MICROSOFT SURFACE DUO

Photo of Surface Duo iFixIt teardown; the two halves of the device are connected with friction hinges and micro coaxial cables. I worked on this subassembly as a mechanical engineer at Microsoft.

Photo of Surface Duo 2, showing the range of postures the device can handle from 0 to 360 degrees.

What is it?: 

The Surface Duo is Microsoft’s dual screen folding cell phone with a 360 degree hinge. It was named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2020.

How did you contribute?: 

I was a member of the original Surface Duo engineering team, and I also worked on the next generation of products as a full-time mechanical engineer at Microsoft.

On the original Duo, I designed a critical injection molded part in the electro-mechanical hinge subassembly, developed life-cycle test fixtures, and traveled to China to work with the supplier for the release of this part for the engineering build.

In my work for next generation products, I synthesized requirements from industrial design and electrical engineering teams to conduct initial sizing and design trades. I also analyzed FEA and developed assembly processes for critical-to-safety subsystems.

Biggest Takeaways:

  • Design for mass manufacturing

  • Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing

  • Supplier management and working with vendors aboard