HUMAN FACTORS MATERIALIZING MACHINES
ALICIA NAHMAD VAZQUES | FEDERICO BORELLO Gaurav Janendra | Jamil Al Bardawil | Jonatan Zisser | Sitong Liang
HUMAN FACTORS _01
Brief
_02
Introduction
_03 Constraints _04 Primitives
Architectural Association School of Architecture Design Research Laboratory Workshop 1 Materializing Machines Tutors Alicia Nahmad Vazques Federico Borello Team Gaurav Janendra Jamil Al Bardawil Jonatan Zisser Sitong Liang
_04 Ruled Surfaces
_06
Geometry Study
_08 _10
_05
Design Operations
_12
_06
Furniture Design
_16
_07
Selection
_26
_08
Introduction
_09
Robotic Hot Wire Cutting
Robotic Hot Wire Cutting
_28 _32
BRIEF
In this workshop, we had to design furniture for hot wire cutting, which involved dealing with the various constraints, in the process of achieving a final model for fabrication. This booklet showcases the design process that we developed in the workshop. We spent the initial weeks designing geometry based on the ruled surface principles and later on developed these principles to tackle a complex set of operations to achieve a three-dimensional volumetric model. Following the same design DNA matrix, we managed to develop a model for fabrication considering all the restraints involved in dealing with robots. Finally, with the usage of the model, we were able to iterate multiple compositions without compromising the functional aspect of the module. Overall, this entire process had to be repeated multiple times, to achieve a model that runs smoothly for hot-wire cutting.
4
human factors
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
5
INTRODUCTION RULED SURFACES A ruled surface is defined by the property that through every point in the surface, there is at least one straight line which also ties in the surface. A ruled surface may be thought of as one “swept out” by a straight line moving in space. To describe how such a line moves, first recall that any line is uniquely determined by two distant points which lie on it. Then by choosing two curves, and a suitable map between their points, we can join up points with lines in order to define a ruled surface.
https://slideplayer.com/slide/16349625/ https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Examples-of-hand-drawings-a-parallel-projection-of-ruled-surfaces_fig2_280623703
6
human factors
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
7
CONSTRAINTS FEEDBACK LOOP
The design process evolved in dealing with multiple constraints from the robotic hot wire cutting process. Two major constraints were, the bounding box dimensions and the comfort of the robotic arm movement. These constraints were primarily to deal with the path in which the robot had to initiate the cutting process. After a series of experiments and alterations, we were finally able to achieve a form that was flexible for hot-wire cutting. Realizing that many parts of the negative volume are treated as waste, we wanted to develop a model wherein the negative leftover mass could further be utilized for fabrication. So, the overall mass of the bounding box can be used efficiently. The entire design process was focussed primarily on delivering a model which can be used most efficiently, and also resolves all the constraints set out by the robot for hot wire cutting.
CONSTRAINTS
8
human factors
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
9
BEVEL EDGES Value: 0.25
CHAMFER VERTICES Value: 0.25
SUB-DIVIDE
PRIMITIVES
Edge Loop No: 3
GEOMETRY STUDY The design development began by understanding the various base primitives and the operations that follow them.
SCALE
EXTRUDE FACES CUBE
E: 12 | V: 8 | F: 6
POLY CYLINDER
E: 20 | V: 11 | F: 11
HEXAGONAL PRISM
E: 18 | V: 12 | F: 8
OCTAGONAL PRISM
E: 24 | V: 16 | F: 10
CATMULL CLARK (Smooth)
PENTAGONAL PYRAMID
E: 10 | V: 6 | F: 6
SOCCER BALL
E: 90 | V: 60 | F: 32
TETRAHEDRON
Subdivided Faces: Quads
E - EDGES | V - VERTICES | F - FACES
10
human factors
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
11
DESIGN OPERATIONS From understanding a set of base primitives and the operations, we developed a formal language that could be further used for achieving a three-dimensional volume.
