Ball bearing sorter | John Parker

A machine that sorts 1/4" to 1/2" ball bearings in nylon, brass, and steel. I led the team and owned the lifting device, which raised the bearings so the rest of the machine could sort them by gravity. Printed in PLA on a Prusa MK4. Top 6 at the 2025 ASME Student Design Competition.

Role: Team lead. Owned the lifting device
Process: 3D printing
Sketch to part: 10 weeks
Where: ASME SDC 2025
Tools: Prusa MK4
PLA

What it had to do

The machine sorts ball bearings from 1/4" to 1/2" across three materials: nylon, brass, and steel.

My part: the lifting device

My part was the lifting device. It raised the bearings to build up potential energy, so the rest of the machine could sort them using gravity alone.

A white printed chain of linked cells held up over a square taped on the floor — An early printed chain for the lift.

The blue printed lift drum with ball bearings in its slots, on a stepper motor — The lift drum, loaded with bearings.

Build

The parts were printed in PLA on a Prusa MK4. First sketch to working machine took about 10 weeks.

Hands probing the sorter's electronics with a multimeter on a table — Checking the wiring with a multimeter.

Result

I led the Dallas College team. We placed in the top 6 at the 2025 ASME Student Design Competition, a national event, and were the only community college competing against four-year universities.

The Dallas College team kneeling behind the sorter in its wooden test frame at the 2025 competition — The team and the sorter at the 2025 competition.

Overview

What it had to do

My part: the lifting device

Build

Result