Multi-Purpose Reconfigurable Container Units
Introduction: Multi-Purpose Reconfigurable Container Units
Overview
Greetings! I'm <PERSON>, a rising junior attending San Mateo High School.
This instructable is a documentation of how I took my idea of a versatile container design and developed it into structures that are sustainable, scalable, and affordable in the long run (more on this is in the concept section.)
Working my way through creation, I learned firsthand how overwhelming and enlightening are the number of disciplines that comprise modern-day infrastructure. I also learned Fusion 360 and Revit coming from a tinker-cad background.
Here is a quick directory of how I've organized subjects in this instructable. For some steps, I dive deep into the nitty-gritty construction concepts, so feel free to skip around :)
Step 1-2 Conceptualization
Step 3-5 Design
Step 6-7 Experimentation & Demonstration
Step 8-13 MEP (Mechanical Electrical Plumbing) Engineering
Step 14-21 Scale Physical Model
Step 23-29 Expanding Structures
Step 30 Resources
Supplies
For this project I used:
* Pen, pencil, and paper for drafting concepts and designs
* Desktop Computer
* Prusa MK3 (FDM 3D Printer) with filament
* Elegoo Mars 2 (SLA 3D printer)with liquid resin
The digital resources I used in this project were:
* Fusion 360 educational license~ for CAD, Drawings, Rendering
* Revit 2023 education license~ for Floor Plans, Rendering
* Adobe Illustrator educational license~ for converting sheet metal templates
* Adobe Premiere Pro~ For video editing
* Paint.net~ Creating diagrams, editing images
* Ultimaker Cura~ for 3d printing
* Chitubox~ for 3d printing
I will list the materials used for making a scaled model later in this instructable.
Step 1: Concept
The Internet is abundant with designs of upcycled industrial shipping containers. Many of these structures are permanent fixtures and require meticulous planning before construction. The goal of this project was to take "modularity" to the next level and create a connectable shipping container design that allows the same modified container to be easily repurposed to meet changing individual and community needs.
Above is the first sketch I did of this concept. The entryways would all have universal Connector Frames, meaning having a counterpart frame allows you to conjoin shipping containers or any other Attachment feature you would like. This immediately made this project more complicated, as I needed to determine compatible frame placement and keep the bigger picture in mind for this design's possible uses.
The three biggest benefits to my design are how it promotes sustainability, scalability, and affordability.
To design Sustainability into a system includes not wasting or throwing away materials that can be reused and repurposed. One way to achieve this is to use the Power of Standardization to save time and resources. 737
With standardized building features, you can simply swap out a feature you no longer want (such as a plain window) and swap in a feature you want instead (such as an open countertop). When you swap out a feature you no longer want, that feature can be reused/transferred elsewhere to be used by someone else in another location.
To achieve this swap-ability, the heart of my system revolves around two key standardized elements:
1. Connector Frames (I use two possible sizes )
2. Frame Attachments (I use two possible sizes )
A ConnectorFrame is a frame installed around a cutout or opening you want in a shipping container.
A FrameAttachment is anything that is attached to a ConnectorFrame to provide a building feature to the shipping container. Examples of FrameAttachments include:
* Door Attachments
* Window Attachments
* Countertop Attachments
* Awning Attachments
* Or anything someone comes up with that can attach to a Connector Frame
To design Scalability is to change the size and influence of a system while conserving resources and not jeopardizing the previous infrastructure. My project sets out to achieve the purpose of explaining and providing a framework in which my design could be easily scaled across multiple locations, use cases, and sizes. An established system in which structures could be easily modified would require less collaboration work among architects, engineers, and other tradesmen. An important feature of my ConnectorFrame system is the structure's bidirectional scalability in that you can increase or decrease the size of the structure without being destructive to any components.
To Design with Affordability is to use easily accessible resources and be mindful of your resource's intended and future use. The goal of scalability in my system would mean that a manufacturing line could be created to mass produce my parts saving costs. 87