foldable scooter
Kick folds. A foldable scooter built from scratch during my third year of university. The mechanism is the entire project: a hinge that lets the deck collapse onto the column, designed to handle different terrains while staying small enough to carry. Built on a recycled plastic base, then welded and assembled with direct involvement at every stage.
One hinge, two states.
The folding pivots on a single point at the base of the column. Scroll to see the transition.
A folded hinge, a recycled base, and welding by hand.
Different ways to close and open the mechanism were explored before committing to one. The answer was folded sheet metal: bent plates that hold the column rigid when open and let it rotate down when released.
The base is cut from a sheet of recycled plastic: shredded waste, heated and pressed into a plate. Strong enough to stand on, unaffected by water, and a way to build the frame on material that already existed.
Direct involvement in the welding process to keep the geometry accurate. Working with the supplier wasn't enough, the joints had to be checked piece by piece.
A 3D-printed accessory, held by magnets.
A small side study: a printed accessory designed around magnetic inserts. Flexible material on the inside, rigid shell outside, attached to the frame through embedded magnets. Less a feature than a morphological exercise, exploring how 3D printing and magnetic fixings can replace traditional hardware on a vehicle.