HCDE 451 // A3 Process Blog: 3D Printing Film Canister Holder

PromptThe A3 prototype was an exercise in 3D modeling and printing. We had to create a functional object that was of our own design and used three product commands taught in class. For my model, I chose extrude, boolean, and fillet edge.

DesignDesign RequirementsWith the freedom to create any item we wanted, I chose to create a holder for my 35mm film canisters when Im transporting them in my bag or keeping them on my desk. When Im out and about, I usually carry two cylindrical containers, and it becomes quite a hassle when the small canisters roll away or get buried at the bottom of my backpack.As a result, my design requirements for the container were as follows:Prevents canisters from rolling awayHolds 35mm canisters of different sizes (theyre not all made the same!

)Holds a minimum of 2 canistersIdeationI began by sketching a few ideas. I first thought of designing a rectangular-shaped container, but it had an excess amount of unused space inside for the cylindrical shapes. I also considered one long tube where the canisters could stack onto each other, but I decided that this shape could make it challenging to get the canister at the very bottom.

I measured the widths of my different film canisters and designed for the largest canister size. Ultimately, I decided on a shape that resembled two cylinders stuck together. It would have a flat lid and a wall thickness of approximately 0.

10 inches. The top and bottom would be a little sturdier with a thickness of approximately 0. 20 inches.

Prototyping: 3D Modeling on RhinoI created concentric circles (with the wall thickness as the space between them) for the bottom part of the container, and used a similar approach for the lid, making sure to make it just large enough to fit snugly onto the bottom part.I combined the outline shape and extruded it to fit the canisters, and used boolean to cut the inner shape out. I also used fillet for the bottom edge of the container.

By only filleting one edge of the object, I would be able to determine the orientation of the container when Im feeling around in my bag.Prototyping: PrintingI used the University of Washington CoMotion Makerspace and printed my design using one of the 3D printers available.ReflectionChangesOverall, I am pleased with my prototype.

It fulfills its purpose, and my different types of film canisters fit. However, if I were to iterate on this product again, I would re-design the following aspects:The lid of the container is slightly loose when placed on the bottom part. It would have been helpful to know how much space to leave between the bottom container and the lid such that the cap would be neither too tight nor too loose.

Some industry conventions or tips regarding this measurement would have been useful before creating and measure the lid.There is a bit of wiggle room when the two largest possible canisters are placed in the container. While it isnt particularly important whether they rattle around, I think it would be better if they could be more snugly fit to create a smaller product and save space and construction materials.

Making Time to PrintAdditionally, I think I would use a different software to design this item. Rhino appears to be a good software for large designs, but I have more experience with SolidWorks, and I think I would have been able to finish the assignment sooner if I used this alternative tool. Particularly with an assignment where I had to make time to go to the Makerspace, and as a commuter with a part-time job, I wanted to make sure I had enough time to print.

I had little experience with Rhino before taking this course, and there was a learning curve with the software. While there were online tutorials available, it was challenging at times to figure out a solution to some problems with my particular case RELATED QUESTION Why have we dealt away with round tank turrets in recent years? Composite armor doesnu2019t like curvesIf you were to look at all the tanks in history that used large, rounded and cast turrets, youu2019ll notice that they are all composed of pretty much all steel.

The best examples of these are Soviet Cold War era tanks with their u201coverturned soup-bowl turretsu201dThe turrets were shaped this way in order to improve protection from anti-tank weapons. It should be mentioned that there are tanks that incorporate composite materials into their design whilst also using rounded armour plating. An example of this is the Soviet T-64, which despite using composite materials in its construction, still maintains a rounded cast turretHowever, if you were to look at these kind of tanks, youu2019ll notice that all the modern armour upgrades applied to them, all basically make up large flat panels.

This is why designers have done away with round armor plating in general. There really isnu2019t any major benefit in using them, and its easier to incorporate composite armor and ERA with flat panels. Why have we dealt away with round tank turrets in recent years?