FLA Week 4: Classroom Tool Design - SCOPES Digital Fabrication
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Lesson Details

Subjects
Arts, Design, Engineering
Age Ranges
8-11, 11-14
Fab Tools
CAD, 3D printer, Laser cutter, Vinyl Cutter
Standards
MS-ETS1-1, Fab-Modeling.1, Fab-Fabrication.1, Fab-Design.1
Author
Chris Ludwig

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Author

Chris Ludwig
Chris Ludwig
Fablab manager

Summary

Introducing students to Inkscape and laser cutting as well as a personalized artifact for the classroom

What You'll Need

Materials:

  • MDF board (2 A3 size pieces were used, 3mm thick)
  • Parchment Paper
  • RGB lights
  • Power source for RGG lights

 

Hardware:

  • Laser cutter (40W used here)
  • Vinyl cutter
  • 3D printer

 

Software

  • Inkscape
  • Cricut Design Space
  • Prusa Slicer
  • Fusion360

 

The Instructions

Design imagery for the Icosahedron

Use Inkscape to create the icosahedron with connecting bracers

Using Inkscape, create an SVG file with 20 identical equilateral triangles.

 

Create 19 designs (I used idential, mathmatically symmetrical designs)

Create 1 hole for the 20th triangle which will be the hole

Cut Icosahedron

Load material into your laser cutter and cut

Load material into your laser cutter and cut

 

Cut out parchment paper

Use vinyl cutter to cut out parchment paper for backing

Shrink the outline of the triangle to 90%

 

Load the design into your vinyl cutter

 

Choose parchment paper before cutting

 

Cut and remove the parchment paper

 

Assemble icosahedron parts

Attach the parchment paper and assemble triangles with braces

Attach the parchment paper using Scotch spray adhesive

 

Connect each face with a brace. Use superglue to bind the brace

 

 

3D print hanger for Icosahedron

3D print hanger for Icosahedron

Using the measurments from your icosahedron, design a hollow, tube slighly narrower than the hole on the 20th triangle.

 

Add a pair of holes at the top to run your stringing of choice.

 

Add a wider base on the bottom to hold the icosahedron

 

 

Insert RGB Lighting

Insert RGB lighting with power source, enjoy your 20 sided disco ball.

Insert the RGB lighting. Since this design has parchment paper it will have a natural diffusion effect so you do not need to worry about evenly distributing and attaching the lighting along the sides.

 

Attach a power source of your choice. I used a simple USB phone charger.

 

Video of final product for reference: https://youtu.be/gMAOu7u1jkk