tech major unit - design from influence

7/30/2019 Tech Major Unit - Design From Influence

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14/08/2012

Design By InfluenceMajor ProjectJennifer Kai-Yin YANG


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Investigation


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Brain Storm: List of problems I encounter in life- Missing hairclips and hairband- Tangled head lamp and computer cord- Misshaped t-shirts after washing and drying- Disorganized closet full of clothing- Table with undesired height- Messy Piano covered with music books- Uncomfortable sofa

Details: The Main 3 Problems1. Problem: Tangled head lamp and computer cord

My desk at home always seems very untidy, even after

I had cleaned everything unnecessary off my table,

because of the lamp and computer cords. Not only

does this not look nice, but it is also a problem for me

because they occupy a huge space of my table, which

leads to me having much less space to put and keep

things on the table. Also, the cords are hard to arrange

because I used to use an elastic band to tie them

around, but whenever I wanted to extend or shorten it,

it takes quite a while to do it.

Possible Solution:

Having a thing that allows the cords to revolve around it would make them more organized.

2. Problem: Disorganized closet full of clothingThe closet I use to storage my clothes looks very much

unorganized, because my closet only contains 3drawers and a rack for hanging clothes. Due to the

limited amount of different separate sections for

storing my clothing, I can only stack them together in

order to fit all of the apparels into the closet. Because

of this, every time I attempt to get the shirt or pants

from the bottom or halfway of the stack, the whole

pile of clothes just goes everywhere and becomes

very untidy, also, when clothes are not folded

properly, they get wrinkled, and that is what happens

to most of my clothes and really annoys me.

Possible Solution:A rack or a cupboard with several layers that can store

clothes and will be able for me to get them without

messing up the others would be a suitable storage

gadget.

3. Messy Piano covered with music booksOn the top part, the lid, of my piano, it is always covered with

books because I do not have a place for keeping my music

books. Therefore, I always place all the books on the lid of the

piano. Just like both of the problems mentioned above, not

only does it look unpleasant, but it also causes me to spendmore time finding the books. Also, often when I am trying to


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get a book from the bottom of the stack, the books above fall off onto the piano one by one.

In addition to having to reorganize the books again, my biggest fear is that the books or

folders will scrape and leave marks on the piano. This said, a place for storing my music

books is very much in need.

Possible Solution:

Create a book shelf that holds the books and could be placed on the piano without scrapingit.

The problem I am going to focus and work onMessy Piano covered with books

According to the survey above, over half of the people who took the survey (52.9%) chose

that the problem they encounter and wants to solve the most is not enough places to keep books. 9

out of 17 people chose that.

Because of that, I decided to choose to work on the Messy piano covered with music book

problem. Also, I think that by making a book shelf for my music books, it will make my piano look

cleaner and nicer which gives me a better mood while playing piano. Furthermore, if the music books

are placed on a shelf, it would be much easier, convenient and take much less time for me to find

and get the book I want.


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Design Movement my Product is Going to be Influenced by: Bauhaus ModernismStyle:

- GeometricAs mentioned in both design-technology.org and artsmia.org, Bauhaus featured designs

were mainly focused on the aesthetic fundamentals and geometrically pure forms. The

unnecessary parts were not included. The designs were to be kept as simple as possible.

- Machine-made-look-alikeUnlike the Arts and Crafts movement, Bauhaus modernism practitioners valued the use of

modern materials in creating the products. Some materials they used were aluminum,

tubular steel and leather.

- AccessibleBauhaus Modernism influenced products are usually in a reasonable price, functional and

easily mass produced, so that people from every class could be able to afford them.

Marcel Breuer (1902~1981):- One of the most influential furniture designer of the early 20th century- Stressed the combination of art and technology- 1902~1934: Had a range of furniture made from metal, steel and aluminum- 1935 and on: Products were made of a combination of steel, glass and wood (3)

Club Armchair B3, 1925

- Most Famous Piece

- Inspired by the bicycle handlebars form and shape

- Made from leather and tubular steel that was polished and bent

- Mass produced

- Light- Easy to assemble from ready-made steel tubes

- Bending steel

Thonet B33

1928-1929

- Bending steel

- Combination of wood and leather

- Tubular steel chair

Aluminium chaise longue (left) 1935-1936

- Combination of aluminium and

wood

Wooden Chair (right), 1937

- Wooden version of his earlier

metal designs


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Guiding Questions1. Who is my target audience?

The bookshelf will be made for Sana and I, because we both encounter the problem:

Not having enough space to store books.

2. What style of bookshelf would appeal to the target audience?Quality Sana Jennifer (Me)

Color Wood pattern, green Wood pattern, white, silver

Minimum amount of books that

needs to be stored

25 35

Material Wood or acrylic Wood

Design Style Simple, unusual(special) Simple

Functions other than storing books None None

3. What are some of woods appropriate for making bookshelves?

Above are 2 kinds of wood (MDF and Plywood) that are mentioned as appropriate

for manufacturing furniture on the website mr-dt.com and those are the 2 materials that I

have access to at the workshop.

