3d modelling

why this project?

Following some Blender tutorials (the sprinkle donut was a good place to start), I wanted to dip my feet into 3D modelling and design. So I turned my head to SolidWorks, a simpler beginner friendly software. I've spent most of my personal projects dabbling in software development with various languages including Python, Java, C++, and experimenting with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript with this portfolio website. Expanding my horizon, 3D design is the next challenge I set myself up to. Although my results may not be on par with other designs in the community, I'm proud of what I've modelled and excited to share it.

concept & struggles

The idea was to create a Jeep-like Cybertruck. The Cybertruck with its box-y figure was perfect as a beginner project to recreate and implement features. I had initial sketches and ideas for different extrudes, cuts, and revolves. For the tires, I used a circular tread pattern by rotating shapes around the tire axis. I used a similar circular approach for the steering wheel spokes, rotating a spoke three times.

For the interior, I wanted to hollow out space for seats and extra room in the back. I was familiar with the shell tool, but I kept running into zero-thickness geometry errors. The shell thickness I first attempted caused parts of the exterior to collapse where surfaces intersected.

The chassis required the most design thinking. Since it integrates every part together, I needed specific dimensions for wheel rods, slots for seats and dashboard support, and overall exterior fit. Rods were straightforward once slot diameters and lengths were tuned. Seats were built from splines with an extrude for width. Finally, assembly mates brought each part together into the full vehicle impression.

what did i learn?

I learned how to break down a complex design into manageable parts, starting with the base frame and gradually modelling details like angular body panels and wheel wells. I improved my understanding of parametric modeling by defining dimensions and constraints more deliberately. With fillets, chamfers, and surface edits, I experimented with balancing sharp edges and smooth transitions to capture the Cybertruck aesthetic with Jeep-like rugged elements.

I also became more efficient with assemblies, especially when mating components like wheels and chassis. Overall, this project sharpened precision, iteration habits, and problem-solving for unusual geometries in SolidWorks.

Everything here was a learning experience. From getting comfortable with Blender and SolidWorks tools to shelling the model successfully, I tested many features and got a real taste of 3D design workflow: vision, sketching, tool planning, and modelling. It wasn't easy or short, and I often relied on tutorials, friends, and the SolidWorks community.

To showcase that progress, you can interact with the model above and view all parts, assemblies, and exploded drawings on my GitHub.

why this project?

This was my second 3D modelling project. I had a lot of fun experimenting with SolidWorks features on my Cybertruck Jeep model. Having learned a lot from my previous experience and wanting to try something more advanced, I was inspired by Lego assemblies. Instead of 3D printing the gumball machine as one piece, I designed separate parts that could be assembled into a full build.

This project was designed for a group project involving the motif of a Canadian animal. My group decided to design a gumball machine in the shape of a squirrel, hence the head and tail parts. Spanning over a month and a half, I enjoyed the process of creating something new and learning about locking mechanisms to keep different parts in place.

concept & struggles

The idea was a squirrel-shaped gumball machine. Unscrewing the head allows a gumball to be inserted into the body. The gumball drops into the container where it is caught in the spinner. The crank is then used to funnel the gumball out of the container and into the tail, where it spirals down and exits the machine.

Container

Container

Concept / Struggles

The container was the main component because the spinner, crank, body, and tail all needed to fit through it. The original design had a tunnel from body opening to tail exit, but this caused repeated print failures and difficult support removal. We redesigned the interior flow path to guide the ball with momentum. It used more material but printed reliably and produced smoother motion.

Body

Body

Concept / Struggles

The body stores gumballs before they enter the spinner. It connects head and container using snap-fit style locking interfaces with different diameters. A main challenge was preserving squirrel proportions while still fitting functional internal paths and connection geometry.

Crank

Crank

Concept / Struggles

The crank was designed as a key-like shape to engage the spinner slot. Post-print tolerance became the issue: a nominally correct fit still bound in real prints, especially across printers. Adjusting tolerance strategy and post-processing solved the fit.

Spinner

Spinner

Concept / Struggles

The spinner uses curved holding geometry to guide the ball. Chamfers were added to improve crank entry and turning reliability. The same tolerance lessons from the crank applied here, emphasizing real print behavior over ideal CAD fit.

Head

Head

Concept / Struggles

The head explored personality details, but complex surface transitions produced modeling instability and self-intersection errors during early attempts. The team simplified the facial geometry and focused on a robust removable lock feature for refilling.

Tail

Tail

Concept / Struggles

The tail evolved from decoration into a functional helical ramp for the final output path. A partial top opening was introduced after testing to make support-removal practical without compromising the motion of the ball.

what did i learn?

This project taught me lessons in 3D modeling, practical design adjustments, and problem-solving under manufacturing constraints. Organic shaping in SolidWorks often led to broken constraints and surface errors, so iterative simplification and better feature planning became crucial.

Tolerance issues became obvious after printing. Small machine-to-machine variability changed fit quality for crank and spinner interfaces, showing how important it is to design clearances for real hardware outcomes. Managing interdependent part references also required stronger file discipline during iteration.

Overall, this project strengthened my workflow in iterative prototyping, debugging functional assemblies, and balancing aesthetics with manufacturability. To showcase that learning, you can interact with the 3D part viewer above and access the full build details on GitHub.