Creating CAD Models

Above are the initial designs for my DeVILS project. The design is an automated plant waterer, with the water stored between the outer shell and the inner pot. The volume for a pipe (close enough in shape for approximation) is πh(R²-r²), where R is the outer radius and r is the inner radius. With a height of 10 inches, an outer radius of 5 inches, and an inner radius of 4.5 inches, there is nearly 150 in³ of space for water*, or nearly 65% of a gallon, which should last weeks or possibly months for most houseplants. The design also features a moisture sensor, connected to a computing unit housed in rubber to protect it from water, which determines the frequency and volume of water to be released through the one-way water holes (made of rubber, the holes expand when pressurized water is forced through but when closed is hard to open from the inside). Excess water drained out is re-used by the system. There is a weight sensor at the base, which connects to lights on the outside to help the customer determine how much water remains/when to refill the pot.

*Not accounting for irregularities in shape, which could increase or decrease water volume.

TinkerCAD is an intuitive and creative design software which I definitely plan on mastering and continuing to use as I learn more about engineering. As I made both a full and split 3D model, I recognized some things I needed to alter from my 2D designs, namely the size and depth. I used just about every function of TinkerCAD I had learned about up to that point, including the “hole” and “group” function, which were very helpful to creating new designs not already available in the shapes menu. CAD is an effective way to streamline the design process, allowing users to create full 3D models without spending a dime or wasting time creating initial physical models.

I will absolutely use CAD in the future, the possibilities are truly endless. It could be fun to buy a 3D printer and use TinkerCAD to design toys for my friends with children, or to find simple solutions to problems at work (like printing a table wedge to fix a wobbly table!). I am sure CAD is used in many more fields than I’m even aware, from engineering to architecture, which could absolutely streamline different processes in the design process. There’s likely more uses than I can even imagine, so I am excited to continue to learn and master this software.