TETRAHEDRON
Bevel + Chamfer
Extrude Faces
Split Faces
Delete Faces
12
Smooth Object
PENTAGONAL PYRAMID
Scale
Chamfer Vertices
Chamfer Vertices
Bevel Edges
Delete Faces
Extrude Faces
Close-up View
human factors
Catmull - Clark
Close-up View
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
13
CUBE
Split Faced
Chamfer Vertices
Bevel Edges
Smooth Object
Crease
Extrude Faces
Split Faces
PENTAGONAL PYRAMID
Scale
Chamfer Vertices
Chamfer Vertices
Smooth object
Crease
Close-up View
14
human factors
Delete Faces
Catmull -Clark
Bevel Edges
Catmull-Clark
SOCCERBALL
Bevel Edges
Extrude Faces
Split Faces
Delete Faces
Catmull-Clark
Smooth object
Close-up View
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
15
FURNITURE DESIGN The primitive studies led us to develop a series of furniture models that followed a similar set of operations. Simultaneously, we had to constantly run these models in the robotic hot wire cutting program, to ensure that these models follow the constraints set out by the robot. By doing so, this study allowed us to understand each model’s capacity in confronting the various constraints that we were aiming to deal with it. After a series of operations, the comparision table explains the inference that we were able to derive from this study.
CUBE
16
Extrude
human factors
Sub-Divide
Bevel + Scale
Catmull-Clark
Sub-Divide
Crease
Sub-Divide
BENCH
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
17
TETRAHEDRON
Chamfer
Bevel Edges
Delete Faces
Sub-Divide
CUBE
18
Extrude
human factors
Catmull-Clark
Crease + Sub-Divide
Scale
Bevel + Scale
Catmull-Clark
Smooth Mesh
Sub-Divide
Crease
Extrude Faces
Division
CHAIR
BENCH
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
19
CUBE
CUBE
20
Extrude
Extrude
human factors
Sub-Divide
Bevel + Scale
Bevel
Catmull Clark
Sub-Divide
Bevel + Scale
Catmull Clark
Crease
Delete Faces + Scale
Crease + Sub-Divide
COUNTER
Delete Faces + Scale
Sub-Divide
COUNTER
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
21
TETRAHEDRON
TETRAHEDRON
Chamfer
Chamfer
Delete Faces
Delete Faces
Move Faces
Catmull Clark
Delete Faces + Sub-Divide
Extrude Edge
Catmull Clark
Extrude Faces
Bevel + Scale
Scale + Mirror
22
human factors
Catmull Clark
Crease + Sub-Divide
COUNTER
Catmull Clark
Crease + Sub-Divide
BED STAND
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
23
CUTTING EFFICENCY Lesser the no. of cuts better the efficency
WASTE MANAGEMENT Zero Waste Strategy
COMPOSITIONS + ALTERATIONS Flexibility
As the no. of cuts were more, these two iterations were not efficient
Has lesser no. of cuts and therefore the efficiency is much better compared to the previous two iterations.
Since a lot of negative volume cannot be used, therefore, this set doesn’t manage to fit into the zero wastage target.
Similar to the previous set, a lot of negative volume cannot be used. Therefore, this system doesn’t manage to fit inot the zero wastage target.
The two models in this set don’t allow for further compositions and alterations. Only one iteration is possible within one module.
Even though these models allow for multiple compostions but still it fails to deliver multiple alterations. They are better when compared to first and fourth set.
Has lesser no. of cuts and therefore the efficiency is much better compared to the first set.
Even this set cannot satisy the target for zero wastage strategy
Most part of the negative volume can be used and is better then the previous sets.
Even though these models allow for multiple compostions but still it fails to deliver multiple alterations. They are better when compared to first and fourth set.
Allows for multipe compositions and iterations
Has lesser no. of cuts then the first set, but has more no. of cuts then the second and third set
Some parts of the negative volume can only be used. Therefore, less efficient.
These two models offer very limited alterations. Also, they don’t offer multiple compositions.
STUDY - INFERENCE
24
human factors
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
25
SELECTION From the study inference and the design of multiple iterations based on the DNA developed, the selection of the model was through analyzing each model on how they met the requirements set out in the design process and how each model tackled the various constraints. Through the evaluation of each model, we started narrowing down the choices to decide on proceeding with the bench since it satisfies all the conditions set for the experiment to be successful, from waste management to composition, as well as the cutting efficiency and the robot comfort. The fabrication process will show how this model met the standards we set as well as how we used the feedback loop from the robotic testing to further refine the geometry.
