Bloombox
Produced By: Williams Fincannon
Bloombox is a project about transformation and potential. The concept explores the ability to change from a small and unassuming state into a voluminous and vibrant one when placed in a suitable environment. It is inspired by blooming flowers, metamorphosis, and wooden puzzle boxes. The box is constructed with 3D printed PLA plastic and operates by using a uv light sensor and a micro servo. When the box senses sunlight, it expands into a flower-like form and will contract back into its original state once uv light is no longer detected.
Design
I began by sketching out ideas for the initial prototype in Illustrator. Since the design was based around synchronizing, moving parts, I immediately began building structures with matte board in order to figure out the underlying mechanics of the box. Once I had a better understanding of the form, size, and material limitations, I realized it would need to be made entirely out of 3D printed PLA, which led me into experimenting and designing within Fusion 360.
Piecing It All Together
I started printing as early as possible due to time restrictions and limited printer availability. Unforseen issues with the printed materials forced me to move the components from inside the box into an outer housing which will be removed entirely in future iterations of the box. Many of the pieces required a substantial amount of sanding and filing down, as I was unaware of the nature of printing with PLA and--while designing--did not take into account the size inaccuracies and warping that comes naturally with the 3D printing process.
