Section 1:

Portable cd drives are often laptop drives repurposed with an adapter board that adapts the SCSI (Parallel Bus) connection to USB. However, large brands often price their portable drives way too high. Many people that wanted the features and benefits of disc media, which provided movies, software, and data without the need of internet are determined to DIY their own drive.

However, large brands have the access to plastic moulding factories that produce colorful and durable cases. Computer enthusiasts do not have such access. They cannot make a case for their own cd drive. My design resolves this issue. It can be made with any enthusiast’s laser cutter. And provides an enviromentally-friendy, durable case.

I started with the ideas of an enclosed case made with plywood 3mm thick, and with 3 teeth on each side with cut-outs for cables. However, the drive emitted lots of heat since it has a spinning motor. I designed bars cut out to ventilate the device, and a few more decorative holes for aesthetics as well as cooling. Since there’s a lot of cut-outs, the 3mm wood is unusable since it can snap easily. I switched to 5mm wood.

After redesign:

2nd Redesign: I had already prototyped my initial cardboard, but then I realized that my work is less artistic and less representative of myself than the work of others. The product is already functional, but I want it to look more visually appealing.

These designs are telling the process of making a computer chip. It describes my enthusiasm with hardware, and it fits the drive in it’s style. For the first time, I etched part of my design onto the material, not to cut everything. This is because I have more details to my drawing, and I do not want to bridge everything.

On left is the down-facing side of the case. It is simpler, and tells of my passion in music. But it provides more ventilation, as most of the lines are cut out.

3rd revision: The other design teachers messed up my image file and accidentally mirrored my lbrn2 design, which caused an unusable prototype. While re-submitting for a second try, I realized that my design still does not really represent myself. I am passionate about design in digital art. And so I included an etching of a computer screen with a 3d-modelling app open. That new design is visually more appealing than my bad attempt at drawing a motherboard earlier. The backside is unchanged.

While I did demonstrate my fusion skills, it is still not artistic as others’ work, but I think it belongs with a computer, and it should fit in with the industrial and complex feel.

If I could design it again, I would have made the pieces more complex. Maybe a storage bay for spare discs on top of the drive, or a wooden drive door cover that’s on hinges.

 

Section 2:

Although I learned all the concepts and operations prior to the laser cutting project, the most growth I had in my skill came with the 3rd revision. Before that, I only used basic skills, like rectangles, circles, lines, and mirroring to make a simple pattern of a disc, or a few flat images of computer parts.

After the 2rd revision, I focused on the computer screen image. It is very challenging to create a 3d image on a 2d plane. The default human model required a lot of time into the modeling and countless trials and error. And the menu icons and other objects challenged my ability to recreate a scene in fusion.

Which brings us to the next stage in development. In the 1st revision, everything on this lightburn image was red. Which means to cut. I later learned that I don’t have to cut everying, since my drive does not emitt light, like a lamp. So I only left necissary holes for ventilation, and everything else is for aesthetics.

Seen here in the 3rd revision, the frontside is more complex in design, since it is where you usually see it.

In the cardboard phase (revision 2), I discovered that the laser cutting teacher would hand me my project with everything mirrored. It’s visually unappealing and unusable, since the position of vents is also mirrored. This is my main challenge. I overlooked my fusion file and saw that nothing is wrong, but I discovered that I had not layered the colors properly. Blue should be on the top, and red on the bottom. I learned from my mistakes, and in the final product (rev. 3), I layered the colors the right way and it cut properly.

In the final process, gluing is simple. Yet I cannot find the right screws to fix the drive in. My troubles were quickly resolved, since the fit of the drive in the wooden case is suprisingly snug—too tight. I had to squeeze the drive and adapter inside, and they don’t fall out even when being shook.

 

Section 3:

What tips, tricks, and advice would you give to the incoming students?

A. The initial registering and installation process of Fusion is very important. Follow the instructions, any mistake will hinder you in your learning. Do not mess up your license.

B. Pay attention to all of the fusion skills being explained to you. It is very important in your laser-cutting project.

C. Do not rush through the design process, or you will end up with an overly simple or aesthetically unappealing project.

 

Consider: what would have helped you if you knew it at the start of the course?

I did not know the design process of the laser project is very long. I should have taken my time finalizing my design. Rather than jumping straight ahead.

 

What would you, individually, do differently if could go back and do the class over?

The disc drive case is not a good choice for this unit. It is too small, and it had too simple geometries. I should have done a lamp that is in a complex shape, and I could have put video game / manga illustrations onto the device that fits better with my room. A lamp made of much more pieces and better designs that show more skill in the “spline” tool would be a better choice.