Second Prototype:
I constructed a rapid prototype
of the Eagle Claw shape using 1/8" aluminum that I cut
on the band saw according to drawings I had made. I was able
to bend the toes by hand using vise grips, and soon found
that the final foot would have to be much stronger than this
once, since Britt's weight immediately crushed this flimsy
prototype.
First
aluminum prototype - 1/8" sheet
Solid modeling:
In the ideation and exploration
stages of design, I sketch ideas by hand because it is much
faster than computer modelling and allows me to preserve some
ambiguity. At the selection stage, it made sense to represent
the Eagle Claw as a fully-defined solid model. I used SolidWorks
to create this computer-generated solid model based on the
drawings I had produced.
With SolidWorks, I could simulate
Britt's weight on the foot and visualize the resulting strain
distribution. By altering the design of the foot, I was able
to improve the foot and increase it's factor of safety.
Solidworks
analysis of possible structural ribs
