Exploring Manufacturing Technology

Personal Keychain Project

Contents:

1. Project Brief Handout


2. Design Scenario Handout

3. Project Evaluation Rubric

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Castlebrooke S. S.- Manufacturing Unit (Personal Keychain Project) September, 2018
 Student Project Brief TIJ1O0
!

!
Title: Personal Keychain Project

Design and Manufacture a TIJ1O0

Activity: Keychain for your personal Course: Exploring Technology
use made of Aluminium.
Time Req’d: 10 classes Date:
RATIONALE:
All products that are designed by Engineers, Scientists or creative individuals have to be made
to be able to use it. You may make one piece or unlimited quantities. Exploring Manufacturing
Technology will prepare you to choose a career or pursue it as a hobby in this field. This unit
will prepare you with valuable skills of using hand tools and Computer Numerical Control
(CNC) machine to make your own personal keychain. It will also help you understand the
Design Process in a fun and enjoyable way. This activity also provides an opportunity to further
develop research, manufacturing, graphic communication and presentation skills.

THE ASSIGNMENT

You will research, design, develop, manufacture and present a Personal Keychain build out of
aluminium. This assignment is done individually. You will first research and draw Freehand
sketches, then select a design and create your design in the VCarve program. After this you will
simulate your creation and convert your design in machine code called G-Code. Finally you will
use tools and the CNC machine to safely build the Personal Keychain. This product will be
sanded and polished with a compound to produce a mirror finish.

KEY CONCEPTS: You will learn in this project to:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Castlebrooke S. S.- Manufacturing Unit (Personal Keychain Project) September, 2018
 Student Project Brief TIJ1O0
!

1. Research the design and development of a product using the SPICE design process.
2. Create freehand drawings.
3. Use VCarve program to design, simulate and convert to G-Code.
4. Operate CNC machine and simple tools safely and understand the importance of safety.
5. Test and measure your design as per given dimensions and criteria.

LEARNING GOALS

❑ Be able to use the drill press safely and correctly

❑ Be able to use the cut off /hacksaw safely and correctly
❑ Be able to use the CNC software at a basic level
❑ Be able to measure, layout and drill a hole accurately
❑ Be able to sand and polish aluminum effectively

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

The materials needed for this activity is Aluminium stock.

The machines and tools required for this project are Drill Press, CNC machine, Vice, Scriber,
measuring tape, file, sandpaper and polishing compound.

SPICE Design Process

Scenario:
Students and teachers always have a hard time to find their keys. There are different sets of keys for
office, school and home use. What would be a better way to organize all our keys and never worry
about losing them?

Problems & Possibilities:

Design Brief
To design a Personal Keychain using the VCarve program and manufacture it using hand tools and
CNC machine with Aluminium stock.

Design Considerations
Requirements:
❑ Must use Aluminium stock of size 3” X ¾” X 3/16” thick
❑ Have a hole between ⅛” and ¼” diameter to place a ring
❑ Have one or two borders
❑ Have any kind of Text in creative format
❑ Have any image that is simple to cut
❑ Must square, file, sand and polish aluminum

Limitations:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Castlebrooke S. S.- Manufacturing Unit (Personal Keychain Project) September, 2018
 Student Project Brief TIJ1O0
!

❑ It must be designed and manufactured in the school.

❑ Limited tools and materials are to be used.
❑ No horseplay is allowed.
❑ Should meet the timelines as discussed by the class.

Investigation:
Research suitable designs using the internet. Using the freehand sketch template, draw two
freehand sketches of possible designs of your Keychain. Make the length in proportion of 3” X
¾” in size. Draw a hole 3/8” from one end, or whatever distance or location you think is better.
AND you pick a hole size between ⅛” and ¼”. Label and comment on each design.

Choose, Create and Construct:

Choose
Choose the best design from the above sketches or combine the ideas of both design to create a
final design.

Create
1. Use the VCarve program and learn how to set size and create borders. Make sure your vector
paths DO NOT go too close to the edge of your piece – this may cause damage to the vice in
the machine.
2. Then insert circle to reserve spot for keychain hole ⅛” to ¼” diameter and add Text in
available variety of fonts, size and orientation.
3. Insert simple images or line drawing from google images and convert them to vectors.
Simplify this image as much as possible to create distinct lines and shapes.
4. Simulate design by setting toolpaths EXACTLY as per instruction sheet. If cutting time is
less than 5 minutes then convert design to G-Code.
5. Save G Code and VCarve file in teacher specified folder.

