The Connect-Lace

CyberSpoke

Semester 1, 2013 Kate Fayle, s3284309

Prototypes

In terms of process, I usually define my product before I start designing. However, in this case, due to the nature of the class and the process of additive Manufacturing, I began to create mock up forms, for no particular product. After exploring forms, I would then think of a suitable application.

All of the mock-ups follow a bit of a theme. I was thinking about “what can only be 3d printed�, when I was considering my initial ideas, particular elements started to arise through the forms, this included intertwined and interwoven features.

Patterning After exploring a number of mock-ups, I started to focus on the repetitive aspect of my design; this simply came about by multiplying and interconnecting a series of loops from the initial prototype, resulting in an interlocked weave.

Inspiration

After studying at the National Institute of Design and living in India for 5 months, I have returned inspired by a number of things concerning my design work.

In this case, Indian jewellery.

Indian Jewellery, like most aspects of Indian Culture is over the top, in your face, Extravagant and beautiful. I have drawn inspiration from this prominent Element in the fashion industry, to design my own outrageous neck pieces.

Application

I have started to sketch out how forms look on the neck. I believe there are infinite opportunities when it comes to designing jewellery. It is also extremely personal. In my experience, the line between hating and loving a piece, is very fine. I would like to make it as flexible as possible for someone to find their own style, and mould the piece into whatever they would like.

CAD I mocked up a few CAD renderings of one my final outcomes to get a look of what different colours and transparencies look like. Also to get an idea of what the Plastic which I will be printing with, looks as a whole.

Test Prints - Offcuts shot

Project On Hold

The Ordbot was an experience in it’s self. The project was put on hold while I was building the printer, which may have taken longer than expected.

As challenging it was, I can sit here and work on my folio, while the Ordbot gently hums in the background printing my final. That’s pretty cool.

Tests

After a few attempts at designing a snap fit. I finalised with this design. It’s much less complicated than the other ones I tested and a lot easier to make. Now that I have started to print a few of them, it’s such a simple form, I could even laser cut this part in some really interesting (more metallic) materials, which may complement the a matt finish of a plastic of other materials.

The put together component of the design using the snap connectors is my bespoke element. The range will simply include larger connectors and bows.

The customer can put together their desired necklace, adding extra layers depending on how grand or petite they would like the piece.

If I were to continue making the piece, as mentioned before, I would laser cut the connecting part, because that can make faster and with more accuracy using other means of manufacturing. I would probably scale down the bows, as this design is quite bulky, I would make more subtle more suitable for casual wear.

In terms of costing... Each of the bows (four pieces and one connector) takes one hour to print. There are 17 Bows. That means 17 hours for the piece to be produced on my Ordbot.

Roughly, a bit over quarter of a 400 metre spool of ABS was used. That means bit over 100 metres of ABS. A spool of 400 metres cost 66 dollars. Divide 66 by 4 and you get $16.5, so lets round that up to $20, because I used just over that amount.

So, If I am working for 17 hours on the necklace, and that just is purely printing, I’ll going to round that up to 20 hours all up, because during that time there will be time in between changing over the component’s and servicing the printer.

That means 20 hours printing, times that by how much I will pay myself. Lets say 30 dollars an hour. 20 times 30 is $600, and that’s just printing. So plus material cost makes it $620.

Photography: Emily Weaving

Packaging I wanted to keep my packaging as loud as the necklace. I found some old fabric which I sewed together to make a drawstring bag for the piece. There is also a box inside the bag so the necklace doesn’t loose it’s shape. If I were to make more in the future, my bags would a whole lot of different recycled fabric. If I were to make more of a high end piece, the bag would also reflect that, and I would use more simple better quality fabric.

Here is the link for my video.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hufCfhqLbvE Thank you so much for a wonderful semester.

In all my three years of studying, (this may be a bad thing) I have never had any desire to pursue or continue any of my projects, basically because after a stressful semester, I never want to look at them again. Not to say that this semester wasn’t stressful...But I’m very happy to say, that this is the first that I actually want to develop.