Espada
Espada is a coffee table with a removable top that can function as a lap desk. Made for a Design and Manufacturing class, the only constraints presented were that the project have both functionality and personal significance. Living in a small college dorm room, I settled on a product that would allow me to maximize the functional space I had, while also acting as an appealing centerpiece for my room.
The Process
The design process for this project started with sketches of initial ideas, moving to rough functional prototypes and then to CAD modeling. It was during this process that I was able to come at the ideal dimensions for the final product. Only after this prototyping phase did I start working on the actual manufacturing of the product.
The main manufacturing processes used in this project were welding and woodworking. Without any prior experience in either, I had to first learn all the basics of each process, practice them, and then apply them to the final materials of my project. Welding, unlike other metal manufacturing processes like milling and lathing which are very precise and calculated, was very ergonomic and required lots of dedicated practice and attention. Woodworking required an important acknowledgement of the order of operations when manipulating materials.
After welding the frame and constructing the tabletop and leg panels, I hand-finished the wooden parts and sent the frame to get powder coated. The last step was complete assemblage of the products parts!
Takeaways
Designing for functionality and implementation - from the very beginning, Espada was designed with a specific functionality in mind. All decisions throughout the process had to make sure that the project was moving in its intended direction.
An order of operations is important, but not set in stone - sometimes you have to take a few step backwards to make real strides ahead! Making rough prototypes led to new sketches and new models - failed manufactured parts gave birth to newer and better ones.
Creative problem solving - throughout the manufacturing process, many things did not go smoothly even though everything was planned from the very beginning. This project taught me the importance of being able to react to situations and make necessary adjustments while keeping the design goals in sight.
Manufacturing skills - I can now proudly say I am proficient in a woodshop and in a welding room!