DfMA
Residential Construction
Andrew Klenke
I. Thesis
Conten
P 04-13
II. Current Stages P 14-37
III. Next Steps P 38-41
nts
I. Thes 04
Thesis
I.A Introduction
I.B Problem Statement
P 06-07
P 08-09
sis I.C Proposal P 10-11
I.D Methodology P 12-13
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I.A
INTRODUCTION | What is DfMA?
Design for Manufacturing and Assembly, also referred to as DfMA, is the design though process of making parts easier to assemble or install, by heavily studying and improving the installation process and simplifying the product. Examples of DfMA existing in many industries from computers and technology to automobiles and airplanes. Currently, while many industries push forward with new technology such as automation, the construction industry has been very far behind and lagging. There are many companies pioneering what DfMA and automation look like in the A/E/C industry, but as whole the industry likes to take the more traditional approach of building everything peice by piece. Currently there are only a handful of things that are delivered to the site prefabricated. This typically includes windows, doors, mechanical equipment, etc. But what if the structure, walls, and the ductwork all came pre-fabricated like a puzzle piece, just ready to go together. This would possibly leave only the foundation system left to do on site, besides part connections and assembly. That said if the industry could dive deeper into theses methodologies as a whole, construction would be more efficient in both time and cost.
06
Thesis
07
I.B
PROBLEM STATEMENT | Modular vs. Kit-of-Parts
Existing prefabrication construction is currently split between two main styles. The first is Modular construciton, which is where whole segments of the building are manufactured off site, and then lifted into place, greatly reducing the amount of on-site time and expenses. The second is kit-of-parts style, where all the panels are brought to site and assembled there, which still leaves work to do on site. However, there seems to lack a substantial hybrid model between the two. What if we can get the best of both worlds of cost and time savings, while still delivering a solid quality project?
08
Thesis
Modular
Kit-of-Parts
09
I.C
PROPOSAL | Modules + Kit-of-Parts
My proposal would be to factory create modular units that are assembled from an inventory of existing parts that are designed to work together. This would take advantage of the modular construction type and the kit-of-parts construction types. Not only would site installation be quick and easy because of the completed modules, but the building of the modules in the factory would be extreamly quick if there was an inventory of parts readily available as orders come in. The module to the right is how the structural part of the module would look before leaving the factory. The interior work and panel boards are not shown for clarity. Since there are double rim joist at the cieling, and the floor of the unit stacking above, there may not be required dropped beams over windows, giving clear floor to ceiling views. Under higher loads, either the 2x Rim joists can be changed to an LVL or a dropped beam can be added.
10
Thesis
11
I.D
METHODOLOGY | Kit-of-Parts By having a catalog of commonly used parts, we can streamline the construciton process, and by understanding up front how the catalog works, allows for better design.
4’ x 10’ Window
12
Thesis
4’ x 10’ Wall
4’ x 10’ Door
EXPLODED AXON In the factory, all of the wall panels to the module would be pre-fabricated before being assembled into place on the floor and the ceiling/roof lowered. This would save time and possible financial savings to have an inventory of these panels on hand, instead of custom building every wall.
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II. Cur II.B Phase 02 P 28-37
II.A Phase 01 P 14-27
Sta
rrent
ages
II.A
PRECEDENT | COVER - Kit-of-Parts
Guesthouse, Villas, and Casitas, designed and constructed out of a panelized system.
16
Thesis
17
II.A
PRECEDENT | COVER - Kit-of-Parts Panels and assemblies can be configured in different ways to make different floor plans.
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Thesis
Each panel or assembly can be further broken down into a system of parts.
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Thesis
II.A
PRECEDENT | Plant Prefab Multi-family Condos This is one example of how modular construction can be very efficient without having to sacrifice design aesthetic and quality of the building. Even with modular construction large double floor spaces to accomidate stairs and large windows are still possible, as seen below.
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II.A
PROGRAM OUTLINE | Plant Prefab Design Guides Plant Prefab based in California is a modular construction designer, manufacturer and installer. They also work with other architects and engineers in thier modular design and construciton processes. The following is excerpts from thier design guidelines they send to architects and engineers to show them design considerations.
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Thesis
One of my main focuses early on in the process was determining the science and practicallity of transporting fully constructed modules. In addition to height, over 12’-0” wide modules requires escort or pilot cars, which adds cost. 14’-0” and up in many states require special permits. Modules larger than these standards are more complicated and expensive to move.
DELIVERY CONSIDERATIONS
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II.A
PROGRAM OUTLINE | Plant Prefab Design Guides
MODULE PROGRAM The green represents where the modules are joined together. The red represents continuous plumbing chases. By having all the plumbing on one wall in one module requires less connections on site during installation, saving time, coordination and money.
24
Thesis
HVAC CORE By keeping most if not all of the HVAC ductwork and equipment in one module, hidden in the chase above the corridors, this helps improve the installation with less system connections. This helps further drive down costs and complexities.
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II.A
PROGRAM OUTLINE | Plant Prefab Design Guides
STRUCTURAL CONNECTION Where 2-4 Modules connect by being next to each other or by stacking, there are double floor rim joists on the upper modules that bear on the double ceiling rim joists that then bear on the 2x Demising walls below. The demising walls act as a structural element in addition to thier fire rating and acoustical benefits.
