Embedded Files
Ideation
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)
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)
For this week's assignment, I was inspired by the word “sunglasses” and thought: what if I Interpreted this word literally and integrated the sun into the design?
After this thought, I immediately thought of sun doodles I used to draw as a kid (circle center with radiating lines).
For my assignment I reinterpreted those childhood sketches into the glasses.
Inspiration below:
Tool Chain
Tool Chain
Which software/machines/materials did you use in the assignment? Why?
Which software/machines/materials did you use in the assignment? Why?
Softwares:
Ultimaker Cura: slicing STL for 3D printing
RD Works: preparing DXF for laser cutting
Fusion 360 for sketching
Machines:
3D Printer: PRUSA i3 MK2 3D Printer
Laser Cutter: El Malky ML149 CO2
Materials:
PLA filament (yellow) for 3D printing
3mm plywood for laser cutting
M3 screws & nuts
Design/Preparation Process
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?
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?
Fully defined sketch before mirroring
Assigning the construction lines at the screw holes
Extruded sketch
Frame Sketch:
Frame Sketch:
Created a new component and called it "Frame"
Created a new sketch at the top view plane
Started by drawing two concentric circles:
Inner circle: Ø35 mm
Outer circle: Ø60 mm
Used the line tool to create a line between the two circles, then applied a coincident constraint to the inner circle.
Created a circular pattern of the line to duplicate it evenly around the center.
Screw hole: Added a small Ø3.2 mm circle near the rim for mounting (ensuring to add the extra 0.2 mm tolerance) then created a 5.5 mm square around it for the circle for the screw and nut, dimensioned and aligned using constraints.
Mirroring half the frame: I created a construction line next to my sketch so far, and mirrored the sketch across this line.
Frame bridge: Sketched a 30 mm long, 3 mm thick rectangular bar to connect the two circular frames, ensuring midpoint alignment and coincident constraints to keep symmetry.
Assigned some lines as construction lines to ensure that the glasses will not be cut in certain parts when being laser cut. The construction lines I assigned are next to the screw holes.
Extruded the whole sketch except the central circles and the screw holes by 3 mm (size of plywood)
Applied an appearance
Final sketch with cherry appearance (wood)
Handles Sketch:
Handles Sketch:
Created a new component and called it "handles"
Created a new sketch at the top view plane
Base circle: Drew a Ø30 mm circle
Angled rectangles: From the circle, sketched rectangles extending outward at a set angle, applying both angular and linear constraints to fix their orientation and size.
Ear curve: Used the arc tool to create the curve that rests on the wearer’s ear, applying tangent constraints where it meets the rectangles and a radius constraint to maintain its shape.
Screw hole: Created a new sketch on the left side plane projected on the side of the above sketch, and added a small Ø3.2 mm circle near the rim for mounting (ensuring to add the extra 0.2 mm tolerance) for the screw and nut, then created a larger circle dimensioned and aligned using constraints.
Extruded the whole sketch except the central circle and the screw hole by 3 mm (size of plywood)
Applied an appearance
Final sketch with appeararance: yellow plastic
Sketch process
Extruded sketch
Selected the whole handle to add a fillet from the modify panel
Added a 1 mm fillet for curved edges
Properly named components
Flipping horizontally for the second print
Final parameters on Cura
Preparing the frame for laser cutting:
Preparing the frame for laser cutting:
Exported as .DXF.
Imported into RD Works:
Ensured the size was correct
Assigned different cut and speed cut layers:
Cutting layer: for the outline of the frame (black line).
Speed cut layer: for the inner lines (blue line).
Adjusted power and speed settings based on 3 mm plywood:
Cutting: Power 45% - Speed 40 mm/s
Speed Cutting: Power 12% | Speed 350 mm/s
Preview & downloading to laser cutter:
Ran a preview to ensure all lines were assigned correctly.
Clicked "download" to send file to laser cutter and named my file "Cool Glasses"
Preparing the handles for 3D printing:
Preparing the handles for 3D printing:
Preparing the handles for 3D printing:
Preparing the handles for 3D printing:
Exported as .STL.
Opened in Cura:
Orientation: Flat to minimize supports.
