History of the Fidget Spinner

The recent rise in popularity would lead one to believe that the fidget spinner is a relatively recent invention. Actually, fidget spinners have have been around since the 1990s.

Catherine Hettinger, a chemical engineer, designed the first iteration of a fidget spinner in 1993. Her design, made up of bearings and various materials, allowed the gadget to move fast in different directions. Catherine came up with the idea for this spinning toy to help children cope with their emotions and in turn the “spinning toy” was created. The spinners intent is to benefit children who exhibit symptoms of anxiety, autism or attention-deficit disorder.

Fidget Spinner Project Description

One of our Mechanical Engineers, Stephen, worked with his son Ricky to design, model, and 3D print their very own spinning toy!

Ricky (aged 8) was the industrial designer assigned to the project. He finalized his isometric drawings, complete with the “times sign” as a nod to how much he likes multiplication. His dad Stephen took care of the modeling, and an Engenious 3D printer finished the job by producing an SLA spinner in beautiful turquoise.

Tools

SolidWorks, Pencils, Pens, Paper