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I’m Walt Rakestraw, a product designer with a passion for human-centered solutions that blend good form with everyday use. My work ranges from furniture development at Century Furniture to prosthetic design and additive manufacturing in academic research, always grounded in real user needs and accessible workflows. I thrive in cross-functional teams, translating complex constraints into tangible designs, prototyping with 3D printing, and communicating updates clearly to stakeholders. I’m motivated by small, meaningful improvements that make a difference in people’s lives and I’m excited to continue creating products that matter.…I’m Walt Rakestraw, a product designer with a passion for human-centered solutions that blend good form with everyday use. My work ranges from furniture development at Century Furniture to prosthetic design and additive manufacturing in academic research, always grounded in real user needs and accessible workflows. I thrive in cross-functional teams, translating complex constraints into tangible designs, prototyping with 3D printing, and communicating updates clearly to stakeholders. I’m motivated by small, meaningful improvements that make a difference in people’s lives and I’m excited to continue creating products that matter.

Walt Rakestraw

Product Designer, Designer, 3D Designer, +1

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I’m Walt Rakestraw, a product designer with a passion for human-centered solutions that blend good form with everyday use. My work ranges from furniture development at Century Furniture to prosthetic design and additive manufacturing in academic research, always grounded in real user needs and accessible workflows. I thrive in cross-functional teams, translating complex constraints into tangible designs, prototyping with 3D printing, and communicating updates clearly to stakeholders. I’m motivated by small, meaningful improvements that make a difference in people’s lives and I’m excited to continue creating products that matter.…I’m Walt Rakestraw, a product designer with a passion for human-centered solutions that blend good form with everyday use. My work ranges from furniture development at Century Furniture to prosthetic design and additive manufacturing in academic research, always grounded in real user needs and accessible workflows. I thrive in cross-functional teams, translating complex constraints into tangible designs, prototyping with 3D printing, and communicating updates clearly to stakeholders. I’m motivated by small, meaningful improvements that make a difference in people’s lives and I’m excited to continue creating products that matter.

Available to hire

I’m Walt Rakestraw, a product designer with a passion for human-centered solutions that blend good form with everyday use. My work ranges from furniture development at Century Furniture to prosthetic design and additive manufacturing in academic research, always grounded in real user needs and accessible workflows.

I thrive in cross-functional teams, translating complex constraints into tangible designs, prototyping with 3D printing, and communicating updates clearly to stakeholders. I’m motivated by small, meaningful improvements that make a difference in people’s lives and I’m excited to continue creating products that matter.

Skills

Experience Level

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

Work Experience

Product Development Intern at Century Furniture

January 1, 2026 - Present

Created AutoCAD orthographic and frame construction drawings to support CNC production and product development. Attended product development meetings to revise designs for manufacturing standards, comfort, and customer needs. Communicated design updates through email and PowerPoint presentations with supervisors and cross-functional teams. Supported prototyping by 3D printing parts for product development and High Point Market preparation.

Undergraduate Research Assistant, Prosthetic Design & Additive Manufacturing at Appalachian State University

January 1, 2024 - Present

Developed anatomically accurate prosthetic hand sockets using 3D printing, PLA/TPU, and Blender-based parametric tools. Collaborated with faculty and a prosthetic wearer to refine comfort, usability, durability, and overall fit through testing. Advanced low-cost fabrication workflows for resource-limited clinics and created accessible documentation for non technical users. Presented findings at the Appalachian State Global Symposium and co-authored published research on prosthetic design.