The above is an overall representation of one of the projects I worked on this past summer at Parsons. This was an independent project with assistance from my product design professor. The primary objective of this project was to learn how to independently create CAD files and operate a conventional 3D printing machine at the Parsons Design Lab. Additionally, I focused on designing and creating objects using laser-cut acrylic sheets.

This project involved a two-step process. In the first step, I created a cardboard representation of the CAD design as a rough draft. The challenge I set for myself was to assemble the cardboard without using any glue. As you can see in the cutouts, I tried to mimic the assembly of wood 3d model toys I used to build as a kid, ensuring the cardboard bottle could stand on its own. For the laser-cut acrylic bottle, I did use glue, as it would be nearly impossible without it. Before starting the physical assembly, I drafted flat 2D blueprints.

My concept for constructing the bottle involved creating a base with eight half-bottle-shaped objects, each with divots for the rings to fit together. This resulted in a well-represented version of the original bottle. Throughout the process, I learned to use Fusion 360 and Adobe Illustrator, which proved to be complex and challenging but overall rewarding. Operating the conventional laser cutter was also a task, but I successfully completed the project, obtaining my 3D-printed acrylic pieces and assembling them with super glue.

It's worth noting that CAD designs don't always work as intended since there were some accuracy issues with the laser cutter. Turns out all my half-bottle-shaped pieces were slightly larger than my original CAD values due to the laser cutter's limitations. This challenged my engineering mind, and I’m faced with adjusting the size of all my cutouts since the laser cutter lab was closed for the week. I found myself performing a very robotic task of pulling out a file and carefully filing down all the cutouts to ensure they would fit into the base I had created.

When I realized that manual filing would take an eternity, I decided to take a trip down the street in New York City to buy a Dremel specifically for this job. This experience highlights the everyday troubleshooting that comes with the life of an engineer.

Overall, I consider this project significant in my engineering journey. It allowed me to refresh my fundamental CAD skills, and develop a design perspective for certain objects, and was an enjoyable endeavor. I still have this bottle to this day.

In our recent meeting, Mr. A and I chatted about my final project for Vector. We decided that I'll keep working on my keyboard project and create a whole new one based on the prototype I submitted. I spent a good chunk of my 40 hours on this.

Mr. A suggested two things to make it better. First, he wants the project to be super polished and completed. It's not just about making it work; it needs to look good too. The idea is to have a finished product that I can show off in my presentation and that people can interact with physically.

Second, Mr. A said I should talk about how this project helps me in my job search through Vector. I need to explain the skills and experiences I gained while working on the keyboard and how they relate to my career goals. He also suggested getting validation for the project from someone like a YouTuber. So, I'm drafting an email to a YouTuber right now, asking if they could check out my unique keyboard project for the Vector Capstone and give me some suggestions to make it even better.