Duration: March 2011 - May 2011
Tools: Illustrator CS4, Epson 60 Watt Laser Cutter
My Role: Production designer and model-maker - Created illustrator template of exhibit booths to be lasercut. Model lasercutter and model assembly. Material testing. Print setting optimization.
I created 1/48 scale models of the physical exhibit structures for a scale model floor plan of Jack Adams Hall, a campus-wide conference room, located at San Francisco State University. This was for our department's annual student design show, featuring the work the students from the design and industry department work on year long. The model was to featured as the centerpiece of this year's student design show.
I mocked up the structure from the spec sheet in illustrator. Once I had my design created I began a testing process where I needed to figure out the best material to use for the model. I first tried balsa wood, wood, but this wood proved to be too brittle. After testing different modeling wood, that was available and sizes, I found 1/8 inch cherry was the best material. Cherry was a better choice over balsa wood because Cherry is a tougher material and holds together better in thinner sheets. I also had to determine the best settings for the laser cutter, my goal was to not have any burn around the edges, I wanted my model pieces to fit together tightly, as if they were not going to had any adhesive applied to keep them together. The burn from the laser shaves off a small amount of material, which needs to be accounted for in the measurements. Once I found the appropriate settings between power, speed, and frequency, I was able to cut and then assemble the structures. The size of each structure is about 1 inch.