The other 3 kinds of wood mentioned on mr-dt.com that are suitable for producing a

bookshelf are chipboard, blockboard and hardboard. However using the chipboard and

blockboard to will be too thick and inconvenient to cut. As for hardboard, I do not have

access to that kind of wood. So the final product will be made of either MDF or plywood.

4. What kind of adhesive is most effective on wood?

According to mr-dt.com, PVA and Synthetic resin are appropriate and effective

adhesives for attaching pieces of wood together.


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5. What are the materials that are available for me to use in the workshop when creating?Material Usage

MDF Materials the bookshelf could be made of

Plywood

Tenon saw Cutting the wood to piecesSome kind of varnish Make the wood shinier (more aesthetically pleasing)

Synthetic resin Attaching the pieces of wood together

G-clamp Holding the piece of wood still so that it will be easier when cutting pieces

6. What are some kinds of ways to connect pieces of wood together?Below are some of the ways to connect pieces of woods together more stably and

aesthetically pleasing showed in the program Focus on Wood Joints.

Clockwise from top left: Finger joint, lapped dovetail, lap joint, dowelled butt joint

7. What are the sizes of music books I have?In my collection of music books, all of them have very similar sizes. The range is only

1 cm. The biggest music book is 31cm in height and 23cm in width. The smallest size is 30cm

in height and 22cm in width.

This said, the minimum height of the area to store books should be about 32cm (1cm

more than the biggest book size). Also, the width (depth) of the bookshelf should be no less

than 15 cm (3 cm more than half the width of a music book) so that the music books will be

able to stay and not fall of the shelf.

The average thickness of the books is 1cm.

Because I have at least 30 music books that needs to be kept in a bookshelf. The

minimum total length of the surface area to store books should be about 30cm (1cm*30

books) to be able to store all the music books.


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8. What is the size of the available space for putting the book shelf?The size of the lid of my piano is about 150cm in length and 35cm in width.

9. What are some existing similar products that could be an inspiration?The picture on the left is a simple Bauhaus modernism

influenced bookshelf which could be an inspiration of my

product. I like how the larger surfaces are colorful, but they

kept the sides blank so it shows the pattern of the wood. It is

made up with simple diagonal lines. From the picture, it looks

like it can hold many books, and it can also stand by itself if it isplaced on a flat surface. However, it might be inconvenient to

get out books that are placed at the bottom of the stack.

The picture on the right is the Carmine Grey Limed Oak

Bookshelf manufactured and sold by Arteriors Home. Also, this is

another very simple design. It is mainly formed with 5 rectangles

stacked on each other, but by making them stick out from one

another, it creates a more interesting visual effect.

The model SJ631, created

by Amazon-Mimosda Furnishing

Co., shown on the left is a

bookshelf made with MDF, which I

have access to too. I like this

design because even though it is

just a very simple design with a combination of different

sizes of rectangles and squares, but they used black and

white, which are 2 opposite colors, to bring out the basic

geometric designs of the bookshelf.

The model HB-K16 manufactured by Dongguan

Craft Furniture Industrial Co., Ltd is another design that

I find aesthetically pleasing. I like how the design is very

simple yet still functional. It is basically just a straight

line with 5 right angle folds. This product is also made

from MDF. By looking at the picture, it seems like this

bookshelf can be easily mass produced.


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DesignDesign Brief:

I am going to make a product that is a Bauhaus design influenced and will be able to hold

books for Sana and I, because now I just keep my music books on the lid of my piano due to limited

amount of storage places. The product will be placed on the top of the piano so it should not be too

big to be able to fit on the piano. Also, it should be able to be made in with a small budget. It shouldbe aesthetically appealing while easy to maintain. The product has to be able to be manufactured

using machinery within the school workshop.

Specifications:

Specification No. Specification point Reason/Justification How can this be achieved

Purpose 1Must be able to hold at

least 30 music books

The target audience have about

35~30 books that need to be

stored.

The length of the surface

area to store books must

be at least 30 cm

Minimum height: 32cm

Minimum depth: 15cm

Aesthetic

2Must be Influenced by

Bauhaus Design

I think it is the most aesthetically

pleasing and appropriate style for

this product.

Geometric designs,

functional, could be easily

mass produced

3Should be aesthetically

appealing to Sana and I

We are the target audience of this

designed product.

Design should refer to

answer from guiding

question number 2

Time/Resource

4

Should be able to be

manufactured within

less than 12hr

I have about 8 lessons to create

(10hr). It is possible to work on it

on my own time too(2hr) if needed

Will be a simple design,

not too hard to

manufacture

5

Must be able to be

made with wood oracrylic

MDF and acrylic are the only 2

materials I have access to that canbe used to create my product.

Should not have any

bent/curvy parts

Form

6Must be able to fit on

piano

The bookshelf is going to be placed

on the piano.

Maximum size of the

bookshelf : 150cm* 30cm

7 Should be 1:1 scale

The target audience needs this

product and is going to actually use

it.

Should be able to fit

actual music books in it

and on the piano

8Should be no heavier

than 1.5 kg

It would be hard to move around if

needed.

Use as little materials as

possible

Constrains 9

Must be able to be

produced with

machineries in school

workshop

The product will only be

manufactured within the schoolworkshop.

Should not be too

complicated to create

Functional

characteristic10

Must be easy to take

books out without

messing up the others

It would be inconvenient if the

stack of books would be messed up

because I wanted to get a book

from the bottom

Should have different

separate parts to store

books

Safety

11Must not scrape the

piano

The piano is easily scraped. If it is

scraper, the value would decrease

and would be less aesthetically

pleasing.

Bottom surface of the

bookshelf should be soft

12 Should be stableThe product has to be stable to be

able to hold books.

Should be connected with

appropriate wood joints


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Methods of testingComparing the initial designs against part of the specifications

After I have come up with the 3 initial designs, I will compare them with some of the

specifications to assist me with choosing the most appealing and appropriate final design. It will be

compared in a format as shown below:

Specification Design 1 Design 2 Design 3Influenced by Bauhaus Modernism

Aesthetically pleasing to Sana and I

Able to be manufactured within 12hr

Able to hold at least 30 music books

Able to fit on the piano lid

Easy to take out books from the bottom of the stack without


Total

For each specification, the numbers 1~5 will be distributed between the 3 designs. 5 is

defined as being the best design in terms of that specification, as 1 is being the least appealing in

terms of that specification. In the last row, the total score will determine which design is the bestone overall.

Comparing the final product against most of the specifications

When the final product is finished, one of the ways to evaluate it is to compare it to most of

the specifications listed. This will be approached by comparing them in a table (see below) to make it

more efficient and clearer.

Specification Product

Able to hold at least 30 books

Elements of Bauhaus Modernism is included

Aesthetically pleasing to the target audience

Finished in time

Able to fit on piano lid

Not heavier than 1500g

Is easy to take out any book without messing up others

Does not scrape the piano

Is stable (final product does not shake)

Total (out of 27)

Specification number 5, 7 and 9 are not included because it will not be necessary to compare

the final product to them. If the final product has been done manufacturing, it would mean that

specification 5 and 9 has being met. As for specification 7, if the final actual product is able to hold at

least 30 books, it means that it has being met too.

Like the comparing of the initial designs against part of the specifications, a number between

1 and 5 will be given to each specification. 5 shows that the final product meets the specification

fully, as 1 shows that it does not meet the specification at all.

Interviewing the target audience about the product

To evaluate the final product against specification 3, I will run a user trial and interview Sana

(my target audience) and ask myself the following questions about the final product:

1. Do you find the final product aesthetically pleasing? Why or why not?2. On a scale of 1(bad) to 10(good), what would you give?3. What do you like about the final product? Why or why not?4. What dont you like about the final product? Why or why not?5. What could be improved?


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Design


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Initial Designs(Pictures not to scale; all units in mm; thickness of plywood used to create will be 9)


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3 Main Initial DesignsDesign 1

This is a very simple geometric design based on

the idea of placing a rectangular cube between

two square cubes. The square cube on the left

has the 2 perpendicular sides extended so morebooks or other things can be placed on the top

without falling off.

Unlike most of the Bauhaus design furniture,

this product will be created with plywood

instead of machine-made-look-alike materials

such as aluminium and tubular steel. This is

because I do not have access to those materials.

Also, plywood is a more appropriate material to

create a bookshelf.

To be certain that the joints of the different pieces would be firm and would not fall apart, the

different pieces will be connected together with 6 finger joints and 2 lap joints as shown in the

graphic below. The pieces will be stuck together using synthetic resin.

Some kind of cloth could be stuck to the bottom of the bookshelf so that the wood does not contact

with the piano which will prevent the piano from getting scraped.

There are 4 individual places to store the music books perpendicularly (standing) and 1 place to store

the books horizontally (lying down), which allows the user to get any books without messing up the

others. The surface on top of the square cube on the right allows the user to place anything, such as

a metronome.

From the sample created in Google SketchUp as shown below, it looks like the product would not be

very hard to make and is manageable. However, the measurements have to be very precise to allow

the different pieces to fit together perfectly.


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Design 2

This is a bookshelf based on

Bauhaus design. It is a design

which features 3 right angles, a

biggest one in the middle and 2

smaller one on either side. It isa symmetrical design. The

smaller right angles on either

side are exactly the same size,

while the two pieces that

makes up the main right angle

are the same length if

calculated from the line of

symmetry.

