2. Computer Aided design¶
This week I worked on defining my final project idea and started to getting used to the documentation process.
Yrjö Louhisalmi, Fab Academy 2017 alumni, gave us the local lecture about Computer aided design.
1. GIMP (Raster)¶
GIMP is a raster graphic editor tool as free software for drawing picture from the scratch with brush etc, but also edit the picture/photo with filters and formats.
For website creation, need to think about the file size. Commonly PNG or JPEG are used often, PNG is good for illustration and JPEG is good for photo.
Experiment of format size¶
Here is experiment. I drew this picture by using a brash tool and easy hand writing in Gimp.
saved different format, PNG, JPEG and GIMP format of XCF.
Surprised JPEG file is bigger than PNG. And PDF and GIF are also smaller than JPEG compressed. Thus, selection of format is up to the picture style, drawing or photo. In case of photography picture, JPEG format is much smaller than PNG. GIMP can be the tool for resize, format change to maintain proper size of pictures on the website.
Editing multiple photos with layers¶
In case you want to edit multiple photos into one picture, you can use GIMP with layers. First create additional layer for additional photos. And then put “Alpha selection” for each photo layer. This gives transparent region when you cut/resize the photo, you can overlay the photo on the another photo with customized size/shape/gradients etc.
2. Inkscape (Vector 2D)¶
Inkscape is vector graphics software, free and open source. Inkscape can render primitive vector shapes (e.g. rectangles, ellipses, polygons, arcs, spirals, stars and 3D boxes) and text.
Here is the drawing example which I made my signature as water mark of my copyright.
Transform from picture to vector¶
First I prepared my signature by pen drawing, then took a photo of that.
Open Inkscape and import the photo.
Path -> Trace Bitmap then can change the picture into vector trace data.
The vector data can be edited by dots and lines. First delete the extra pictures than the signature.
The signature lines can be modified, here is an example that modified a bit dynamic fonts.(Above:before, Below:after)
As water mark on top of my photos and created things, changed the colors. It can change by Fill and stroke, I changed Fill -> black, Stoke -> White for the multiple purpose that can be put on white background or black background photo.
I added copyright mark of “©”, then export as PNG file.
Here is the result, I satisfied with the result and I can play with better photography work from now on.
And the same way, many vector picture can make more products such vinyl cutter, laser cutter graving etc.
3. Fusion360 (Vector 3D)¶
Fusion 360 is software for 3D CAD, modeling, manufacturing, industrial design and mechanical engineering. It is provided by Autodesk, for personal hobby purpose there are 1 year free trial account. And further subscription service is provided.
Make a sketch¶
Here is a try a 3D sketch by Fusion 360. At first select Create sketch in Create. And choose the aspect from x,y,z directions which you want to draw the picture.
Draw the picture what you want. In upper tab, you can choose the line, spline, circle, rectangle. Here I chose many circles. And One trick in case of symmetric picture, you can mirror the shapes to another side by selecting the too of Mirror in CREATE. You need to choose the mirror line and objects, then the objects are copied to another side as symmetric.
It can trim the excess part which you want to ease. This is very simple.
To make the 3D model, easy way is selecting extrude in Create. There are selection of One side, two sides and Symmetric. The length of extrude is made by putting numbers in Distance in menu, but also you can pull the arrow on the picture which you can transform the shape dynamically.
If you want to cut the object, It’s same to use Extrude and choose Cut in Operation.
You want to extrude objects to another direction, you put the Distance number inverse, or pull the arrow to another direction.
Now, I made it such big ears animal face of 3D model!
Try final project object¶
Here is my first try to final project, my plan is smart phone holder.
At first, make a frame for the phone. And make the through holes to make rotation of the holder. I used extrude and cut the both side of frame at once. Then the holes are on the same axis.
Put the bar into the holes, this is again same extrude to make the new body with same circle size.
Make a rotation pivoting by the bar. You choose Move/Copy. Select the move object to Bodies and chose frame, move type rotate and choose Axis is the bar object. Now can change the frame angle with the axis of the bar.
Now primitive smart phone frame structure is done!
reflection¶
- It was good learning to know the differences of raster and vector in 2D. Especially GIMP is powerful tool (and free!) that can do almost everything on raster and with batch operation.
- Fusion 360 can be used as vector 2D image, the sketching as CAD function for the physical product is more industry professional than Inkscape.
Used files¶
GIMP trial files
Signature watermark by Inkscape
3D model exercise by Fusion 360
3D model exercise by Fusion 360 STL file
Final project exercise by Fusion 360
Final project exercise by Fusion 360 STL file