Ludicrously parametric self-watering planter

thingiverse

This was my experiment to learn about parametrization in FreeCAD. I chose an upcycling project involving cylindrical objects like bottle bottoms or tin cans to test the limits of parametric design. I wanted to create a planter that could be customized with various parameters, making it unique and functional. The planter's design is based on three main groups: container, planter, and hole. The container and planter parameters can be found in the attached drawing. Container parameters: - Outer diameter: measure the outer diameter of your chosen container. - Inner depth: determine how deep the inner cylinder or cone of your container is. - Container wall thickness: measure the thickness of your container's walls. Planter parameters: - Rim thickness: choose a suitable thickness for the upper rim, taking into account the weight it will carry. - Wall thickness: decide on the thickness of the planter's sides, which should be uniform unless specified otherwise. - Bottom diameter: select a diameter that your printer can bridge when printing the bottom pad. - Bottom thickness: determine how thick the bottom of your planter should be. That's not all - there are also complicated parameters to consider. The drawing at the top shows that the planter is segmented into five parts, each with its own angle and length. You can customize segments 5, 4, 3, and 2 by adjusting their angles and horizontal distance coverage in percentage. Segment 1 will be automatically calculated to fit the remaining distance. This means you can create an infinite number of planters for two identical containers. Here are some tips to ensure a successful customization: - Segments 5, 4, 3, and 2 together should cover less than 100% of the horizontal distance. - Be cautious when adjusting segment 1, as it may become too steep if only covering 1% of the horizontal distance. - Experiment with small increments to avoid corrupting the model or crashing FreeCAD. - Save your work frequently, as this design can be prone to crashes. The last category is holes. There are up to ten rows of holes, with three on segment five, four on segment four, and three on segment three. You can adjust the hole diameter for each row and the quantity of holes for every segment. Be aware that too many holes in small segments may compromise the planter's structural integrity. The watering canal will be automatically generated and span over the first three segments, making it easy to manage. Now that you've read through this detailed explanation, you might wonder if all these parameters are necessary. Rest assured, FreeCAD makes it easy to work with spreadsheets, ensuring a smooth design process. So, go ahead and create your one-of-a-kind planter using the parametric design in FreeCAD. Make sure to use an up-to-date version of the software - I used 0.17 during my experiment. Conceivably Engineering - Little competence, big smiles.