26
human factors
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
27
INTRODUCTION ROBOTIC HOT - WIRE CUTTING Hot-wire cutting is a subtractive fabrication technique used to carve foam and similar materials. Conventional machines rely on straight wires and are thus limited to creating piecewise ruled surfaces. While this setting offers great freedom of shape, using it effectively requires concurrent reasoning about three tightly coupled sub-problems - Modeling how the shape of the rod and the surface it sweeps are governed by the robot’smotions - Approximating a target shape through a sequence of surfaces swept by the equilibrium shape of an elastic rod - Generating collision-free motion trajectories that lead the robot to create desired sweeps with the deformable tool.
http://crl.ethz.ch/papers/hotwirecutter.pdf
28
human factors
AA School of Architecture Digital Prototyping Lab (DPL)
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
29
FABRICATION INSTRUMENT ROBOTIC ARM MOVEMENTS The robot we are using is the KUKA-60. The diagram below shows the rotation axis of the robot as well as the motion catalogue that shows how each axis operates. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Axis 1 Axis 2 Axis 3 Axis 4 Axis 5 Axis 6 Hot Wire Cutter Tool
AXIS 1
AXIS 2
4 5
AXIS 3
3
AXIS 4 2
AXIS 5 6
AXIS 6 1
7
30
human factors
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
31
FIRST - TEST: ROBOTIC HOT WIRE CUT POSITION OF ROBOT
The first test was of half the final module that was taken to fabrication.
1
First Cut
4
Fourth Cut
7
Seventh Cut
2
Second Cut
5
Fifth Cut
8
Eighth Cut
This diagram shows the cutting sequence of the first test and the number of cuts
1 2 3
5 4
32
6 8
human factors
7
3
Second Cut
6
Sixth Cut
After experimenting we noticed that the number of cuts was more which was a problem for the smooth movement of the robot. Therefore, we had to further work with the model to reduce the number of cuts, for the free movement of the robotic arm.
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
33
ROBOTIC - HOT WIRE CUTTING PATHS
34
1
First Cut
1 3
Third Cut
2
Second Cut
4
Fourth Cut
human factors
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
35
36
5
Fifth Cut
7
Seventh Cut
6
Sixth Cut
8
Eighth Cut
human factors
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
37
38
human factors
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
39
40
human factors
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
41
GEOMETRY REFINEMENT
After testing the final design output a refinement of the geometry was needed to optimize the fabrication process as well as dealing with the restraints of the bounding box and waste management.
STEP 1
The final fabrication simulation was of the final output of the optimization process.
STEP 2 This diagram below shows the cutting sequence of the first test and the number of cuts
This diagram below shows the cuts and their location as well as the reduction of cuts needed. STEP 3 3
1 2 3
2
STEP 4
STEP 5 5 4
6 8
7
These steps indicate the process followed for geometry refinement. 42
human factors
1
Placement of bounding box
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
43
FABRICATION OF THE REFINED GEOMETRY
After the refinement of the eight cut model, the resulted model had three cuts and here is the fabrication process invovled in explaining the cuts.
This diagram below shows the cuts and their location as well as the reduction of cuts needed.
1
First Cut
3 2
3
1
44
human factors
2
Third Cut
Second Cut
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
45
ROBOTIC - HOT WIRE CUTTING PATHS
46
1
First Cut
2
Second Cut
human factors
3
Third Cut
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
47
1
Bench
2
Negative
3
The left over parts
4
Composition from the left over parts
5
Bench Composition
These models are made with different compositions of the negatives from the wirecutting process and with the re-use of these components, we can reach a zero waste design strategy
48
Mass
Negative Mass
After the cutting of the bounding box is done
Compostion of another bench being developed with the negative volume of the bounding box mass
human factors
Compositions developed from the fabricated mass
MATERIALIZING MACHINES
49
Architectural Association School of Architecture Design Research Laboratory London, 2020
