This week was filled with meaningful preparation, collaboration, and exciting previews of what’s ahead. Although the Internship Showcase is officially happening next week, we had a pre-showcase poster session that allowed us to present our work, engage with visitors, and receive insightful feedback. I enjoyed explaining our project, especially the goals and impact of our Autoclave Water Conservation & Heat Mitigation system. It was a valuable rehearsal that boosted our confidence ahead of the big day.
To mark this milestone, we received our official 2025 SEED Intern t-shirts, which made the entire experience feel even more real and united. A professional photographer visited us for a group photo session, capturing both the full intern cohort and our individual project teams. It was a joyful moment and a reminder of the strong community we’re building here.
On the technical side, our autoclave group worked on improving thermal efficiency by gluing the fins onto the pipes, strengthening our design’s ability to dissipate heat more effectively. It was hands-on, precise, and deeply satisfying to see the progress up close.
We also finalized and printed our project posters ahead of the upcoming showcase. The entire process summarizing our goals, methods, and findings visually helped us reflect on our journey and the challenges we’ve overcome.
To end the week, we had the privilege of meeting Chevron, one of the major sponsors of this program. We shared our project ideas and received encouraging feedback. It was inspiring to connect with interns from other institutions and see how widespread the impact of this internship truly is.
I’m looking forward to the full showcase next week, and I’m proud of the work our team has done so far!
Presenting our project poster during the showcase event.
SEED 2025 Interns posing proudly in their official internship t-shirts.
Rahma with her Autoclave Project teammates after their group photo session.
The team carefully applies glue to attach fins to the autoclave pipe.
Poster showcasing the Egg Brooding & Monitoring System project.
Poster displaying the Autoclave Water Conservation & Heat Mitigation project, also known as Drain Saver.
This week brought steady progress and new experiences in both of my internship projects: Eggcellent Imposter and Drain Saver. Our focus shifted toward shaping physical components and integrating them into functional systems.
Eggcellent Imposter: Client Visit and Live Testing
This week, our team had the opportunity to present our progress to our client during a classroom visit. It was a valuable moment to receive direct feedback and discuss the direction of the project.
After our presentation, we regrouped to reflect on the feedback and brainstorm next steps for improving the design.
Later in the week, we went to the Houston Zoo to conduct live testing of the egg prototype with chickens. We also gathered behavioral data and environmental insights relevant to our design.
Team Eggcellent-Imposters at houston zoo testing the tech egg
The testing experience gave us a clearer picture of how the chickens respond to the egg device in a real-world setting.
Drain Saver: High-Fidelity Prototype and Performance Data
Our team made major strides on the Drain Saver project by installing a high-fidelity prototype on the condensate pipe. This setup allowed us to gather realistic data and observe system behavior in near-final conditions.
High-fidelity Drain Saver prototype mounted on the condensate pipe.
With the setup in place, we began running tests to measure the system’s effectiveness in reducing pipe temperature.
Monitoring Cooling Over Time – Temperature vs. Time Graph
The data validated our design choices and guided us on fine-tuning the setup for better performance.
Weekend Wonders: Museum and Henna Time
To unwind after a productive week, we visited the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, where we explored art, culture, and history together. The vibrant exhibits and shared stories made for a fun and inspiring experience.
Exploring Creativity at the Museum of Fine Arts
Nest of shredded book pages
Fabric whale sculpture surrounded by trash and fishing net.
The Burden of Expression
Another highlight was when I got to draw henna tattoos for my friends, a personal skill I enjoy sharing. It was a great way to bond and showcase part of my creative background.
Drawing henna tattoos for fellow interns during the weekend.
Drawing henna tattoos for fellow interns during the weekend.
Drawing henna tattoos for fellow interns during the weekend.
My friends loved the henna designs, and I was proud to bring a bit of my culture to the group.
Weekly Reflection
This week emphasized the value of external feedback, real-world testing, and team coordination. From client visits and chicken coop experiments to data collection and museum adventures, every moment added depth to my internship journey. Sharing my henna art reminded me how creativity connects us. Looking forward to more discoveries ahead!
This week brought steady progress and new experiences in both of my internship projects: Eggcellent Imposter and Drain Saver. Our focus shifted toward building physical components and testing them in realistic conditions.
