Exploring the capabilities of a sheet metal model, I created a chair crated from one sheet of laser-cut and line-bent acrylic. I believed this would yield a smooth and sleek look that retains strength from being one continuous piece of material.
Seen next is a progression of my 3D models. I was very new at making CAD models at the time, so it required multiple iterations to get it right. The models are made in Onshape.
The following shows the cut sheet, where one can see how the chair is cut out—indicated with the solid lines—as well as bent—indicated with dashed lines.
If I were to revisit this project, I would invest more time into making the design more efficient on a cut sheet, as well as making a functional full-size model.
I believe a full-scale model would reveal areas where the chair could be changed for ergonomic, structural, and manufacturing reasons. From there, the design could be finalized and produced.
