Soda gun
From DDL Wiki
Executive Summary
Use Study
1. What are the stakeholder needs?
What attributes does the user need for from the product? What attributes does the retailer have?
The User/Bartender:
This product will be principally used by bartenders at commercial food and drink establishments. This product allows for multiple soda types to be served at a quick pace with uniform accuracy. The user expects that the product will complete the task at hand, namely separating different soda type.
Some key qualities that the bartender expects are:
- Responsive, fast serving when each button is pressed
- Easy to understand button configuration and operating procedures allowing for operation with little training and muscle memory
- Typically, these types of devices are built in an industry-standard layout.
- Any hoses or pumps must reach the full range of bar in case other employees need it
- It may be common for multiple bartenders and/or waiters to need access as well
- Easy to repair, easy to maintain, easy to clean
- Avoiding contamination issues will allow the establishment to be healthy and satisfy customer needs (no one wants a coke with orange soda residue in it)
- The user expects durable quality
- During peak hours, the gun may be thrown around, dropped etc.
- The user would like the product to be “Ergonometricly” friendly
- Over the course of a long shift, the user may hold and operate the gun for a long time
- Most products come with a holster that allows for storing and draining when the gun is not in use. The product must fit snugly in the holder to prevent any jostling, but also accessible enough to allow for easy removal and use, ideally with one hand.
The Restaurant/Bar Owner:
From the perspective of the owner, this product should be cheap to manufacture, require little maintenance, and be durable enough to last a long time after purchase. In many cases, the beverage company itself is responsible for the installation and maintenance of the gun, but if the owner can avoid these costs, he would be interested.
The Retailer:
The retailer of the gun wants the product to be aesthetically pleasing, which encourages customers to buy the gun and use it at their bar. He also expects the gun to be of high-quality to support his business, which may include water-resistance and consistent flow-rate. The gun should be as compact as possible while performing the task at hand to allow for easier shipping, and giving bars the greatest amount of room to operate in, without bulky equipment in the way. Finally, the retailer wants the product to be easily explained and easily integrate-able into a bar. This allows for easier sales and a more diverse customer base.
2. How the product works mechanically
- Press a button, and it opens a valve connected to a type of soda. The gun then mixes water, carbon dioxide, and the designated syrup and distributes the mixture into a cup. - The strength of the syrup in the mixture and what types of drinks are available are customizable and adjustable, allowing for the user to create a set up that best works for their demand and beverage company contracts.
3. How the product is used (step by step)
- (Set-Up)
- Learn which buttons go to each soda
- Pick up gun
- Point nozzle to cup
- Press appropriate button
- Fill to required level
- Re-holster gun
Bill of Materials
| Part # | Part Name | QTY | Weight (g) | Function | Material | Manufacturing | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soda Gun Sub-Assembly | |||||||
| 1 | "Round head 1/2" Length 1/8th" Dia Phillips" | 2 | <1 | Fastens button panel | Stainless Steel | Std Purchase Part | |
| 2 | Elliptical Soda Button (Top) | 2 | <1 | User input button for soda, designates type | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 3 | Eliptical Soda Button (Bot) | 2 | <1 | Translates input key foce to release soda | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 4 | Circle Soda Button (Top) | 8 | <1 | User input button for soda, designates type | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 5 | Circle Soda Button (Bot) | 8 | <1 | Translates input key foce to release soda | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 6 | "Flat head 3/8" len 1/8" dia philips" | 2 | <1 | Fastens panel to gun body | Stainless Steel | Std Purchase Part | |
| 7 | Plastic Washer (For Part #6) | 2 | <1 | Spacing | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 8 | Small Butterfly Cliip | 2 | <1 | Aligns button to pin valves | Stainless Steel | Die Cast, punched | |
| 9 | Large Butterfly Clip | 2 | <1 | Aligns button to pin valves | Stainless Steel | Die Cast, punched | |
| 10 | Button Panel, blue, 10 button | 1 | 12 | Holds all buttons in place | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 11 | "Round head 1" len 1/8" dia flat screw" | 2 | <1 | Fastened gun to hose base | Stainless Steel | Std Purchase Part | |
| 12 | "Round head 1/2" len, 1/8" dia flat screw" | 2 | <1 | Fastened gun to hose base | Stainless Steel | Std Purchase Part | |
| 13 | "Hexagon, 7/8" len, 1/8" dia threaded head (Recieves Part #11)" | 2 | <1 | Fastened gun to hose base | Stainless Steel | Std Purchase Part | |
| 14 | Nozzle caps, clear plastic | 10 | <1 | Reduces hose diameter into gun base | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 15 | O-ring, rubber | 10 | <1 | Seals hose to gun base | Rubber | Std Purchase Part | |