Eggcellent Imposter: Shaping, Polishing, and Housing the System
In our egg project, I continued polishing the 3D-printed egg shells to improve their finish and fit. Making sure the shells look realistic and smooth enough to resemble actual eggs has been both fun and challenging.
Alongside polishing, I designed and 3D-printed a compact case to hold multiple eggs in place securely. This structure will help in organizing and stabilizing our system during field testing.
To improve internal hardware fit, I also milled a custom PCB based on our final circuit design. This allowed the circuit to sit neatly inside the egg a critical step in making our device both compact and functional.
Custom PCB board designed and milled to fit inside the egg shell.
After completing the integration of the internal electronics we moved on to egg shell polishing and designing the protective case.
Polished 3D-printed egg shells and their custom holding case.
Drain Saver: Medium-Fidelity Prototype in Action
For the Drain Saver project, our team created a medium-fidelity prototype that reflects the updated design for cooling autoclave condensate. We tested it by attaching it directly to a hot condensate pipe, and began monitoring its behavior in real conditions.
Our medium Fidelity prototype in the making
Medium fidelity prototype connected to the hot condensate pipe for live testing.
After days of hands-on building and testing in the lab, we wrapped up the week with a fun and colorful celebration outside the workspace.
A Sparkling Break: Fireworks Experience
After a full week of prototyping and testing, we had a chance to relax and attend a fireworks show — a bright and colorful end to a productive week. It was a great moment of bonding with fellow interns and a reminder to celebrate progress both big and small.
A joyful end to a productive week with fireworks lighting up the sky.
A fun night out watching fireworks with fellow interns.
This week reminded me how hands-on work brings design ideas to life. Whether it was polishing egg shells, milling PCBs, building cases, or testing prototypes, each activity taught me something new about engineering in action. I’m excited to continue refining and testing these systems next week!
This week, i spent a lot of time working with my team on improving our hardware design for the Eggcellent Imposters project. After confirming that everything worked perfectly on the breadboard, we attempted to move our components onto a perfboard. Our original plan was to solder the Nicla Sense ME board directly to it, but soldering such a compact and delicate board proved harder than expected.
Burned Nicla board after a failed soldering attempt.
We ended up damaging two out of three Nicla boards (each costs about $50!). So, instead of direct soldering, we soldered header pins to the perfboard and carefully mounted the Nicla, a battery, and some tiny resistors. It was my first time handling such small components!
Assembled circuit with Nicla, perfboard, resistors, and battery.
We tested it successfully, but then realized our new setup was too bulky to fit inside the 3D-printed egg. That led us to start thinking about a custom PCB and more compact internal structure.
To solve the space challenge, we began designing a new 3D-printed shell, modeled after the Attwater Prairie Chicken egg. We also polished the surface of the print to make it more realistic.
The polisher mashine does the eggshell polish to make it smoother
Our printed egg shells being polished to resemble real ones.
Before all this, we had tested our circuit on a breadboard with photoresistors to detect motion and light changes an important step in validating our sensor system.
Breadboard setup with photoresistors and Nicla for early testing.
🟦 Drain Saver: From Simulation to Physical Testing
For our second project, Drain Saver, we focused on building and testing a better way to reduce water waste in autoclave cooling. Instead of moving straight to fabrication, we brainstormed as a team and updated our low-fidelity prototype to test ideas before full-scale construction.
Low-fidelity Drain Saver prototype ready for feedback.
We also prepared for simulations and feedback sessions. Although we didn’t begin CNC milling or MATLAB modeling this week, laying down the physical prototype helped us understand limitations and plan future improvements.
New Tools: SLA 3D Printing
To wrap up the week, I joined a hands-on workshop on SLA 3D printing, led by Erin. We learned how to prepare prints, wash and cure them properly, and handle resin safely. Watching high-resolution prints emerge from digital designs was truly inspiring this is definitely a tool I’m excited to use in future prototypes!
Hands-On with SLA – Exploring Precision 3D Printing
This week was full of practical learning, trial-and-error, and progress in both projects. I’m especially grateful to my mentors Dr. Holmes as well as my teammates and the amazing OEDK staff for their support.
It’s hard to believe that two weeks have already passed in the SEED internship program here at Rice University. While the first week was about settling in and getting introduced to our projects, the second week dove deep into hands-on engineering, real-world problem-solving, and lots of trial and error the kind that truly sharpens our skills.
