Week 2: 2D Design & 3D Modeling

<div class="textcontainer"> <h1>Week 2: 2D Design & 3D Modeling</h1> This week was about getting comfortable with the design tools we'll be using all semester — vector design for 2D cutting, and Fusion 360 for parametric 3D modeling. Two assignments: laser cut a cardboard box from a flat pattern I designed myself, and remodel two real-world hand tools in Fusion. <h2>Assignment 1: Laser-Cut Cardboard Box</h2> I designed the box as a flat pattern and exported it as a DXF for the laser cutter. I also drew my name in Inkscape and laser-engraved it onto one of the panels — same cut job, just a second pass with the laser set to engrave instead of cut through. <a href="box.dxf" download>Download the box DXF</a>  |  <a href="box-graphic.svg" download>Download the name SVG</a> The DXF carries the panel dimensions directly, so to recreate it just open the file in Fusion / Inkscape / whatever your laser cutter expects, drop it on a piece of corrugated cardboard, and cut. <img src="box-graphic.svg" alt="My name, drawn in Inkscape and engraved on the box" width="300"> "William" drawn in Inkscape — laser-engraved (lower power, single pass) onto one of the cut panels. The sides interlock with finger joints, and once the box was clicked together I ran hot glue along the inside seams so it would actually stay put instead of slowly falling apart. <img src="cardboard-box.jpg" alt="Assembled cardboard box" width="400"> Assembled box — finger joints clicked together and hot-glued along the inside seams for rigidity. <h2>Assignment 2: Fusion 360 Modeling — Scissors & Screwdriver</h2> For this part I picked two hand tools off my desk and rebuilt them in Fusion 360. The workflow was the same for both: pull out calipers, measure the major dimensions, then sketch the profile in Fusion and extrude/revolve into a solid. I uploaded the source files so you can open them up and see the parametric sketches — every dimension is editable from there. <a href="scissors.f3d" download>Download scissors.f3d</a>  |  <a href="screwdriver.f3d" download>Download screwdriver.f3d</a> <h3>Scissors</h3> Measurements: <ul> <li>158 mm tip-to-tip</li> <li>67 mm handle length</li> <li>90 mm blade length</li> </ul> <img src="scissors-full.png" alt="Scissors total length sketch in Fusion 360, 158 mm" width="500"> Reference sketch: total tip-to-tip length, 158 mm. <img src="scissors-handle.png" alt="Scissors handle sketch, 67 mm" width="400"> Handle profile sketch — 67 mm long. <img src="scissors-blade.png" alt="Scissors blade sketch, 90 mm" width="500"> Blade profile sketch — 90 mm long. Final model: <img src="scissors-final.png" alt="Finished scissors model in Fusion 360" width="500"> The finished scissors assembled in Fusion 360 — both halves mated around a pivot. <h3>Screwdriver</h3> Measurements: <ul> <li>200 mm tip-to-tip</li> <li>100 mm blade length</li> <li>100 mm handle length</li> </ul> <img src="screwdriver-full.png" alt="Screwdriver total length sketch, 200 mm" width="500"> Reference sketch: total length, 200 mm. <img src="screwdriver-blade.png" alt="Screwdriver blade sketch, 100.82 mm" width="500"> Blade shaft sketch — 100.82 mm. <img src="screwdriver-handle.png" alt="Screwdriver handle sketch, 100.02 mm" width="400"> Handle profile sketch — 100.02 mm, revolved around the central axis. Final model: <img src="screwdriver-final.png" alt="Finished screwdriver model in Fusion 360" width="400"> Finished screwdriver — handle revolve + blade extrude joined into a single solid. <div class="week-nav"> <a href="../01_intro/index.html" class="week-nav-prev"> ← Previous Week 1 — Intro </a> <a href="../03_fabrication/index.html" class="week-nav-next"> Next → Week 3 — Fabrication </a> </div> </div>