2. Computer Aided design
Computer-aided design (CAD) is a crucial tool in the conception and development of projects in various disciplines, including architecture, engineering, and industrial design. Specialized software enables professionals to create, modify, analyze, and optimize designs, resulting in virtual models of their products or projects in two or three dimensions. This ability to generate virtual representations facilitates visualization, collaboration, and early detection of possible errors, contributing to the reduction of costs and time associated with physical manufacturing or construction. The use of CAD tools has become a standard in the industry, offering professionals the ability to refine their designs and projects efficiently and accurately. As a result, the quality and feasibility of the proposed solutions are improved.
Research
This week, I had two main 3D design ideas. Firstly, I designed a beach for the wave flume using the FreeCAD program. To learn how to use the program, I watched tutorials on Bernardo Tutorials' YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@BernardoTutorials). I made use of the main tools, particularly Part Design and Sketch.
A beach is a type of wave-suppression element that is situated within the extinction zone of a wave flume. Beaches are essential structures designed to regulate and disperse wave energy in aquatic environments, such as wave flumes utilized for the study of wave behavior. They are situated within the extinction zone, which is the region where wave energy gradually dissipates as it propagates inland. The primary function of a beach is to reduce wave height and wave energy, which serves to safeguard structures and equipment situated upstream in the wave flume. Furthermore, beaches can also be employed to simulate natural coastal conditions in laboratory settings.
Example of beach. Image taken for the https://www.flickr.com/photos/archivo-escuela/7154072548/in/photostream/.
More design of beaches can be found here
FreeCAD is a powerful open-source parametric 3D CAD modeler that allows users to design real-life objects of any size. Its versatility lies in its ability to create complex and detailed designs for various fields such as mechanical engineering, architecture, and product design. FreeCAD's parametric modeling feature enables users to easily modify designs by changing parameters, making it an ideal tool for iterative design processes and rapid prototyping.
One of the key advantages of FreeCAD is its extensibility through a modular architecture and a wide range of community-developed plugins. This allows users to customize the software to suit their specific needs and integrate it with other tools and workflows, enhancing its flexibility for diverse design requirements.
Additionally, FreeCAD supports a wide range of file formats, including STEP, IGES, STL, and others, enabling seamless collaboration and interoperability with other CAD software and manufacturing processes. Its open nature and active community make it a valuable resource for both hobbyists and professionals seeking a reliable and versatile CAD solution.
The first step is to select the Part Design option from the Workbenches menu. Then open a new document in the File tab, using the New File button on the File bar or the Create New... button in the workspace.
To create a part, first click on the 'Create part' button in the Structure bar. Then, create a body by clicking on the 'Create body' button in the Part Design Helper bar.
To begin the sketch design, click on the Sketch button located on the Part Design Helper bar. This will establish the necessary structure.
After creating the sketch, select the plane to work on.
To begin drawing, utilize the drawing tools found in the workbars, such as Sketcher geometries or Sketcher constraints. These are just two examples of the available tools.
For the beach design, I created an equilateral triangle with the Sketcher Geometries toolbar's Triangle button. The triangle has its center at the selected point and is inscribed in a circle whose radius is determined by the choice of a second point.
I removed the equality constraints from the three sides and added the vertical constraint to the right side, resulting in the right triangle required.
The triangle's legs were then constrained vertically and horizontally to 35 mm and 120 mm, respectively, using the buttons on the Sketcher Constrains toolbar.The triangle's legs were then constrained vertically and horizontally to 35 mm and 120 mm, respectively, using the buttons on the Sketcher Constrains toolbar.
Click on the Close button in the Tasks window to exit the Sketch view and enter the Part Design view. In the Model window, select the sketch you want to extrude and mark it. This will allow you to proceed with the extrusion process.
To begin the extrusion process, select the Pad button located on the Part Design Modeling toolbar. Fill in the parameters of the Tasks window with a width of 20 mm, ensuring symmetry with respect to the plane, and a Taper Angle of 15º.
An orthohedron measuring 35x20x5 mm was added to the bottom of the beach using the steps described above. The orthohedron was then united with the beach using the Union button in the Boolean bar of the Workbench Part.
The body was exported to STL Mesh (.stl) format for opening with OpenSCAD.
OpenSCAD is a powerful open-source software for creating 3D models using a programming language rather than a graphical interface. One of its key advantages is the ability to leverage mathematical principles to design complex objects. By using mathematical equations and geometric concepts, users can precisely define the dimensions, shapes, and relationships within their designs.
The use of mathematical operations such as union, difference, and intersection allows for the creation of intricate and precise models. This approach provides a high level of control and accuracy in the design process, making it particularly suitable for engineers, mathematicians, and designers who require exact specifications in their 3D models.
Furthermore, OpenSCAD's reliance on mathematical principles enables parametric design, where objects can be easily modified by adjusting variables within the code. This facilitates rapid iteration and customization without the need to manually redesign each variation, saving time and effort in the design process.
To test various configurations, the team created holes of different diameters on the beach using a cylinder matrix in OpenSCAD, as shown in the following code:
l=5;
difference() {
import("/home/partepiernas91/Desktop/FreeCAD inicios/Primera playa-Part.stl");
for (x = [-20:l:160])
for (y = [-25:l:25])
for (z = [-8:l:60])
translate([x, y, z])
rotate([0,90,0])
cylinder(h = 10, r = 1, center = true);
}
The design's final version is presented below:
