MY WORK:
DUAL SUSPENSION CARBON FIBER MOUNTAIN BIKE:
I spent 3 years researching, designing, engineering, & manufacturing my own carbon fiber mountain bike frame from scratch. After significant research & statistical analysis, I used Fusion 360 & Linkage Pro to create the frame in CAD. I then used 3D printed molds to create my pre preg carbon bodies & outsourced my aluminum parts to be CNC machined before processing & assembling the frame.
DESIGN PROCESS:
After determining a direction, I created five iterations of the bike frame before choosing the 6th iteration to manufacture. These iterations were mainly built around different suspension layouts which I was testing. After learning Linkage Pro, a kinematic analysis software, I was able to quickly iterate and test over ten different possible suspension linkage layouts. I found going between Fusion 360 and Linkage enabled me to immediately see the linkage in CAD and understand any limitations or problems those pivot points created. I then fine tuned my chosen linkage & continued.
The Geometry of my frame is very unique in that it creates a centered feeling for the rider while pushing them further forward and over the front wheel. I accomplished this by creating a very short rear chainstay of the bike to create a sense of quick handling and snappiness, while lengthening out the front of the bike to balance the rear end. The overall length of the bike and positioning of the rider was intended to achieve maximum stability at speed and in steep situations without compromising the bike’s maneuverability or playfulness.
The bike features flip chips in the rear axle and headset, creating more options and ways to configure the frame. By changing the position of the rear axle by 10mm, the rider can choose between a more stable, longer bike, or a shorter, more playful configuration.
The headset flip chips enable the rider to change both the kind of fork they prefer from a 170mm single crown fork, to a 200mm downhill dual crown fork. They can also change the headangle of the bike to be steeper or slacker. This ability was utilized near the end of the manufacturing process so that I could keep the bike in line with modern trends after being designed two years prior.
MANUFACTURING WORK:
I experimented with different manufacturing methods to create my parts, especially the aluminum linkage parts. These went through 3 main iterations, the first being my ideal, aesthetic models, the second being the more practical & engineered iterations, and the third being a major revision to all surfaces & edges following review from multiple CNC engineers & designers to make the parts cheaper, easier, and quicker to machine.
The main molds of the bike were composed of 3D printed resin sections which were used to make negative carbon molds. These were used to produce the final parts.
Along with those iterations, I went on to prototype a forged carbon version of the main swingarm link. Forged carbon is a new manufacturing technology that enables carbon parts to be molded into smaller, more intricate and stronger parts by using chopped carbon instead of woven fabrics. A calculated amount of carbon and resin are put into specially designed molds I made that put immense pressure on the part while enabling excess resin to escape. The benefits to this method are mainly the molding process, which is much simpler and can be smaller or more complex, and the manufacturing time. This part took weeks to be sent out and machined, and it would have taken several days to make traditionally with Pre-preg carbon fiber as well. This part took 20 minutes to lay up in the mold and a few hours after to cure. I also found through online manufacturing research that this material has the potential to be stronger than an identical aluminum part with proper reinforcement, and this is being utilized heavily in the 2nd main iteration of my bike frame which I am currently engineering.
MODULAR AFFORDABLE & GREEN TOWNHOUSE:
I was tasked with creating a multi use, renewable affordable housing design for an area of the world I felt was strongly in need of that sort of building in my senior architecture course at Hotchkiss. I chose to create a modular take on the classic townhouse row design to create a building centered around safe, personal outdoor space, and greenery for a neighborhood in Chicago’s west side.
SKETCHING & IDEATION:
In research I found several ways to make a building more affordable to produce, as well as ways to make them greener & renewable. I found the idea of modularity very fascinating, as it felt like a challenge to create multiple layouts for a single space or form. I took the idea of a 3 story, thin and long townhouse common to Chicago & many other places and found that by reorienting the 3 identical floors into new more three dimensional layouts, I could create homes that interlap in ways that create large patio spaces & stacked onto each other to create a structure.
Based on my own experiences growing up in south Chicago and from my research, I found two more important needs my building could meet were green space, and safety. I found that by utilizing green roofs I could turn my large patio spaces into gardens and give each roof space it’s own grass & other plants. This created a more energy efficient, longer lasting building while giving residents an elevated space off the street where they could be outside & comfortable.
PHYSICAL CONCEPT MODEL:
I realized that the green roof and the way my modular designs intertwined and “grew” up could be combined to give the entire structure the sense of a giant plant. The lower part of the building was then designed to be it’s own sort of pot to hold the apartment, or plants. The diagonal way that my apartments also stacked meant that it created large spaces on the first and second floors which could be utilized for more private community space, or as a space for local businesses to be as well. I purposefully left that space open to accommodate any number of possible needs for the building.
EVERYDAY MULTITOOL:
I set out to solve a problem I struggle with as a maker going back and forth from home and college, and all over the place. I brought some of my tools with me to college, while some remain at home, and more often than not, I am left missing or needing a tool that isn’t where I am.
SKETCHING & PROTOTYPING:
Inspired by this problem and a few multitools I’ve recently seen online, I decided to create my own multitool so the tools I use the most are always with me in one place.
I began by figuring out what I used most, and what I wanted to have with me by observing my own making practices for a day and noting what I did. My goals were a compact, flat tool that held as much as I needed and nothing more. With this and the set of tools I wanted in mind I began sketching designs and laying out my tools in different ways.
I found between sketching and CAD that my design was roughly a pen length, and the idea to incorporate a magnetic pen as well as making the tool modular and leaning more into the idea of magnets became another central design pillar.
I tried to keep the design simple while creating the sense of a precisely engineered, functional tool. I looked to things like the new wave of sharp edged Iphone designs, as well as other tools for inspiration to give my design a strong sense of confidence in its quality and strength. I chose simple chamfered edges interrupted by the cutouts required for the aluminum carabiner area and bit storage mechanisms.
I chose to keep the tool as flat as possible to keep both with its form factor, as well as to work with my manufacturing means. I had access to 3.2mm aluminum plating at home which I felt was the perfect material to give my design a strong & durable core body. I was able to sandwich this in between two 3D printed plastic plates to enable functions like the retractable bit storage and Exacto holder while keeping the strength of an aluminum tool.
This project was a perfect opportunity to improve my design skills with sketching, as well as rendering with something fun, quick, and functional.
BESPOKE KEYBOARD CASE:
I worked with a client to create a design for an aluminum keyboard case with our own unique features. They wanted to have something metal, thin, and sharp while still being comfortable to use. They also wanted to incorporate some sort of natural material as well to offset the industrial feel aluminum cases often give off.
We came to one major manufacturing challenge that had to be worked around which was their intended CNC machine they planned to use. This machine had two major limitations, being built in height and length. The machine couldn’t carve higher than about 2.5 inches and only had a build plate of about 7 inches square. This meant the long body of the keyboard had to be somehow split up to accommodate this.
We turned this limitation into a unique feature of our design that solved several typical design challenges of keyboards as well. The main circuit boards of modern mechanical keyboards are sandwiched in by the cases and do not bolt to the cases anymore, creating the “gasket mount” standard. Our case split in half and linked together using interlocking teeth and bolts in the bottom, keeping the sleek and thin body of the keyboard completely intact while creating a unique and strong connection between the case halves. This means the circuit board now simply slides in while the board is split, and is easily and securely held inside the case.
I optimized this design to use as few machining passes as possible despite it’s complex form, reducing it to only 3 passes per half. I was also able to incorporate inner wood trim to the board that gave it an even further unique detail that complemented the split design.
ARTISAN KEYCAPS:
Following our Keyboard work, I found the world of “Artisan Keycaps” which are one off, custom made keyboard caps people like to customize setups with. I created a few designs for fun and after getting feedback online, found a market for sci fi mecha designs that no one had made yet. I was able to modify designs I had already made as well as create new designs quickly due to the small nature of a keycap and its strict 18x18mm size limitation.
I designed my caps with manufacturing in mind, working to create caps that were easy to print, process, and paint. This meant making designs that didn’t have any hard to reach crevices or major overhangs for support materials to fill, as well as separating them into separate parts in some cases to ease the painting and finishing process. Each cap has extremely specific tolerances down to the .01 mm to make them as easy and pleasant to fit onto a keyboard switch as possible. I took approximately 5 iterations per cap tweaking tolerances and designs to better fit and be more comfortable to use on keyboards before publishing them online and making them available for sale.
COMMISSIONED "DEMON" MASK
I was commissioned to create a mask to serve as a prop for an online dance video. The client wanted a mask reminiscent of old Japanese Oni masks with a more sleek, modern take. The mask also had to be lightweight, breathable, and functional so it could be worn during their dance routines.
CONCEPT & PRODUCTION:
I began by going to my client with a variety of initial ideas and concepts after meeting with them so we could further understand what they liked and didn’t like aesthetically. The client also gave lots of online images to further narrow down our concept. After our back and forth, I was able to get their facial measurements and create a very basic mask form in Fusion 360. I got feedback on the overall silhouette of the form so far and how much of their face they wanted covered, and was able to fine tune the form.
I then used Autodesk Sketchbook to draw over renders of the basic form to get feedback and direction on the sort of details and story we wanted this mask to tell. The client wanted to embody a sort of evil demon character and we were able to give the mask a sinister feel from there.
I had to balance the organic, almost human features of the typical Oni mask with the clients desire for a more modern, sleek aesthetic. To achieve this I left many features very smooth, yet only partially blended onto the base mask surface to give it details reminiscent of its inspiration, while also keeping it less organic. I also worked to include the clients logo, the ‘A’ found on both cheeks and their desire to have a dragon wrapped onto the mask as well.
I was able to use the common feature of a large, snarling smile found on many Oni masks to naturally create very large vents for the client to breath on the cheeks, nose, and mouth so that the mask wouldn’t inhibit their movements at all. I also sourced durable and thick elastic bands to serve as straps that fit into mounts built into the back of the mask to keep it on securely and comfortably.
3D PRINTABLE DREMEL LATHE ATTATCHMENT:
I solved my own need for a lathe by creating an attachment to my favorite tool, the Dremel. I was asked by a client to create a set of rings as a gift, however I had no way of turning metal. I had old bike handlebar ends that I realized I could polish and carve into beautiful aluminum pieces, so I set out to somehow work those into jewelry. I had to clamp the inside surface of the rings so I could work and polish the outsides, and came up with my reverse clamp design to do so. The central bolt holds a cone segment, which when compressed downwards, drives the outer bits into the inside surface of the ring, holding it in place while I spun & worked on it.
PROJECTOR MOUNT:
I used my roommates' need for a way to hang our projector in our room as another opportunity to improve my design and engineering skills. We needed a ceiling mount that could hook into a tiled ceiling and rotate to project on two opposing walls.
I wanted to focus on the rotational mechanism of the projector, and based my design around a central rotational unit. Our projector had to rotate 180 degrees to reach both walls, and I wanted a mechanism that would both only rotate 180 degrees at a time, and be very satisfying to use. This meant creating a physical feedback that would let the user easily know it was in place, and constrain the projector from over or under rotating.
PROTOTYPING:
After experimenting with several iterations, I found a way to split a cylinder using two diagonal cuts that made it so when pressed together, the cylinder naturally wanted to sit in the groove of the other half, which let it rotate fully while only having two points of rest 180 degrees apart from each other. To load the mechanism I used two small springs that pressed into a cap that rotated with the body while constantly applying the needed downward pressure to the unit. I also used assembly grease to make the whole 3D printed prototype rotate quite smoothly.
The entire rotation mechanism is housed in two outer halves that split perpendicularly to the direction of force from the springs so that it wouldn’t gradually split or weaken from that force.
I also used the projectors center of gravity to act as the main balance on the hinge mechanism so that two bolts could simply be raised or lowered to change the viewing angle instead of requiring a stronger hinge or lock system.
The parts were 3D printed using FDM printing because I felt that the properties of plastic would be more suited to this functional design and that those outweighed the accuracy and finish quality of 3D printed resin parts. I was still able to smooth the outer and inner rotational bodies using a special filament from Polymaker that reacts to Isopropyl Alcohol. I also was careful to orient the parts so that the print layers served to strengthen the parts instead of acting as a point of failure.
MECHANICAL PARTHENON SERIES:
Inspired by a newfound interest in classical sculpture and its influence into modern works, I set out to create my own piece of art inspired by classical sculpture. I wanted there to be just as much of my own influences and style as classical inspiration, so I felt there was no better way to contrast classic sculpture than with 3D modeled, humanoid robots. I love seeing the wildly expressive, dynamic and large classical scenes, and sought to create my own with these ideas in mind.
RESEARCH & PROCESS:
My first step was to research pieces that inspired me, as well as to better understand classic proportion and human form, something I hadn’t studied enough in my traditional studio art background. I have always played around with my own humanoid designs for robots, and I strived to create one that was both packed with mechanical detail while perfectly matching classic proportions.
I was able to quickly iterate between my sketching & planning, as well as my 3D modeling software of choice for this project, Nomad Sculpt. I used a combination of my own sketching & planning to create my base model, then used classical sculptures to inform my own poses. I found a combination of classic sculptures and pieces to work into my own unique composition. I wanted to create a sense of strong motion & activity through my poses to create the sense of several small interactions between each robot while also pointing all the motion into the center of the pieces through the vertical hierarchy of the poses.
I found that the size of each individual robot file meant I was unable to render the piece as a whole, so I had to render the stage individually from each robot which I then combined into a final piece in Procreate.
LUCIFER & RAPHAEL SCULPTS:
I found a unique creative progression with my Lucifer & Raphael sculpts to create this duo of models.
MODELING PROCESS:
Originally I made a sketch while exploring tools in Procreate of the Raphael mecha, which I wanted to be a sort of almost sinister mechanical angel figure. A long time later, I revisited this design in Nomad Sculpt and found it to be a very compelling subject to 3D model. Using that sketch of the robot for reference I was able to create a very close sculpt to the original piece. I felt like there was more to explore in this piece and the ideas of mechanical versions of classical figures like the angel Raphael or Lucifer, and created Lucifer as a response to Raphael. I wanted them to continue the aesthetic of a long, nearly humanoid figure with overly lanky, pointed proportions. While Raphael was a bit more blocky and had a less organic silhouette, I wanted Lucifer to be an even more organic contrast to Raphaels form.
I actually began the Lucifer Sculpt with a very early block out of the Raphael sculpt, which I immediately put into Procreate to plan out further features and to get a better sense for the character of Lucifer in a 2D environment. From those annotations and sketches, I was able to bring those back into Nomad sculpt with a more informed direction and continued creating Lucifer from there.