3D Printed Flute
Assignment 4 (HCDE 451)
University of Washington
SCENARIO
The purpose of this assignment was to practice creating 3D models for prototyping physical objects at medium fidelity. We were asked to design something that would be useful in our everyday life (i.e. serves a function rather than just being art or for decoration).
The design requirements for the product were that it must use the at least these three primitive operations: extrusion, revolution, and boolean (adding or subtracting one object from another).
PROCESS
IDEATING
I designed a native american flute for this assignment but it had failed twice before I was able to successfully print it. In case I was not going to be able to print the flute, I decided to make a wine glass holder which I presented at the in-class critique session.
PROTOTYPING
Before starting the CAD process of the product, I had to figure out the size and proportions of its different components. I researched what flute sizes corresponded to what octave scale. From experience playing different flutes, I wanted to make an F4 flute. Moreover, I also researched the proportions of the holes to play the notes and scaled them to the F4 flute model.
Knowing that the flute had to be printed vertically to be successful, I had to figure out what best way to split it into different pieces. After doing some research on what other people might have done, I used Alex Belov’s flute design idea and replicated it on SolidWorks. However, my flute did not have the air chamber plug.
The first time I tried printing my model (placing all parts together on the same bed), it failed.
I was not too sure as to why it failed, but to avoid having another failed print I increased the fill density and it worked.
The mouthpiece however had failed to fit all the way in as illustrated in the images above, but it fit enough to be stable and enable a good sound to come out of the flute.
