Week 3 - Journal

Ideation

Tell us about your assignment's idea for this week. Why do you care about this idea? What inspired you? (Please include images or links to sources of inspiration)

A pen/pencil holder + mobile phone stand

The assignment for this week is a pen holder. I am inspired by this design because it also serves as a mobile phone holder. I think it would be very useful for my partner to also have a space on his desk to place his phone. Desks can easily become messy and filled with all kinds of things. So having 1 multitasking holder will keep the desk tidier.

Another need of my partner is to remember to charge his phone, he often sends me around 4 pm that his phone will die, so not to worry. So I would like to try to include a charging station.

Tool Chain

Which software/machines/materials did you use in the assignment? Why?

For the 3D printing

Software: Fusion360

Software: Cura Ultimaker

Machine: 3D printer

Material: PLA

Software: I drew the bracket to support the phone charging station during the practice videos. I saved the 2 brackets as mesh into an .stl file. Then I imported it in Cura Ultimaker to slice it as preparation for 3D printing.

Machine: I will use the Prusa i3 MK2 to print the brackets.

Material: The material to print the brackets will be PLA, I will try to use black or grey as these colors are visually suitable for this project.

For the laser cutting

CAD software

RD works

Laser machine

3mm plywood

Software: I drew the pen/phone holder box in Fusion360. After finishing the drawing I exported each component using the export dxf for laser cut extension. Then I imported the components in RD works to prepare the file for the laser machine.

Machine: I will use the Malky laser machine which is available at Fablab.

Material: I will use 3 mm plywood to cut the components/panels from. I will also possibly use some woodglue to glue the bottom to the box.

Design/Preparation Process

Explain the design and/or preparation process of your assignment. How did you use the tool or software to design and/or prepare your assignment before fabrication/implementation?

Front panel - before mirroring

Joining the parts

Phone holder added - wood appearance

In this assignment I paid extra attention to:

1- Rule 0 and 1 in Fusion. To save the file and make new components.

2- Planning ahead by drawing the outline in construction lines and sketching before starting the drawing.

I mirrored the front panel and the side panels.

After joining the panels I made a new component for the bottom using projection points to make the joining parts and dimensions easier to draw.

I used the 3D bracket I drew in the practice videos to support the phone holder. There are holes in the phone holder face to connect to the bracket. I made an extra face to hold the charger and also made bigger holes so the nut will rest under the level of the face sheet. This so the phone doesn't get scratched.

I was not sure if I wanted to add holes in the bottom to connect the bracket, as the screw heads would make the whole project a bit unstable. I also wanted to keep the phone stand movable.

Files for the pen/phone holder

Design in Fusion [f3d]

Back/Front panel [dxf]

Bottom panel [dxf]

Mid panels [dxf]

Phone holder-front [dxf]

Side panels [dxf]

Dxf files imported in RDworks

Import in RDworks

After importing the dxf files one by one in RDworksm I locked their dimensions and grouped each part. I then arranged them to fit the sheet of plywood.

I tried nesting the objects, but I could not find the function in my software after watching this video:

Video on nesting in RDworks

In the video, they use the tool menu and then select nesting. I did't find this.

I downloaded the bracket as a mesh. I inserted the file in Cura Ultimaker and added a second bracket.

I adjusted the temperature to 215 degrees and checked if support was needed. Then I sliced the file.

The printing for the 2 brackets will take 14 minutes and 3 grams of PLA.

Bracket 2 [stl]

Development/Implementation Process

Explain the development/implementation process of your assignment. How did you use the machine/tool to manufacture or implement the design of your assignment?

3D printed brackets

1- Slicing and saving to the memory card to insert in the prusa I3 MK2

2- Load the machine with PLA blue. Wait ti pre-heat and follow instructions.

3- Select file from memory and start. Wait till machine is pre-heated and it printed first layers.

4- Post processing. Remove the supports and rim with picking tools.

Printing parameters

Laser cut body

1- Open the .ai file in RDworks on the computer. Arrange the pieces so they can fit on the sheet. I am using the sheets from my previous assignment so I alligned it with the cutout of the glasses frame.

2- Download file to laser machine. Install the sheet and secure it.

3- Set the origin and check the focal lens distance. Check the frame.

4- If all is in place close the machine. Activate extraction and start.

5- Stay around the machine for safety. After 2.30 minutes the work is done and you can remove the parts.

6- Assemble the pen/phone holder. I used some glue for the photo frame parts. The brackets hold the phone in place.

Overcoming Challenges

What kinds of challenges or problems did you face while doing the assignment, tutorials, or exercises? How did you solve them? Did you ask for help from an instructor or peer? Please provide a link to the tutorial or article that you used to solve your problem (if any)

Error while exporting for dxf

One of the components of my drawing kept giving this error while exporting.

I tried the 2 ways of exporting we learned in the course and then watched a youtube video. This was the video: 4 ways to export dxf for laser in Fusion

In the end I went to the sketch and exported from the sketch itself. I just had to delete the construction lines in RDworks itself.

Error shown in Fusion360

Final Project

How can you use the skills and knowledge that you've acquired this week in your final project?

Improved use of Fusion360 will help design the box of my project and draw each component assembled and more accurately.

Learning how to make T-slots and brackets to assemble the box for my final project. These ways of connection will make the box stronger.

WOW!

What is the coolest thing that you've learned this week? What is something that you will never forget from this week?

Improved designing in Fusion360.

This week we learned how to draw assembled drawings and project using existing points to make the drawing process easier and faster. I enjoyed watching this week's videos and practicing.

Weekly Digest [OPTIONAL]

Tell us about any other cool things that you've made this week: in the Hands-on activity, tutorial examples, exercises, or any other cool mini-project that you tried out aside from the assignment.

Brainstorming and researching about the visualization of movement for the stretching reminder box - final project

Stromae is a world famous and very talented Belgian artist. In one of his videoclips, he uses drawings to instruct people how to move and dance. I found it very esthetically pleasing and inspiring.

For my final project I want to find a way to adapt this kind of visualization to make it easy for the user to follow the stretching instructions.

Link to his clip; Stromae - Sante

Stromae - movement

Assignment Design Files

Pen/phone holder ready for laser [.ai]

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