Assignment 3 - Foam Mouse Photos

 The images in this blog post are of the foam model which I'm using to model my mouse. Although it seems fairly boring and straight forward I just wanted to gain a general understanding of how the structure will be set out when I begin to model it.

 Front Image.

Back Image.

Top Image.

Side Image.

Progress Report 5 - Finalising the Model

Now that most of the detail in each piece has been created it was time to create the sub assembly between the PCB and the mouse wheel. Altering the mouse wheel with a few dimensions by going back into the sketch of the revolve I was able to create a successful mate between the two pieces so they both had a flush finish between the both of them.

I remembered there was one small piece which I forget to create which was the screw! Going back and creating this wasn't much a problem at all. Although there are screws already available on Solid Works I decided to create my own to become more familiar with the Helix/spiral feature. In the image below I have created an extruded cut to give the screw a phillips head screw driver interaction.

Using different features in SolidWorks I have managed to create the screw successfully.

The next stage was to add detail to the mouse shell. To do this I added to sub-assembly of the mouse wheel and PCB into another assembly of the mouse itself. This will allow me to create the shelving of the PCB on the lower housing part fit neatly with the mouse wheel coming outside of the mouse.

 I gave the PCB a 5mm gap in between the lower housing base which allows the mouse wheel to extend out the mouse neatly. Using the section view in the image below we can see the 5mm gap. In later progress I will add the shelving into the lower housing of the mouse so that the PCB is making contact with the base.

The next stage was to detail the middle housing. As you can see I have used my second monitor at home displaying the the power point which Dan created for assistance.

In the image below You can see I havent merged the properties of the underneath detailing which you can see in the image below. This will allow me to remove whatever offcuts I need to which are coming through the top.

Finalling getting to my last surface loft cut. What I'm doing here is providing a neat lip so that the buttons (very top housing) has a clean finish with the middle housing making as realistic as possible.

Now that the overall modelling of the mouse was complete, it was time to add the detail which was required. Using a series of fillet sketches and the two circles I mirrored the sketch across to make a symmetrical base as you can see in the image below.

Finalising my model with a bit of extra detail, colour and texture I have completed it! The image below is one example where I have used Photoview 360 to create my rendering images.

I came across a few problems compressing my final assessment folder taking up to half an hour which I still don't understand. However it worked eventually!

My final advertisement:

Kieren Smith

Progress Report 4 - Finishing the Surfacing

In the image below you can see I'm half way through creating the development of the middle housing of the mouse shell. Using the fill surface feature with a tangent edge to the side sketch, it will create a smooth finish all the way around it.

 The next stage of the surfacing was to create the finger grooves. In the image below I have created a series of planes to allow further precision which I will sketch on to create a some guide curves.

Making further progress, in the image below you can see I have now completed the main surfacing of the entire mouse. I'm currently at the stage of creating the curvature for the mouse wheel.

Using the surface fill tool once again, I have managed to create a smooth curve in the finger groove for the mouse wheel.

In the evaluation section I have used the zebra stripes tool which displays the smoothness of surfaces. In the image below I have managed to smooth the transition of the upper housing of the mouse from the front section to back section successfully. 

In the image below I have now begun development on splitting the top housing of the mouse to create the very top housing piece. Using an offset of entities from the initial sketch I'm able to create this progress a lot easier.

In the image below I have created a surface extrude which will be the tool I use to split the housing of the piece apart to create two seperate pieces.

Moving back to the middle housing of the mouse, I'm now modelling the piece into a solid and then from there I will shell the piece appropriately to its dimension.

Using the split screens from my computer at home, I have used the presentation which Dan has produced for us in guidance to doing the surfacing. In the image below I'm currently detailing the lip of the very top piece of the housing of the mouse so that it fits flush with the middle housing.

In the image below I have extended the lip, then have cut it using the surface loft that I have created which you can see in the image above.

 Finally after hours of progress I have completed the main surface and dimensioning of the mouse. If you look closely you can see that I have successfully created the cap in between the top and middle housing of the mouse and have also produced a smooth transitioning between each housing piece.

Progress Report 3 - Assessment 2 - Chipboard

The next component of the mouse I created was the chipboard. First of all in the image below you can see I have sketched the base and created a boss extrude to start modelling it together.

In the image below I have extruded the base up to an appropriate distance and have begun on the actual features of the chipboard. I have begun extruding the first cube which is the actual click component of the mouse.

