassembled the computer, I removed a lot of black tape from the computer. The purpose of these tapes is to prevent dust and static electricity from affecting the computer components.
2.When I disassemble a computer, all the screws in the computer can be removed with the same Phillips screwdriver. This saves me the time of looking for a screwdriver.
In our bustling, noisy environment, everyday life constantly bombards us with a whirlwind of emotions. In the midst of this, there are moments when solitude becomes a necessity; an opportunity to be alone with ourselves, to reflect and find peace in our own company.
In Chinese Culture, people celled this behavior: “bead meditation“
“People can use the practice of bead meditation to aid in their meditation. By rhythmically counting or touching each bead, individuals can focus their mind and achieve a state of calmness and mindfulness. This practice not only helps in centering thoughts but also serves as a physical anchor, guiding practitioners through a meditative journey and helping them to maintain a steady pace in their contemplation or prayer.”
“I’ve always felt that meditation could help me calm my mind. Being a night owl, I often find it hard to fall asleep due to my tendency to overthink at night. This behavior leads to various physical discomforts. I am considering whether a device could help me better calm my mind and enhance my spiritual energy.”
Concept Creations
Shapes exploration, i did some craft modeling about the different kind of shapes:
I have been stuck on the physical design of the product for a long time. I have never been able to properly integrate the shape that makes people feel calm.
Then i saw this picture:
I saw lotus flowers growing and blooming in the water and in the mountains. The mist in the mountains is the atmosphere we need to do what we need.
Then i did the final modeling
So, i wanna to name my project as: Lotus
The removable smart bead is the
Magnet switch of the device. Magnets are under the
