Need ideas for modelling inventions

RAFF-35 · September 18, 2015, 01:54:01 AM

Hi all, I'm currently studying a HND in general engineering and one of the units is "project", I have an idea that I want to do for it, but I need to have lots of initial ideas for new products or a way to improve an idea that currently exists, I can even come up with a new process if I really wanted to. Anyways, I was wondering if you guys had any ideas for anything that you might need to help you with whiffing and modelling, thanks for looking

zenrat · September 18, 2015, 02:42:37 AM

On one of the other modelling forums I frequent a while back someone was asking about modelling when they had lost an arm in an incident.
The problem was holding the work. How about looking at designing a clamp for such a purpose?

RAFF-35 · September 18, 2015, 03:19:31 AM

Hmmmm, interesting, but what's to stop him from using a normal clamp or G clamp or the thing with the two little grabbers and a magnifying glass?

zenrat · September 18, 2015, 03:58:09 AM

Normal clamps, G clamps and the grabber thing are hard to tighten while holding the work in place if you have only one hand. They also take quite a few turns of the screw to fully close up which would be a real pain if you were constantly adjusting the position of the work.

If you are interested in engineering to help the disabled there is an organisation called REMAP who do just that.

Weaver · September 18, 2015, 05:01:21 AM

The thing I find myself cursing the lack of most often is a clamp that will reliably hold a curving and tapered object like a fuselage. I think the solution is to have the clamping pads on ball joints with high-grip material on their faces, or something like that, but I've never seen such a thing.

RAFF-35 · September 18, 2015, 05:27:44 AM

Brilliant, thanks for that Zenrat

And funnily enough, Weaver, I have already drawn that up as an idea, but I wasn't sure if it was just me that couldn't find a clamp like that

I'll move it higher up my priorities list now

RAFF-35 · September 18, 2015, 05:29:53 AM

But would it be a screw type clamp like a G or would it be spring powered like a giant clothes peg?

Hobbes · September 18, 2015, 07:32:51 AM

I'd prefer a screw clamp, because you can adjust the clamping force and make sure you don't distort e.g. the fuselage. With a spring-loaded clamp I often wish it'd clamp with less force.

Captain Canada · September 18, 2015, 07:40:58 AM

A scriber. One that would or could be used by a sngle hand. Think of an etched brass sheet, with a cut out along the center, where the blade or cutter or pin or whatever would go, and some rails to hold it inplace. It would be spring loaded so you could push it down with your finger and pull or push it along. I'm prob not making complete sense....

sandiego89 · September 18, 2015, 09:05:40 AM

A cure for the carpet monster? A super glue that does not glue my fingers together?

On a serious note, I would like a easy to use replicator/vacu-former/process that can replicate larger parts (say an engine pod) with good detail. Two part molds and resin are pricey, messy and lots of work.

RAFF-35 · September 18, 2015, 02:06:53 PM

Quote from: Captain Canada on September 18, 2015, 07:40:58 AM
A scriber. One that would or could be used by a sngle hand. Think of an etched brass sheet, with a cut out along the center, where the blade or cutter or pin or whatever would go, and some rails to hold it inplace. It would be spring loaded so you could push it down with your finger and pull or push it along. I'm prob not making complete sense....

Yeahhh..... Didn't want to say anything

could you upload a sketch or something?

kerick · September 18, 2015, 03:25:50 PM

Quote from: RAFF-35 on September 18, 2015, 02:06:53 PM
Quote from: Captain Canada on September 18, 2015, 07:40:58 AM
A scriber. One that would or could be used by a sngle hand. Think of an etched brass sheet, with a cut out along the center, where the blade or cutter or pin or whatever would go, and some rails to hold it inplace. It would be spring loaded so you could push it down with your finger and pull or push it along. I'm prob not making complete sense....

Yeahhh..... Didn't want to say anything could you upload a sketch or something?

Maybe something like the paper cutters that slide along a track.
http://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-SureCut-Deluxe-Trimmer-152490-1004/dp/B0038F1A0S
Trick would be to make it ride over curved surfaces.

I was thinking of a device to paint round objects like aircraft wheels and tank road wheels. Paint the inner part in the usual way and then place it in some sort of clamp to hold it while it spins allowing you to evenly paint the tire.

Weaver · September 18, 2015, 03:49:53 PM

Quote from: Hobbes on September 18, 2015, 07:32:51 AM
I'd prefer a screw clamp, because you can adjust the clamping force and make sure you don't distort e.g. the fuselage. With a spring-loaded clamp I often wish it'd clamp with less force.

I agree.

You could have both, or course, with a mole-grip-style mechanism, but that's getting yet more complicated.

jcf · September 18, 2015, 05:03:35 PM

Countries separated by a common language.

In the US and Canada this is called a 'C' clamp.

zenrat · September 18, 2015, 07:35:46 PM

Interesting. I wonder if G (or C) was original but a trade name and so competitors started using C (or G)?
Like Mole Grips, Stilsons, Stanley Knife...

Good luck Guy. Hope you can come up with something that interests you - that was always the problem when I was studying engineering. I'd choose my project and then realise too late it didn't really interest me and have a better idea when it was too late to change.