This bookshelf will be made out of 9mm thick plywood.

To increase the surface area that will be attached to different using synthetic resin, this design is

connected using 3 lap joints and 2 finger joints as shown in the graphic below. These 2 ways of

joining the pieces of wood together are considered the most appropriate and effective ways for this

design to make it more stable.

There are 3 individual places to store books in this bookshelf, on the main right angle and the 2

others on either side of it. Not only does it allow the user to get books without messing up the others,

but also it is able to fit more than 30 music books, because the total surface area to place the books

is 340mm (200+70+70)*150mm.

The graphic below is a screenshot of the model separated into the different pieces that builds up thebookshelf created on Google SketchUp. It seems like this product is not too difficult to make and will

be possible to be manufactured within 12 hours using machineries that are accessible in the school

workshop.

From the graphic above, it shows that the bookshelf will be able to stand on its own. The three right

angles that are formed will be on the same level which allows it to stand by itself. Those are the only

3 points that will come in contact with the surface it is placed on.


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Design 3

This design is one the most simple

designs out of the 8 initial designs. It is

similar to the one above. However,

there is only one place to place the

books. Also, instead of a right angle,like the design above, the angle of the

place to store books is 120 which

allows it to store more books.

A main different between this design

and the one above is that the edges

(corners) of this design are processed.

The 2 corners on top are modified so

the edges are perpendicular. As for the

bottom, the 2 pieces that are attached to the bookshelf that allows the bookshelf to stand by itself,

the ends are chopped off so a bigger surface area is in contact with the surface it is placed on whichmakes it more stable.

One main disadvantage of this design is that because there is only one place to place the music

books, they will all be stacked on top of each other. So, when the user is trying to get the book from

the bottom of the stack, it is most likely that the stack is going to be messed up which is inconvenient

for the user.

This design will be created using plywood with a 9mm thickness.

There are only 4 pieces of plywood that are needed to produce this bookshelf. As shown in the

graphic below, the 2 main pieces are connected with lap joint while the little legs on either side areattached to it with finger joints.

Looking at the model created in Google SketchUp, it seems like the 4 different pieces will be not too

challenging to produce within 12 hours using the machineries at school. However, the holes in the 2

main pieces that creates finger joints have to be measured and cut precisely in order to be certain

that the pieces would fit together effectively.


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Comparing the 3 initial designs against the specificationsThe table below is still similar to the one created before during the investigation stage.

However, more specifications are added and some of the specifications below had being modified

because after giving it some thought, some of the specifications were considered not very effective

in comparing the 3 different designs.

For example, one of the specifications that were modified is: able to hold at least 30 books. Itwas modified to: amount of books that could be stored. It was modified due to the fact that all the

initial designs were designed to be capable of holding at least 30 books. So instead of that, the

modified version determines which design could hold the most books.

Specification Design 1 Design 2 Design 3

Influenced by Bauhaus Modernism (simple, geometric design) 4 5 5

Amount of books that could be stored (5: most, 1: little) 5 4 3

Able to fit on the piano lid 5 5 5

Easy to take out books from the bottom of the stack without


5 (10) 4 (8) 2 (4)

Amount of wood needed (5: least, 1: most) 1 4 5

Will not scrape the piano 5 2 2Stable (connected with appropriate joints or not) 5 5 5

Degree of difficulty (5: easy, 1: hard) 2 (4) 4 (8) 5 (10)

Clients opinion (5: likes best, : likes least, 2 clients, 10 in total) 5+3 (8) 4+5 (9) (3+3) 6

Total (60) 47 50 40

Chosen Design: Design 2

The chosen design is design 2, not only because it scored the highest (50 out of 60, 3 points

more than design 1) when comparing to design 1 and design 3, but also because it is one of the

clients favourite design, and the others second favourite. Also, it is a very simple symmetric design

that is influenced by Bauhaus Modernism. One other reason design 2 is chosen as the final design is

because of the degree of difficulty of making the actual product. It is a simple product made up of

only 6 different pieces, but is also tricky to make due to the necessity of the precise measurements

and cuttings of the different parts to assure that the pieces fit together well.

As shown in the table above, it scored 50 in total out of 60. This reveals that there could still

be a huge amount of improvement made to the design. One of the main problems in design 2 is that

there is not really any place for making the surface that comes in contact with the piano lid softer so

that it does not scrape the piano. Due to this, the bottom parts that allow the bookshelf to stand by

itself should be redesigned so that there are either no sharp edges or hard

surface at the bottom of the bookshelf that has a possibility of scraping the

piano. One of the possible ways to modify it is to change the bottom of design 2

to the one originally designed for design 3, where the bottom surface of the

sides are horizontal to the surface it is placed on (see to design 3 for betterunderstanding) and a piece of cloth or anything soft could be attached to it so

the soft surface comes in contact with the piano lid instead of the actual

plywood. Another way to reduce the chance of the bookshelf scraping the piano

lid to a minimum is to sand the 3 corners at the bottom that comes in contact with the piano as

much as possible and make smoothen it to make it rounder (as shown in the picture on the right).

