Lamp Prototyping Blog Post 1
Research and Ideation
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About Me:
This Blog is Written by David McNeill, I am a Product Design Engineering Student at Manchester Metropolitan University, with a background of 3D Design and Design Technology. I have some experience with practical portfolio's and documenting design and manufacture processes which i attempt to put to use throughout the presentation of this blog.
This Blog entails and documents the ideation, development and construction of a Lamp Prototype.
The requirements given by the client are that it has to be suitable for a desk space and that it must use a USB power source and a maximum of 18 LEDs in a 30cm strip.
My Design philosophy is that there is always a perfect point at the balance between form and function, I attempt to find interesting and stimulating solutions to design problems which are aesthetic to the user and function at a high standard.
I am always open to feedback and further thoughts on my work, if the reader of this blog would like to enter any feedback I can be contacted through my email at david.mcneill@copperbeech.me.uk . The same goes for any of my other work displayed on this page, I would encourage the reader to read further through this creative portfolio if they find this work interesting.
Initial Ideas:
These initial ideation sketches are inspired by the architecture of art deco and postmodern styles, i think that these styles blend aesthetically and give an interesting look to the lamp. I drew shapes and styles from some images of these architecture styles, which led onto ideas of how to fit the style into the product I am making.
The image is put together through pencil sketching and rendering before being brought into photoshop for final touches and light simulation. It tries to convey the idea as closely as possible to the idea i had.
After sketching these ideas i thought through them in terms of manufacture using the methods at my disposal and i decided to take sketches E, C and D foreword for development as they have a satisfying and interesting look while retaining ease of manufacture if it were taken into consideration for a higher output production.
When coming up with these ideas i attempted to keep the theory of the lighting in mind, how can i build a shape which has a consistent spread of light, with limited blocking and shadows. Will the light exit the lamp in a manor which is aesthetic and will it meet the requirements of the user by being bright and consistent. I reference lighting theories throughout this text, (Ref 1 - BEGA lighting theory (2024) [online])
On the next slide you will see a series of speed prototypes of some of these initial ideas to put the ideas into a 3D space and reassess them in a physical environment.
Development Sketch :
Through analysis of my ideation sketch and some fine tuning and tweaks i was able to produce this more refined sketch which is more accurate to the product i had in mind, it takes more of the manufacturing processes at my disposal into consideration, allowing me to do something more advanced while staying realistic and achievable. The sketch was made digitally using Adobe Sketchbook.
This developed idea includes more 3D printed parts than i initially expected, this is because i initially planned on vacuum forming the lamp shade over a mold however further research prompted changing it as vacuum forming is often inaccurate and inconsistent (Ref 2 - Toolcraft Plastics (2023) - Vacuum Forming Process - Explanation, Schematic View & Video [online]) .I thought of a few alternatives and options to get around this but 3D printing on a thin translucent plastic was the most accurate and graceful solution i could find.
The biggest change i made to the design, affecting both the way the product works and its overall aesthetics was deciding i wanted it to also rotate while switched on, i found that when i started to design the lamp on CAD software: Fusion 360 i had to rotate the camera around or go quite far back to see the design as it was meant to be seen, this can be simulated in real life by rotating the shade and bars, hence showing all of the different lengths of bars and making the product more interesting and organic.
Other changes i decided to make include the general proportions of the lamp, having a clear top to the lamp, allowing the user to see through the lamp into the mechanism, similar to an open mechanism watch, i think this would make the lamp have a more interesting and interactive aesthetic as well as making it a bit more original.
CAD Mockup:
For this CAD render of the prototype mockup i used the 3D modelling software Fusion 360. Fusion 360 helps to accurately draw up your design with precise measurements, joints ,components and material simulation. I find fusion as a valuable tool to help you take the proportions from a simple drawing into quantifiable and accurate measurements which act as the foundation for the whole product’s size.
This Mockup allowed me to get needed quantitative data such as the full circle radius of the curve of the shade and the support bars around it. The mockup also allowed me to see how much space i would need for the mechanism within the base of the lamp, which meant i was able to find the right pieces of wood and materials for manufacture.
This design is not 100 percent true to what i plan on building as i will cut the majority of the support beams short in order to get the aesthetic i was looking for. The light is not simulated quite how I imagine it will look but it is very close. The render shows a mostly accurate image of what i plan on creating.
Now that I have the accurate measurements from the CAD model i will go on to produce the next blog post including a flow chart of what my steps are in manufacturing the product and split it down into specific processes related to each component.
References:
Ref 1 - BEGA lighting theory (2024) [online] Available at: https://www.bega.com/en-gb/knowledge/lighting-theory/
Ref 2 - Toolcraft Plastics (2023) - Vacuum Forming Process - Explanation, Schematic View & Video [online] available at: https://www.toolcraft.co.uk/vacuum-forming/advice/help-vacuum-forming-process.htm?gclid=Cj0KCQiA2KitBhCIARIsAPPMEhJYajiR5hgQTnq8qTfhCEMRPsRJBgyZVTgO5XEAKJXyvhHXB3aOM_AaAqyeEALw_wcB )
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