Automated Food Container Lid-Opener Prototype

We're looking for an experienced mechanical/electromechanical designer to develop a working prototype of an automated machine that removes lids from small, sealed food containers without any user interaction. The machine will be a compact, household-appliance scale and will combine several lid-opening units into a single integrated device. This project is part of a larger household appliance line for automated food dispensing.

Scope of work:

Milestone 1 — Concept Design

- Propose a mechanism and actuation approach for automatically removing peel-tab foil lids from small containers (roughly cup-sized, various shapes/materials)
- Provide a brief comparison of actuator/mechanism options with a recommendation
- Preliminary sizing and force estimates
- Concept review and approval before proceeding

Milestone 2 — Detailed Design & Fabrication Package (upon concept approval)

- Complete CAD design of the full assembly
- STL files for 3D printing — each mechanical part delivered as a separate file, sized for PETG printing
- DWG fabrication drawings with dimensions, tolerances, materials, and fasteners
- Final documentation: BOM, assembly instructions, and design notes

Key requirements:

- Fully automatic, no-touch operation
- Compact, appliance-appropriate footprint
- Reliable operation across a range of container sizes and materials
- Food-safe design: no contamination of contents!

Ideal Freelancer for this Project:

- Mechanical/electromechanical design experience, especially with mechanisms that move or actuate (dispensing, packaging, or similar)
- Can propose their own mechanism/actuator approach from a functional brief
- Strong CAD skills with production-ready fabrication drawings, not just concepts
- Experience designing for 3D printing (PETG a plus)
- Comfortable signing an NDA and assigning IP as standard practice
- Clear communicator who flags trade-offs rather than guessing

Note: This project involves proprietary and patent-sensitive mechanical designs. You will be required to sign an NDA and an Intellectual Property Transfer Agreement before receiving detailed specifications, reference images, or the full technical brief.