flatpak.io
flatpak.io was my solo project for the Advanced Software Development in iOS course at Code Fellows. Students came up with a project idea, reviewed it with the instructors and implemented it as a personal project written in Swift.
It is now available as a download from the App Store under the name Box-o-matic.
flatpak.io is an exploration of ideas aimed at reducing complexity and friction in the digital fabrication process.
Lasercutters are great tools for rapidly and precisely cutting two-dimensional shapes out of a variety of flat stock, like thin plywood, cardboard or acrylic. With careful design, a collection of laser cut 2D shapes can be assembled into three-dimensional objects such as boxes or trays. The assembly and integrity of these 3D objects can be aided by different types of interlocking joinery that can be applied to the 2D shapes and cut by the laser cutter.
Unfortunately the process of going from initial idea to final object is fraught with a myriad of challenges typically involving complex design software, multiple software stacks between design and cutting (3D design software, 2D design software and cutter-specific software and drivers). Even simple changes can require a complete transit of the software stack, not to mention potentially tedious re-drawing of intricate geometry where different parts join together.
The concept I wanted to explore with this project was utilizing parametric design to define the physical constraints and joinery of an object and from those parameters automatically generate production-ready files that are ready for the laser cutter. Design, Cut and Assemble!
Goals
My goals for the project were to quickly and easily choose simple dimensional objects like boxes, define the core dimensions (L x W x H) and other parameters like material thickness and joint style. Flatpak.io takes those parameters and generates a PDF file with outlines of the shapes and joinery that can be cut and assembled into the desired object. Document sharing facilitates getting the final output to the laser cutter.
Project Templates
Project Templates afford a visual catalog and one-touch access to creating several varieties of box-like objects.
Settings
This screen allows the user to see and edit all of the project settings in one location.
PDF Layout
The entire project is rendered into a simple PDF file that can be shared via email or other sharing mechanisms.
