DIGITAL DESIGN + FABRICATION SM1, 2015 M3 JOURNAL - CLOSE YOUR EYES Thi Khanh Hoa Phan 705931 Michelle James
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INTRODUCTION After splitting from my group, I made several major changes to my design. 1. Keep the basic elements I only adopted the basic structure of the design. I think the really cool part of our design is down to its very basic elements, which looks like boomerang shape. This element helps the design to gain its variation in outward directions.
Initial design - when fully expands isometric view
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Initial design - when collapses isometric view
2. Redefine personal space Due to my observation, I realize that when someone’s vision is obscured, they tend to defend for their personal space by extending their arms in different directions. The aim of my design is to visualize that extended space.
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT - PROPOSED DESIGN V.1
TOP VIEW FINISHING POINT WHEN COLLAPSE
FRONT VIEW
ISOMETRIC VIEW SIDE VIEW
FULLY EXTENDED
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PROTOYPE DEVELOPMENT AND FABRICATION OF DEVELOPED PROTOTYPES MAJOR CHANGES TO MY PROTOTYPE FIRST PROTOTYPE 1. Shape of the basic elenment Understanding that the curving structure was generated by the shape of the smallest elements, I decided to simplify that part by make it smaller and eventually it looks much nicer than the previous one. 2. Material testing for bone structure I tested 3 types of materials for : boxboard, MDF and perplex. Analysis of material capacity is attached.
SECOND PROTOTYPE 3. Hinges optimisation I used different types of bolts and nuts to get the best effects. 4. Finishing points for arms I customized the finishing of the arms so that it looks nicer. This optimization can be seen at the final design. 5. Change the length of the handle As I realized the length of the handle was quite long, it made the whole structure more fragile and uncontrollable. thus, I decided to shorten it.
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THIRD PROTOTYPE 6. Different experiments with RULED surface When I felt more comfortable with strings, I was tempted to try more complex surface other than just regular lofting surface. I experimented with different way of lofting surface and find that the reverse lofting was asthetically more attracting and complex, so I decided to go for that one.That was the biggest change in the final 1:1 protoype. 7. Experiments with different string type I used 4 types of strings. At the final design, I did try to use elastic string. It worked fantastic at the beginning, but then broke. Thus, I then used the other one. 8. Big issues resolved after digital model was updated Digital model was updated, which let me realize there was inherent problems with the way I fabricated the design. After the digital design, the fabrication was much easier and more precise, produced my desired effects.
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READING RESPONSE WEEK 6 Architecture in the Digital Age - Design + Manufacturing/ Branko Kolarevic, Spon Press, London c2003
Briefly outline the various digital fabrication processes. Explain how you use digital fabrication in your design? There are 4 major types of fabrication processes including: - two dimentional fabrication - subtractive fabrication - additive fabrication - transformative fabrication Implementation of digital fabrication on my design:
Developable surface - Ruled surface
Idea of ruled surface applied to design
1. Two-dimentional fabrication allows the realization of DEVELOPABLE SURFACE After the reading, I found the developable surface really interesting, especially the ruled surface as it has the most direct connection to my design. I, thus, went on testing many effect that I can produce with the skin. 2. The amount of prototype I was able to produce with the aid of laser cutter Actually, I think my design is basically not so complicated so I just use the basic fabrication process, which is two-dimentional fabrication. My basic structure (hereby referred as the bone) was cut completely by laser cutter. Thanks to the machine, I was able to make large amount of prototypes in reletively short time (once a week). 3. With the fact that laser cutter can work with different materials, I was able to test my design with boxboard, MDF and perplex (clear) It’s so nice that I can get all 3 materials cut at the same time and get to decide which material to go with in just 2 days.
However, 2D fabrication has many constraints
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4. Constraints Although laser cutter is quick and precise, It has many constraints. - MDF leave a really ugly marks at the back, which is an important reason why I tried to use spray. Yet spray texture was quite uneven. Thus, I decided to change to perplex. Perplex has a protective layer at the back, so it produces a nice finish on both sides of my design. - Sometimes it just did not work. I got this problem twice when not all my pieces were cut completely and I have to resubmit the job.
How does the fabrication process and strategy effect your second skin project? I think the most advatage of this type of method is it’s affordable and quick to get the pieces (1 day, compared to other method, 3D printing and CNC cutter an take 2-3 days). 1. Because it has certain thinkness, I have to use several pieces at the same position to get the desired thickness (strength) One dominant example from my design is the part that is attached to the body. This is a lesson learnt. I should have considered to use other fabrication method for this part at the early stage of the design process. My mistake is to frame the 2D cutter in my mind, and only design so that it’s cuttable with laser cutter. This proved to be inefficient and caused a lot of troubles during my fabrication process. 2. The tiny holes are cut nicely and precisely that makes my fabrication process a lot easier The little tiny holes I used for strings were cut nicely and precisely that I though I would be hard if I manually use drill or anything. And also, imagine that job was done manually, it will take a lot of time just to mark the position of the holes before really cut them, and can not make sure whether they’re in the right position or not. 3. When it comes to joints and notches, it quickly becomes unexpectable Because it’s 2D fabrication, when it comes to joints and notches, the problem is to get all the pieces connected at the precise position, or else it would not work. This, too, has affected my design a lot. 4. As I have to work with strings, it involves the precision in balancing forces. When I first tried to put the string in the design, I encountered many problems. - How to get the string through the hole. Because the diameter of the hole is 1mm, and the diameter of the string I used is estimated to be 3/4 of that size, it turned out to be quite challenging to pull it through. I was then, lightly burned the end of the string, and this method was efficient that in my final design, I was able to get the strings through a lot quicker than at the beginning. - During the process of fabricating the strings, I started to get comfortable with this task. I tried different method to balancing the forces. - Fabricate each line (not efficient, because the knots is so visible) - Fabricate one half and then balance it with the other (failed) - use 1 string for the entire design (I use this method for my final design)
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READING RESPONSE WEEK 7 Digital Fabrications: architectural + material techniques/Lisa Iwamoto. New York: Princeton Architectural Press c2009
Describe one aspect of the recent shift in the use of digital technology from design to fabrication? One of the most important shift in the use of digital technology from design to fabrication is COMPUTER NUMERICAL TECHNOLOGY (CNC). This technology allows fabrication process to go straight from digital design to physical model. In the past, the procedure from a design to fabrication must include the representational drawings. One need to preject their design in plans, elevations and sections before actually fabricating the design. This method proves to be out of date, because:
Computer aided modelling (not only create geometry, but create the logic behind it) - Parametric modelling
Computer aided fabrication (extract data from model, turn into machine code and then fabricate)
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a, there are more and more projects aiming at realizing the unimaginable geometry, thus it will be extremely hard and unnecessary to produce representational drawings. And despite being projected correctly into drawings, they will probably be unreadable to proceed to fabrication. b, the representational drawing itself is simply the data that is extracted from digital model and represented so that it is readable for construction. Nowadays, however, with the development of computer-aided design software (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) that can read such data, the process can go directly from digital model to physical result without the interference of human control.
