Our First Project (8.3.12)

Today in class Oscar presented us with our first project: to construct a 2in x 2in box by experimenting with the various materials and methods of construction available to us in the engineering lab.  This is our fist time taking the engineering design process into our own hands.  Our project should flow through five process stages beginning with an idea and ending with a testable product.

1. Concept
2. Decision Matrix
3. Experimentation and Feasibility
4. Manufacturing
5. Testing

We can (and should) refine, repeat and return to any/all of these stages throughout our project and use trial and error to discover how to best construct a box that will fit within the given parameters:

• 2 inch sides
• cube or similar shape
• 2 fixed sides
• two movable joints (free or friction joints)

For creating the movable joints, we have these materials available to us to consider:

• interlocking materials- this would be a friction method of connecting two or more pieces of materials such as acrylic or wood.  Examples would be zipper-like "teeth" or dovetail joints
• screws
• dowels
• glue
• tape- such as contact paper

We also will be judged by the following criteria:

• Performance of the finished product
• Aesthetic
• Durability
• Manufacturing and assembly
• Repeatably
• # of steps needed for assembly
• # of materials needed

With this in mind, we each set of to begin designing our boxes and creating parts and prototypes using the laser cutter and Inkscape.

I decided to base my box design off of an octahedron.  This would present an interesting challenge, because none of the triangular sides meet at 90°

Credit: Wikipedia

I was envisioning one triangle flap opening using a friction method and the other using magnets... but before I get to that stage I need to conceptualize my box and experiment with the triangular sides and see how they can connect to each other.

My first order of business was to figure a way to attach the triangles.  One option is to create notches in the corners of each triangle so that I could wrap a rubber band, wire or string (depending on what kind of tension and elasticity I desired) around the notch and connect it to the notches on the other triangles.  I've attempted the diagram below to explain this idea.

Using Inkscape, I drew a triangle and created two thin rectangles as notches.  Since the laser cutter will cut every line shown below in red, it doesn't matter that the rectangles extend past the triangle.

I had just enough time to cut my triangles before class ended.  Here are my first experimental triangles!