Parametric Construction Kit¶
After sketching out the cabinet portion of my final project, 
I had been working in fusion 360 to create a parametric design for my final project, and had hoped I could use it for this project.
I overcame many hurdles in fusion360 including:
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My dimensions not working
- I had used an undefined variable
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Remembering how the measurments of the pattern tool worked again.
- I had writen out a whole equation when learning the tutorial for making a handlebar grip.
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Making a sketch on the correct surface
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Remembering to create different components in the file
Unfortunatly, I was on a roll, and created my whole assembly in one component. I had remembered to labled each sketch though.
After I watched Dr. Taylor's recomended youtube videos https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKoJa2913cQ, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGeL6ot2mZ0, and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhjdP1SLU-M, I came to the conclusion that I could could export each sketch as a .dxf file. Then I could import those files as components in a new file. I had additional sections to add to this cabinet to make the full construction kit I hoped to make, and I had been researching living hinges which created another, hopefully better, way to make my cabinet.
By this point I was up against the deadline, and I had broken my gitlab so badly that my website dissapeared. Mr. Dubick and Dr. Taylor worked with me to get my website up again, and clean up my files. I was also having trouble logging into Fusion360, and my corelDraw kept crashing.
The assignment is to design, lasercut, and document a parametric construction kit, accounting for the lasercutter kerf, which can be assembled in multiple ways. While it would have been ideal to use this to create part of my final project, I thought it was more important to get something made meeting the requirements on time. I went with a simple desk organizer starting with a box assembled by sliding together. This was based off of the 
I had made in the past. In that project I had purchased the design, and tweaked it in corelDraw. I have since wished to make a smaller version for another project. So I thought it would be a good opertunity to make a box that could be altered for future projects.
The problems I had next on this assignment continued:
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I miss one constraint. As a result my first cut did not line up properly. I fixed this in corelDraw, and later in my fusion file.
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I somehow removed the sketch dimension tool from the quick toolbar at the top of the page. I held the down my mouse a moment too long, and I saw the shortcut move, then dissapear. I have not figured out how to get it back yet. Luckily the tool is in the pull down menu, and there is a shortcut control+D.
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I made the double pieces by tracing over the earlier skech in a new component. Then copy, pasting, and moving the new piece a distance of "width" to the side. I then deleted the overlaping piece. However, I ended up moving, and deleting part of the other sketch.
I didn't know it was possible to do this when I was not editing that sketch. I fixed this by moving the altered sketch, and drawing the missing lines. Then constraining it again.
- One piece will not turn blue. I believe this means there is some constraint missing, but I cannot figure out where.
It can now be assembled in different ways, and because I accounted for the kerf in the different materials, the wood and cardboard pieces fit together. This also ment that the cardboard was too tight to fit with other cardboard pieces properly, but I wanted to test how different materials could fit together. Furthermore, I defined k as 1/2Kerf so that each cut needed to account for k. In the future I will define k as kerf. Since there were more instances of me having to use 2k than k, this definition will save reduce chances for error. I also added a laser engraving of my old bakery logo when in correlDraw. I did not chamfer the joints, but I would like to explore different joint types in the future as time allows.
Final images:¶
Pastry Power cardboard:
Pastry Power wood: