The assignment this week is a laser-cut mobile holder. I do hate mobiles and all screens that have ruined our lives, social communication, and intellectual skills. I would like to make something that takes (not holds) the mobile. It will be great if it has space for more than one device to enclose all available devices. I believe if I would like to work, do my assignment, or do homework, I have to take my mobile away.
No mobile is needed at home
I believe that members of a family are communicating and coordinating with each other in a very good way if they switch off their smart devices. It is something like the coordination of the two halves of the human brain. This idea has inspired me to color the mobile "taker" with this theme and call it the whole brain elephant.
If you would like to know more about the whole brain theory, you can search or buy a book on this topic.
The design I chose was just an elephant that can be used as a mobile taker or pen and pencil holder. It has two faces that can be colored differently to show the beauty of the two halves of the brain.
real product (a photo from google search)
To make the 2D sketch I used:
Software Fusion 360 as we have been trained on it in MD.
To fabricate the design I used:
FLE Laser Cutter as this is the availble laser cutter in FLE
LaserWork Software which is compatible with the laser cutter in FLE.
Plywood has been used. It is available in FLE in many thicknesses. I used 3mm thikness.
To make the cardboard prototype I used:
Cardboard
Pencil
Cutter
Software Fusion 360
Laser cutter
The design on fusion
I have searched the internet for nice designs (Keywords: mobile holder diy)
I found a nice design but didn't know anything about its dimensions.
I started to make a cardboard 3D design with real dimensions
The parts are now ready to be sketched using Fusion 360
First, the dimensions of all parts from the cardboard design were measured.
The design was made on Fusion 360.
The three parts of the elephant were drawn each in a separate sketch in the proper plane.
I drew symmetric holes and slots.
Most of the elephant's face was drawn with a spline.
The elephant face
The front and back
The bottom of the holder
First, a reference point was set CONSTRAINTS>Fix/unfix.
The design was defined in relation to the reference point to become a fully defined design.
I have made the sketch of the front, the elephant face and bottom "Fully-defined".
The elephant face
The front and back
The bottom of the holder
I have extruded all the parts and performed rigid assembly in Fusion 360 (Two front and back parts - One Base part - Two Side parts).
Two Side parts
Two front and back parts
One Base part
The extruded rigid parts has been assembled in Fusion 360 using the join button, and checked that all slots were in the proper place.
3D of the mobile taker
The sketch files have been exported as DXF files.
The file then was imported to LaserWork and change the setting.
unfortunately I have a problem with the elephant face. It was corrupted because of the undefined drawn spline.
I had to use software other than LaserWork; which is CorelDRAW. I had to draw the elephant trunk with CorelDRAW and then imported the new CDR file to LaserWork.
The speed and power of the cut parts were adjusted as follows;
speed: 30
power: 65.
The file was saved as RLD
The DXF file shows an error
The corrupted file on Corel
The trunk after drawing
For laser cutting;
The specialist helped me to set suitable power for this design and make a test design to test cloth laser cutting.
The file then was downloaded to the machine.
A plywood sheet was put in the machine, the origin was set and the focus was adjusted.
The file wan run.
The parts were joined with nails and screws.
The printed design
The final product
The laser cutting video
One faced problem was that the T slot was so fragile to the extent it broke during the transportation in my back bag from FLE to my home. I tried to fix it with some white glue.
The glued parts
The broken T slot
The unbroken T slot
Another problem that faced me was that I didn't know how to take a print screen. A sticky note written by my daughter Hana solved this problem.
how to take a screen shot
Laser-cut book cover
The final project should have an external hard case. Maybe, I will make it out of plywood.
I colored the final project to add an artistic look. It was amazing combining the complex design equation and the beauty of art.
The whole brain mobile taker
Ward and Bayan
I am proud of to do this diploma. I work hard behind the scene but I am sure that it will be fruitful.