As a reminder, for my final project, I am thinking of making a wall clock. I have decided to choose a project that has a simple functionality, but gives me a lot of room for aesthetics. There are infinite designs and themes that can be used for this wall clock. My initial idea is to create a mechanical engineering theme. For example, use tools for numbers, steel texture for the background and maybe something to represent a drawing.
1- Money:
The first constraint I have on my project is the cost. Based on the materials used, the project can cost between 10 to 200 dollars. My aim is to build the product with less than $50 worth of materials without sacrificing the quality or the aesthetic.
2- Time
My second constraint is time. As a senior ME student who is enrolled in 15 credits including senior design, I have limited time for this project and would need to be very efficient in my planning and manufacturing to negate any complications and ensure a working product in time.
3- Machining
The thirst constraint is machining. Since I have yet to select the materials, it is hard to say what type of machining is required. Some of the options are the mill, 3D printing, laser cutting or wood cutting. My skillset is also a constrain as I do not have a lot of experience in manufacturing.
4- weight
One of the biggest constraints on this project is the weight. it needs to be lightweight in order to hang it on the wall. I am aiming to have it be less than 5 lbs.
5- Aesthetics
Finally, my last constraint is aesthetics. I have yet to decide exactly what them i am going for, but there are many options that requires different skillsets. I will aim to create an aesthetic that has a pleasing look and sends a clear message.
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4 Comments. Leave new
Hi Abdulaziz, I like your mechanical-theme clock! For your constraints, I think you can find bunches of mechanical components in Boulder recycling center to release the economic burden of your project. To lighter the weigtht, perhaps you can use foam with painting on surfaces instead of metal.
After reading your constraints, I see that you have to comply with a certain weight while still maintaining your steampunk aesthetic. I highly encourage you to laser cut parts into the desired shapes to have sharp edges and the precise shapes. Maybe then spray paint the pieces for the rustic texture that aligns with your aesthetic.
I am also making a wall clock but it’s going to be the minimalism style. Based on your feature image I assume you are leaning towards the industrial aesthetics style? If that’s the case I think Andrew has his point by suggesting using 3D printing because the product is going to be light and you still have the bolts, gears, metal style. Good luck on the project, it will be very interesting to see the final product!
Hello Aziz, I really like this idea! I would recommend 3D printing your components and finishing them so you can paint them and apply the aesthetics you are going for. There are a lot of resources online for how to finish PLA plastic and paint it, you should do some research on that. While you could machine some of your pieces, the more complicated pieces could be made using 3D printing and finished with a metallic paint. Using 3D printing will make your life a lot easier, and will make your piece easier to produce