Lab 6: Digital Fabrication

The goal of this lab is to familiarize yourself with basic digital fabrication techniques such as laser cutting and 3D printing.

Laser cutting can be used to cut 2D designs out of various types of material such as acrylic, plywood, delrin, etc. Laser cutting is fast and precise, but it requires to adapt the design of the object: a 3D assembly must be made out of 2D parts of standard thicknesses.

On the other hand, 3D printing has very few limitations and allows us to make 3D parts from scratch. Its main drawback is its speed (very slow) and parts design must be adapted to what a given 3D printer can do (i.e., overhangs, etc.).

In both cases, parts can be designed in SolidWorks (or any other CAD software).

Assignment (Due on Monday Feb. 24, 2020 + First Milestone Due on Wednesday Feb. 19, 2020)

• Design a musical instrument/controller using SolidWorks and make it using at least one digital fabrication technique (i.e., 3D printing or laser cutting). Laser cutting is preferred because it’s faster: there are lots of people in the class and a limited number of 3D printers. Also, there’s usually less risks for failure for your design if you use laser cutting.
• Sound synthesis/processing should be done on your Teensy.
• Your instrument/controller should host at least one sensor (piezo is an option). Make sure that you integrate your Teensy and its companion circuity to it.
• We’d like you to make things from scratch as much as possible for this homework: take an “engineering approach” as opposed to the “recycling approach” used in previous assignments.
• Think about your instrument as a whole: sound and interaction design should be done in tandem and not separately.
  
• Milestone (due on Feb. 19, 2020): have the SolidWorks design of your instrument ready to show to Romain and Doga during class.
• Depending on Romain and Doga’s feedback, Sign up for one or several slots for 3D printing/laser cutting using this spreadsheet. You should only make something once it’s ready: talk to Doga or Romain if you think that there might be an issue with your design or if you have any technical question.
• Use time wisely for this assignment! The reason why you have more time to do it is because it will take longer than previous assignments. The last slots for cutting and printing are on Thursday 21st, this is so you have time to assemble your instrument afterwards. We should be able to accommodate other slots after that day, but only for people who already printed/cut something and who need to make adjustments to their design.
• Have your final project: this assignment could potentially be the basis for it.
• Make sure that your instrument is expressive, artful, beautiful, playable, etc.
• Make a video of yourself playing it and post it on YouTube.
• Send the link of this video to Doga and Romain by Feb. 24, 2020.
• Oh! And enjoy cause this is the last assignment for this class!