Devlog 2

Prototype 2

This is my second prototype.
I looked at my feedback from the first one. The first prototype went well. There were definitely some slicing issues related to the Hilbert curve that I use on top. I don’t think my printer managed to fully capture how cool it looks, so I switched to a bit more of a simple pattern.

I chose another, nicer geometric pattern. I added some screw holes, and I decided to design some arms. It’s like a four-piece arm with some screws, which allow it to stay in place.
I added a little notch on one of the arms, which allows it to stay stable.
I’ll be attaching some photos of P2.

Testing

I tested it, and in terms of stability, it’s much better.
However, there were a couple of issues. Assembling it is still very annoying, simply because of the way I placed the screw holes. It was a little annoying to align the screws.
I don’t think I made the chamfers to guide the screws in very nicely. I probably could have gotten away with larger holes on the arms, just so that they align a bit easier.
I’ happy with how the arms came out. I probably could have gotten away with just a simple shell instead of all that fancy ribbing, but, you know, it’s okay.
Slicing was definitely a pain, but I think I managed to get that done.
It’s looking good, and I would make a P3 if I had the time, but unfortunately, I just don’t have the time. So this is the end of the project.

Future Improvements

In terms of the future, in terms of what I would love to do next, I got some much stronger 8 × 3 magnets, which I would like to use, and definitely figure out some better mounting system.
Unfortunately, my summer vacation is over, so I don’t have the time. Also, I ran out of filament, so I couldn’t print the other three arms.

Ciao!

Devlog 2

First Prototype

This is my first prototype for fieldPlate.I’ll be attaching a picture of the prototype below, but I jumped into Fusion 360 and, based on my notes, came up with P1, or Prototype 1. There were a couple of things I did not foresee that I had to work around when prototyping. Surprisingly, the screws are rather big compared to the magnets that I’m using, so I had to come up with a weird cutout arrangement. When I started testing the prototype, I discovered that my magnets really aren’t all that strong. So that might be an issue that I have to fix by buying some new and stronger magnets for future prototypes.

Testing

In terms of stability, it’s okay. The small framework, especially the 42 × 42 frame, isn’t very stable. It’s just balancing at this point. However, it seems to work all right, and it’s honestly not too bad. I was able to hold a speaker directly offset from the frame so it was just hanging, and it managed to keep it in place.

Next Steps

Definitely, I’m going to have to work on the side mounts and also the puck which actually attaches to the screw holes.But that’s what I’m going to work on next.I’ll be attaching some pictures of what I built and what it’s looking like right now.

Devlog 1: Tricking a PEI Plate into holding Coffee

The Idea

All right, so this is the start of my new project, fieldPlate. fieldPlate is a funny little idea I had when sitting down to read a book. What if you attached a table onto a tripod?The premise is really very simple. I was thinking of ways that you could make a tripod more comfortable to rest your hand on for an armrest, as one does on a perfectly normal Saturday night. However, I realized that a PEI plate that you find on most common 3D printers is made out of metal, is magnetic, and is roughly the size of a table, which makes it quite portable. Thus I had the wonderful idea to try and create a project that could take a 3D printer printing plate, which is normally made out of metal, and convert that into a table which you can attach onto a tripod. And that’s basically what this project is going to be like.

Prototyping

In this session, all we did was jump into a notes app and spend about an hour prototyping by drawing a couple of ideas and designs.The final product will be about maybe 40 to 50 millimeters tall. It’ll be around 42 by 42 and 43 by 43 millimeters on both ends, respectively. The top end will be magnetic with a little bit of a dock or puck, which you can screw in. So if you have a different kind of magnet, you can remove the existing design and replace it with a remix of your own. (pls remix) There will also be four arms which connect to the corners of the field to prevent slipping or sheering. Finally, the arms can be screwed into place via three screws per side.

Practicality

Now, I will admit that this idea is not exactly the most practical, as most people don’t exactly go running around with extra PEI plates on their person. But I have a solution for that. I will also be releasing a plastic version of the plate so that you can simply screw it in and use it. Again, this idea is still not practical because there are more useful prototypes and products out there.But I think this is a funny idea, and it’s a good design challenge for me to try and apply some skills that I’ve been learning in Fusion 360 to this. I’ve never really worked with so many components before, and since this is a very hardware-focused product, and I already have a 3D printer, I think this will be a very interesting challenge for me.
Comment any ideas pls. Maybe gridfinity?