Egg Project: Designing, Debugging, and Progressing
My team and I have been focused on designing the Egg Brooding & Monitoring System a conservation device meant to mimic and monitor the conditions of endangered Attwater Prairie Chicken eggs. This week, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work on designing the internal circuit that goes inside the egg.
Assembling the first version of our smart egg hardware
One of the major blockers we faced was getting the Nicla Sense ME board to run the code properly. The libraries weren’t working at first, which slowed us down. We explored other libraries, tested different combinations, and finally managed to fix the code .
First prototype on the breadboard testing our circuit design before embedding it into the smart egg
We also ran into Bluetooth connectivity issues between the egg and our substation. Initially, we were using an ESP32, but the signal was unreliable. After much testing, we decided to switch to a Raspberry Pi, which significantly improved our Wi-Fi stability between the substation and the client dashboard.
Each step this week required persistence, adaptability, and collaboration. We now have a functioning internal circuit, improved communication, and a refined architecture ready for testing.
Autoclave Project: Diagnosing and Ideating
We also made significant strides on our Autoclave Water Conservation and Heat Mitigation project. Early in the week, we met with our project client who brought a team of plumbers to help us understand the complex piping system around the autoclave. Some of the layouts remained unclear, so we invited Dr. Kevin, who joined us for an on-site walk-through.
Together, we examined the working autoclave system and sketched out the full piping diagram, giving us insight into how steam exits and where cooling is needed. Our goal is to bring the temperature of exhaust steam below 130°F, ideally without relying on continuous water use.
We brainstormed several concepts for our low-fidelity prototype, including:
Using a wider outlet pipe to reduce pressure buildup
Installing a thermostatic valve that only releases water when temperature exceeds a certain threshold
Exploring cooling jackets or wraps around the condensate pipe to reduce heat externally
These ideas are now being refined and tested as we move toward creating a working prototype.
Fusion 360 Training: Gaining CAD Skills
Another highlight of my week was participating in a Fusion 360 training session led by Jason, a rising senior at Rice University. During this CAD workshop, I learned the basics of digital modeling from sketching 2D components to extruding and assembling 3D models.
This training gave me a whole new appreciation for the design process and equipped me with tools that will be essential for creating parts of our final prototypes in both projects.
Beyond the Lab: Wellness and Culture
Outside the lab, we enjoyed a Friday cooking session with fellow SEED interns. It was refreshing to unwind and bond over food, culture, and shared laughter.
Cooking and connecting, sharing flavors from home with fellow SEED interns
I also visited the recreation center and was thrilled to see the swimming pool, which felt like a little slice of home. I attended a yoga session at the gym too something new for me, but surprisingly relaxing and a perfect mental reset after a long week.
A peaceful moment by the pool refreshing for both body and mind
Looking Ahead
As I reflect on Week Two, I’m energized by the skills I’ve gained, the teamwork I’ve experienced, and the real progress we’ve made. From debugging Bluetooth to sketching out full steam systems and learning CAD this week has been full of growth and discovery.
A big thank you to Ms. Heidi Carson for making this journey possible. I can’t wait to see what Week Three brings!
Two weeks down. Five to go — and the momentum is just building.
As the summer came to a close, our team reached an exciting milestone presenting our projects at the Summer Showcase. It was a week full of final testing, fabrication, poster preparation, and reflecting on the progress we’ve made throughout the internship. Both our teams Kangaroo Care Cable Management and Cheetos Extrusion wrapped up with key achievements and valuable lessons.
Kangaroo Care Cable Management
Sixth week, we proudly completed our first functional component using mold fabrication techniques. To create the part, we started by 3D-printing positive molds one for the tube clip and another for the garment-side clip housing. Using these, we poured silicone rubber to make precise negative molds. Then, using polyurethane and urethane resins, we cast our final components.
Casted Garment Clip – Front and Side Views
Casted Clip Components: Garment & Tube Attachment
Seeing our part take shape from materials we mixed and poured ourselves was a powerful moment. This was no longer just an idea or a 3D model, this was a real, wearable component that could someday support improved care for newborns receiving iKMC. The part turned out sturdy, lightweight, and had the ergonomic design we aimed for. Each step from alignment to pouring and curing taught us hands-on manufacturing skills we’ll carry beyond this project.
