Utilizing a Creaform Exascan 3D scanner and VX Elements software, I created a digitized model of a 50cc aircraft motor so that ducting and mounting plates could be designed around it. The scan file was then ported into Geomagic Design X, a robust piece of software that allows one to take scan data, and assign geometric values and attributes. By systematically identifying features such as holes and cylinders, I was able to reverse engineer the engine, and assign parametric values to all of the elements. The final model was then ported into Solidworks for the design of mating parts, which would be manufactured via CNC mills and 3D printers.
The PacLite UAV is a robotic aircraft that can be collapsed for storage and transport, then extended for flight. The design for the fuselage was an idea I wanted to explore, which combined a spherical camera dome and 2 axis gimble system with a dual-prop contra-rotating ducted fan engine. The concept for the silicone-doped fabric wings that telescope into themselves came naturally as I realized the raised tail boom would afford some unique design opportunities. Considering that the doped wings would not have control surfaces, I chose an inverted V-shaped "ruddervator" for the tail, that would lie in the path of the air thrust out of the motor. Making the tail boom a telescoping unit allowed me to make the unit fold up into a very transportable package. The real-world feasibility of such an aircraft was foremost in my design process, considering weight, placement of electronics, and heat dissipation, and given the resources, could actually be built.
Having access to professional 3D design software (such as Solidworks) makes translation of ideas into CAD data pretty easy. However, such software is prohibitively expensive to people looking to start learning the basics of 3D design. In exploring free and easy to use CAD programs, I discovered Tinkercad.com; a web-based 3D modeling application that allows users to pick and place standard geometric shapes to build up a manifold 3D model. After learning the basics of the app, I challenged myself to create a complex and good looking model in order to test the limits of Tinkercad, and show that free programs can contest with more expensive CAD programs. To that end, I designed a moon lander based partially on an unused USSR prototype lander. It features a landing stage and an ascent stage, reaction control thrusters, a one-person cabin, as well as communications and electronic equipment. I exported the model and rendered it in Blender, also a free modeling program.
Building on the concepts learned in the first version of this collaborative project with Andy Wilder, the REV2 Breathable Wine Stopper aims to provide a easier wine pouring experience. Firstly, the overall shape has changed dramatically, by removing the 90° bend in the stopper, creating a continuous flow from the bottle. As such, the lid has changed to hinge open when the wine pours out, and can be manually held in place with the counterweight. The shape of the spout lip has also been adjusted based on the shape of the lips of many decanters. This should create a coherent and smooth stream when poured at a certain rate, encouraging the pourer to keep from going to fast and inducing a "glug-glug" effect. The silicone stopper has been redesigned to fit nearly all bottle necks, and its curved shape keeps from creating turbulence in the wine stream. Finally a redesigned mesh screen has been placed on the top of the neck, and features an easy to remove snap cowling.
A local electronics company commissioned me to design new casings for their updated fast food drive-thru headset radios. Their design constraints were very stringent, in that it had to conform to the wearer's face, it had to have an LED at the end of the boom, it had to fit their specific circuit board as well as a standard AA battery. This design fit all of the above requirements, and was perfectly manufacturable doing so with draft angles and fittings in place, as well as structural features that would ensure this device lasts a long time in the rigors of the fast food industry.
Shortly after moving to Maine, I met artist Keiren Valentine, and we discussed her idea for 10 installation sculptures scattered along a nature trail. She needed a thorough design for a grant application, and I decided to help bring her ideas together. The sculptures were to be roughly globe-shaped, stand at mid-chest height, and invite the viewer to look in and see a stereoscopic 3-dimensional image. I found all of the components online to make the sculptures, and priced them in a bill of materials (required for the application). From there, I used dimensions found on the retailers' websites for the products, and modeled them in Solidworks. The parts then were virtually assembled which allowed me to check fit and function; I was even able to check the optimal placement of the parabolic mirror in the bottom of the globe to illuminate the 3D picture via diffused sunlight through the globe. The images I rendered helped illustrate Keiren's vision and bring life to her grant application.
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3D Design and Engineering
These works represent 3D models I have designed as exercises to expand skill sets, and to explore function and aesthetic in a virtual medium.
