Ashley Lowber
Mechanical Engineering Portfolio
Physical Logo Design
This logo features my initials in a portable spherical form. My main purpose in creating this was to incorporate my initials as the product of intersecting lines, so that the impression of the "A" and "L" at the front become a consequence of the geometry. This product was designed first by hand, then in CAD software, and was ultimately 3D printed.
Preliminary Sketching
I began the design process with sketches of many different logo concepts, and was not completely sure in which direction I would proceed initially. I hadn’t thought about how I might incorporate a 3D element into my design until later on, but from the start I knew I wanted to incorporate all of my initials (AML) into the design one way or another. I eventually narrowed down my sketches to two main design concepts.
Idea 1 centered around making a physical model of my initials in a way that combined them all into one continuous shape. These sketches all build off of this idea, with thicknesses and curvature of the edges varying from sketch to sketch. Included in the sketches are some notes I was inspired to write as I reflected on the sketches.
Idea 2 featured a round or spherical shape that used the lines/curves which formed the letters as a part of the design of the structure. I also contemplated creating a platform to roll the sphere in, but later decided against it. I considered making a stamp but later decided against extruding the initials outwards as well.
Prototyping
Idea 1: This prototype was made in the wood shop and was designed to stand on a desk or be able to be mounted on a wall. If I had continued with this design, I would have needed to use wood with greater depth so that it might more easily balance by itself.
Idea 2: I used pipe cleaners to play with the idea of forming a sphere utilizing the lines and curves of my initials as the basis of the sphere’s foundation. I played around with the idea of the letters continuing outside of the sphere as well. What struck me most was the intricate connections made between every pipe cleaner as they intersected and shot off in different directions.
I decided to further develop the spherical design, as it proved to be more interesting and a greater challenge than a display of carved letters. I utilized CAD to further explore ways to create a 3D design by experimenting with extrusions and intrusions of shapes into a sphere. I also considered making the structure hollow like the pipe cleaner prototype. However, I realized that this would mean a lot of material would be required for supports, and would have to be painstakingly removed after the 3D printing process. Eventually, I determined that extrusions may inhibit the ball from rolling smoothly or along a surface, and thus decided on a solid ball with a design carved into it.
Final Product
Using a Form 2 3D printer, I created the sphere. After drying it, I used pliers to remove the supports from the bottom and the inside of the sphere. The back was sanded down to smooth the spherical curve after removing the supports. This made the color appear lighter and revealed a grid-like pattern, so I sanded the sides to about a halfway point to create somewhat of a gradient.
I appreciate the aspect of motion that the ball allows, since it can freely roll around. This makes it more interactive than a block of carved letters. However, in the future, I would like to make a stand to sit the model in for when I do not want it to move around. In redoing my project, I would also like to experiment with different colors (using spray paint or different 3D printing materials). Additionally, I would like to use the printer that allows for soluble supports in order to experiment with a hollow sphere. Although I spent much time picking out some of the supports closer to the surface of the ‘M’ cut, they are still somewhat visible when looking closely into the ball. Although I do believe they add an interesting pattern inside of the shape, I would also like to know what the model would look like if you could see cleanly from the front ‘M’ to the back ‘M.’
One of the things I most enjoy about my logo is its interesting, yet subtle portrayal of my initials. You can only see my initials (AML) if you look from the front and visualize the A and the L through the imprinted lines which loop around the sphere to add symmetrical designs to either side. In this way, they my name acts as a sort of hidden element to my piece that one might only catch upon second or third glance when examining the model.