This week is dedicated to 2D and 3D modeling. The main focus has been the development of the casing to create a prototype concept for my final project, SafePath-RM.
To achieve this, I used SolidWorks for detailed design and Fusion 360 to model what a charging dock for my project would look like. Additionally, this week explains how to compress images and videos, ensuring that the documentation remains lightweight.
The following tools were installed and used during this week:
| Software | General Function and Application |
|---|---|
| SolidWorks | Computer-aided design (CAD) software for solid and parametric mechanical modeling. |
| Fusion 360 | Integrated tool that combines industrial and mechanical design, simulation, and manufacturing on a cloud platform. |
| Inkscape | Open-source vector graphics editor. |
| GIMP | Cross-platform image editor used for photo processing and web file optimization (size compression). |
| FFmpeg | Open-source video transcoder that allows reducing multimedia file sizes while maintaining visual quality. |
Below, I present the detailed workflow for the casing design. This guide is intended to be replicable by any beginner SolidWorks user.
We begin by opening a New Document, selecting the Part environment, and choosing the Top Plane as our drawing base.
Creating a new file.
Selecting Part mode.
Choosing the work plane.
We create a 44x50 mm rectangle and apply Sketch Fillet to smooth the corners before adding volume.
Rectangle dimensions.
2D fillet tool.
Finalized sketch result.
Using the Extrude tool, we set the value to 15 mm and observe how the flat drawing turns into a solid.
Accessing Extruded Boss/Base.
Setting depth to 15mm.
View of the generated solid.
To improve the design, we use Fillet. We select the edges in the menu and validate the visual result.
Selecting the Fillet operation.
Radius configuration.
Solid with rounded edges.
We apply Shell to hollow out the block, configuring the wall thickness for the electronics housing.
Selecting the top face.
Adjusting wall thickness.
Internally hollowed casing.
We use Straight Slot to design the opening, defining a length of 27 mm and a width of 3 mm.
Straight slot tool.
Defining slot dimensions.
Positioned slot drawing.
To finish, we apply Cut-Extrude. We review the preview and confirm the final result of the part.
Extruded Cut operation.
Preliminary view before confirming.
Finished casing, ready for use.
The lid was designed following the same parametric logic as the base. At this stage, using the Sketch Fillet tool is key to ensuring that the contour matches the casing perfectly.
We start with a 50 x 44 mm rectangle. To smooth the corners in the sketch, we use the Sketch Fillet tool. This allows us to define precise radii before generating the solid.
Initial lid sketch (50x44 mm).
2D Fillet Tool: Sketch Fillet menu used to round the corners.
Applying Sketch Fillet to all four corners.
Extrusion menu set to 3 mm.
Finished lid base solid.
On the internal face, we draw a second 44 x 38 mm rectangle. Again, we apply Sketch Fillet to maintain consistency and extrude 2.5 mm to create the relief that fits into the casing.
Design of the adjustment rectangle (44x38 mm).
Extruding the adjustment relief.
Finalized lid with the closing lip.
This section details the assembly casing components using SolidWorks.
To begin the assembly, we must create a specific environment that allows the interaction between multiple parts.
Accessing the New Document menu.
: Selecting the Assembly template.
We use the Insert Components tool to bring our designed parts into the assembly workspace.
Activating the Insert Components tool.
Selecting the casing parts from the browser.
Placing the base component.
Positioning the second casing part.
To ensure perfect alignment, we utilize the Mate tool, focusing on the Profile Center advanced mate for the casing's geometry.
Opening the Mate property manager.
Applying Profile Center for automatic alignment.
The components are now fully constrained and aligned, forming the complete SafePath-RM casing.
Final result of the casing assembly.
In this section, we are going to build the induction charging dock from scratch.
We'll start by opening a new design. In Fusion 360, everything begins with a sketch. We'll pick the Top Plane (the floor) because we want our dock to sit flat on a table. Using the Center Rectangle tool: it keeps everything centered on the origin, which makes the whole design much more organized.
