2. Computer Aided design¶
Research¶
To kick off this week, we started looking for 2D and 3D Computer Assisted Design Software (CAD). A quick google search and a few minutes of browsing showed a few potential candidate software we can use.
We will test out TinkerCad for 3D, and Adobe Illustrator for our 2D work.
TinkerCad¶
Upon opening TinkerCad after installing it on our machine, we see this
TinkerCad is quite easy to use, and it mainly works by dragging in shapes and combining them. Let’s make a Gameboy inspired keychain. First let’s drag in a box to start working with.
Next, we will add two more boxes, and rotate one 90 degrees, so we have something that looks like a D-Pad. We will make each of them “Solid” and “Group” them, in essence making them into one solid shape.
To make things easier, I found an SVG Gameboy image, and imported that into TinkerCad!
We will use the SVG we found as a reference and once we are done we will remove it and eye-ball our changes to have our own unique take on this Gameboy inspired keychain.
Next, we learned a new concept, shapes that act as a “Hole”. We made a box where the screen would go, and made that into a Hole shape, which then subtracts the two shapes from each other, making a nice and simple screen area.
and here is the result
Next we added a simple ring on the edge, where the keychain would fit
The Gameboy is looking a bit “Boxy”, let’s fix that by giving one of the edges a more rounded retro-look. To do this, we can use what we learned about Solids and Holes, to curve the edge.
The last step is to group all the shapes together, and wait till the red wireframe is gone and the model is loaded.
There we go! Our own little retro inspired keychain
To export this, we go to the top right and click “Export” and then we can select the SLT file format in this case.
Adobe Illustrator¶
Since I already had an Adobe Subscription, the easiest thing was to load up Adobe Illustrator. You can also use Inkscape as a free alternative.
I wanted to make a 2D keychain this time around, so let’s go with the classic playstation. I started by first loading up a reference image and tracing my first box over it:
The PlayStation has rounded edges, so let’s round our box edges
Next, lets add the other boxes, and the circle in the middle where the CD tray is
We can get rid of the reference and review our work now
Let’s do something unique for our branding, and use the Generative AI feature to create a logo. I went with this prompt
Here is how it looks now!
Let’s finish off by adding a few more details, and the keychain hole. We also simplified our AI generated logo.
Cuttle¶
So the software we will be using to create our next designs are Fusion and Cuttle
Cuttle¶
Let us start with Cuttle for some 2D work. After learning about the different types of cloning features, it came to mind that we can easily design a chessboard this way that we could cut nicely on a machine later on if we wanted to and then treat or paint the wood.
First a quick test to get familiar with the tools, lets make another keychain (last one I promise)
To combine our two shapes, we can use Boolean Union Weld
We can add text with Stencil font, this way when the laser cuts it, there are no floating parts that would fall off.
Next, let us make another example and utilize some of the features in the Cuttle. Let us make a chess board. Let us start with two boxes.
Next we will select use a feature called “Tile Repeat” under the same menu from earlier
Our first row is ready, but a chessboard alternates colors each row
Let us make a copy of the first row, and then flip it horizontally
Now we can proceed to repeat the pattern 4 times, so we can get our 8x8 chessboard
Here it is!
Whops! It seems the boxes are not fully aligned due to the settings of the boarders and fills
Thankfully, we only need to change the original boxes to fix all the boxes!
Fusion¶
Let’s move on to Fusion, since we made a chessboard, might as well make the full chess set!
This is what we see when we load up Fusion
First we click Sketch, and select a plane
A quick trick I learned online should help greatly in creating a reference image. The feature is called Canvas
Here is how it looks loaded up
First we need to get the scale right, so let us measure the size of the king to make it exactly 9.5CM (international standard for chess pieces)
The tool we will use a lot to trace is the Fixed Point Splice
The easiest is the Pawn, so let us start with that
We can hit Enter and start a new splice each time to make things easier
Since the pieces are symmetrical we can use the revolve tool!
There we go! The pawn is done, so let us move on to the pieces
The bishop is also an easy one
The queen is almost like the bishop but has a few modifications
However, for the top part we need to make a triangle cutout design, let us first create the outer rim by extruding and then using the ‘Hole’ tool to remove the inner parts we don’t want.
Next we will lay out a cube shape at an angle (45 degrees), and extend it across
Then we will clone and repeat
Lastly, we will cut these cubes from the original shape we have, and we are done with the Queen!
Next the king, and this time we will need to use a new trick to design the top cross
We will draw two boxes
and use the tool called Fillet, which gives a nice rounded edge
to make it 3D, we use the extrude tool and select a depth that is suitable
Here is how it is looking with these settings
For the Rook, we will make a sketch ontop, and extrude that surface
Next, let’s make a hole in it using the hole tool
Next, lets make some cut-outs from the top so it looks more like a Rook chess piece
We can combine the shapes
Then use the Combine > Cut feature
The trickiest is the Knight, lets move on to working on that now. The bottom is straight forward
We will trace the top with the splice tool
and then surface extrude
Fillet comes in handy again here for rounding off a few of the edges
Let’s add a wood material, and render it
Looks great!