At SharkNinja, I designed and built a pre-launch test rig to measure the airflow of the Shark ChillPill Personal Fan. The team needed accurate airflow data to confirm the fan met its performance targets before launch. The rig measures airflow in cubic feet per minute (CFM), which shows how much air the fan moves and how effectively it cools.

A thermal anemometer measures air velocity, which is used to calculate CFM. To position the anemometer precisely, I used a stepper motor driving a ball screw, which converts the motor's rotation into linear motion. The motor is controlled by a Phidgets 4A stepper controller, which sets exactly how many steps the motor moves. A Phidgets VINT Hub connects the controllers and sensors to the computer, sending user commands to the rig and returning measurement data. Early testing showed inconsistent results because the fan wasn't positioned the same way each time. I solved this by designing a fixed clamp that holds the fan in the same position for every test, making the data repeatable.

I ran over 800 tests on the rig, generating the KPI data needed to validate the fan's performance and helping enable the product's release. The fixed clamp made results consistent from test to test, improving measurement accuracy. This project strengthened my skills in test fixture design, motion control, and data acquisition.