To create the second clicker I mirrored the entire feature of the first extrude that I just created to save time and to keep both of the clickers the same dimension. 

Now that the two click features have been completed, I then moved onto some other features of the chipboard. In the image below I have created the capacitor with a simple revolve.

In the image above I have used a series of planes and the mirror feature tool to create the other two capacitors which are on the chipboard.

On the chipboard where the main component of hardware is, I have applied the small spokes which run along this piece. Using a simple extrude to make the rectangular shape then a linear pattern sketch tool to create the rest of the piece as you can see in the image below. 

Putting in a bit of extra detail into the board I decided to create the small wire pieces which are soldered to through it. In the image below you can see the first wire piece that I have created using a boss revolve. 

In the image below I'm currently developing the LED at the back of the chipboard. I created this using  the revolve feature.

For the mouse wheel to be connected to the chipboard I need to model the cylinderical clicker. In the image below I have created a plane parallel to the far left clicker. Sketching an approximate outline of the figure I have used a boss extrude to model the piece. Merging the result so that it is flush with the chipboard itself.

Once the main structure of the piece had been complete I then added the necessary detail to make it a bit more realistic. In the image below I have created the three wire pieces which are at the bottom of it. I created these pieces with a single sketch, off-setting the entities of the sketch so the the wire piece is an even width the whole way through, then used the linear pattern tool to create the three of them.

The next piece I modelled was the ugly looking capacitor piece. I created this piece using the loft feature. Creating the bases with a plane on the base of the board and then another plane perpendicular to this plane. I then created a series of guide curves to create it. As the piece is symmetrical I simply mirrored the feature across. 

I have now completed the PCB with the detail which was necessary to add. In future development depending on time I will add further detail to it.

Kieren Smith.

Mouse Modelling - Progress report 2 - Internal Piece & Mouse Wheel

Leaving the surfacing of the mouse for now, I moved onto some of the internal parts inside the mouse. In the image below I have started to create the internal clear piece which is used for guiding the laser inside the mouse. So far I have created a loft with two plane to create the base, then a simple boss extrude which will allow me to work on the central bit.

Using a series of extruded cuts and boss extrudings I have managed to get the main structure of the piece completed. In the image below you can see I'm currently using the cut extrude tool to bring the two sides of the rear wing together.

 

Making further progress and finalising the extrudes on the side, in the image I have created the path for where the laser goes using a set of extrudes and doming tools.

I'm now at the last stage of development for the inner see through piece. Currently applying a dome at the rear of the piece to guide the path of the laser when the mouse is operated.

Now that the laser piece is complete I then started with the mouse wheel. Before I made to much progress with the overall mouse surfacing and design I decided to Model together all the other compononents of the mouse first.

In the image above you can see that to build the mouse wheel I'm using the revolve feature. This enabled me to go back into the sketch to change dimensions accurately if I needed to later on down the track.

Internally you can see that the wheel has 3 internal beams to help with its structural integrity. Using the rib feature I have managed to create these.

The basic structure of the mouse wheel is now complete as you can see from the image above. However I'm not at the stage of modelling the grip pieces which are present in the piece. Using the circular pattern in a sketch, I managed to use the axis from the revolve itself to place it completely around wheel.

The image above is my final model for the mouse wheel.

Mouse Modelling - Progress Report 1!

Before I began or made any progress in assessment 2 I studied some of the tutorials on solidworks to become familiar with surfacing and any other methods which were required to complete it. I decided to begin on the main outer surface structure of the mouse as you can see in the image below.

When it came to using pictures to set the mouse up to be modelled I ask Dan if it was possible to use the cropped pictures available which he uploaded. I chose to use these photos as they clearly defined the lines and structure of the model, and made the process of starting the modelling a lot easier. As you can see in the image I have used the spline tool to draw the side and rear of the model with the guidance of the photos. Using the 'Project Curve' tool I was able to create a line which used the split lines from either sketch to create the top of the main base structure of the mouse. This is evident in the picture where the yellow lines have created another sketch.

Once I had successfully produced the projected curve it was then time to create guide curves for the surface loft. In the image above you can see I have created 3 indepentant guide curves which will be used to model the surface loft.

In the image above I have successfully connected the guide curves between the sketch of the base of the mouse and the middle curved part of the mouse. I have been able to create a surface loft between both of the lines which I can then progress upwards to the top of the mouse and continue the upper housing of the mouse.