iPhone Model – My Process

Assignment Overview

I chose to make a model of my phone for my assignment. The assignment was to model an object that has personal meaning to me. I chose my phone because I take it with me everywhere I go and I use it to communicate with the people I care about the most, such as my friends and family.

Images of My Model

Here is the top view of my phone model.

Here is the bottom view of my my phone model.

Here is the left side of my phone model.

Here is the right side of my phone model.

Difficulty

I found learning how to use Fusion360 to be quite a difficult process. I had never 3D modeled before, so it took me a while to figure out how to use the different tools on the software. The simplest part was making the basic shape of the phone. However, I struggled with some of the specific details of my model. I also struggled with figuring out how much to extrude the shapes and fillet the edges.

Particularly Challenging Elements

The most challenging element of my model was creating the circle on the back of my phone case. I couldn’t figure out how to make a thin loop, rather than coloring in a full circle. I was eventually able to solve the problem by layering two circles on top of each other and rendering the larger circle in gray. Another element that I struggled with was creating the buttons on the sides of my phone. By looking closely at my phone, I noticed how each button had an indent, with the button placed inside. I created this on Fusion360 by extruding a rectangle, turning it into a shell, and creating the buttons on top of it.

Compromises That I Made

There are several flat features on my model, such as the small white camera lens and the circle on the back of the phone case. However, I was unable to render a flat shape. I instead had to extrude these elements slightly so their colors could differ from the base of the model. I also have a few decorative features on my phone case, such as a sticker and a paper cutout of a star. I had to forego these features to focus on creating the main shape of the phone.

Potential Humanistic Uses for 3D Modeling

There are several humanistic uses for 3D Modeling. For example, 3D modeling could be especially useful in the area of teaching. 3D models can help students interact with buildings, artifacts and places they aren’t able to see in person. It’s often much more impactful for students to be able to interact with an object, rather than simply read or hear about it. In addition, understanding the form and different parts of an object is an extremely crucial skill for several careers, such as, but not limited to, engineering, product design, and architecture. 3D modeling could be especially useful for teaching students pursuing those careers.

Fusion 360 Tip for Other Novices

One tip I have for other Fusion360 users is to remember to make use of the orbit tool throughout the modeling process. I found it incredibly useful to see the different angles of my object throughout the process. It helped me figure out which features my model was missing. After zooming in to work on a small feature, it was especially helpful to revisit the full model from different angles.

Interactive Viewer of My Model