week4

learned to use Fusion360 and appreciated the non linear workflow

learned about the 3D printer and its needs and constraints, concerning max. and min. measurements

also learned 3D printing is very expensive

made a lot of tests with modelling in Fusion360

got to know the Repair Café on Thursday excursion

volunteered for editing this weeks Zine

made a concept for a SCDP (Surpreme Court Decision Predictor)

thought about how to assemble the electronic parts in the most space saving form

made a zine spread about the concept of efficiency

printed a prototype of my own design for the SCDP in the industrial printer, the print took 4.5 hours, the washing of the support material took 16 hours

collaborative learning & reflection

The teamwork with Asle was very efficient and we had no problems or difficulties. I liked how we came to decisions in the beginning very fast. During working on the assignment though we were frequently checking on each other but not really collaborating on one thing. This is mainly because we were all supposed to make a own model in Fusion 360 and therefore an own design. Also my laptop couldn't run the programme for some reason in the beginning, thats why I worked from home two days of this week, which made collaborating in a side-by-side kind of way a little impossible. I am not sure if this kind of assignment is very fit to teamwork in general, because one is best able to teach oneself through tutorials on the internet and trial and error. As I live close to Moritz though we decided to make one of the two days I stayed at home a collaborative Fusion-day. Basically we were staying in the same room while working on our own models. Still it was useful to being in one place while doing it because smaller questions were very easy to answer if one of us knew the answer already. Since I already spent the day before in the programme I was able to help Moritz once in a while with basic things when he asked me. That was nice.

In general: I got really excited learning the programme Fusion 360. Working with the programme really put me in a flow so I worked on modelling for 2 days straight. I perceived the programme as very intuitive and would like to explore it more.

Also concerning teamwork with Asle: Both our models were the first ones to be printed, so we even had time to volunteer for editing the zine and making something individual with it. When deciding on the format and constraints of this weeks zine we were also very quick in coming to decisions and it was pleasant - also no problems here more like a ping-pong kind of collaboration which lead to a result we both liked.

model with placeholder parts

first drafts, trying out the proportions, modelling a closing mechanism

I need to decide about my learning manifesto. It is finished, but I am not sure yet weather or not I picked the right things.

final model ready for printing

In pairs, create a 3D product design for one of the eight missing projects suggested in Jolliffe’s article. The goal of the assignment is to think of ways to communicate the concept in the design of the object and its packaging, and to explore ways to make the hardware fit inside, without moving around, and buttons can be pressed without them disappearing into the object. We will break open electronic toys to study their insides in class. It should be possible to open the project and reach the electronics (no glue).

Print your object, and present it on Monday by explaining why this dummy project would be an example of critical making. What does it critique? How does its form (and packaging) convey that?

1. Study the project brief, try to understand what it wants to critique, why it’s important
2. Make a sketch and clay model of the product, think about what it should look like to convey the right message
3. Study and measure the hardware required and decide how to place it inside the design
4. Explore ways to keep the hardware in place (study other electronics objects)
5. Design your object using a 3D modelling software
6. Print your product, and assemble (it doesn’t have to work electronically!)
7. Bonus: design and create the packaging

the surpreme court decision predictor

measurements of the parts by Asle

critical making & 3D

Asle and I decided to go with the surpreme court decision predictor. For getting to know the programme better, I started modelling a basic shell for the parts first.
After having done that, I went back to scratch and thougt about the form I wanted to print.

- first i modelled rough shapes for the electronic parts, that should fit in the design, so I could use them as a visual placehoder

- then I thought about size and shape of the device itself, referring to the parts

- I decided to try making a object which would be not larger then nescessary

- it should be a handheld device

First I wanted to go with a round shape, which was inspired through a Magic 8-Ball. After I modelled a bit on that approach, I shifted directions and thought about gaming devices more, because I found it quite fitting to the case. I explored shapes on paper first and then quickly tried them im Fusion 360. That was a good way to come to the final form.

modelling the device

Started from basic shapes, shelling the electronic parts. The device should have a gamey appeal. Considering the purpose of the device I found that very fitting. The "Yes" and "No" buttons should appear like Trigger Buttons of a controller. The Display should be placed in the middle of it. I spent two days with modelling the device. While redesigning it 3 times in total, this to the left became the final basic model for refining.

refining and printing

print from the industrial 3D printer:
- 4 hours printing time
- 14 hours washing for support material removal

Printing the final model was very exciting. I've never had done something like that before. So I was very curious if the parts would fit in the print in the end. After printing in the industrial printer for approx. 4,5 hours the print needed to go into the washing mashine für about 14 hours (!). The washing machine should remove the support material, which it did. Onliy in the shaft for holding the two parts together was support material left, which wasn't removed by the machine.

Kaj assumed, this only happened because the parts were not placed in there in the best way, probably sideways. I didn't put the print in the machine myself so I wouldn't know how it was placed unfortunately.

What I would do differently:
1. Make a better closing mechanism
2. Make the wall a bit stronger, I went for 2 mm, 3 would have been more stable and possible to make a snug way of putting the two shells together
3. Consider more kerf: the parts were to fit very tightly. at some places I needed to remove a little bit of the material to mak it fit. 0.5 mm more wiggleroom are probably better
4. Prototype with the shape. Though I wanted to make it ergonomicly pleasant, I felt the shape was not as "elegant" as I intended. It didn't lay in the hand as I wished.

but everything fit! The parts fit in the model, which was very cool. At some places I needed to apply force, but it fit after all. The holes for the buttons were too tight, so after putting them in, they were held so tight, that one of them wasn't able to be pushed anymore.

I calculated additional space of 0.4-0.5 mm for the holes for the parts. That was not quite enough. 0.7 - 1 mm space would have done the trick, I suppose

opened device with all parts

finding the correct angle for still being able to fit the display in

measuring the holes for the buttons with virtual button placeholder

final digital measurement test with placeholders

Asle and I were the editors of this week's zine. We decided for a A5 high format and a self made ring binding. The cover and back of the zine was designed as one part. If you open it, the two pages become one image.

I love Fusion360 <3
I want to make more with that programme. It is very cool how accurate I can be in the framework. Still I don't know what exactly I could do with it. I mean I can print everything, but I would like it to have a function aswell. I'm a bit sad, that we only spend one week on the 3D printers. I consider 3D printing as a option for the 10 week project.

concept sketches, shapes I liked