Team Kangaroo – Advancing Neonatal Cable Management Solutions
Cheetos Extrusion
The Cheetos team also reached a huge moment when we produced edible extruded Cheetos, and people ate them! After extensive cleaning of all machine parts to ensure food safety, we began testing grits with different moisture contents 15%, 10%, 7%, 5%, 2%, and 0%. The improved torque, though still not perfect, helped deliver better extrusion performance with more consistent puffing and texture.
Through these tests, we found that 0% moisture gave us the best results. The extruded product was light, crispy, and had the classic puffed shape we were aiming for. Alongside testing, we researched and explored ideas for improving the feeding mechanism and belt tensioner to optimize consistency and minimize wheel burn or jamming.
Celebrating a Crunchy Win with the Team!
Sharing the Outcome – Team and Guests Enjoying Our Cheetos
Sharing Our Journey with the Community
To present our work, both teams prepared and printed detailed project posters, which we displayed at the Summer Showcase. We shared our ideas, challenges, and results with guests, mentors, and fellow teams. People were able to interact with our prototypes, view our testing setups, and even taste the results of our food extrusion trials.
Standing beside our posters, explaining the evolution from our earliest sketches to the final components, was a proud and fulfilling experience. This wasn’t just a technical project, it was a summer of learning, building, and collaborating across disciplines.
Presenting Our Crunchy Innovation!
Innovating for Neonatal Care
As part of the event, we were also treated to a special lunch organized by Chevron, one of the generous partners of Rice360. It was a great opportunity to relax, connect with other teams and mentors, and celebrate the culmination of our hard work in a more informal and joyful setting.
Outside Chevron Headquarters – A Moment of Gratitude
Global Intern Spotlight at Chevron HQ
Growth Through Innovation and Collaboration
Participating in the Summer Showcase allowed me to reflect on the journey from brainstorming and prototyping to final presentations. It was rewarding to see how initial ideas grew into tangible, testable solutions. Sharing our work with a broader audience pushed me to communicate clearly and confidently a skill as essential as technical expertise. I also realized how collaboration, mentorship, and hands-on problem-solving shaped my growth not just as an engineer, but as a team player and global health innovator.
This week marked a transition from proof-of-concept to high-fidelity design as we advanced both the Kangaroo Cable Management and Giant Cheetos Machine projects. With deeper testing, better tools, and a clearer understanding of our design needs, we focused on refining both function and form.
iKMC Cable Management : Toward Final Prototypes
We began by iterating on our IV stand clip design, shifting away from the use of Velcro to explore more durable, adjustable fastening mechanisms. Our goal was to enhance long-term usability and reduce material fatigue from repeated use.
Improved IV Stand Clip No Tubes Attached
New Iteration of IV Stand Clip Design
To ensure our final product would be clinically safe and manufacturable, we researched medical-grade materials suitable for hospital environments. This helped guide our decisions for the next stage of development.
We then transitioned to mold design, where we started creating a positive mold using 3D printing. This printed mold was then used to form a negative mold from silicone, which brings us one step closer to producing a soft, flexible final version of the clip using appropriate materials.
Silicone Casting of Tube Attachment Clip Mold
3D-Printed Positive Mold for Garment Clip Housing
3D-Printed Positive Mold for Tube Attachment Clip
Another exciting development this week was receiving training on the laser cutter machine. We learned how to design parts and operate the machine, which opened up new possibilities for precision-cut components that will support both functional testing and aesthetic refinement.
Hands-On Training with Laser Cutter Machine
Giant Cheetos Puff Machine: Moisture, Torque, and Feeding Flow
With the new smaller motor wheel installed, we resumed extruder testing this time focusing on how moisture content affects product consistency. The results were clear and promising: lower moisture levels produced puffed, brittle, and audibly crispy Cheetos, confirming our earlier hypothesis that low torque was the main issue.
Cheetos Machine Setup with New Wheel and Grits for Testing
White Corn Grits Used in Extrusion Testing
We performed tests at 15%, 10%, 7%, 5%, 2%, and 0% moisture levels, carefully observing each batch’s extrusion quality and physical properties. The improved torque (though still not ideal) led to visible improvements in puffing and texture. However, we observed significant improvements in puffing and texture as moisture decreased with the best results achieved at 0% moisture.
