Autodesk

[Simops]

The Aviation Unit I instruct at is starting to use the iPad Air as an EFB (Electronic Flight Bag)....it's all the rage now a days in aviation. Even the major airlines using them on the flight deck.

Now the Aviation Unit also uses NVGs (night vision goggles) and problem is that the iPad screen needs to be filtered with a thin plastic filter. This is a special filter that also touchscreen compatible. Normally they are stuck or fixed on permanently but this compromises daylight readability.

They have asked me to come up with a solution seeing that I'm their NVG instructor. My idea is an iPad case but with a narrow slot going around the top edge so that the filter could be slid in and out from over the iPad screen. The filter must be snug to the screen. Would need minimum 10 units to start off with.

I might have to design something to 3D print? Tried Aspire to model such a custom case but proving difficult.

Looked on net and found from Autodesk their Fusion360 and 123Design programs that seem powerful, free and output in stl. Has anyone used these programs and if so can advise if worth downloading......what's the learning curve like?
Any ideas on my venture with doing this custom iPad case would also be welcome to kick start me in the right direction.
(Disclaimer....I'm a very green 3D designer��)!

Cheers

[Kyle Stapleton]

You might have better luck with Skechup, it is free and a lot of online stuff.

[Simops]

Thanks Kyle.....been a couple of years since I looked at Sketchup.....found it clunky to use but that is me not the program!!! I'll have a look at it again....

To make the case around the iPad is easy enough but it's fusing a slotted component around the top edge of the case to slide in and out the filter that has me working...

Cheers

[Thomas Cook]

Another option that may work well would be a hinged case. This would allow you to simply place the filter on the screen and then clamp the case closed with it in place.

You would have the ability to choose different case materials for how rigid a case you want. This could also simply clamp around the outside edge rather than be a whole case so you could possibly use aluminum to make it very durable while maintaining a cell signal.

Full disclosure, I am an engineer as my regular job is working in research and development so I have lots of ideas...haha.

If you get a 3D file I have access to Solidworks and can modify your model with a slot next week. Just bought Fusion 360 before the price increase and should have it up and running in a couple weeks for designing at home.

[shoeshine]

Just took an intro to Fusion 360 offered by an autodesk Education rep. (2 day course)

It does seem powerful as it includes not only modeling but machining output as well. Nicely integrated. I could go straight from modeling to validation to g-code all in the same interface.

Couple of caveats though;

It has its own internal logic about how one goes about creating drawings that was not intuitive to me coming from a more traditional CAD background. Definitely a learning curve there.

The other thing is that 360 is most certainly still in active development. I had a bunch of questions on how to fold it into my current workflow and while some were answered, several times I got the answer "it's coming in the next couple of releases" Now the fee model is a subscription one so you don't really have to worry about getting the latest, it updates each time you launch the soft, but there are still bugs to be worked out.

So all in all, worth exploring, but no instant fix.

[Simops]

Thanks Thomas and Chris.....

Fusion 360 appears like a fairly large learning curve. Guess it's the same for all 3D design programs, even Sketchup.......I think I was being somewhat ambitious thinking otherwise. Definitely like to get into 3D design at some stage when I can commit a week or so to the books!

Meantime I'll send you a message Thomas and discuss your offer.....don't want to tie your time up......maybe pointers in right direction.....

Cheers