BRIEF
In our final project, we'll assess our skills gained throughout the year to prepare for the second year of study. We're tasked with designing an Afrofuturistic Electric Car (EV) under themes like Utility/Adventure, Sports/High Performance, or Urban People Carrier. The focus is on visual appeal, practicality, and using graphic elements and colours to convey an African perspective on the future of EVs. We'll design the car's exterior shell at a 1:12 scale, 2D mag wheel covers, and an accessory component. The latter can be either a sheet metal part or a 3D-printed component based on discussions with lecturers.
RESEARCH PROCESS
I was instructed to create a single comprehensive presentation, which encompasses a minimum of one mood board portraying inspirational images capturing complex forms and functional accessory components, another mood board reflecting my personal perspective on African design and Afrofuturistic inspiration, and finally, a precedent board displaying existing electric cars and similar-themed vehicles.
IDEATION
CONCEPT DIRECTIONS
DEVELOPMENT
I generated mock-up models of my conceptual ideas to gain a better understanding of the requirements for building my car and to proactively address any issues before commencing the prototype phase.
Within a group context, we conducted deliberations to assess the feasibility of our designs. Subsequently, a lecture session supplied us with invaluable feedback and guidance for enhancing our concepts. This significantly contributed to guiding my design and thought processes.
FINAL CONCEPT SKETCH
In my final design, I drew inspiration from my second and third concept ideas. The second concept was influenced by lizards, emphasizing a long, low-to-the-ground body. Meanwhile, the third concept drew inspiration from whales, featuring a prominent front end and a narrower rear.
In my final concept, I've crafted a car with an elongated, low-slung body, characterized by a substantial front end and a more compact rear. While the front wheels remain concealed, the back wheels feature vibrant green rims that catch the eye.
MANUFACTURE
CARVING
After receiving a demonstration on foam carving during our lecture, each of us was provided with a block of carving foam for our project. To begin the process of carving, I started by drawing my car design to full scale and mapping out my cutting plan. Next, I overlaid the sketch with charcoal and pressed it onto the foam. This technique revealed a precise replica of my original sketch on the foam, providing a clear guide for my carving work.
Following the guidelines I had drawn on the foam, I proceeded to cut it with a band saw. Afterward, I began the process of shaping the foam block to achieve the desired form through sanding. To ensure the form retained its shape during the vacuum forming process, I sealed it with three layers of sanding sealer. This step was crucial in preparing the foam for the subsequent stages of our project.
3D SCANNING
With the assistance of my lecturer, we utilized a 3D scanning process to capture the details of my carved prototype. Once the 3D scan was complete, I was able to upload the digital model to SolidWorks. This provided me with the opportunity to make further modifications and incorporate additional features into the design. The combination of physical craftsmanship and digital editing allowed for a more refined and customized final product.
vacuum forming
In addition to the steps mentioned earlier for my carved car prototype, we further utilized the vacuum forming process to create the final product. After the foam prototype was shaped and sealed, we moved on to the vacuum forming stage.
In this step, we placed a sheet of plastic material over the carved foam prototype.
The plastic sheet was then heated until it became malleable. Once it reached the desired temperature, a vacuum was applied underneath the foam prototype, causing the heated plastic to conform to the shape of the foam. This process resulted in a plastic shell that precisely replicated the contours and features of the foam prototype.
Following the vacuum forming of my carved car, the next steps involved separating the plastic from the foam. This was achieved by blowing compressed air into the small openings on the sides until the foam popped out of the plastic. Afterward, I carefully trimmed away the excess plastic on the sides using a sharp knife and scissors, revealing the body of my car.
I used Inkscape to draw side view outlines of my car, which helped me explore different colour options for the project. In the process, I came up with three distinct choices. Ultimately, I decided to go with a black body and dark green detailing, a combination that I found to be the most appealing and fitting for my project. This decision was a critical part of shaping the final look of the car.
PAINTING
The painting process began with a base coat. I spray-painted the entire body with matte black paint. To ensure precision and symmetry, I then mapped out the areas for additional details and used masking tape to create guidelines. The first layer of paint applied to these areas was white, serving as a base to ensure that my chosen colour would appear vividly against the black background. Once the white paint had dried, I proceeded to apply a rich, dark forest green paint to complete the detailing on the car.
mag wheel covers
For the design of my mags, I began by using SolidWorks to create the digital model. Once the design was complete, I saved it as a DXF file and sent it to the laser cutter. The outcome was four lime green plastic mags of my own unique design.
Additionally, we received four resin-printed wheels. Out of these, I spray-painted two of them matte black, as they were the ones visible. The remaining two wheels were left in their raw, unpainted state.
As for the mags, I also left two of them in their raw state and painted the other two a dark forest green. In the final assembly, I attached the two raw mags to the raw wheels and connected the painted ones to complete the project. This process involved a combination of digital design, laser cutting, and painting to achieve the desired result.
accessory componentS
To create my sheet metal component, I began by crafting a series of mock-ups to ensure precise sizing and accuracy. After finalizing the shape and size, I transitioned to SolidWorks for the digital design. Once the design was complete, I saved it as a DXF file and sent it to the laser cutter.
Upon receiving the laser-cut component, I started shaping it using a line bender, which involved heating specific sections to allow for the necessary bends. The heat bending process presented its challenges, including gaps and imperfections.
To address these issues, I utilized wood filler. Following extensive shaping and sanding, I successfully achieved the desired component shape. Towards the end, I used my Dremel tool to create two holes in the front for sensors to be fitted. I then spray-painted the component matte black and affixed it to the front of my car. This multi-step process involved a combination of digital design, physical crafting, and finishing touches to achieve the final component.
