A project my classmates and I were tasked with in our Additive Manufacturing course in the AMET program at Confederation College, we had to design brackets that could support a cane and the weight of a child. The idea was to make skateboarding more accessible to everyone, including those who had physical challenges and required an assistive device like a cane to support themselves. The goal was to create something that could be screwed into the skateboard using the same screws which held the wheels in the place. We also had to create something that used 3D printing material and was cost-effective to make so that would be accessible.
For my bracket, I reduced the design to something as short as possible to save on materials and reduce the moment arm being applied to the bracket. The design also featured ribs which added to the structural integrity and was printed on a 45-degree angle using nylon filament. By printing a 45-degree angle, delamination would be less likely to happen to the direction of forces, and the nylon provided a very strong and tough material that added to the already strong design. Overall, the design was able to support the full weight of a 6-foot-tall adult, and withstood rigorous testing at the skatepark.
Skills Used
| Material Testing | Rapid Prototyping |
| CAD | 3D Printing |