| 16 | "Round head, 3/8" len, 1/8" dia, philips screw" | 5 | <1 | Fasten back panel to gun | Stainless Steel | Std Purchase Part | |
| 17 | Back panel, blue | 1 | 6 | Provides grip to back of gun, aesthetic | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 18 | "Custom screw, 1/2" len, 1/8" dia, flat head" | 1 | <1 | Supports back panel | Stainless Steel | Std Purchase Part | |
| 19 | Rubber o-ring for Part #18 | 1 | <1 | Seals screw, provides snug fit | Rubber | Std Purchase Part | |
| 20 | "O-ring, rubber, red 1/4" dia" | 12 | <1 | Seals valve assy | Rubber | Std Purchase Part | |
| 21 | Clear plastic spring cap | 12 | <1 | Caps spring (Part #22) | Plastic | ||
| 22 | "Small spring, 1/2" len" | 12 | <1 | Translates input to opening valve, reset valv when released | Stainless Steel | Std Purchase Part | |
| 23 | "O-ring, rubber, red, 1/8" dia" | 12 | <1 | Seals (Part #24) to valve assy | Rubber | Std Purchase Part | |
| 24 | Pin | 12 | <1 | Holds valve in place, allows for vertical motion | Stainless Steel | Std Purchase Part | |
| 25 | Plastic valve | 12 | <1 | Glued to pin, opens/closes each syrup line | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 26 | Soda gun Nozzle, plastic, blue | 1 | 13 | Focuses final soda dispense | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 27 | "Black, O-ring, rubber, 1" dia" | 1 | <1 | Seals nozzle head to gun | Rubber | Std Purchase Part | |
| 28 | Soda gun body | 1 | 113 | Directs and organizes flow for all fluids exiting soda gun | Plastic | Machined in five layers, irreversibly sealed together, post-drilled | |
| 29 | Soda gun nozzle base | 1 | 10 | Creates central location for syrup+soda to mix and exit gun | Plastic | Turned, glued to soda gun body | |
| 30 | Soda gun nozzle base retaining pins | 2 | <1 | Create fixture points for nozzle base | Stainless Steel | Turned | |
| 31 | Stickers (misc.) | 12 | <1 | Provides information and instructions about product, barcodes, safety information use, and beverage types | Paper | Printed | |
| Flow Regulator Sub-Assembly | |||||||
| 32 | Plastic Regulator Backing | 1 | 41 | Hold tubes to regulator | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 33 | "flat top, 1" len, 1/4" dia, philips head screw" | 4 | 3 (ea) | Fastens regulator casing together | Stainless Steel | Std Purchase Part | |
| 34 | Tube retainer, retaining clips | 20 | <1 | Retain the tube retainers to base | Stainless Steel | Std Purchase Part | |
| 35 | Tube housing, main body | 1 | 46 | Holds the tube housing | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 36 | Tube housing, single holder | 10 | 6 | Connects two sides of tubes | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 37 | Shut-off screw | 10 | <1 | Shuts off soda flow | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 38 | "Shut-off screw o-ring 1/4" dia, rubber" | 10 | <1 | Seals shut-off screws | Rubber | Std. Purchase Part | |
| 39 | Flow adjustment screw | 10 | <1 | Adjusts syrup/water ratio | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 40 | "Flow adjustment screw o-ring, 1/4" dia, rubber" | 10 | <1 | Seals adjustment screw | Rubber | Std. Purchase Part | |
| 41 | "Housing retaining pin 1", 5/32" dia" | 2 | 4 | Holds tube housing halves together | Stainless Steel | Cut to length | |
| 42 | Pivot pin for separating mechanism | 1 | <1 | Creates pivot point for half separator of plastic reg. housing | Stainless Steel | Cut to length | |
| 43 | Plastic regulator fronting | 1 | 63 | Hold tubes to regulator | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 44 | Cap of separating mechanism, white | 1 | <1 | User interaction point for separator mechanism | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 45 | Cap of separating mechanism rivot | 1 | <1 | Held cap to main separating body | Stainless Steel | Turned/Lathed | |
| 46 | Main separator body | 1 | 5 | Separates the halves | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| Small Tube Sub-Assembly | |||||||
| 47 | Small Eaton Synflex Tubing (4203-0400) | 10 | 11 | Carries syrup to gun | Plastic | Std. Purchase Part | |
| 48 | Plastic Hose Clamping Ring | 10 | <1 | Connects syrup tubing to end cap | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 49 | Ridged End-Cap | 10 | <1 | Connects tubing to dispensing system | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 50 | "O-ring, rubber, 3/8" dia, black" | 10 | <1 | Seals end cap | Rubber | Std. Purchase Part | |
| 51 | Plastic, anti-friction ring | 1 | 1 | Prevents metal casing from cutting tubing | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 52 | Outer tubing casing, metal | 1 | 200 | Gathers all tubes, protects against wear, allows for flexible movement | Stainless Steel | Std. Purchase Part | |
| 53 | Soda gun base connector | 1 | 11 | Connects handheld gun to the tubing casing | Plastic | Injection Molded | |
| 54 | Tubing holding plate | 1 | 10 | Holds all tubes in correct positions for handheld gun | Stainless Steel | Cut, stamped | |
| Large Tube Sub-Assembly | |||||||
| 55 | Rev-Flex P-E Hose | 10 | 63 | Carries liquid from source to soda gun assembly | Plastic | Std. Purchase Part | |
| 56 | Hose clamp | 10 | 2 | Fastens metal hose cap to hose | Stainless Steel | Std. Purchase Part | |
| 57 | O-ring, rubber, black | 10 | <1 | Seals threaded hose cap to assembly | Rubber | Std. Purchase Part | |
| 58 | Hose cap, metal | 10 | 7 | Allows liquid to flow from one tubing to another | Stainless Steel | Machined | |