HEAD LIGHTS
For my front lights, I employed SolidWorks to design the desired shape. Once the design was complete, I saved it as a DXF file and then transferred it to Inkscape. In Inkscape, I traced the form and prepared it for the next step. Following this, I cut the shape out of yellow vinyl paper. This method allowed me to create custom-designed front lights for my project.
BACK LIGHTS
For my back lights, I designed the shape using SolidWorks and saved it as an STL file, which I then sent to a 3D printer for production. After the 3D printing was complete, I spray-painted the component matte black. To achieve the desired back light effect, I attached a thin piece of yellow vinyl to the back of the component.
To secure it to the back of my car, I used super glue. Unfortunately, during this process, the glue seeped out to the sides and dried before I could clean it up. I attempted to remove the excess glue by scraping it with a craft knife and even tried using acetone, but these efforts were unsuccessful, leaving me with a less than perfect finish on the project.
WIREING
With the guidance of our lecturers, we received instructions on how to wire all the components. Additionally, a code was provided, which I simply had to upload to the Arduino board. This code was designed to make the motors move forward and then backward when something was detected in front of the sensors. This collaborative effort streamlined the process of integrating the electronic components and programming them to function as intended.
fails
During the assembly of the back lights, there was accidental seepage of super glue, resulting in an imperfect finish. This occurred because I didn't apply the glue with enough precision, and it seeped out to the sides of the components before I could clean it up. To avoid this issue, I should have used a more controlled application method or a different type of adhesive that doesn't spread as easily.
As for the heat bending challenges during the sheet metal component shaping, there were gaps and imperfections, due to the uneven bends caused by the heat bending process. To address this, I used wood filler to close the gaps and then proceeded to sand and paint the component. This additional step was necessary to achieve a smoother and more polished final product.
Final Assembled and functional Prototype
write up
In our final project, we were tasked with designing an Afrofuturistic Electric Car (EV) at a 1:12 scale, with a focus on visual appeal, practicality, and the use of graphic elements and colours to convey an African perspective on the future of EVs.
We began with extensive research and created mood boards for inspiration. Our final design was a fusion of ideas inspired by lizards and whales, resulting in an elongated, low-slung body with vibrant green rims on the back wheels.
The production process combined traditional craftsmanship and digital innovation. We carved a foam prototype and used 3D scanning to refine the design in SolidWorks. The plastic shell of the car's exterior was created using the vacuum forming process.
Colour selection was crucial, and we settled on a combination of black for the body and dark green for detailing. Mag wheel covers were designed in SolidWorks, laser-cut, and painted to match the design.
A sheet metal component was crafted, and while heat bending presented challenges, we used wood filler to address imperfections. Front lights were custom-designed from yellow vinyl paper, and back lights were 3D printed and spray-painted matte black.
The final assembly involved wiring components and uploading code to the Arduino board. Despite some challenges, like glue seepage during assembly, the project showcased the power of creativity, technology, and craftsmanship in envisioning an Afrofuturistic EV.
PROJECT REFLECTION
Our final project was a comprehensive demonstration of our skills gained throughout the year, preparing us for the challenges of the second year of study. The task was to design an Afrofuturistic Electric Car (EV) within themes such as Utility/Adventure, Sports/High Performance, or Urban People Carrier. The project emphasized visual appeal, practicality, and the use of graphic elements and colours to convey an African perspective on the future of EVs.
The hands-on part of the project began with a demonstration on foam carving during our lecture. Each of us received a block of carving foam for our project. I initiated the process by drawing my car design to full scale, outlining the cutting plan and using charcoal to transfer the sketch onto the foam.
Following this, I employed a band saw to cut the foam according to the guidelines I had drawn. Sanding was the next step to achieve the desired form, and the foam was sealed with three layers of sanding sealer to prepare it for the vacuum forming process.
The vacuum forming stage involved placing a plastic sheet over the foam prototype, heating the plastic until it was malleable, and using a vacuum to shape it to the prototype. This process resulted in a precise plastic shell replicating the foam's contours. Separating the plastic from the foam proved to be a bit challenging. It involved blowing compressed air into small openings until the foam popped out of the plastic. After that, I had to trim the excess plastic, revealing the body of the car.
For the visual aspect of the project, I used Inkscape to draw side view outlines of my car, experimenting with different colour options. I arrived at the decision to have a black body with dark green detailing. The painting process commenced with a matte black base coat for the entire body, followed by the mapping out of additional details using masking tape and white paint to ensure the chosen dark green colour stood out vividly against the black background.
Regarding the sheet metal component, the process included making mock-ups to ensure precise sizing and accuracy. After finalizing the shape and size, I turned to SolidWorks for the digital design. The component was laser-cut, and a line bender was used to achieve the desired bends. Challenges arose in the heat bending process, requiring the use of wood filler to address gaps and imperfections. After shaping and sanding, the component's desired shape was achieved.
The mags and wheels were another vital part of the project. SolidWorks was used for the digital design of the mags, and the resulting files were sent to a laser cutter. The mags were plastic and painted, while the wheels were resin-printed, with two of them painted matte black and the other two left unpainted.
The electronic component of the project involved instructions on wiring and a code for the Arduino board, which controlled the motorized movements in response to sensor input. This automated system added an interactive aspect to the project.
While the project was successful in many aspects, there were some challenges, such as the issue with super glue seeping out and drying before it could be cleaned up. Attempts to remove the excess glue proved unsuccessful.
In summary, this project was a rich learning experience, combining a variety of skills, from design and crafting to electronics and coding. It required creative problem-solving and a balance between traditional craftsmanship and modern technology. The collaborative and constructive feedback provided by our lecturers was invaluable in refining our designs. This project served as a testament to our growth and preparation for future challenges in our academic journey.