Furthermore, it would help if the final product is varnished so it reduces the friction.

To improve design 2 even more, one possible colour scheme of the

bookshelf could be light green (as shown on the left) on the large surface areas

and keep the wooden patterns visible on the side, just like one of the

bookshelves mentioned in the investigation stage that could be an inspiration.


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Improved Final Design: Design 2

Like the points mentioned above, the final design is based on design 2. The two things that

were improved were the 3 corners at the bottom and a colour scheme is inserted.

Rather than taking the bottoms designed for design 3 and putting it into this design, the 3

corners of now have to be smoothened by sanding it so it becomes rounder. Also, when the final

product is done, some kind of varnish will have to be applied on it so it is even smoother.

The colour scheme used for the bookshelf will be: green on the large surfaces (or areaswhere books will be placed), and the wooden pattern will be kept visible on the borders of the

bookshelf. The picture on the right is an example of how the colours on the actual product would

appear to be.

The way the different pieces will be connected remains the same as the initial design 2. The

3 right angles will be connected with lap joints, as the 2 small right angles on either side will be

attached to the main one with finger joints. Synthetic resin will be the adhesive used to attach the

pieces together.

The sizes of the different pieces that are used to assemble the product are also modified

slightly. This is to improve the aesthetic looking of it and also allow it to be able to hold books stablyso that the books will not fall off of it.

*The points that are not mentioned above are the things that are kept the same as the initial design.


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The product is only created of 6

pieces of wood, of which includes2 sets of 2

identical pieces and 1 set of 2 similar pieces

(as shown on the left).

Cutting lists

Part Part name No. of Material Size (*9mm)

1 Link 2

9mm thick plywood

65*150

2 Small sides 2 185*150

3 Main left 1 259*150

4 Main right 1 255*150


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Plan & Create


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Plan

Date Process Resources needed

10/17 Precisely mark the places on every piece needed to be removed

Drill the four holes by:

- Using the mortiser- Seeking help from Mr.Ashcroft or Khun YaClean out the holes with chisel

Measure the holes and check if it is the exact size as planned

If hole is smaller than planned, drill a row of holes at the area

needed to be removed and clear out the unnecessary pieces with a

chisel

Pencil

Ruler

Mortiser

Chisel

Modification:

Due to various reasons, I was not able to finish most the things I intended on doing, firstly, we

only got around 50 minutes in the workshop and also the measurements of pieces I got from Khun

Ya were kind of off and the thickness of the plywood was 7mm instead of 9mm. Because of this, I

had to recalculate all the dimensions/how big the holes should be etc. and it took a lot of time. In

this period I only successfully marked all the places that needed to be removed so next class I canactually start manufacturing the bookshelf. Another thing I did today was also that I smoothened

the edges of every piece of wood because the edges were in very poor condition and it would also

be dangerous for me to work with that kind of pieces of wood, so I used the file to smoothen the

edges first. Next class, I will try to be as productive as I can so I can catch up with my plan.

10/19 Cut off all the pieces necessary to create finger joints and lap joints

with a tenon saw, or coping saw if needed

When cutting the pieces, secure the piece with a clamp at the edge

of the tables

Make sure the measurements are correct after cutting off the

unwanted parts

Tenon saw

Coping saw

Clamp

Ruler

Modification:I started off todays lesson by drilling multiple holes that had a diameter of 6.5mm side by

side in the pieces using the pillar drill so it forms a big rectangular hole. After that, I cut off part of

the other pieces with a tenon saw and coping saw so it creates finger joint. Then, Khun Ya helped

me with fitting the 2 different parts together by

cleaning out the hole and expanding it so the joints fit.

Even though the pieces fit together tightly now and is

very stable, but there are huge gaps in between the

pieces because I didnt cut off the pieces accurately for

the joints so some sides are slanted which doesnt

allow them to fit perfectly , as shown in the picture on

the right. I am almost caught up with my plan now. Next class I will cut off the pieces that will createa lap joint. From the experience today, I will be more aware of the precision of the cutting so there

would be not gap between the pieces and be more aesthetically pleasing and stable. Also, I will

have to try to fix the finger joints by filing them to reduce the size of the gap as much as I can.

