Another sleep-deprived Wednesday, and nothing seems to be working. Cup of joe? No. Vat of ice? No dice. How ’bout a nice whisker plucking? Why yes, that will do just fine, thank you. After you clean up the bleeding, you can shake off the mid-week doldrums by taking a peek inside your favorite and perhaps not-so-favorite gadgets. Grab your toolbox and get inspired!

This week’s entry: Norelco 7885XL Electric Razor

The Norelco 7885XL  is an electric razor from Philips Norelco. Its patented Lift & Cut technology is unique in that it actually attempts to lift each hair and cut it below skin level. This model was just one in a long line of products since its introduction in 1939. Take off the blade guards and it also doubles as the perfect zombie stun gun.

GUT CHECK

Top Level Components & Sub-Assemblies: 84

  • Most unexpected surprise: Dogs and cats cough up hairballs. Well, so do electric shavers. Also, the batteries are easily replaceable if you’re willing to do a bit of soldering.
  • Most difficult item to access/dissassemble: A few of the blade drive shafts had some pretty intense press-fits to other components. Those are usually the kind that you never really know if they’ll go back together correctly.
  • Unsolved mystery: Just what exactly is that back vent seal for? It can’t let through water, yet it’s flexible and has vent holes on the other side of the plastic component. Heat expansion? Pressure compensation? A mock microphone you can pretend sing into?

What is Gut Check? Gut Check is a tribute to all the design, engineering, and manufacturing peeps out there using 3D/2D/Whatever-D day in and day out, to create and bring to life the products that we all use and enjoy every day. You’re the ones who are down in the trenches, making it happen. It’s also a look at the complexity and beauty of seemingly simple products. One look under the hood will reveal that almost anything is a “large assembly” and requires an enormous amount of time and effort to make everything come together in something that embodies the epitome of form, fit, and function.

Gut Check is sponsored by SolidBox. Your source for servers, desktops, and laptops configured specifically for SolidWorks and Mastercam.


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