RIM JOIST BY-PASS In traditional wood frame construction as well as modular construction the problem exists on how to run piping around the double rim joist system. By having an off-set chase away from the wall, and / or special connections, these pipe systems can bypass the rim joists. This makes connections on site easier as well when the edge ceilings are not installed yet.
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Thesis
PLUMBING ROUGH-IN Plumbing that runs between modules, especially in the stacking modules can be roughed-in close enough in the factory. The open ceiling below allows for easy access to finish the plumbing connection on site during the installation process.
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II.B
SCHEMATIC DESIGN SCRIPT 01 | Grasshopper w/ WASP
0000 Modules
0005 Modules
0034 Modules
Using the WASP tool box plugin for Grasshopper, you could use an imput curve to bound the aggregation to. At 0 modules just the curve is visible.
Each aggregation is random, and is unlikley to be the same each time around. Though they are visually very similar.
As more modules are added, they begin to grow around the curve. The dark green to yellow color representing the recency of the modules placed in the aggregation from oldest/orgin to the most recent, respectivly.
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Current Stage - Phase II
0119 Modules
0232 Modules
1000 Modules
As the modules grow around the bounding curve, they begin to grow/branch out, making the growth wider.
As more modules are added the script begins to lose a practicality to it, as the randomness of the module placements are unrealistic for an organized architectural program.
At 1000 modules placed, it is clear the randomness of the module placement has no real-world application, as modules closest to the center guide lines have no source of natural lighting or escape route, and thus can’t be used as a habitable space for residential construction. This style could be applicable for commericial, though the column spacing would be too short and frequent.
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II.B
SCHEMATIC DESIGN SCRIPT 02 | Grasshopper
Step 01 - Inputs
Step 02 - Offset
Step 03 - Origins
The first section of this script takes user selected input curves to define the center/ hallway layout of building foot print. These can be drawn in any linear based shape, making any arrangement to meet the desired site plan which can be used to trace over.
The second part of this script offsets the guide curves based on the hallway width as well as the max module length the user wants to design with. Based on this the script finds the faces of the perimeter that can support modules.
The third part of the script divides up the possible module host curves and finds the module’s orgin point along the curve.
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Current Stage - Phase II
Step 04 - Placement
Step 05 - Visualize
Step 06 - Extract
Taking the origin point and the normal vector from the last modules are placed on every orgin point along the offset host curves.
Based on the maximum height of the building and the max height of the modules, the number of floors is determined and the modules are then stacked above.
With the main goal of this script to be a visualization and planning tool, there is a need to extract the data and send to a more developed software like Revit. Extracted are two points that make up the origin and the normal vector. These points are broken into thier cartesian values and exported to an Excel/CSV file as a vehicle to import into Revit/Dynamo.
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II.B
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT SCRIPT 01 | Dynamo
Step 01 - Import Origins The first part of this script imports all of the module origin points as well as the end point of the normal vector to the origin. This is necessary to determine the location and orientation of each module to be placed. They can then be placed at any and every angle in the workspace.
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Current Stage - Phase II
Step 02 - Revit Generic Mass The second part of the script places a generic mass family the size of the appropriate mass at each origin place and rotates it to the correct normal direction. These masses can now be used as face hosts for the Kit-of-Parts to be applied to it in further scripts.
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KIT OF PARTS | Structural Wall Panel Catalog
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P4.4X.12.L1.R0
P4.4X.12.L1.R2
P4.4X.12.L2.R0
P4.4X.12.L2.R2
P4.4X.16.L1.R0
P4.4X.16.L1.R2
P4.4X.16.L2.R0
P4.4X.16.L2.R2
P6.4X.12.L1.R0
P6.4X.12.L1.R2
P6.4X.12.L2.R0
P6.4X.12.L2.R2
P6.4X.16.L1.R0
P6.4X.16.L1.R2
P6.4X.16.L2.R0
P6.4X.16.L2.R2
Current Stage - Phase II
P4 . 4X . 12 . L2 . R2 A
B
C
D
E
A - Panel Stud Size P4 - 2x4 Studs P6 - 2x6 Studs
B - Panel Width 4X - 4’-0” Wide Panel by X’-X” Tall
C - Stud Spacing 12 - 12” OC Spacing 16 - 16” OC Spacing
D - Number of Left Studs L1 - (1) 2x Stud on Left L2 - (2) 2x Studs on Left
E - Number of Right Studs R0 - (0) 2x Studs on Right R1 - (1) 2x Stud on Right R2 - (2) 2x Studs on Right
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KIT OF PARTS | Example Wall Assembly Each of the (4) walls of the module being constructed can be built from the kit of parts. And the overlapping osb sheathing of each panel allows for secure connections to the upper and lower double rim joists, creating a solid structural system.
P4.4X.16.L1.R2
WINDOW
P4.4X.16.L2.R2
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Current Stage - Phase II
WINDOW
WINDOW
P4.4X.16.L2.R0
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III. Ne Ste III.A Next Steps P 40-41
ext eps
What’s Next? - Door Catalog - Window Catalog - Beam Catalog - Standard Ceiling and Floor lengths - Kit-of-Parts placement script - Structural Component of Kit-of-Parts
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Current Stage - Phase II
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https://www.modular.org/HtmlPage.aspx?name=why_ modular https://www.studiojantzen.com/projects/portable-classroom https://www.britannica.com/technology/assembly-line