Proud Moment – Holding Our First Successful Giant Cheetos
Our Giant Cheetos
Our next step is to design a controlled feeding mechanism that will provide a consistent flow of grits and help maintain optimal operating conditions. This refinement is essential for achieving reliable, repeatable Cheetos production.
Both projects are pushing us to think critically about real-world constraints from mechanical force to material safety and refine our engineering solutions with every test and iteration. We’re getting closer to robust, field-ready designs, and each challenge brings us one step further.
Molding for iKMC(Immediate Kangaroo Mother Care) – Hands-On Fabrication!
I finally got to apply molding skills I learned a while back—this time for our Kangaroo Mother Care (iKMC) project. The workflow was exciting: we started by 3D printing positive molds, then created negative molds using silicone rubber, and finally poured and cast the final pieces. There’s something deeply satisfying about seeing an idea take shape—literally!
Preparing the Positive Molds for 3D printing
Negative Silicon mold made from pouring Silicone on the positive mold
CAD Modeling & Assembly Builds
This week was also packed with SolidWorks & Fusion modeling. I worked on full assemblies for our water sampling device and designed several components for the iKMC project. We printed and tested some of the new parts—it’s always a joy seeing designs go from screen to physical object!
Snippet of the Water Sampling Device Assembly
Snippet of a kangaroo cable management IV stand
Museum of Fine Arts Visit – Art Meets Innovation
On Saturday, we took a sunny stroll (under that classic Houston heat!) to the Museum of Fine Arts. Along the way, we spotted supercars and stylish architecture—Houston does not hold back on flair! Inside the museum, we explored how artists express complex ideas through their work. It was a refreshing reminder that creativity drives both art and engineering.
At the Museum of Arts
Retail Therapy – Target & Walmart Run
We also took some time to explore Houston’s mega retail spaces. From Target to Walmart, these places are massive! I couldn’t help but compare them to retail stores back home—talk about scale and efficiency.
WalMart Store
Zipcar Adventures
One of the coolest campus perks? Zipcars! With my Kenyan friend (whom I met at the Servery), we rented a Zipcar, cruised to Walmart for a quick shopping trip, and zipped right back to Rice. Simple, smart, and super convenient.
As we move further into our projects, this phase has been all about turning design concepts into physical prototypes, testing their performance, and making critical engineering decisions based on real-world constraints.
iKMC Cable Management: From Concept to Clip
Following valuable feedback from our supervisor, Dr. Kevin Holmes, and our client, Elisha Sanoussi, we revised our initial design by incorporating a clip-to-clip mechanism. In this design, a primary clip attaches securely to the mother’s garment, allowing secondary interchangeable clips to snap into place and hold various medical cables, such as IV lines, CPAP tubes, and NG tubes.
We successfully 3D printed the first versions of both the IV stand clip and the garment clip using a variety of materials PLA, PTU, and ABS to evaluate strength, flexibility, and durability. The IV stand clip can accommodate at least six tubes, while the garment clip holds up to three, allowing better cable organization and supporting comfortable, uninterrupted Kangaroo Mother Care.
First 3D-Printed IV Stand Clip Prototype
Front View of Garment-Attached Clip Prototype
First Iteration of Garment-Attached Clip
Modular Garment Clip with Rotating Lock Mechanism
After assembling the clips, we tested them by attaching different types of tubes to observe how well they held under simulated use conditions. This helped us understand how the clips perform when subjected to real-life tugs, bends, and movements.
Garment-Attached Clip with Tubes Inserted
Clip System with Tubes Attached for Testing
We also conducted Design Review 2, where we presented our improved prototype, shared observations from testing, and received feedback on further iterations. One important suggestion from the review was to make the clip-to-clip design more modular, allowing the garment clip to hold various shapes and sizes of interchangeable cable holders. We are now continuing to iterate on the mechanism to enhance its usability and versatility.
Giant Cheetos Puff Machine: Addressing Speed and Torque
On the Cheetos side, we tackled one of the most significant mechanical challenges: the extruder’s high speed causing low torque, which directly affects the consistency and performance of the puffing process.
Our motor, rated at 3450 RPM and 5 HP (3.7 kW), was running the extruder at approximately 2495 RPM. However, through testing and research, we found that optimal puffing requires an extruder speed of just 350 to 500 RPM. The excessive speed not only leads to low torque but also causes product inconsistencies and motor strain during operation.