Starting a new design file.
Selecting the 'Create Sketch' icon.
Using Center Rectangle for symmetry.
Now we define the size: 60 x 70 mm. Once the sketch is ready, we use the Extrude tool to turn that rectangle into a 3D block. We're going for 18 mm in height to give it enough weight and presence on the desk.
Setting the 60x70mm footprint.
Switching to the Extrude tool (E).
Setting the height to 18 mm.
Our first 3D solid base is ready.
We need a hole where the watch will sit. We'll draw another rectangle (44.4 x 50.4 mm) right on top of our block. To make it easy to use, we'll use a -5° Taper Angle in the cut operation. This creates a "slanted" wall that guides the watch right into the center even if you drop it slightly off-target.
Sketching the cavity with 0.4mm tolerance.
Cutting 6mm deep with a -5° angle.
This "funnel" effect is great for accessibility.
Flip the dock over. We need to get the induction coil as close as possible to the top. We'll draw a 30 mm circle and cut into the bottom. We are leaving a thin 1.2 mm wall to making the energy transfer work.
Selecting the Circle tool for the coil.
Drawing the 30mm diameter on the bottom face.
Cutting -10.8mm deep into the base.
The internal housing is now finished.
We will use the Fit Point Spline tool. This lets us draw a curvy, natural path. Once we have the "skeleton" of the cable, we use the Pipe tool to give it a 3.5 mm thickness.
Drawing the wire path with the Spline tool.
Creating an organic curve for the cable.
Finding the Pipe tool in the Create menu.
Setting the section size to 3.50 mm.
The 3D cable is now attached to the dock.
To finish the model, we need the USB plug. We'll build it in two parts: first the plastic housing (a 4.5 x 12 mm rectangle) and then the metallic tip. By extruding these separately, we get a much more realistic result.
Sketching the USB-A plastic body.
15mm extrusion for the main connector.
View of the plastic part of the USB.
Drawing the metallic connection part.
12mm extrusion for the USB port plug.
Complete Charging System.
You can interact with the final 3D model below.
First, familiarize yourself with the Inkscape Menu. We start by selecting the Circle Tool. We create a cluster of circles without worrying about precision, just to define the visual volume of the logo.
Main Menu and interface.
Selecting the Circle tool (F5).
Brainstorming shapes with circles.
Switch to the Pen Tool (Bézier Curves) to draw the trunk and main branches. We use a circle as a temporary guide to ensure the branches converge naturally. At this stage, the Layers Menu is keeping the guides and details on separate layers makes the workflow much cleaner.
Using the Pen tool for custom paths.
Drawing the trunk with guides.
Organizing the design into layers.
The initial skeleton of the tree.
To move from rigid lines to organic branches, we use the Node Tool. By adjusting the handles, we smooth out every connection. Once all branches are corrected, we can select all paths to see the vector network we've built.
Manipulating nodes for smoothness.
Detail of path smoothing highlighted in the red square.
Result of all corrected branches.
Full view of the tree's vector paths.
Using the Fill and Stroke and Stroke Style menus, we apply the HSL colors. The main trunk uses H:210, S:45, L:20, and the secondary branches are set to H:205, S:20, L:65.
Removing the organic brainstorm circles.
Applying HSL colors to the branch structure.
Adjusting stroke width and style.
After coloring the branches, we use the Circle tool while holding Ctrl to place perfectly symmetrical synaptic nodes. Following the tree completion, we add the project name using the Text Tool. This creates the balanced look of our finished brand identity.
Placing perfect circles with the Ctrl shortcut.
The tree structure with its final synaptic nodes.
Adding typography to complete the branding.
The Final Logo: The Tree of Synaptic Connections.
The final step is to save our vector work as a high-quality image. We go to File > Export to open the sidebar, where we can configure the resolution and area to convert the design into a PNG file.
