Evaluation

Evaluation

I really struggled with this project, firstly to come to grips with the software and then struggling with unforeseen circumstances.  

I'm not completely satisfied with my final product, as it didn't come out at all like I expected. My vision all along was to create a beautiful functional jewellery piece which happened to be a USB stick.  

The fact that none of my holes were big enough to thread the completed item onto the nylon thread was very disappointing.  

Elements that could have been fixed had I not left it until the last minute!

• The internal dimensions could have been corrected if I had used the correct depth of material, or in-putted it correctly on the CNC router.   
• The spiral could have been remade to fit the item perfectly, or as seen in the following image, could have been used elsewhere - like the acrylic ring would have looked especially more appealing had it been in silver - in face even better I think than the spiral.

• The acorn was not sanded at all to finish off, so it was handed in, in a very rough format.
• The box was again, not finished to the highest standard and would have benefited from some sort of branding.  
• The USB could also have been etched with the logo "Discovering places" to give more continuity

When I get it back, I think the following changes will need to be applied.  I might consider cutting the item in half and using a flat backed edge to give it a slimmer look and feel.

The acrylic bit needs to be replaced with silver, enhancing the look.

I might consider some other forms of accents such as drilling tiny holes and filling with silver accents.

As a free give away at the Olympics, the silver would make it costly and the hand making of the silver would also prove time consuming.  This could possibly be a limited edition to those that contributed to programme, with a more simple wooden acorn used as a free information give away.

In schools this project could prove difficult based on school resources.  Most schools will not have a rapid prototype machine or CNC router.  Options possibly in schools would be the Hegner saw to cut small thin simple designs.  Using the drill and chisels to hollow it out the space for the circuit board.  Or using the laser cutter and layering acrylic to form the shapes.  

It does give them an opportunity though to using modelling foam and other forms of modelling to come up with ideas, even if the don't get to physically make the item.