Referencing from the lectures and readings, what is the implication of digital fabrication on your design ? As Michael Speaks precisely put it, ‘Making become knowledge or intelligence creation. In this way thinking and doing, design and fabrication, and design and final prototype become blurred, interactive, and part of a non-linear means of innovations’. The fabrication of early prototypes has greatly affected the way I designed.
With the aid of Rhino, I was able to fabricate the skin correctly in one go. Although the surface is quite irregular, I managed to understand the logic and thus the fabrication process became a lot easier.
1. It opened up many possibilites for development In the process of producing prototypes, I realized many opportunities to develop more complex geometry. For example, when I became comfortable with balancing the force of the string, I found that the ruled surface itself was quite simple and straightforward. Thus, I change my lofting surface so that it has more enhancing visual effects than the original one. Rhino is very useful because it not only create the geometry itself but also control the logic behind it. Thus, to subtly change the geometry, I did not need to recreate the whole thing, just gave my desired input and Rhino will automatically update the design. 2. It enabled me to make change to my design without worrying too much about precise calculation: At the beginning when I was not familiar with Rhino, I did not make the element precise, even in milimeter. This, however, was not a problem because whatever measurement I input, as long as I model it correctly, it will always fabricatable. isocurve V= 10
isocurve V= 20
isocurve V= 40
I can go back and change the number of string lines to cope with desired effects in just a second. This helps my design fabrication process a lot easier
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PROTOTYPE OPTIMIZATION - STRUCTURE The top end of the upward arm is extremely weak. Ideally, the arm should get smaller in size from beginning to end, resembles how the tree grows, or like the structure of umbrella. I did try to reinforce this part by increase form 2 to 3 pieces, but eventually did not make big difference.
This part of the design is very fragile because it has to hold the upwardextensive arm. Also, because the material here is not continuous (due to the hinge), so it tends to break apart. The hinges are generally strongest part. One important reason why I lofted the surface other way round is to take advatage of the strength of this part
This type of connection is relatively week. This part, however, is not a big concern because not much movement is happening here.
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This part of the design is very fragile and always has tendancy to break. In my early prototype, this part was the first element to break. The, during fab process of further prototype, I approached a different fabrication precedure, which prevent this part from moving intenstively.
This part of the design is weak due to the arm itself. Thus, this part will break if balancing the force was not done properly
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This part of the design is strongest part of the design, referred to the explainaition last slide. The design takes advatage of this part to hold the upward arm so that it holds at place
This part of the design is problematic. As the outer arms do not have any force to balance with the string, they tend to move inwards.
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F
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PROTOTYPE OPTIMIZATION - MATERIALS FABRICATION PROCESS THAT OPTIMIZES MATERIAL USAGE The cutting files were nested in such a way that optimized material usage and cutting time (by arranging position of elements as well as removing duplicate lines)
Some subtle refinements were made in the design so that it reduces cutting time and material waste.
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FINAL DESIGN 13
FINAL DESIGN
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Front view
Side view
Top view
Isometric view
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FABRICATION SEQUENCE I tried my best to avoid messy background in these backgroundbut fablab is indeed not ideal for taking photos. I fabricated the bone structure first (this page), and visualized the string fabrication process (next page)
handles
a few pieces were broken
broken string
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arm when collapses
arm when extends
all good, proceed with the rest
first string line
finishing line
a day later, string broke
I tried to reconnect, but there were so many
finish
effect
find the reason. It’s the material itself that did not work, not the fab process
change material
arms are connect with handles
TOP VIEW
ISOMETRIC VIEW
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ASSEMBLY DRAWINGS +DETAILS ASSEMBLY DIAGRAM OF COMPLETE DESIGN - ISOMETRIC VIEW
Skin single string 0.7 mm rope
second arm 3 levels of elements perplex 3mm
first arm 2 levels of elements perplex 3mm
third arm 2 levels of elements perplex 3mm
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handles upper handle - lower handle 2 pieces each - offset 4mm 3mm perplex
DETAILS - ARM ASSEMBLY DIAGRAM
DETAILS - RENDERED IMAGES OF SECOND - SKIN PROPOSED DESIGN
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2nd Skin
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PHOTOS OF SECOND SKIN PROPOSED DESIGN ON BODY AND TESTING EFFECTS
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