In this STEAM engineering project, students design and make a flexible sticky note holder using LaserMaker. The lesson connects product design, measurement, line arrays, flexible cut patterns, shallow engraving, laser cutting, bending tests, and functional assembly.

1. Lesson Overview

1.1 Project Goal

Students will design a sticky note holder cover that can fold from one flat sheet into a front cover, back cover, and bendable middle section. They will create a repeated line pattern, add clip holes and text, set engraving and cutting parameters, and test the flexibility of the finished structure.

1.2 Recommended Classroom Use

2. Learning Objectives

2.1 What Students Will Learn

2.2 STEAM Skills Developed

2.3 Responsible Making

Students should use school-appropriate text and graphics, protect personal information, and create an original improvement rather than simply copying another design.

3. Real-World Context: Why Design a Sticky Note Holder?

Sticky notes are useful for recording plans, reminders, tasks, and quick ideas. A sticky note holder keeps notes organized and easy to access, making it helpful for classrooms, offices, studios, restaurants, and daily planning.

In this lesson, students use LaserMaker to design a personalized holder that protects sticky notes and demonstrates how repeated cut patterns can create a bendable surface from sheet material.

4. Design and Engineering Considerations

Before drawing in LaserMaker, students should analyze the sticky note holder as both a functional product and a flexible structure.

5. Lesson Procedure

5.1 Measure and Sketch the Sticky Note Holder

Students should observe real sticky notes or search for common sticky note sizes, then decide the size of the holder. They should record the cover size, clip length, and hole diameter before drawing the digital design.

After measuring, students should sketch the holder outline, fold area, clip position, round holes, surface text, and any personalized design details.

5.2 Draw the Holder Outline

Use the Rectangle Tool to draw the main holder outline. In the source workflow, the rectangle is 290 mm wide and 104 mm high.

Then use the Rounded Corner Tool with a radius value of 10 to round the four corners of the rectangle.

5.3 Draw the Clip Buckle Slots

Use the Rectangle Tool to draw the clip buckle shape. In the source workflow, one rectangle is 20 mm wide and 1 mm high, and another is 8 mm wide and 1.5 mm high. Move the smaller rectangle to overlap with the larger one, then use the Union Tool to merge them into one shape.

Move the merged shape to the right-center area of the rounded rectangle. Adjust its Y position to create two buckle positions, one shifted upward and one shifted downward.

Set the object origin to the left and adjust the width to 21 mm so the buckle shape expands in the correct direction. Then use the Difference Set Tool to cut the buckle slots from the rounded rectangle.

5.4 Create the Flexible Line Pattern

Use the Line Segment Tool to draw a 15 mm vertical line segment inside the rounded rectangle. Move one line to the top center and copy another to the bottom center.

Draw a 34 mm line segment, align it with the previous line, then shift and copy the line downward by 2 mm. This creates a staggered arrangement that supports bending.

Draw another line segment with a height of 31 mm. Use Rectangular Array with 1 horizontal copy, 3 vertical copies, and 2.5 mm vertical spacing. Move the group to align with the earlier lines, then shift it 1.68 mm to the right.

Select all line segments and use Rectangular Array again. In the source workflow, the horizontal number is 10, the vertical number is 1, and the horizontal spacing is 1.5 mm. Move the completed line pattern to the center of the rounded rectangle.

5.5 Add Clip Holes and Text

Use the Oval Tool to draw a 3.5 mm diameter circle. Align it near the first line segment on the right, then move it 20 mm to the left. Copy the circle and move the copy 70 mm downward so the two holes are vertically spaced.

Rotate the design by 90 degrees if needed, then use the Text Tool to add text. In the source workflow, the sample text is “Do today” and “Finish today,” with a line height of 15 mm.

5.6 Set Engraving and Cutting Parameters

Select the text object and assign it to the yellow shallow engraving layer. In the source workflow, the material is set to basswood plywood, the process is set to shallow engraving, and the processing thickness is set to 0.1 mm.

Select the other objects in the sticky note holder and assign them to the cutting layer. In the source workflow, the material is set to basswood plywood, the process is set to cutting, and the processing thickness is set to 3 mm.

5.7 Test, Debug, and Improve

6. Finished Project

After the final settings are confirmed, students can complete the engraving and cutting process, then fold the flexible section and install the sticky notes or clip hardware.

7. Extension Challenge

After completing the sticky note holder, students can apply the same flexible surface method to a notebook cover. They can design a creative wooden notebook shell and test how different line patterns affect the bending area.

8. Inspiration Gallery

The following examples can be used for classroom discussion and design inspiration. Encourage students to compare curved structures, line density, bending direction, material choice, and final usability.

9. Equipment Note for Teachers

This project is suitable for classroom laser cutters that support small-format engraving and cutting of sheet materials. For schools, makerspaces, and beginner STEAM labs, projects like sticky note holders, flexible covers, notebook shells, desk accessories, and product prototypes can be completed with a classroom laser cutter such as the Thunder Laser Bolt Series.

Teachers can choose the machine and material setup based on classroom space, material thickness, bending requirements, project size, and learning goals. The same flexible-cutting workflow can also be adapted for other CO2 laser machines when students move on to larger covers or more advanced engineering projects.