11/02 Try fitting all the pieces together and check if they fit together

perfectly/securely or not

Check if some of the holes/joints are too big/small

Make any modifications needed

If no modification is needed, continue with the process below

respectively

Maybe:

Tenon saw

Clamp

Filer (increase size

of hole slightly if

needed)

Modification:

This class Khun Ya helped cut off the pieces that would create a lap joint with the panel saw.Because the marks of where to cut off I made on the pieces were precise, so when Khun Ya cut off


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those parts, they fit perfectly. However, when I took off one side of the finger joint I created during

the previous session, filed it and tried putting it back, the end that creates a lap joint broke because

I hammered it to make the finger joint side fit, but I guess the piece was to thin so it snapped

(picture on right). Next class I will have to create

another new piece again, cut off the pieces that

create a finger joint precisely and accurately thistime and ask Khun Ya to help me cut off the part

that creates the lap joint. I am on track right now,

as next class is the session left blank for if there is

any modifications needed or catch up with the

schedule.

11/05 Continue with the modifications needed

If no modification is needed, continue with the process below

respectively

Modification

This class I successfully finished

cutting and shaping the final piece, thistime, as cautiously and precisely as I

could. However, when I tried

combining it with the other part of the

finger joint by hammering it for almost the whole class, it would go in a bit, but it just gets stuck

there. I also tried minimizing the size of the joint so that it would fit into the holes but will still be

tight and stable. No matter how hard and how long I hammer it for, it would not insert any deeper.

Next class I will have to make the holes bigger, make the joints smaller or ask Khun Ya to help me. I

have to finish that as fast as I can so I can go along with the original plan.

11/07 Create the curves on the 3 edges using disc sander

Smoothen the edges with filers and sand papers of different grit size

respectively*most important areas: corners that will be in contact with the

surface of the piano

Filer

Sand papers

Disc sander

Modification:

At the beginning of this class, I had Khun Ya help me with combining

the two parts of the finger joints as I failed attempting to do it almost the

whole previous lesson. He slightly shortened the parts that stick out with the

panel saw. By doing this, the joints to not have to be inserted very deep into

the hole but can still be tight and stable. Afterwards, he hammered the two

pieces that ate connected with the finger joints together. I then smoothened

the edges of all the pieces with sand paper so it does not scrape the piano,

especially the 3 corners which will be at the bottom of the bookshelf. I didnot use the disc sander as it is harder to control, despite the fact that it is

more effective, and I have decided not to risk any damage to the pieces. I

then glued the lap joints together. There were no more corner clamps

available, so I had to put a block beside the piece to make sure it stays in position until the glue

dries (figure on right). However, it was still unstable when class ended, so I used tape to hold them

together. I dont know if it will work or not. If it does, next class I will be continuing sanding the

edges and sticking the last lap joint together. If it fell apart, I will be sticking them together again at

the beginning of the class so I can let it set to dry. I have decided to not paint the bookshelf

anymore because after seeing the actual plywood pieces, I think that the original colour and pattern

looks just fine without paint and kind of goes with the piano too. Most importantly, the only

common pattern/colour both clients, Sana and me, would prefer the bookshelf to have is thewooden pattern. Due to these reasons, I have decided to keep the pieces the way they are.


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11/09 Continue sanding the corners with sand papers

Cover the sides of each piece with tape so they will not be coated

with paint when painting it and remains showing the wooden

pattern when tape is removed

Paint the large surfaces of bookshelf green as mentioned during the

design stage

Sand papers

Green acrylic paint

Paint brush

(masking) Tape

Modification:

This class I continued smoothening all the edges and stuck everything

together. One of the finger joints fell apart, so I had to apply synthetic resin

to it to make it more stable. As for sticking the last lap joint together,

because there was not enough space, so bar clamps were used to hold the

pieces together while the glue dries instead of corner clamps (figure on left).

Today I found out that I dont need to varnish the product myself, as Khun Ya

will spray varnish on each product for us. By half way through this lesson, I

have finished all of the things planned for next lesson, which is also the last

creating lesson. Due to this, Mr. Ashcroft

advised me to make another simialr productwith pieces outlined on 2D design and made

with acrylic. The laser cutter will all of the

cutting, so all I will have to do is bend the acrylic pieces at certain

points and stick the them together, which is highly possible to finish

within one lesson. During the second half of this lesson, I calculated

the measurements and completed drawing the pieces in 2D design

(figure on right). Next class, I will get the pieces get cut with the

laser cutter first then mark the places that need to be bent, bend

them and then stick them together.

11/16 Stick all the components together with synthetic resin, apply a fair

amount so it does come off the sides and make it less aestheticallypleasing but still sticks the part together stably

Let it set to dry and make sure it is secure and not unstable

Apply more synthetic resin if needed

Varnish the bookshelf

Synthetic resin

Clear varnish

Modification:

The laser cutter was not working today, so I was not

able to cut out the pieces needed to make another acrylic

bookshelf. Due to this, I smoothened the bottom edges

that would be in contact with the piano even more. I mainly

focused on sanding the middle edge because I noticed that

when the bookshelf is placed on a flat surface, it tips overto one side because the 3 edges are not at the same level.

