Intro

First of all, we studied a truncated octahedron (because this was to be the basic shape of our task) by building a paper model.

Sketches

First, I started sketching my initial ideas for the interlocking system on paper. I quickly grew fond of my floral-like design, which I then redrew in a larger size. Despite the edges of the basic shape, I wanted to create a fairly dynamic and lively design.

Here are my sketches:

First steps in Rhino / Technicalities

After an introduction by Mr. Skatar, I then drew my 2D sketch in Rhino. It was my first time working with this program. I also displayed the technical details of my drawing.

1st Laser Pass

My first laser pass worked quite well. The individual pieces fit together nicely. We used 3 mm thick medium-density fiberboard for laser cutting. (MDF)

I noticed, however, that I couldn't create a second row of the interlocking system because the piece didn't fit well on both sides, as illustrated in the photo.

2nd Laser Pass

The idea arose to investigate whether the piece could fit by enlarging the slot from the previous value of 2.8 to 4.5mm.

As seen in the photo, the piece now fit approximately. However, it wasn't convincing enough to proceed with. So I had to consider a new idea.

Final idea

The final idea to create a second row with my interlocking system was to design a second piece with the difference that instead of 6 slots, it has only 4. Additionally, 2 of the slots are positioned on the straight sides. This allows for a new interlocking possibility between the straight edges, as shown in the 2D illustration and in the 3D model.

Conclusion

All in all, I found it quite interesting to get to know Rhino and work with the program. Initially, it was quite overwhelming for me, but I sought support and, by the end of the course, I was getting better at using individual commands and understanding the program. I am satisfied with my result.

 At this point, I would like to thank Mr. Skatar once again for his help and explanations, as well as Jan for his patience with the laser cutting.