Working with a package of materials and components in order to make a light. Augmenting the design with a single component to be made using the 3D printing process.
Process
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13
For the components project, I first experimented by placing the components next to and on top of each other. I also looked in the workshop for additional parts to inspire my designs (image of bolt and of 3d printed world). After manipulating the components, I realised the shape of the brown clip could make an interesting foundation for a table lamp, rather than simply it’s intended purpose as a clip.
I wanted to change the way the components were interpreted and have them connect to each other without fixings or adhesive. To achieve this connectivity, I used a heat gun to warm the plastic straws to bend them gently. I did not want the cut and bent look. Using the heated wire that I experimented with previously was not ideal for the straws as it was too difficult to create a soft enough bend that the wire would still be able to go through.
Kit of Components
- Drinking straw(s)
- A hair claw
- Conductive cable
- Battery holder (& batteries)
- 5mm LED(s)•Elastic band(s)
- 1 x custom designed 3D printed part
Further Development
After completing my first attempt, the lecturer suggested that they would like to have a light that attached to their music stand. The black clip as seen in image 2 was more conducive to this request due to its shape and increased spring strength, giving it a more secure clamp than the brown hair clip. I used elastic bands to attach the straws to the clip as this gave me some flexibility to find the right positioning before adding more bands to secure. Initially I used a band to attach the two straws with lights together for added rigidity, but later replaced this concept with a 3D printed part.
Lighting
I soldered the LED light to the wires securely, and used a parallel circuit to power 2 LEDs from the single battery pack. The battery pack was burning out the red light LEDs and there were no resistors in the list of components. To make sure the batteries worked, I upgraded to white LEDs with a higher wattage tolerance.
3D Printed Part
The 3D printed part is designed to slip over the two straws and act as a lamp shade, diffusing and directing the light towards the sheet music.