By making the edge in the middle shorter, it makes the

bookshelf stay still on a flat surface. During the last few minutes, I filled in holes between some of

the joints with glue so it is more stable. (picture above shows the bottom view of the bookshelf with

the 3 edges)

11/23 This was an extra lesson that was not included in

the plan because in the schedule Mr. Ashcroft provided

for us, the creating process ends on 11/16. When I got to

class today, I noticed that the pieces have fallen apart

(figure on right). It was the finger joint that was not

connected by glue because I thought the joints were stableand tight enough to hold together without glue. So, I glued them back together.


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Meanwhile the glue was set to dry, I taped the edges of the large surfaces with masking

tape so that I will not paint over the intended areas and then I started painting the edges

of the bookshelf with green paint (figure on left). I painted it green because when the

bookshelf was designed, the colour scheme was meant to be wooden pattern on the edges

and the big areas painted green. However, after

seeing the real actual final product and thinking aboutit, it seems like it would be more aesthetically pleasing

if it is the other way around. Because of the excess

time I still have for the creating process, I decided to

improved my product and paint it.

Evaluation of Initial Plan

My evaluation of the evaluation plan:

After having finished creating the product, the plan set before seems easy to follow. All of

the steps were mentioned and the materials needed to perform each step are mentioned. Also, the

blank lesson (4th

lesson, 11/05) planned was necessary and it actually came in need during the

creating process.However, some of the weakness of the plan is that the safety issues that need to be noted

for each process were not mentioned. Also, the lessons can be break down into smaller sections so it

will be easier to control the time for each stage when creating.

A difficulty that was met when setting the plan was that I wasnt rea lly sure how long each

stage would take, so I included a free lesson (11/05) in case I needed to catch up with the plan.

Jina Rs comment on the initial plan:

Strengths: very clear and detailed descriptions, and lots of alternatives provided in case something

doesnt work of if help is needed

Weaknesses: No time specified for each step which makes it a bit hard to plan out what to do when

in a lesson, photos or diagrams would also be usefulMaybe a bit of detail is better regarding the times, but there is already a lot of detail so it is pretty

easy to follow

To conclude, the plan could be improved by including the safety issues that needs to be

cautious of for each stage, such as tying up my hair. Also, according to Jina R, the plan would be

clearer if some diagrams are included to support the steps mentioned. Also, it would be better if

every lesson is broke down into smaller sections each mentioning how many minutes each step

would take.


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Evaluation


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ProductComparing the final product against the

specifications set at the investigation stage, it seems

that the final product is not very successful. The few

specifications that were met are: elements of

Bauhaus Modernism are included, finished in time,ableto fit on the piano lidand is stable (does not

shake). It was not able to hold at least 30 books, as

from the photo on the right, it clearly shows that

the bookshelf falls apart when there are only about 20 books placed on it. The bookshelf itself is

aesthetically pleasing to me. However, when books are placed on it, the bookshelf becomes almost

unseen because the surfaces of the books are much larger than the bookshelf. Also, it is not easy to

take out books at the bottom of the pile without messing up the stack. The specifications that are

not determinable are not heavier than 5g and does not scrape the piano. I am not able to

weigh it because I do not have access to any scale at the moment, as for determining if it scrapes the

piano or not, I would have to try to scrape it, but it is too risky because it seems that it is very likely

to scrape it due to its rough edges.As mentioned above, both of the target audiences (Sana and I) think that the final product is

aesthetically pleasing when it is empty, but when books are placed on it, it looks very unorganized

and chaotic. Rating the product out of 10, whereas 10 as being the perfect and 1 being a very poor

product, Sana would give it a 6 while I would give it 4. According to the target audiences, some parts

of the final product that are appealing are the color scheme and the shape of the bookshelf.

However, the less appealing parts of the product are the fact that the size of the bookshelf is

undoubtedly too small for the books. Also, the different pieces are not connected together strong

enough to hold the books, and the surfaces are pretty rough.

The product could be improved greatly by smoothening the surfaces more instead of just

focusing on sanding the edges because they are all equally important. Also, to make the pieces stay

together when a significant amount of books are placed on the bookshelf, I can either apply moreadhesive when connecting two different pieces together or redesign the joints. Another thing is that

the bookshelf should be deeper and expand in height so that the whole book actually fits in the

booksehelf.

ProcessInvestigate

Looking back at the investigation stage after having finished the whole design cycle, it seems

that a sufficient amount of investigation was done because I was able to complete the designing and

creating process without having to do even more research. I was able to think about most of the

information needed for finishing the whole design cycle during the investigation stage.

