A messy and unorganized workspace is both unprofessional and inefficient. Keep reading to find out how I solved problems while creating conversation pieces for the office!
What Tools?
I designed everything in and printed with the Markforged software, on FDM carbon-fiber reinforced filaments. I also sanded and spray painted when necessary.
SOLIDWORKS
Why This Project?
Looking around my office workspace, I felt an urge to make everything as efficient as possible—and that meant it had to be organized. Firstly, I saw that we had a pile of assorted keys that just sat on a desk, and three remotes that were scattered across the conference room table. There was no good way to store or organize these objects, so they had to be strewn around or, at best, lined up in a neat row. Seeing this, I realized something had to change.
What is it?
Regarding my keyholder, it is composed of four unique parts: a base, a top and bottom half of the structure, and the key holders themselves. In my design process, there were many printer considerations that I had to make, such as by hollowing out the base or splitting the main structure to fit into the printer's constraints. After designing in SOLIDWORKS, and using Markforged's proprietary printing software, Eiger, they came out of the printer with both additive and subtractive deformities. I realized that this was part of the printing process however, and was determined to make do with what I had. I used a combination of dry and wet sandpaper to sand the piece down as best I could, and then used a black spray paint to cover up the imperfections. Lastly, I super glued the component parts together to finish the project.
For the remote holder, I created the ergonomic and accessible design by taking measurements directly from the remotes. The design is made up of a main piece that holds a flat Logitech camera controller and two side pieces that hold identical TV remotes. I added left and right (L and R) indicators for each of the remotes, as well as a company logo to the base pad for extra customization. Building off of my keyholder project, I created a keyed joint attachment system for the sides to the base. This meant that it didn't require super glue, and could easily be disassembled while maintaining structural stability during use.
What did I learn?
In the design process, incorporating UX considerations and real-life measurements allowed me to create ergonomic yet functional pieces for the workspace. Additionally, I designed for manufacturability by putting into account possible manufacturing failure and ensuring ease of printing. All in all, I was able to quickly and elegantly solve a physical problem in my office, while reinforcing my team's brand identity.