Meet the Makerbot
Check out this introductory video to the Makerbot. This is an open source rapid prototyping machine which allows you to print in 3D using fused deposition modelling.
I know that some of you will read this and be saying: "Well Mr. Todd, what exactly does that mean?" Well, it means that you can make a model (in ProENGINEER or another piece of 3D modelling software) then "print" the object in a durable plastic called ABS (the same plastic that Lego and mobile phones are made of). Enjoy the video!
S1 1P6 Metal Product Design
Mr Kerr's 1P6 class to completed their last product design project before the workshops are shut down next week to prepare for the move to the new school. The students did very well with the research task and came up with very innovative ideas. Their sketching is improving all the time. For most, working with metal was a new experience. They tackled new machines and processes with great confidence. Well done!
The next step is to evaluate the project. Here are some questions to consider.
What sections of the design folio did you do well?
What sections do you think you could improve?
What parts of the making did you enjoy?
What practical work do you think you could improve?
Did your design work out as you imagined?
If you were do doing the project again what would you change or improve?
S2 2P5 Toy Car CAD project
Mr Kerr's 2P5 class have just finished the S2 CAD project using ProDesktop. The theme of the project was a child's toy car. The first tasks were to model the individual parts, assemble the parts and produce an orthographic drawing. The next tasks were to add a surface render to the model then export it as a JPEG. This was used to design a poster advertising the product. Most pupils produced colourful cars with some crazy advertising blurb!! Well done.
S4 GC: The Evolution of Media/Data Storage
After getting my daily dose of gadget news from my favourite blog I decided to steal this image and draw your attention to it. I know that my S4 GC class had a long and detailed chat about the variety and capacities of both the archaic and the more modern storage options. Andrew will be the first to tell you that SD cards are not the preferred storage media for CAD dawing files!
This is a really easy way to learn about/ revise storage devices and the range of data capacities that they offer. Through the minimalistic graphics we can also see clear comparisons measured in time, number of photos and computer data capacity. Click the image below to see full size.
The Evolution of Media Storage
S4 GC: Prelim Revision!
Over the past 3 weeks Mr. Kerr and Mr. Todd's Graphic Communication classes have been revising theory and technical drawing abilities for their prelim. Week one looked at pictorial views, week two concentrated on geometry and this third and final week classes have been revising engineering drawing. Take a look at the photos below to see some Int1/2 revision work being completed. Mr. Todd was also kind enough to give his class a NAB before their last lesson ended!
Good luck in the prelims all our S4 pupils! If you need any revision help leave a comment below and we'll see if we can make some resources available for you on the site or arrange a time to come in for some help.
S4 C&D: Final Project Folio Work
This is the last week at school for S4 prior to the prelim examinations (S4 pupils should vist the course resources for revision presentations) and while Mr. Collin's class are all finished their folio's, Mr. Todd and Mr. Kerr's classes were playing catchup! All cutting lists should be submitted by Friday at the latest and the folio's should be completed apart from the evaluation.
The following photo's show some frantic S4 pupils working on a variety of pages within their folio with some doing remedial work from their interim feedback sheets and others just trying to finish their folio off. See if you can spot which pupil is working hardest and click on their photo for more info.
All S4 pupils are encouraged to leave comments about their final project work so far by answering some of the questions below:
- What have you enjoyed working on in the folio?
- What have you found difficult?
- Are you looking forward to working independently in the workshop?
- Do you feel confident about the prelim exams?
- What theory topics do you find most difficult?
Rapid Prototyping
I've been reading up about the RepRap / RapMan / Makerbot desktop prototyping systems with a view to building one to use in the department.
I stumbled across this amazingly accurate liquid deposition / UV cure system from Objet. The parts are incredibly high resolution with a super smooth surface finish.
Documentaries Worth Watching…
If you are interested in graphic design, product design or the very fabric of the world around you then you should check out these two incredible documentaries by Gary Hustwit.
The documentaries include interviews with many of the leading contemporary typographers and industrial designers (including Dieter Rams formerly of Braun and his most famous adherent of minimalist design, the vice president of industrial design at Apple, Jonathon Ive [designer of the iMac/iPod/iPhone aesthetic]). They discuss their influences, how they approach design and what they like/dislike about contemporary design.
They will make you think about the importance of good design and help you to accept how much of your everyday life is affected by design.
S1 Craft & Design: Storage Boxes
Across the department S1 pupils are proudly brandishing their completed wooden storage boxes. This is often the first project in the S1 course and usually the pupils first experience of product design followed with a manufacturing practical activity.
The photos below were taken in Mr. Todd's 1P5 class. They include folio pages as well as photos of the finished products. Please feel free to leave a comment about the pupils work/ read the pupils own comments on their project.
S1 Pupil Evaluations:
Could all S1 pupils please leave an evaluation of this project in the comments section below by answering the following questions:
- What pages of the design folio are you proud off/ did you enjoy working on/ find interesting?
- What pages of the design folio did you find difficult/ not enjoy doing?
- What did you enjoy doing/ what did you do well when you were making your box in the workshop?
- What did you not enjoy/ what did you find difficult when you were making your box in the workshop?
- If you were to make the box again would you make any changes to your design?
UofE Informatics Visit
The University of Edinburgh Informatics Department visited the school yesterday as part of a link developed by Mrs Falconer, teacher of computing. Mr Collin popped in to see what the fuss was about after hearing Mr Todd had been beaten at Connect4 by a robot!
Classes discussed Robotics, Technology Miniaturisation & Artificial Intelligence among other topics and had a chance to interact with Sony's AIBO, challenge the Connect4 bot and build a light seeking buggy.