Over the last 2-3 classes I have been using and experimenting with TinkerCad to create a object that I could 3D print. TinkerCad is a free software that you can access from a computer. All you have to do is create an account, and then you have access to tutorials as well as the building software.
After I got an account, I did 2 tutorials so I could become familiar with the software and then experimented by myself. Eventually, I decided I wanted to make a pot with multiple little holes. So, I created 2 cylinders, one slightly bigger than the other. Then, I used the hole tool to make the smaller one a hole and put it inside the bigger one to make one hollowed out cylinder. After that, I had to find a way to make small, circular holes in the pot. Finally, I decided to just use small spheres to make the holes. However, it took a while to make sure the spheres went all the way through the wall which involved manipulating their height off the grid. Unfortunately, since each sphere was in a different place, it’s height off the grid was different for every sphere. Once I finished the holes, I added two handles on the side of the pot, and I was finally done with the design. However, printing the pot would be a long process. Overall, TinkerCad is a great software to use to learn and create objects that can be 3D printed.
To print my pot on an Afinia printer, I had to download it to google drive and then open it on a computer that was connected to the printer. Then, I had to confirm various settings on the printer, initialize the printer multiple times, and then print my object. However, the temperature on the printer was too high and the nozzle height wasn’t set correctly so I have to adjust those things. In the future, I need to research and understand the printer before I try to print something.
This process relates to engineering because I experimented on and researched the TinkerCad software before I created my product. Furthermore, I had to problem-solve and try many different solutions when creating my pot and when I printed my pot. In the future, I hope more people have access to 3d printers and can create simple, but worthwhile objects.
