Functional Modeling for 3D Printing
Below is a current product developed for Oregon State University researchers. Additional products have been developed for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and Oregon State University's Martin Lab, focusing on accessories for the thermogradiant table associated with climate change research, and photography/videography accessories for a local semi-professional photographer.
Laser Pointer
​Program Used: Onshape
Purpose
The model was designed to support researchers identify plants in the field. It was designed to fit a laser pointer, a removable battery pack, a small bubble level, and a heated insert to allow it to connect to a telescoping monopod. In addition, I created a cover for the battery pack and wires that is held on with a set of small magnets.
To use, researchers point the laser pointer straight down with help of the level on top to hit the leaves of plants, which allows them to note which plant species are under it, then repeat that process in the same area, pushing away the leaves of the plants that they have already recorded, allowing them to record which species of plants occupy the same vertical column.
The inspiration for this project came from a product with the same purpose that researchers and conservationists used to help record plant growth. However, this product was discontinued, leaving the researchers to either try to repair the devices they have, which had already started falling apart, or find a less convenient way to collect the same data.
Design and Printing
To create this model, I used Onshape, a free web-based CAD software website. I designed many iterations of this product to account for various complications and realizations that emerged during the design process. Picking the right hardware is essential to this project, so I had to try multiple different lasers which each had different power levels, brightness, and beam width, with each laser having different dimensions, so I had to change the diameter of the pocket it slots into for each one. In addition, I had to find the right battery pack to power the laser, and I ended up choosing one that was waterproof. I then needed to find a way to keep the battery pack securely fashioned to the model. I had thought to use super glue or electrical tape, but then decided to model a cover and magnet holes to keep the cover and the battery pack securely connected during use. The cover also helped to solve another problem — exposed wiring. In the original product this was based on, the wires were exposed, so I hadn't put much thought into covering them up in my model. My earlier iterations of the product included a thin channel for the wires to sit in, but I changed that to a larger indented pocket due to the difficulty of cutting and soldering the wires to the correct length. However, I was concerned that wires that weren't secured would eventually snag and break, which happened to some of the wires on the product I used for inspiration, so when I created the cover, I decided to solve that problem by making the cover go over the wire pocket.
Another consideration I had to take into account was the material used to make these products. While a lot of my prototypes were printed using PLA filament, which prints quickly and easily, I knew that I wanted to use a material that was stronger, more heat resistant, and more UV resistant since it would be used outside, many times in hot, sunny weather. I first tried PETG with carbon fiber, and although it worked, printing with it was more of a hassle than it was worth, so I switched to polycarbonate filament (PC). PC is much more heat resistant than PETG-CF, but about half of the attempts to print it failed due to warping or bad bed adhesion, so I moved on to ASA. Although ASA isn't quite as heat resistant as PC is, it is still better than PETG-CF, and it has better UV resistance than both, making it perfect for use in the field. Additionally, printing ASA hasn't come with as many problems as the other filaments, resulting in less failed prints.