Navigating to the File > Export menu.
Configuring export parameters for PNG.
The workflow begins by importing your high-resolution image. Navigate to File > Open and select your target image.
File opening workflow in GIMP.
To reduce the file size significantly, we first adjust the physical dimensions. Go to Image > Scale Image. It is essential to choose the right Interpolation (Cubic for quality, Linear for speed) and keep the chain icon active to maintain original proportions.
Selecting interpolation methods.
Adjusting dimensions with the chain icon active.
When exporting, the format matters. Use File > Export As. For JPEG, a quality setting between 70-85% offers the best balance. For PNG, use compression level 9 to minimize size without losing pixel data.
Adjusting the JPEG quality slider before saving.
Finally, save your version with a descriptive filename. Always check the final file size to ensure it meets the project's requirements.
Reviewing the final file size preview.
FFmpeg is a versatile command-line tool. it doesn't have buttons; it works through precise text instructions.
First, we need to install the software. Open Git Bash and type the following command.
Using winget is the modern way to install tools in Windows because it automatically
configures the paths so the computer "recognizes" FFmpeg from any folder.
Running the winget install command.
Accepting terms to complete the setup.
Before running the compression, the terminal needs to know where your video is.
We use the cd (Change Directory) command followed by the path.
For example, cd ~/Documents/video tells the terminal: "Go to my personal folder (~),
then to Documents, and finally enter the folder named 'video'". Without this step,
FFmpeg won't find your file and will return an error.
Navigating to the specific folder before compressing.
Once inside the correct folder, we paste the compression command. This instruction tells FFmpeg
to take the original file, resize it to 480 pixels in height (maintaining the aspect ratio with -1),
and apply a high-efficiency codec (x264).
ffmpeg -i Example.mp4 -vf "scale=-1:480" -vcodec libx264 -crf 28 -an Example_final.mp4
The terminal processing the frames of the video.
After the terminal finishes, you will see two files in your folder. In our test, the weight dropped from a heavy 136 MB to 5.62 MB. Crucially, by checking the file properties, you can see that the duration is identical; no frames were lost, only unnecessary data was removed.
Original file (136 MB).
Optimized file (5.62 MB).
Visual confirmation of the new file generated.
To showcase the wearable casing in a realistic environment, we use SOLIDWORKS Visualize. This tool allows us to apply professional materials and lighting to our 3D models, turning a technical file into a photorealistic presentation.
The process begins by starting a new document and importing the 3D model. We select the "Import from this PC" option to locate the specific casing file. Once imported, the geometry appears in the workspace ready for texturing.
Creating a new project in Visualize.
Selecting the local import option.
The wearable casing model loaded in the workspace.
The Appearances Menu is where we define how the surface interacts with light. After testing various finishes, we decided on a Blue Soft Touch appearance for the final version, as it provides a professional, matte feel suitable for a wearable device.
Browsing the materials library.
Initial material tests on the casing.
Experimenting with different surface reflections.
Final selection: Blue Soft Touch finish.
With the materials set, we open the Render Wizard. We configure the output as an "Image" and select the PNG format to maintain a clean background. These settings ensure the best balance between rendering time and image quality.
Opening the Render Wizard tool.
Choosing Image output from the wizard menu.
Setting the export format to PNG.
Once the "Render" option is selected, the software begins calculating the light paths and reflections. After the processing bar completes, we obtain the final high-resolution file ready for documentation.
Executing the render operation.
Visualize computing the final image frames.
The resulting PNG render of the casing.
"The perfect tool does not exist; only the right workflow does. Attempting to solve every challenge with a single program is an impossible task. This week, I learned to navigate between different digital environments, leveraging the unique strengths of each to bring my project to life."
This week was a journey through the diverse "toolbelt" required for SafePath. By exploring 3D, 2D, and optimization software, I realized that the value of a developer lies in knowing which tool to pick for a specific problem rather than mastering just one.