Wk 2 Name Tag
My Playful Name Tag
How is your pronunciation?
The inspiration of my name tag is from my evocative object - a repeater, which I used to learn English and to have fun. You can record certain length of the original tape and your own repeating, then play them back to back for comparison.
Sound generates sound waves. If the pronunciation is correct, I assume the sound waves should match (or at least in the same pattern). So I recorded my name (credit to my husband who contributed his voice) and put the wave on my name tag. This shows the pronunciation of my name. I use the letters on two pieces of woods to emulate the "matching" sound waves. If your pronunciation of my name matches my husband's, the letters will match! Try it!
Practice Phase
Make mini trials to get familiar with the design software and laser cutter before digging into the final project.
1st Trial
Name Tag does not stand because the wood I was using was thinner than 3mm and I did not measure it before I put it in. I just did what the instructor told me.
Takeaway: 1. Plywood come in slightly different thickness. 2. Don't be lazy. Measure it yourself.
2nd Trial
Some part of the wood did not get cut through because the wood I was using was thicker than 0.1 inch. I did measure it but still some part did not cut through especially the fine cutting on the name. I put the board back to re-run the cutting procedure but it was hard to place the board to the exact same spot.
Takeaway: 1. Adjust the setting of the laser cutter if the board you use is thicker. 2. If it does not cut through and you want to re-cut it, do not remove the board from the machine. 3. Maybe larger size of the name would help.
Design Iteration
1. Initial Idea: one panel has sound waves cut through, one pane has sound waves engraved. When two panels are put together, they should match. Later I realized with such fine-line of sound waves, it will not work. Unless I use drawing apps to draw thick waves instead of using real sound. So I switched to use names to represent.
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2. I considered to cut hollowed letter on one panel, and cut convex letters on the other panel. After cutting the first one, I realized that engrave cut letters concave, not convex. I could engrave the whole panel except the letters to make the letters pop up. But I didn't think it was a good idea.
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3. So I decided to glue the letters that are cut off from one panel to the other panel. I designed engraved name on the other panel to make gluing easier and nicer.
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4. I considered to make it a two sided name tag with hollow name in English on one side and hollow name in Chinese on the other side. When panels close, they should match the pop up parts. However, it is too complicated to do this with Chinese characters. But I did try to engraving on both side of the same wood at the same spot. It works and it is very cool.
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5. I tried with bigger design size but it was not too stable to stand one its own.
Engrave does not make convex letters.
Too hard to glue Chinese characters
Large size does not stand well
Cut on both sides of the wood