Table of Contents
Claire's Geographically Sensitive Tea Cups
In my project, I created 3 variations on the common tea cup. My idea was to create 3 whimsical designs for jetsetters who want to make sure that their aristocratic cup of tea are customized to their location. The cup for Dubai is sleek and extremely tall, aesthetic attributes that are highly valued there. A Seismically Sensitive cup, best for areas prone to earthquakes such as Taipei or San Francisco is defined by its small opening that prevents spillage in the chance of an earthquake. Another cup is designed to hold a cup of tea in a sloped setting without spilling the beverage - ideal for the steep conditions found in Aspen, the Swiss Alps, etc.
Description of design drivers / goals
- Goal 1 - Create a tea cup ideal for one who wants to appear stylish and hip while vacationing in Dubai. This cup should be driven by the aesthetic attributes that Dubai's elite value - extreme height and modern shaping.
- Goal 2 - Create a tea cup for those who frequent earthquake-prone cities and don't want their precious cup of tea spilling on their Armani slacks.
- Goal 3 - Create a cup ideal for enjoying tea while sitting at a cafe table on a slope in cities prone to steepness.
Logic diagram
CAD models
Parametric variations: Images
Here are some examples of what happens when I vary the parameters….
Lessons learned
- I learned that there are numerous ways to exploit CAD's 3D capabilities if you just think outside the box. I was struggling to find a way to create the slope cup using the typical method of profile drawing when Thomas suggested that I use planes instead. This was a more nimble way to create the results I'd been envisioning and opened the door for countless new possible designs.
- I now have a better idea of how to scale parameters and will be able to implement that into the next project. On this one I used ranges to constrain designs for Dubai and the Seismic cup. Scaling parameters goes one step further to organize the variables and make them easier for a user to change. My slope parameter was scaled by default due to its formula.
- I'm still a bit iffy on logic diagramming when dealing with parameters that exceed this project in number and complexity but I guess that will be tackled as we move forward in the course to future projects.
Discussion
I really like this method of using planes and would like to know how to implement it. It appears that you've shaped the outside around 3 circular planes. Very cool!
What I like most about this project is how eloquently simple the basic teacup is and how you utilize your parameters so well to add that complexity. The asymmetry of the two screenshots at the end are really interesting with the differing mouth sizes. I can almost see a tall and skinny person holding the cup on the left, and a short and fat person the cup on the right.
Never before looking at this assignment have I realized that there is a great need for different tea cups for different locations in the world. Are there any tea cups available especially suitable for jet lagged Swedish PhD-student to prevent spillage into keyboards?
Your “Lessons learned” were really interesting to explore. Thank you.
// Erik.
I love the planes idea, I am impressed with the idea of creating a surface without rotation. This design is also interesting because it goes beyond teacups and could definitely be almost any other beverage container (punch cup, water container, etc.).
Gotta love the planes! I'm excited to work with you on the next project and learn how to implement something like this in our bus station. The planes seemed to give the designer a surprise as to what the shape would look like whereas one can get some sort of sense how a revolve will look before it is rendered.
I also value this example for it's simplicity. As an engineer, I've found that the simplest solution is often times the best.
I am amazed by your dedication to figuring out the program. I really like the tea cup idea and how they are geographically sensitive. Making the planes was a very interesting way to design the cups. They look awesome and I like how simple the users and drivers were. I think this spurred on a very clean design.
It's great that you didn't do a simple revolve for your beverage container. I find myself struggling to learn the extent of DP's capabilities. While the possibilities seem limitless, we're still learning which functions within the program will meet our design needs. The concept of multiple planes and slopes certainly engenders greater creativity. Thanks Claire!
There are often many ways of generating similar results but I believe the lofted surface through the 3 sketches offered more flexibility to your design than the original route with a revolve. I like the simplicity and how well the geometry morphs to address different goals. However, you should revise your logic diagram as Hills and Seismic are in the wrong place.