Construct

MANUFACTURING PROCEDURE
STEP 1 Review the setup and safety procedures for using the hacksaw, measuring tape,
scriber and square. Then using the 3/4” x 3/16” aluminum bar, measure and cut off
your required length of 3” + 1/16”.

Before proceeding, review how to use a metal file, and then carefully file your
block to square it and also ensure that there are no burrs or sharp edges that may
interfere when measuring or clamping your piece.

Letter punch initials of your name.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Castlebrooke S. S.- Manufacturing Unit (Personal Keychain Project) September, 2018
 Student Project Brief TIJ1O0
!

STEP 2 Review the setup and safety procedures for the CNC machine. With the
teacher’s supervision, cut your Keychain on the CNC machine.

Review the setup and safety procedures for the drill press, then drill the
required sized hole (⅛” or ¼”). Don’t forget to drill a pilot hole if required.

STEP 3 File, sand and polish your piece to make it look clean and professional. Be careful
NOT to file too much off – you can’t put it back!!
If needed, fill the lines with coloured permanent marker.

Evaluate:
Use the initial criteria set to make this project and check if it meets the requirements.

After the project is completed you should compose a detailed summary or Evaluation report of
what you observed and learned during the project.
● Describe the challenge.
● Explain the problems faced and solutions you came up with.
● Mention the strengths and weaknesses of your project.
● Summarize by listing changes you will make if this project was done again.
(Maximum one page, typed, double-spaced, font 12).

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Castlebrooke S. S.- Manufacturing Unit (Personal Keychain Project) September, 2018
 Student Project Brief TIJ1O0
!

Freehand Sketches: Due Date:

1

Notes

Notes

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Castlebrooke S. S.- Manufacturing Unit (Personal Keychain Project) September, 2018
 Student Project Brief TIJ1O0
!

Project Evaluation Rubric

Categories . Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1
(80-100%) (70-79%) (60-69%) (50-59%)
Design & Planning: Very detailed Good sketches, Draws sketches, Draws sketches,
Freehand Sketches sketches, writes notes writes some notes writes few notes or without notes. Draws
and labels parts. and labels few parts. labels few parts. one design.
Draws two or more Draws two designs Draws two or fewer
designs designs.
T/I 9 - 10 7-8 6 5
Design & Planning: Excellent design & Good design & Acceptable design & Design & border
VCarve Design unique border. All border. All Text and border. All Text and needs improvement..
Text and images are images are creative images are All Text and images
creative and its and its placement is interesting and its are acceptable and
placement is properly mostly aligned. placement is its placement is not
aligned. somewhat aligned. aligned.

K/U 9 - 10 7-8 6 5
Preparing Aluminium Length is exactly 3”. Length is almost 3”. Length is about 3”. Length is off 3”.
stock: Edges are perfectly Edges are square and Edges are somewhat Edges needs to be
Dimensions conforming square and no burr few burrs and marks square and some squared and many
to specs. and marks on the on the metal. burrs and marks on burrs and marks on
metal. the metal. the metal.

App 9 - 10 7-8 6 5
CNC machining, All 6 edges are All 6 edges are All 6 edges are Sanding is below
sanding and polishing: sanded with highest sanded with high sanded with expectation.
Quality mill work, quality. Polishing is quality. Polishing is moderate quality. Polishing needs
sanding and finishing mirror finish. almost mirror finish. Polishing is improvement and
Excellent finish and Good workmanship. somewhat mirror finishing could be
workmanship. finish. Acceptable better. Needs
workmanship. rework.
App 9 - 10 7-8 6 5
Evaluation Report: Details entire project Covers most of Some parts of project Limited coverage of
from start to finish. project. Good are detailed. Some project. Little
Excellent reflection reflection of failures reflection of failures reflection of failures
of failures and and successes. and successes. and successes.
successes.
Communication 9 - 10 7-8 6 5

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Castlebrooke S. S.- Manufacturing Unit (Personal Keychain Project) September, 2018