Chloe Ferris Week 4: Flashlight Sleeve

This flashlight sleeve is based on the little flashlight that we were given. I wanted to take that design and build off of it. I wanted the sleeve to be simple and pleasing to look at, but also comfortable to use and practical. This is why I tried to design a grip that would more easily fit in the shape of your hand, instead of using a straight cylinder.

Ghosted View

To build the flashlight I made big used of the CurveBoolean tool. Most of the body was created this way. I made one large curve and rotated it 360 degrees to make the base. I think went through and filleted all of the outside edges, to make the model smoother and more realistic. I then piped a short straight curve and created an array with that to add the soft ridges on the head of the sleeve. Then, I took an array of spheres and used a Difference to make the indents at the bottom.

Layout Composition

Since I wanted the sleeve to be comfortable, I chose a smooth plastic material, which would be easy to hold for long periods of time. I chose the colors red and black to accent the simple design. I set the flashlight on a black surface with bright lighting to show off the highlights on the shiny plastic material.

Final Render

The 3D print came out really well in my opinion. I was so excited to see my first 3D print, and to hold something that I had created just from an idea in my head! The details came out well, and it is very comfortable to hold, just like how I wanted. The lab techs had a problem getting some of the support material off, and one side of the model was very gummy/sticky from the solution, so I wiped it down with acetone and had to do a lot of sanding to get it off. There is still a little chunk of support material that is stuck in between the bottom rings that I can't get out, so I probably should have spaced those out a little farther. Overall, though, I am super happy with the flashlight.

3D Printed Piece

Here is a breakdown of how I spent my time on this project:

Week 4: Idea formation, planning, and modeling in Rhino

Week 5: Adjustments and tweaking the model

Week 6: Waiting on print

Week 7: Printing and finishing (acetone, sanding, and adding the flashlight)