Kierstin Dent
Job role:Staff Industrial Designer
Skills:I’m a maker with a passion for creating physical models, especially detailed replicas of cosplay weapons. I also specialize in producing photo-realistic renderings of my designs using KeyShot, bringing concepts to life with high visual accuracy and polish.
With a background in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan and Product Design from The College for Creative Studies, I'm a huge fan of innovations that unite form and function. Currently I'm implementing my technical prowess and passion for CMF at Milwaukee Tool as an Industrial Designer on the Mechanics Hand Tools and Marking Expansion teams.
Recent blog entries
With Cecilia’s refined concept sketches complete, the next phase of the process was rapid prototyping.
Our Advanced Visualization team took the orthographic renderings and transformed them into a detailed 3D CAD model, allowing the invention to move from a 2D concept into a fully digital product. Seeing Cecilia’s idea translated into a real 3D form was an exciting milestone in the development process.
Once the CAD model was finalized, we moved into physical prototyping by sending the design to a 3D printer. This first prototype gave us an opportunity to evaluate the overall physical form, scale, and ergonomics of the concept in real life for the very first time.
Rapid prototyping plays a huge role in the design process because it helps us better understand how a product will look, feel, and function before moving into further refinement. Watching Cecilia’s original idea evolve from a sketch into something tangible has been incredibly rewarding, and we’re excited for the next stage of development.
After meeting with Cecilia and building out the design map, the next step in the process was refining her original “napkin sketch” into a more developed concept render.
Using the key features, materials, colors, and functionality we discussed, I created a set of refined orthographic sketches that clearly define the design and show where each feature lives on the product. These renderings help translate Cecilia’s original idea into a format that can be understood from both a design and engineering perspective while still staying true to her vision.
This phase is an important step in the development process because it bridges imagination and real-world production. With the concept now more clearly defined, the project will be handed off to our Advanced Visualization team, who will begin creating 3D CAD models in preparation for prototyping.
It’s exciting to see Cecilia’s idea continue evolving from an initial sketch into something tangible and buildable!
04/23 Zoom Meet!
One of the most exciting parts of the Little Inventors program is getting the opportunity to collaborate directly with young inventors and help bring their ideas to life through design and engineering.
This week, I met my Little Inventor, Cecilia, over Zoom for the very first time. She walked me through her invention idea, explaining the features she wanted included, how she imagined it working, and some of the key colors and materials she envisioned for the final design.
After our conversation, I organized all of her ideas into a design map to help lay out the important features and direction for the refined concept. This map will serve as the foundation for the next stage of the design process as I begin bringing Cecilia’s imagination to life.
I’m excited to continue developing her idea and share more of the journey along the way!
