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DES100-Reverse Engineering
Choose an everyday object and reverse engineer, it to produce a 3D model, render, and specification drawing.
A nail clipper is one of the most common products we use in our daily lives. It is a personal care item used mainly for trimming nails and toenails. Most nail clippers are made of metal and operate on the lever principle so that the user can easily cut the pin through the sharp end by pressing on the end of the pliers. I choose the nail clipper as my project because I believe it has an interesting structure.
In the first step, I simply divided the nail clippers into four parts by using brainstorming and started to build each model in rhino according to the mind map.
Next, I used the ruler to measure the exact length of the individual components of the nail clipper. And then record the data by sketching. Even though I was unable to disassemble the nail clipper, I did my best to correctly measure each component.
Thirdly, I began 3D modelling with rhino after all of the critical components had been broken down and the lengths noted by drawing. Before combining the four features, I had to build each part separately. It is challenging for me to assemble the elements of the nail clipper because I've recently begun using Modelling software.
The next step was to create the third angle projection of the nail clipper, including the key dimensions of each component. However, I could not use rhino to measure my things since the object I had chosen was not big enough -- one of the small circles had a radius of only 2mm. Therefore, I put the third angle projection I had made in rhino into illustrator and marked the dimensions with straight lines and numbers. Following this phase, I realised I needed to find a larger object to focus on next time.
3D model rendering of each component
Third angle projection of the nail clipper (include the dimensions)
3D model of the nail clipper
To add authenticity, I rendered the nail clippers and applied light and shadow.
Final Renderings
To sum up, the process of modelling in rhino was much more comfortable than the first time, which provided me with more experience in the rhino. Most importantly, I overcame the rendering difficulties in the process, which made me delighted.
Nevertheless, I realised that I hadn't managed to reduce the length of the end part of the nail clipper. By the time I realised, I was almost done rendering, which is unfortunate. Therefore, I will check carefully next time to avoid making the same error. Thought out the process, I discovered that even a tiny object requires a complex structure that is both ergonomic and aesthetically. The nail clipper must adjust to the size and curvature of a person's fingers; this is an issue that I had never considered before. Overall, I am grateful to have had this experience.