Each semester, the machine shop in MIT’s Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity churns out hundreds of yo-yos. The yo-yos come in all shapes and sizes. They often have a theme – this past semester there were beach-themed yo-yos adorned with sharks and starfish, as well as a Star Wars-themed yo-yos, complete with rotating lightsabers. These yo-yos are the creation of mechanical engineering students in class 2.008 (Design and Manufacturing II). In the class, students learn about the manufacturing processes used for everyday products ranging from toys to cars to smartphones….
