Unusual question

Lewis A

Hi all,

I am taking a graphic communication course at school, it includes a CAD section (Computer aided design) at the end of this i have to create a item with 3 or more parts to pass the course. I want this to be mountain biking inspired e.g a shifter or brake lever. My current thoughts are about a Crank Brothers Eggbeater. The product would have to be relitavley cheap so i can take it apart, or have some sort of blueprints on the web...

Any thoughts?

Lewis

MountainMonster

Pedals are really only a platform with the cleat section built around it, with the bearings inside. I would give it a shot taking it apart, at the end of the day it is only a pedal!

Lewis A

I found rebuild/disassembly instructions on the internet for the eggbeaters, might go with them... Any other ideas?

gezebo

Just wondering, do you just have to design it or actually make it too?

Lewis A

No, I just have to design it on AutoDesk inventor...

Anonymous

Back in my day, in what they then called Design & Communication in GCSE (just after O levels were scrapped), we used real paper and fancy design pens! :P

Dead easy exam I found. Though long (3 hours I remember).

Do you have to design something that can just be a copy of something that exists, or are you required to add your own unique design to it? I just stole an idea and copied it (had to do a practical thing with a mock up prototype but that was coursework rather than exam).

cooldad

But surely if you are just copying it, you are not actually designing anything?

Anonymous

So long as they give you a good grade, don't care. But hey, I buy Samsung phones, they're king of copiers apparently (if you ignore what Apple copied off everyone else etc).

cooldad

Yeah but one day you enter the real world and stealing stuff is frowned upon.

YeehaaMcgee

If it's a CAD course, then it's quite possible that they just want to see him/her demonstrate that they're adept at using AutoCAD in order to create anything fit for feeding into a CNC miller.

cooldad

Fair enough, just to me terms like create and design have a specific meaning. But what do I know. I used to have an AO drawing board and remember Letraset.

YeehaaMcgee

Quite often in manufacture, you'll have an actual "designer" who comes up with the industrial design - this can be either on paper, or in some software package.
Then, someone else (also often called a designer) takes the design, and makes the necessary slight adjustments to ensure that it will actually work when fed to a CNC machine, or during other stages of manufacture.

Anonymous

Wasn't really suggesting copying of course , though in my case the course was all about technique and they couldn't give a rats what you designed as long as it met the spec. Seemed to be really a glorified 'technical drawing' course in my day with the word 'design' bolted on. Hence why I got an A (back when A* didn't exist :P), as if it involved any arty and creative element I'd have failed. That's why I now do software too.

Could be very different now. If they really want original creative design then that's what you have to do.

We did have a brief bit of CAD but it wasn't in the exam. Not sure what computer it was on. Some 286 or even earlier than that!

And yeah, I do remember Letraset!

njee20

Exploded diagrams are available for all Shimano parts. Chainset?

Lewis A

njee20 wrote:

Exploded diagrams are available for all Shimano parts. Chainset?

I found one for an eggbeater on the rebuild kit instructions... Or a XTR shifter? I heard that they are quite nice...

Lewis A

And I only have to create something, rather than build it...

njee20

Shifters are full of small parts though, I was assuming something where you can break an item down into its component parts easily. An Egg Beater would be good, there's only about 8 parts in total.

Lewis A

njee20 wrote:

Shifters are full of small parts though, I was assuming something where you can break an item down into its component parts easily. An Egg Beater would be good, there's only about 8 parts in total.

I think I'll go with it, I may not even have to buy one, a candy would be just as easy... Oops!

bluechair84

Could you do a hydraulic brake caliper? Mill it in two halves and bolt together like the older styles, before everything became 'mono'. You'd have to design how the oil flows from the olive to each piston, and I can't imagine it would be that complicated. You could possibly have the pistons milled too... at least for a demonstration of CAD rather than a functioning product.

EdW

You could do an ISCG mounted chain guide, something like the Superstar Plasma only has a few components. The back plate is fairly standard shape but you could use some design flair with the guide.

Anonymous

Was thinking a chain guide myself. Nice shapes and plenty of design options. Wasn't sure it would stretch to 3 pieces though but then suppose back plate, the guide rollers and cage, plus any optional bash, top cage perhaps.

If you can design one that's buttery smooth & silent, has both bottom and top guides good enough to hold the chain on and prevent chain slap top and bottom, is easy to align, and cheap, then you've got a market

Lewis A

Cainguide sounds good, although if I had old hydro brake calipers around I don't think I would be worried about buying a set of pedals

bluechair84

Lewis A wrote:

Cainguide sounds good, although if I had old hydro brake calipers around I don't think I would be worried about buying a set of pedals

So you are planning on producing something you could use to save money? I thought you were just trying to demonstrate CAD skills? I imagine a calliper would be more impressive as a chain guide is just a drilled plate and two plastic rollers.

Lewis A

it is an course piece that can be anything I want, I don't have to make it at the end or anything, just create an item with 3 or more parts on AutoDesk Inventor.

Plyphon

Could do a Bionicon C-Guide - that would be a dope little drawing to make.

King_Pin_Rich

If your new to CAD I'd avoid anything with complex 3D curves, a chain guide is a good choice as its relatively simple flat plates.
How about a Stem with the clamp and bolts?

Lewis A

King_Pin_Rich wrote:

If your new to CAD I'd avoid anything with complex 3D curves, a chain guide is a good choice as its relatively simple flat plates.
How about a Stem with the clamp and bolts?

yeah getting the spring right on an eggbeater would be hard , a stem could be good...

elredso

a whole wheel assembly would be relatively easy as wouldn't require many parts - and you would just use the patterning tool to repeat spokes / nipples, so a simple revolve for the hub / rim and your done - throw in a disc to pimp it up a bit ? just a simple extrude !

YeehaaMcgee

You want him to CNC some spokes?
The immense wastage on something like that should lead him to be banned from any future contact with manufacture!