Speaker Foam Model

PROCESS

Sketch, Measurement, Illustration, Prototype.

Sketching: I pushed my creative juices to give various possible form for the speaker design.

Measurement: After choosing my favourite design, I proceed to estimate the measurement of the speaker that might complement my phone size.

Illustration : I began illustrating the forms in orthographic view. With that, I printed it out to use it as a template, to cut out the shape with a foam cutter.

Prototype : Now I realise my design into 3D form

“First Attempt “

I did not document anything much, but I learn a lot from the first attempt.

Important Lesson I Learn :

  1. Quick and rapid prototyping allow me to see the form quickly and make changes to my sketches. It also allows me to go through the process of cutting my model out and see the possible problems that lies ahead as I build the model out. 
  2. I have problem cutting out the plug on the phone dock, my lecturer teach me to separate the parts I am building instead of cutting out the whole piece at once. 
  3. 4: 1 ratio is too small as a model to represent my intended design. So I have to build a larger prototype, maybe 2:1?

 

“Second Attempt”
Cutting Out The Template

I cut out the template I printed out with 1pt stroke, using a pen knife and ruler.  The second prototype I made the illustration lines/stroke to 0.01pt, so to have a more accurate cut using the pen knife. The reason being that thick lines  makes it difficult to cut the shape out.

Important Lesson I Learn :
Use the thinnest stroke available on illustrator if I want to cut using template. This allow for a more accurate cut. With a more accurate cut, it will translate to a more accurate model when cutting out using the foam cutter. 

Cutting Out The Foam According To The Template

Now I paste the template on the foam block. I slice out  the shape of the front first view then cut the side afterwards. Doing the opposite manner will be more difficult to cut.

Important Lesson I Learn :
The order of cutting out the different views of the speaker matters. For the first attempt, I met many challenges in cutting the views of the speaker. So I try to envision the steps I will be taking and plan out as much before I proceed with the cutting, after learning from my mistakes. If there are some difficulty that I did not foresee until I do the cutting, then so be it. But I try to plan as much as possible after the challenges I face after the first attempt of cutting

The foam cutter burn through my paper.

Important Lesson I Learn :
Use a thicker paper with higher GSM or different material to use as a template, which will be is more burn – proof.

 

Cutting Out The Top

At first, I was sanding it without clamping my model down. It creates uneven and odd surfaces on the foam model.

Afterwards, I hold the foam block with a clamp to prevent it from shifting as I am sanding, as what the lecturer taught me to do.

Important lessons I learn :
The more firm and stable my foam is, the easier to sand to create an even, smooth and accurate surface.

Then another problem I met is that the clamp creates marks, and it also made my model dirty.

Important lessons I learn :
I use a large piece of wooden board within the clamp to protect my model from being dirty.

Next, I use a sanding tool (not sure what it is called), to concave a huge surface according to the shape of the template, then use a smaller sanding tool (not sure what it is called as well), to refine the edges.

Afterwards, the next problem I met is that the paper paste on the foam was not align accurately, thus creating an odd shape, and inaccurate to the model I intend to create.

Fillet is particular good at sanding corners, but not wide surfaces or wide surfaces that have corners. I tried to use the fillet to sand but the outcome is the surface are uneven.

 

Alignment Of The Side Speaker Template

Important lessons I learn :
The template has to be align accurately. At the current moment, my solution to align the template to the model using the tables or a ruler. However I believe there are better methods to align the template neatly to the foam model

Removing The Front Template

I remove the front template as I need to cut the side of my model.

 

Sanding It Down

I begin sanding down using the sand paper. However I face a huge challenge in sanding an even surface for my model. As I am sanding down my model according to the template, my lecturer tell me create a sanding block so to make my sanding more accurate and even. It works better than I am trying to sand manually without a block

Important lessons I learn :
Customise my own sanding tools to sand my model. This help in creating not just a more pleasant and satisfying sanding experience, it also help me make better looking models.

I created my own sanding tools, another problem I face is that the sanding tool is not wide enough to sand the whole width of the model. I tried to sand a side of the model, then sand the other side. However, this resulted in uneven surface once again.

Important lessons I learn :
I have to sand the surface all at once to create a smooth and even surface, therefore I have to create a wide enough sanding tool as well.

Another problem I face is that after cutting the model down, sanding the model often shrink and it became smaller than the template.

Important lessons I learn : Is that I cannot cut the foam exactly to the size of the template. I have to leave some buffer space to sand down the uneven surface the cutting has created.

A discovery I made :
Using a sanding fillet to sand it down to create a flat or smooth surface. Afterwards then the sandpaper which is less rough to make the surface more smooth, refine and even.

However, as I sand down, I realised that there is a structural problem with my model. The area where the phone dock is, is too thin that it shows signs of cracks in the model, because I had previously sand the model down too much below.

This is the second model created using white foam.

There are still some problem with this model. there is a clamp mark. So I have to find another solution with my clamping method.

Another problem is that I face some difficulty in sanding the small corners of the model. I was thinking to cut the model into different parts than joining them together, this would make the model neater and more accurate to the intended design. However there is another set of problems if I choose to do make my model with that approach.

Maybe what I can do is to create better sanding tools, or tools that I can sand those space corners better?

 

“Third Attempt”

 

For this attempt, I am trying to incorporate all the lesson I learn and to avoid the mistake I made as I build this model. 

I used a blue foam this time because I didn’t know where to find the foam in the workshop. So i brought my own foam to school. However it was too thin, so I used a double sided tape then stick them together.

Now I align the template neatly, using surfaces such as the table.

As I cut, I allow buffer space so to sand down the model later.

At the same time, the foam is more difficult to cut through with the foam cutter due to the double sided tape. So it created uneven surface. Creating a buffer place give me the opportunity to sand it down into an even surface later.

Now I create big enough sanding block that not only covers the entire surface of the model for the area I want to sand, it is also thick enough for me to hold the model comfortably.

Another problem I face is that if the sanding tool I created is too thin, the pressure of my fingers will be pressed though the sanding block, and thus creating a uneven surface. Therefore I created a thicker sanding block. However, a thin sanding block also allows me to sand down areas that are more refine, such as smoothening out some uneven curve of my model surface for example.

Range of sanding blocks I have create to sand different parts of my model

I also created a long and wide enough sanding block to sand the tight corners of the model and to create a more even and smooth curve.

 

The End!