The Shark project was an assignment given to fix a current problem with USB thumb drives. During the brainstorming process, I considered the removable caps on USB drives and how cumbersome they can be. While they are important to protect the thumb drive when not in use, they can be easily misplaced and rarely is there a place for it while the drive is in use. The idea for Shark was to create a USB drive where the cap stays attached to the piece at all times. With Shark, the user can push the dorsal fin of the creature forward which slides the USB forward and out of his mouth (cap). The mouth, or cap, is then rotated up, and stays open while the drive is in use. When finished, the fin is slid back, and the USB drive is stored in the main cavity of the shark for protection. The Shark designs were created in SolidWorks and then prototyped using MakerBot 3D Replicator printers. The structure of the packaging was designed in ArtiosCAD and then opened in Adobe Illustrator for graphics. There are four components to the packaging; the two anchors to hold the shark in place, the main box, and the outer sleeve. The complete design was printed on a Roland InkJet printer and cut using a Kongsberg cutting table.

Process Images

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Concept Sketches

Have you ever seen a 3D printer? Watch this quick video of the Shark being printed!

Graphic Design Description and Inspiration:

Shark Tales