Away Message

Harvard University, ES51-Computer Aided Design and Machining, Spring 2015

I created an away message to say where I am, in addition to helping me to figure out where to go. Often, I get the car, leave home, only to wonder what to do on my long list of activities. The away message is a “roulette” wheel for me in addition to a message for telling people where I am. To build this, SolidWorks computer modeling, CNC milling, manual machining, laser cutting, and 3D printing skills were used to create, design, and assemble the away message. The final design includes a hidden chamber, star faceplate, and a 3D printed turtle on top. The turtle can spin to point to a certain star tip, which has a destination engraved on it. The star faceplate is attached with screws to the hidden chamber, which is comprised of two acetyl blocks that were milled to fit together. The chamber has a circular hole to put small shells that I find on the beach inside.