Nimble electric longboard folded for carrying

Iowa State Industrial Design
Capstone Project

NIMBLE

NIMBLE

PROJECT OBJECTIVE

To create a compromise free mobility solution for college and urban city residents.

OPPORTUNITY SPACE

ELECTRIC LONGBOARDS

Estimated Market Growth

2025

3.51

Billion

2032

4.52

Billion

Commuting is

40%

of the daily e-board use.

Daily e-board users:

4-7

Million

EXISTING PRODUCTS

Linky

Linky folding electric longboard

No easy method to carry

Short range

No locking mechanism

Small foot space

Board up

BoardUp folding longboard in extended and folded positions

Large when folded

Short range

Small Footspace

Uncomfortable handle

Market Opportunity

All existing products have wheel well cut outs to prevent the wheel from hitting the deck. With foldable longboards, 5 - 8 inches of footpace is used for these wells.

Wheel well clearance on a longboard deck

Ideation

Exploring Shape

Nimble longboard shape and folding mechanism sketches

Understanding Interaction

Sketch showing the Nimble deck extending and folding

Theorizing Mechanisms

Longboard handle and folding mechanism studies

Color and shape

Nimble color and deck shape concept studies

The most imperative part of this process is the CAD model, where the idea goes from a concept to a manufacturable design. I use my favorite software Solidworks to make my design a reality

CAD model of Nimble folded for transportUnderside CAD view of Nimble's battery and wheel assembliesNimble CAD model partially folded

Final Concept.

Rider using the Nimble electric longboard
Nimble carried by its integrated folding handle

Locking Handle

The handle slides up when picked up by the user, disengaging the locking pins and allowing the board to fold.

Battery

25

mph

18

mi range

1

hr full charge

Expanding Wheel Wells

By unfolding the board, the wheel assembly extends, creating the wheel wells needed. This allows maximum portability without sacrificing total size when expanded.

Board Fabrication

Cut the rough shape of the tops with a band saw

Sand board into final shape

Rough cut metal for CNC Machining

CNC Machining all metal parts

Fabrication Materials

ABS PLASTIC

Strong, cheap plastic common in injection molding

6061 ALUMINUM

Lightweight easy to machine metal

4140 STEEL

Engineering grade steel used in automotive and aerospace industries.

MAPLE WOOD

Flexible, strong wood common in longboard construction

Metal Part Fabrication

CNC machining uses sharp carbide endmills to slowly chip away at material to create the end part.

Over 25 parts were made out of 6061 aluminum and 4140 steel to create all of the load bearing parts.

Electronic's Fabrication

Assembly

Assembly of a machined Nimble wheel support
Nimble wheel and belt-drive assembly
Metal hinge mechanism mounted to the wooden deck
Installing hardware in a machined longboard component
Assembling the Nimble prototype in the workshop
Close-up of the Nimble deck's folding linkage

Final Prototype

Nimble prototype partially folded with electronics visible
Nimble prototype folded with wooden deck facing upward
Compact folded Nimble prototype with blue wheels
Underside of the completed Nimble electric longboard
Completed Nimble prototype with maple deck and grip tape