The third-year industrial design majors at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette are creating new innovations in the classroom. These students worked hard to create their unique state-of-the-art speakers that they then 3D printed to fully capture their design. Most, if not all, of the speakers that the students have created actually work and produce sound.
This was definitely a huge accomplishment for the juniors of the industrial design major.
Damien Mitchell, the instructor of the class, supervised and instructed students on how to bring their thoughts to reality.
Students were tasked with creating, developing and finalizing their speaker through 3D printing in order to complete the project.
The students had access to specialized workspaces to develop their ideas. They could use the design studios, prototyping shops for wood, metals and plastics or a digital fabrication lab with a variety of 3D printers and laser cutters to help them with their assignment.
Students who were tasked with the project included Dexter Bounds, Colin McCrae, Desmond Bourgeois, Mateo Chivoiu and Cameron McBride. While these individuals were all assigned with the same duty of creating a speaker, they each added their own personality to it.
Dexter Bounds used a soldering iron to wire his speaker. Desmond Bourgeois on the other hand, added some wood elements to his, along with Mateo Chivoiu, whose shell of his design was also made out of wood. Colin McCrae’s speaker includes a carabiner function in it for easy travel, while Cameron McBride’s speaker is inspired by the art deco style.
To finish their models, most of the students sanded and spray painted them. Others incorporated leather, a jean-like material, or spandex, a tights like material, to their project instead. The results were a wide array of speakers that would not be found in an average store. Each speaker is custom-made and highlights each student’s personal creativity.
Students who study industrial design at UL Lafayette choose to showcase their design skills in a manner they would have never thought possible. Industrial design majors learn these skills so that they can contribute to a wide range of industries since they also have a variety of possible career paths.
UL Lafayette is dedicated to their students’ success in the real world and this major ensures that a student is equipped with the abilities they need both in and out of the classroom.
Students are challenged to use their creativity to craft useful products that improve their relationship with the world. While, in this case, it was through speakers, these tasks push the students to become better critical thinkers, communicators and develop a thorough understanding of people’s needs, desires and preferences.
Industrial design majors are tasked with projects that promote sustainable solutions to positively affect the present and future of society. They consistently research and explore new systems, materials and processes to help them better understand human relationships with the world. In the past, this was through the design of different umbrellas, power tools and drones, while now it is through speakers. The industrial design juniors at UL Lafayette have their work laid out for them, but one thing’s for sure, the knowledge they gained through the development of their speakers will become the skills they need for success upon graduation.