Paperclip Ghost

The finished part.

Comparison with partner’s part.

Overlapped with source.

Original sketch.

Finished sketch in Solidworks.

Summary

The goal of this project was to make a copy of an existing ghost paperclip. It’s designed in the appearance of a cartoon ghost, with the long tab “mouth” functioning as a paperclip or bookmark. It measures 13 centimeters long by 6 centimeters wide, and is 1.5 millimeters thick.  The final part created is an almost exact copy of that ghost-shaped paperclip, and to be honest, is adorabubble. A little guy! Cute lil’ dude - flattened for your convenience and amusement! They want to be your friend, let them in! Let them sit on your bookshelf and witness  the follies of man. You need one! I need one! Get one! Get one now! NOW!

This was a group project in collaboration with Issac Sokolic.

Lesson Plan

Problem statement: “With a partner, you will recreate your ghost clip using Solidworks.  You and your partner MUST have identical files that you create by collaborating on each step, one at a time.”

Constraints:

• The sketch must begin with a constraint box, (center-rectangle created from the origin)
• The sketch must be fully defined when complete.
• Dimensions should be detailed but efficient.
• The sketch must contain zero error messages.
• Demonstrate efficient use of “Construction Lines” / ”Reference Geometry”.
• Demonstrate efficient use of “Offset Entities”
• Demonstrate efficient use of “Mirroring”
   

Construction

As this project is just one part and is too simple to need any assembly instructions, instead listed below are the instructions for how to make the ghost in Solidworks for yourself.

Constraint Box

      1.  Make a center rectangle marked as for construction on the origin, dimensions 130mm tall by 60mm wide.

Main Box

1. Make a construction line in the top left corner extending straight down 7.5mm.
    
2. From the bottom of that line, create a box out of lines 60mm x 112.5 mm with the top and bottom lines as construction lines.
    
3. Delete the line from step 1.

Top Arcs

1. Make a construction line going from the top right edge of the inside box to the center with a length of 7.5mm.
2. Make a center point arc at the end of the construction line from the previous step with radius of 7.5 mm.
3. Use the linear sketch pattern tool to make 4 arcs 15 mm apart to the right.
4. Delete construction line from step 1. 
    

Bottom spikes

1. Create a line from the bottom left of the inside box to the bottom of the constraint box offset 10mm right.
2. Create a second line off from the end of the previous line back to the bottom of the inner box going another 10mm right.
3. Repeat steps 8 and 9 on the bottom right of the inner box going to the left.
4. Add a line at the end of each triangle’s inner point that is on the inner rectangle connected to the midpoint of the constraint box.

Eyes

1. Make a circle 20mm from the top of the inner box and 17mm from the left side with a radius of 6mm. 
2. Mirror this circle across the symmetry line with mirror entities tool.
   
    

Mouth

1. Create a point 40mm from the top and 12mm from the side, create a construction line extending down by 45 mm from the point, then another line construction extending down at 135° until it connects to the midline.
2. Mirror both lines across the symmetry line 
3. Select the 4 construction lines and use the offset tool to offset inward by 5mm and cap off the ends with curves. 

Design Choices

Arcs

The side of the interior square was initially an even 11cm, 2 cm less than the constraint box so there would be a free centimeter at the top for the arcs, as well as one at the bottom for the spikes.

(Notice the 1cm dimension.)
 

We realized though, that since the horizontal dimension was 6cm, and that there were 4 circular arcs across, that each arc must have a radius ⅛ of that, or 7.5mm. That meant that it would need a gap of that much between the top of the constraint box and the top of the inside box, so the vertical dimension was increased to 11.25cm, and the top gap decreased to 7.5mm.

(Now the actual radius is accounted for.)

 

Mouth

The mouth was going to be made by making a construction line along the center, then using the Offset Entities tool to extend both sides out.

(A midline with instruction of initial plan.)

However, it was pointed out to us that because it would be hard to measure the distance of that imaginary line from the side, it would be better to just make the outside edge of the mouth, then offset inward, which is what we did.

(Much easier measurements, simpler dimensions too.)

Spikes

Originally the bottom spikes were going to be made by just repeating steps 8 & 9 twice.

(Simple zig-zag.)
 

That ended up with issues regarding overdefined coincidental points, so we changed it to repeating 8 & 9 on the other side going the opposite direction, then using the bottom midpoint of the constraint box to fully define the last 2 lines.

(Lines coincident with midpoint, no middle smart dimensions.)