John Hong
Stanford, CA

I am a product designer who operates at the junction of software and hardware. From machine interfaces to mobile/web platforms, I design experiences through a lens that places people at the heart of innovation.

With a MS in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford, specializing in physical product design and manufacturing, and a BS in Product Design from Stanford, I blend technical expertise with a deep foundation in human-centered design to create meaningful, impactful solutions.


Professional Work

Projects
· Physical Design & Manufacturing
· Digital UX Design (Web, Mobile, VR/AR)
· Jewelry Design

About Me
Quintessence

Jan — Mar 2024
10 weeks Building my own espresso machine had been a long-time goal ever since I got into specialty coffee, so I used the opportunity of an independent study to finally bring that vision to life.

The process was demanding. I dove deep into research on brewing 9-bar espresso, studied how commercial machines are built, and explored a range of design approaches. After several iterations and pivots, I settled on a direction that leveraged generative design in Fusion 360 to model a portafilter capable of withstanding the calculated forces of a 9-bar shot, with a safety factor of 2.5.

I designed the setup to fit seamlessly into a Dake arbor press, realizing I could repurpose the lab’s press to generate the necessary pressure. I printed the portafilter using SLA with Formlabs’ Tough2000 resin, machined the piston interface on a manual lathe for food safety, and repurposed an off-the-shelf polycarbonate brew chamber from Superkop. To complete the system, I FDM-printed custom PLA accessories—a dosing funnel, WDT tool, distributor, and tamper.


Early Prototyping

CAD & Simulation

Fabrication & Further Prototyping

Mid-Point Prototype

Final Product & Demo Video