Week 2 - 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)

harry potter

For this week’s assignment, I decided to design a custom pair of glasses. The idea was inspired by Harry Potter, a character I love. I’ve always admired his iconic round glasses, so I wanted to create a similar design that reflects my interests.

Tool Chain

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

In this assignment, I used the following software and machines:

Fusion 360: to design both the front frame and side arms of the glasses.
LaserCAD: to prepare the front frame design for laser cutting.
Ultimaker Cura: to slice the 3D model of the side arms for 3D printing.

I chose these tools because they are efficient and reliable for combining 2D and 3D fabrication. The laser cutter was used to cut the front frame from cardboard or acrylic, and the 3D printer was used to print the arms using PLA material.

Laser cutting machine

Plywood sheet

creality ender 3 v2 3d printer

white PLA filament

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?

I designed a pair of glasses inspired by Harry Potter using Fusion 360, LaserCAD, and Ultimaker Cura. I started by designing the front frame in Fusion 360 with dimensions of 120 mm width × 50 mm height, using the Extrude tool to give it thickness and the Fillet tool to smooth the edges. I exported the sketch to LaserCAD to prepare it for laser cutting.

Then I designed the side arms (each 140 mm long) in 3D using Fusion 360, also the Extrude tool to give it thickness and the Fillet tool to smooth the edges. I exported them as STL files and used Cura to slice the model and prepare it for 3D printing with PLA material. Finally, I assembled the parts using screws and nuts to connect the arms to the front frame.

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?

Laser Cutting Process

Connecting and Importing the File – Connected the laptop to the laser cutter using a data cable. Imported the prepared design file into the machine’s control software and downloaded it to the cutter’s memory.
Material Setup – Placed the wooden board securely on the machine bed to ensure it stayed flat during cutting.
Positioning the Nozzle – Used the machine’s control panel to move the laser nozzle to the far-right starting point.
Checking Cutting Area – Used the “Box” function to trace the outline of the design on the material without cutting, ensuring proper placement and no overlap with the board edges.
Machine Preparation – Closed the laser cutter lid, turned on the machine, and ensured ventilation and safety systems were active.
Cutting & Engraving – Started the job, allowing the machine to engrave first and then cut the outer edges according to the preset parameters.

3D-printing

File Preparation in Cura – Opened the STL file in Cura slicing software to review the model, confirm the dimensions, and make any necessary adjustments.
Slicing and Naming – Sliced the model using the chosen settings, then saved the output as a G-code file, naming it according to the estimated print time and filament usage for easy reference.
Transferring to Printer – Exported the G-code file to a memory card and inserted it into the 3D printer.
Machine Setup – Loaded PLA filament, leveled the build plate, and preheated the nozzle and bed to the required temperatures.
Printing – Selected the correct file from the printer menu and started the print.
Monitoring – Observed the first few layers to ensure proper adhesion, then allowed the printer to complete the job.
Post-Processing – Once the print was complete and cooled, removed the badge from the build plate and cleaned off any supports or excess filament.

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?

I ran into a problem printing the eyeglass arms. I positioned them in a position that needed support, but I didn't, which resulted in a distorted shape. I adjusted the eyeglasses so they didn't need support and printed them successfully. However, I ran into another issue with the screw hole. Although I increased its diameter slightly, it was still too narrow, so I filed it with a file, and I'll try increasing its dimensions further next.

wrong position

right position

Final Project

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

During my research, I visited many sites, and now I know which shapes will require more support and which lines need to be scanned. I learned how to operate the laser cutter and the 3D printer, along with the software related to them, which will help me in the final project.

WOW!

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

I enjoyed attending the extra session this week, as I love handmade products very much.

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.

I had a lot of fun working on a team to create this masterpiece.

Mr.X

Assignment Design Files

All files links

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