Cornerstone of Engineering 2
In this follow-up course, I am building on the foundations of Cornerstone 1 with a deeper focus on SolidWorks, MATLAB, and engineering ethics. Through a series of hands-on Skillbuilder projects, I am continuing to strengthen my technical modeling and computational skills, with additional mini projects still to come throughout the semester. In one SolidWorks Skillbuilder, I designed the base geometry of a chess piece and a full chess board, then developed a themed set inspired by famous architectural landmarks. I transformed standard pieces into recognizable structures while maintaining dimensional constraints, proportional scaling, and manufacturability.
The course also includes a semester-long team project called Fun Labs, where we are designing an interactive educational exhibit for the Boston Children’s Museum. My team is creating an interactive map of Boston in which children aged 4–10 respond to simulated emergency scenarios by assigning the correct first responder, such as police, fire, or ambulance. This project emphasizes user-centered design, teamwork, iterative prototyping, and translating engineering concepts into engaging, age-appropriate learning experiences. The semester will culminate in a large public showcase where children will interact directly with our finished system.
1) SolidWorks Chess Set (Skillbuilder)
Overview:
This SolidWorks Skillbuilder project focused on parametric part modeling, assembly constraints, and technical documentation. I designed a themed chess set inspired by famous architectural landmarks and produced full engineering drawings and an assembly with a Bill of Materials.
Project Context:
This project was completed as part of GE 1502 (Cornerstone of Engineering 2). The objective was to design six unique chess pieces using required SolidWorks tools and techniques, assemble them on a chessboard, and produce professional technical drawings documenting both individual parts and the full assembly.
My Role & Responsibilities:
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Designed all six chess pieces in SolidWorks using parametric modeling
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Selected and developed an architectural theme featuring famous global landmarks
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Created full part drawings with orthographic projections and isometric views
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Built the complete chessboard assembly and generated a Bill of Materials
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Documented the project in a formal engineering memo
Design Concept & Theme:
For this project, I chose a theme based on iconic architectural structures to replace traditional chess pieces. Each piece represents a globally recognized landmark, scaled proportionally while maintaining standard chess hierarchy through relative height differences.
Examples:
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King – Eiffel Tower
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Queen – Empire State Building
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Bishop – Burj Khalifa
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Rook – Pantheon
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Pawn – Colosseum
I adjusted piece heights intentionally to preserve gameplay hierarchy while maintaining aesthetic proportions.
Initial hand-drawn planning sketch used to define architectural theme, proportional hierarchy, and piece scaling strategy.
Concept Development & Early CAD Planning:
Before modeling the final pieces, I created preliminary SolidWorks models to establish consistent base geometry and board spacing. This ensured dimensional consistency across all components and allowed me to test proportional relationships before finalizing the individual landmark designs.
Standardized chess base model used to maintain uniform mounting geometry across all pieces. Preliminary chessboard model used to verify square spacing, piece alignment, and proportional scaling.
SolidWorks Chess: Engineering Process
A) Parametric Modeling
Each chess piece was modeled individually using fully defined sketches and feature-based modeling in SolidWorks. I applied extrudes, revolves, lofts, patterns, fillets, and symmetry constraints to construct each structure while maintaining dimensional control.
To preserve gameplay hierarchy, I parameterized piece heights relative to a standardized base and adjusted dimensions intentionally rather than scaling arbitrarily.
B) Assembly & Mating Strategy
After completing all individual parts, I constructed a full chessboard assembly using mate constraints, reference geometry, and alignment controls to ensure precise positioning. I resolved mate conflicts by refining reference planes and confirming consistent base geometry across all components.
Fully assembled chess set demonstrating accurate mate constraints and spatial alignment.
Assembly drawing including Bill of Materials and component callouts.
C) Engineering Documentation
Each chess piece was documented with professional technical drawings including orthographic projections, isometric views, and overall dimensions. Drawings followed standard engineering formatting conventions and clearly communicated geometry for manufacturing or reproduction.
Assembly drawing including Bill of Materials and component callouts.
Results & Key Takeaways:
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Designed and assembled a fully parametric architectural chess set
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Produced complete part drawings and assembly documentation
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Strengthened proficiency in SolidWorks modeling, assemblies, and technical drafting
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Developed structured workflow from concept sketch to documented engineering product
2) Fun Labs - Interactive Emergency Response Map
Overview:
Fun Labs is a semester-long team engineering project in Cornerstone of Engineering 2. Our class was invited to design and deploy interactive exhibits for the Boston Children’s Museum.
My team is developing an interactive emergency response game designed for children ages 4–8. The installation features a physical map of Boston where children must assign the correct responder, such as police, fire, or ambulance, to an emergency scenario displayed on the board.
The system integrates 3D printed components, RFID sensing, and a Raspberry Pi Pico running Python to provide real-time feedback through an LCD display.
This project is currently in development. We are building and testing our first low-fidelity prototype.
Project Context:
The installation must:
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Serve children ages 4–8
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Operate independently without constant supervision
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Include at least one programmed electronic input and output
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Fit within a 10 ft space constraint
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Remain under an $80 team budget
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Be portable for transport to the museum
These constraints require thoughtful system design, modular construction, and clear user feedback.
My Role & Contributions:
I am responsible for both mechanical and software components of the system.
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Designed and modeled emergency responder buildings in SolidWorks, including the fire station, police station, and related structures
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Engineered internal cavities within the 3D printed buildings to house RFID tags
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Ensured models were scaled appropriately for children’s ergonomics and durability
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Writing the Python control logic for the Raspberry Pi Pico
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Integrating RFID input detection with LCD display output
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Participating in physical prototype layout and hardware integration planning