Burnt Extruder Screw due to Low Torque and High Speed
Burnt Residue on Die Due to Improper Material Flow
We evaluated three potential solutions:
Purchasing a lower-speed motor with a 1440 RPM rating,
Installing a Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) to regulate motor speed,
Changing the size of the pulleys/wheels to adjust the speed ratio.
We chose to pursue the third option due to its feasibility and cost-effectiveness. The original system had a 7.7-inch pulley on the motor and an 11-inch pulley on the extruder, resulting in the undesired high RPM. We replaced the motor pulley with a 2.8-inch pulley, which reduced the extruder speed to around 878 RPM, a significant improvement, though still above the target range.
Original 7.7-Inch Motor Pulley Wheel
2.8-Inch Motor Pulley Wheel for Torque Adjustment
To accommodate the new configuration, we repositioned the extruder slightly to maintain belt tension and reused the same belt. We also filed down the screw head to increase the gap between the screw and die, improving material flow and reducing friction that previously caused stalling. With the mechanical modifications complete, the machine was prepared for the next phase of testing.
Yellow and White Corn Grits Used in Extrusion Testing
Extrusion Machine Fitted with New 2.8-inch Motor Wheel
Finally, we presented all progress and technical decisions during our Design Review 2, where we explained our speed-reduction strategy, testing observations, and next steps for improving puff consistency through material composition and extrusion control.
These experiences are pushing me to think critically, problem-solve across disciplines, and communicate designs clearly. I’m excited to continue iterating both projects and getting closer to solutions that could make a real-world impact.
Over the past two weeks, our team has been actively engaged in two parallel projects: refining the Cheetos puffing machine and advancing the iKMC Cable Management system for Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC). Both projects, though very different in application, reflect the same spirit of hands-on engineering, thoughtful design, and meaningful impact.
Designing for Connection in Kangaroo Mother Care
Preterm infants are often connected to multiple life-sustaining devices CPAP, IV lines, and nasogastric tubes. These cables can make Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC), a proven skin-to-skin contact method, difficult to sustain. To address this, our team is developing the iKMC Cable Management system, a set of simple, low-cost, and user-friendly tools that help organize medical lines to enable safe and uninterrupted KMC.
We recently presented our progress to our supervisor, Dr. Holmes, alongside client Elisha Sanoussi and a guest.
During our presentation to Dr. Holmes, we shared a design in which a primary clip is mounted on the IV stand to hold up to six cables or tubes, while individual secondary clips are attached to the mother’s garment each securing a single cable or tube.
Team presentation with supervisor Dr. Holmes, client Elisha Sanoussi, and guest attendee during the iKMC Cable Management system design review.
Based on their feedback, we are now pursuing a clip-to-clip mechanism, where a primary clip attaches to the mother’s garment and connects to secondary interchangeable clips, each holding a specific type of cable or tube. This modular approach increases adaptability and personalization for clinical needs.
We have designed multiple clip concepts and are iterating in SolidWorks to determine the most ergonomic, secure, and easy-to-use version. In parallel, we’re exploring molding techniques for scalable production and investigating sterilization methods appropriate for clinical environments.
Focused research and design work during development of the iKMC Cable Management system.
This project has been a powerful reminder that biomedical engineering is not just about building devices it’s about designing with empathy to improve real-life experiences for both caregivers and their newborns.
Optimizing the Puff Cheetos Project Progress
Simultaneously, we’ve continued refining the Cheetos puffing machine, focusing on mechanical improvements to ensure better extrusion performance. A major goal has been to reduce motor speed to increase torque, which is critical for effective puffing.
We also made adjustments to wheel alignment and motion stability. On the electronics side, we developed an Arduino-based system that captures temperature data from three key points along the machine. This system exports the data into Excel files, allowing us to analyze and plot temperature curves during operation.
Setting up the Cheetos puffing machine for extrusion testing.
In our testing phase, we experimented with grit moisture levels at 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, and 45%, carefully observing puff quality and extrusion performance. One key finding is that lower moisture levels require higher torque, which currently limits the effectiveness of our extruder.
Examining our first puffing attempt from the Cheetos machine.
Next steps include making further mechanical adjustments to increase torque and continuing our thermal analysis to better correlate temperature with puffing quality. This process is teaching us how precise control over variables like moisture, heat, and pressure directly impacts food texture and system performance