Layer height: 0.2 mm | Infill: 10% | Adhesion: no
Checked weight & time (under 30g & 90 mins).
Exported .gcode. and saved on SD card
For the 3d printing process, I decided to print both handles separately to make sure that the handle fits on the frame and M3 screws.
After the first one printed successfully, I flipped the design horizontally on Cura to fit the other side of the glasses.
Assigning cut and speed cut lines
Development/Implementation Process
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?
Explain the development/implementation process of your assignment. How did you use the machine/tool to manufacture or implement the design of your assignment?
Laser Cutting - Frame
Laser Cutting - Frame
Placed and fixed 3mm plywood on bed.
Selected my file by pressing “File” button on machine and ensured my parameters are correct
Set the correct laser height to ensure it is in focus
Moved lens to top corner of plywood
Pressed “origin” to set start point
Pressed “frame” to check cut fits within sheet limits
Closed door and started machine
Removed frame after cut, confirmed proper size and clean cut
Checking file parameters
IMG_4311.movCutting process
Placing and fixing sheet
Adjusting focus
Final outcome
IMG_4193.MOV3D printer calibrating
IMG_4326.MOVFirst layers printing
3D Printing - Handles
3D Printing - Handles
Preparing the 3D Printer:
Inserted the yellow PLA filament into the filament holder and fed it into the extruder
Waited for the machine to heat up then calibrate
Waited for the filament to fully extrude the colour cleanly through the nozzle before starting
Starting the Print:
Inserted SD card into the printer
Selected the correct .gcode file prepared in Cura
Started the print and observed the first few layers closely to confirm proper printing
I repeated step 2 after saving the flipped file on the sd card and printed the second handle
Assembly and Final Product
Assembly and Final Product
assembled my parts using M3 screws and nuts
Community of Learning
Community of Learning
Did you ask for feedback? What are the ideas that others have contributed or suggested? What was someone else’s idea that you built upon? How did you help your peers? How did your peers help you?
Did you ask for feedback? What are the ideas that others have contributed or suggested? What was someone else’s idea that you built upon? How did you help your peers? How did your peers help you?
This was my initial design but I was having trouble keeping it fully defined when trimming the ellipses overlapping the inner circle. My peer Mai suggested drawing lines between both circles directly instead of an ellipse then trimming the overlapping parts. This worked and I was able to keep my sketch fully defined. Although I made a small compromise in my initial design, I was still able to give the sun rays effect on my glasses. Mai also brought to my attention the parts that will be cut with the laser cutter, as when I was designing, I did not keep this in mind.
Overcoming Challenges
Overcoming Challenges
When you got stuck, what/who did you turn to? At what point did you have to pause to research or learn more before moving on? What are some mistakes, pitfalls, or challenges that others can avoid if they were doing this assignment?
When you got stuck, what/who did you turn to? At what point did you have to pause to research or learn more before moving on? What are some mistakes, pitfalls, or challenges that others can avoid if they were doing this assignment?
For my design, I wanted the space between the lines to be scanned, but I was not able to select the whole space on RD Works. The lab technician told me that if I want to engrave a space, then it must be a closed shape in the sketch on Fusion. This was not something I had thought of while sketching. In my case, I sketched using lines, so I decided to speed cut the lines instead of scanning.
When I imported my file on RD Works, I also discovered that some lines were connected and I was unable to select certain lines separately (see red lines in picture above). The lab technician suggested I assign certain lines as construction lines on Fusion. I did this, and when I opened my file on RD Works, these construction lines I had just assigned disappeared. Now I was able to assign the cut line successfuly.
One of the holes for the M3 screw came out oval shaped. This is because I must have distorted its shape by accident on RD works when preparing the file for laser cutting. This made the screw enter with difficulty compared to the other side of the glasses. When inserting the screw, I had to scratch off small parts of the hole using the pointy tip of the screw to enlarge it. Facing this challenge will now always remind me to add a tolerance (which I did) and make sure my final files are not accidentally distorted.
WOW!
WOW!
What is the coolest thing that you've learned this week? What is something that you will never forget from this week?
What is the coolest thing that you've learned this week? What is something that you will never forget from this week?
The coolest thing was turning my ideas, to a sketch, then a physical product!
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