Something Wacky

3D Printed Object

Our goal in this assignment was to develop our ability to use CAD and create 3D models for prototyping physical objects at medium fidelity. Our object had to include extrusion, revolution, and boolean. I decided to focus on creating a simple object but with a “wacky” exterior. I wanted to do something feasible but allowed me to express my creative style. I decided on a cup and looked along for inspiration. I decided on an asymmetrical wave pattern. After some research I realized that I could distort the walls of the cup depending on the number of planes that I would extrude it through.

Once I revolutionized the cup. and extruded it I played with the exterior. I added 4 planes and created multiple shapes on each plane. I started with a circle, and then used shapes like pentagons and circles and then a final polygon which made the lip of the cup asymmetrical. I extruded each shape to the next shape’s points on the plane above it. From a single point I didn’t just go straight up, I would extrude it to a diagonal adjacent point which created a nice wavelike formation.

My Final Prototype:

A challenge I experienced… was the software. I decided to use another software called Solidworks instead of Rhino (what was originally assigned in class) because it had an easier on boarding process. I had no previous experience to 3D modeling and took more time being familiar with the tools. Solidworks was much easier to use and there were many resources online to help me be more familiar with the possibilities. The biggest constraint was my knowledge and time.

I wish… I had done more research about how the angles impact the stability of the walls. I had to build the walls outwardly to create a stable object and I think this decreased the dramatic effect of my cup. Although I am happy with my end product, I think it would be interesting to be more intentional about the angles and points I connected and extruded.

I enjoyed… watching the CAD software bring my design to life. Although it would take time to load, it was nice to see how each detail would impact the tangible physical structure of my object. It was also satisfying to watch the 3D printer put down the filament. The overall process was very exciting.

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