However, if possible, I should research on which joint is the most stable one that could standthe most mass when placed on it. Another thing that could be investigated even deeper is the

characteristics of Bauhaus Modernism. Even though the final product vaguely represents some

elements of Bauhaus Modernism which is geometric design, more Bauhaus Modernism designs and

features could be researched on so that the final product is even more related to Bauhaus

Modernism.

Design

The design stage was quite successful as I could easily follow my design when creating the

product. Also, a range of different designs that vary from each other were designed. A lot of them

were made up of different geometric shapes and the 3 main initial designs were explained in great

detail so it was easy for me to choose the design that would fit the best in this case. I am not skilful

at communicating through my own drawings, so I used googlesketup to show my different ideas. Ithink this is the correct choice as I find it pretty effective.


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Even though the design stage was quite successful, it can still be improved if I created many

different feasible and appealing color schemes so that I would have a clear idea of which kind looks

better and determine before I actually start creating the product like what I did.

Create

I was able to finish creating my product on time and I did not have to come to the workshop

on my own time which shows that I was able to use all my times efficiently to work on creating theproduct.

I should improve my skills in creating different dt products and learn the purpose of many

tools because a lot of times I had to inquire Khun Ya and ask for assistance. I could be more

independent when working in the workshop by trying different tools and understanding the different

uses.

Me as a personAfter completing the whole design cycle, I became way more comfortable and skilful at using

googlesketchup. After creating about 4 designs, it becomes clear to me that for me, it definitely is

more efficient than drawing. Also, I am now more familiar with the names and different uses of the

equipment in the dt lab. I used equipment I have never used before and I also learnt some new skillsfrom Khun Ya. It was a great experience as I learnt most of the things along the way by myself while

we were designing and creating. I had a lot of control of what to do for my project and had great

independence.

If I have another opportunity to do this again, I would try to sort out my priorities and know

what should be done to the product. For example, during the creating process I only focused on

smoothening the edges and completely ignored smoothening the surfaces of the bookshelf. Next

time, I should try to look at the bigger picture and make sure that I cover all the areas that need to

be done and taken care of.Another thing is that I should be more patient and take things slowly but carefully rather

than trying to finish each step as fast as I can. Because I was trying to complete the creating process

as fast as I can, I cut off the pieces that would create a finger joint really fast. However, that was nota good idea because the different pieces did not fit together perfectly. So, I should pay more

attention to what I am doing instead of rushing everything.

Impact on societyThis product could be easily mass produced as most of the cuttings are simple and the parts

that needs adhesive to be connected together are very simple to connect too. Also, the only two

materials needed to create this product are plywood and some kind of adhesive.

This product can

be personalized if it is

redesigned as the picture

shown on the right. Moreslots can be added to the

bookshelf and never end.

You can add as many slots

and you want to. The same

thing goes for the left side

of the bookshelf.


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Works Cited

A456. Breuer, Tubular Steel Chair (1928-9). Digital image. Reproduced Form/Form

Reproduction. A456, 11 June 2010. Web. 14 Sept. 2012. .

A456. Model B3 "Wassily" Chair. Digital image. Reproduced Form/Form Reproduction. A456,

11 June 2010. Web. 14 Sept. 2012.

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Amazon-Mimoda Furnishing Co., Ltd. Bookshelf (SJ631). Digital image. Made-In-China.com.

Focus Technology Co., Ltd, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2012. .

Arterior Home. Carmine Grey Limed Oak Bookshelf. Digital image.Arteriors Home.

BuyFurnitureYouLove.org, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2012.

.

Cooper, K.Adhesives Table. Digital image.Adhesives. Design&Technology, n.d. Web. 14 Sept.

2012. .

Cooper, K. Table of different kinds of manufactured boards. Digital image. Manufactured

Boards. Design&Technology, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2012. .

Design Technology Department. "Marcel Breuer." Marcel Breuer. Design Technology

Department, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2012. .


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Design Technology Department. Plywood chair. Digital image. Marcel Lajos Breuer. Design

Technology Department, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2012. .

Design Technology Department. The Wassily Chair No B3. Digital image. Marcel Lajos Breuer.

Design Technology Department, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2012. .

Dongguan Crafit Furniture Industrial Co., Ltd. Bookshelf (HB-K16). Digital image. Bookshelf

(HB-K16). Made in China.com, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2012. .

Hancock, Geoff, Jon Attwood, Barry Lambert, and Peter Neal. "Design in Context." Edexcel a

Level Design and Technology: Product Design. N.p.: Pearson, 2008. 116-33. Print.

Harholdt, P. MARCEL BREUER Aluminium chaise longue, 1935-36. Digital image. MARCEL

BREUER. P. Harholdt, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2012.

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Krop Design Jobs. A bookshelf shaped like 3 "V"s connected together. Digital image. Got a

Cool Bookshelf?QBN, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2012.

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Ryan, David. "MODERNISM." MODERNISM. Mia Moedernism, n.d. Web. 14 Sept. 2012.

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