THE VIEW FROM THE STUDENT’S DESK.
This week, we dived into using a CAD program called Fusion 360. First, as part of preparation for class, we read through some of the program’s guides and watched a video that walked us through creating a lidded box. In the process, we had our first introduction to Fusion360’s interface and built upon our 3D modelling experience from using Tinkercad as we had before to being able to use Fusion360 as well. In terms of complexity, Fusion360 definitely seems like a more complex program that we can use to create a wider range of models more efficiently than Tinkercad, and I was incredibly excited to be moving along in the 3D modeling learning process.
Original Model Created 
Materials Application 
Mesh for 3D Printing
For class this week, we got to attend a workshop by a representative from Autodesk. During the workshop, we were taught more about Fusion360 and learned more quickly and thoroughly through the guidance of the representative than we would have if we had set about messing around by ourselves. Throughout the process, we created a phone holder as a project which would allow us to explore many of Fusion360’s features. The versatility of Fusion360 was really fascinating to me. Although this is a relatively small feature which may not impact the modelling process as much as other sketching and creation tools, I found it interesting that we could change the different materials that we were modelling as well as model painting and enameling the model at the end. There were so many different combinations possible, and it is even capable of rendering a 3D model within a couple set backgrounds and lighting settings to simulate possible real-life locations. Additionally, the Fusion360’s feature that allows you to go back to each individual action and edit it without destroying any processes you have applied to it afterwards is going to be incredibly helpful in future projects. Afterwards, we were able convert the model to an STL file and 3D print our first model ever. I really felt a sense of accomplishment in being able to hold something that I created and modelled from scratch myself.
The phone holder in use. 
A view of the phone holder’s bottom.
DEVELOPMENTS IN PROGRESS.
During the last hour of class, we were able to touch based with our TA and mentor, Mehmet, and he helped guide us through developing further along our project ideation process. We first quickly reviewed the concepts we had gone over in the previous week before moving onto creating insight statements based on the themes we had created. These insight statements describe challenges for the people in the community that we interviewed based upon each of the themes. For example, one insight statement Solestice came up with was “Stigma of looking different affects the [prosthetic] user’s self-confidence.” After gathering our thoughts with these insight statements, Mehmet introduced us to the idea of “How Might We…?” Questions. These questions are meant to be created neither generically nor too specifically and can be used as ways to think of our project goals without getting tunnel-vision with a single solution idea. One of the questions Solestice came up with was “How might we increase stability for prosthetic users?”
Our only other update on the project is that we are in the process of scheduling an interview with a professor who makes shoes in his free time to learn more about a shoe’s design functions and how we might use those design aspects to our advantage with the tread we end up creating.
Salutations! I’m a sophomore studying accountancy who likes to create some art on the side (yes, I’m one of those photographer/poet/all around artist people). My passion is in advocating for equity, and I probably spend a little too much time on Hulu.
I am a part of Team Solestice with Trevor Sibby and Emma Bradford.
Hey AJ,
Your print looks great! I agree, I think being able to hold something that you designed is a very cool feeling. I also think the balance between generality and specificity in the “How Might We” statements is the most difficult part. You don’t want to pigeonhole your group, but you don’t want it to be so general that there are 1 million solutions! I hope your interview with the shoe making professor goes well!
Hi AJ,
I like that you shared multiple pictures of your phone holder design. It’s interesting to see the materials application. Your phone holder turned out great! I haven’t printed mine yet, so I am excited to see how it prints. Do you think you will use your phone holder in your daily life? I love that we can utilize 3D printing to improve our every day life styles. The How Might We exercise was beneficial because we were able to identify increasing balance in addition to our original idea of designing a tread.
Hi AJ,
Thank you for your post. I really liked how you used so many pictures and also got your holder printed in the MakerLab. I love this because of my favorite part about our class is the ability to gain the talent to make a physical product of our ideas. I think its so cool that we got to work on a project in class that you can not take home and use. Nice Job!