AADRL 2010/11
behavioral matter
wandy mulia + adrian aguirre + ashwin shah + ganesh sai =
WAAG
acknowledgement We are very thankful to our tutor Robert Stuart-Smith’s encouragement and insight that drew us back to architectural design. This workshop “Behavior matter” gave us an enamor experience in AADRL as new students. Acknowledging Matt Johnson and Kunt Brunier, we are thankful for each of their unique insights. Thanks are owed to the encouragement of our tutors Theodore Spyropoulos, Marta Malé-Alemany and Alisa Andrasek for the feedback and Christopher Leung for his presentation and inputs on wax and its behavior. Would like to thanks our studio friends, for their support and entrainment. The workshop not only introduced ourselves to different material behaviors and digital fabrication as a process of self experience research to built a lamp, moreover each of us happy to work together, understand, learn, share and respect each other’s knowledge and culture in a wider view.
table of content p.2
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introduction p.3 wax
wax actuators p.5 - 8 p.9 - 12
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/surface /piston
D채nish workshop p.15
WAAG lamp
the box p.16 - 18 the mechanism p.19 - 22 the surface p.23 - 30 the lamp p.16 - 18
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introduction Behavioral matters is the agenda of our workshop. Where we explore the behavior of different complex materials by providing energy through external force. The phase – changing materials are considered to utilize by providing supplementary constrains to generate movement and effect. The source energy is provided by the thermodynamics laws, where the energy is transformed from one form to another with minimal energy lost in which paraffin wax is used. Followed by a mechanical development and digital fabrication of the material to attain the required design. As a team of 4 people we started analyzing various material behaviors with the combination of wax as the primary agent to perform actuation within the material. In this process various methods and combination of paraffin wax actuators are developed to produce our own technique. Providing constrains to the materials by understanding its physical state, a serious of research and experiments are followed to know its behavior and make them act as a single cell. Which included materials such as lycra, tin foil sheets, latex and polypropylene sheet as permutation and combination among themselves with the help of wax to create a complex movements and configurations that qualitatively transform over time. A brief introduction by Christopher Leung towards the nature of wax and its properties acting as a phase changing material and his suggestions made the workshop have a technicality and control over wax as an agent has been in filled. With the help of these inferences we are able to produce piston actuators and surface actuators. Piston actuators are comprised of water and wax, which became our major criteria to construct a lamp. With the abstracted knowledge of the pragmatic and functional aspect of the material analysis on Lycra and polypropylene material is modified by integrating digital fabrication in our conceptual matrix where their primary nature is no longer interpreted to their physical appearance. With the introduction to Digital fabrication we used computational methods in organising material through the learning of scripting and laser-cutting. A short two day workshop with the architecture students from Arhus Arkitekten in Denmark gave a new inspiration and direction for our action packed schedule. Working in RhinoScript we organised intricate arrangements of cutting patterns for fabrication using laser-cutting machines. These methods gave a focus on differentiations in material organisation in order to drive variation and surprise in the assembled materials’ behavior. With the integration of the materials like lycra, polypropylene and the use of mechanical support of the piano wires and springs to constraining the materials through control points using piston actuators made the lamp as one complete system and produce a high-quality WAAG Lamp. 2
wax
is considered as the phase-changing material actuation. Like any material, it expands when heated. Though wax is special in that is experiences a dramatic increase in volume when it changes from the solid to the liquid state. The amount of change is dependent on the specific type of wax used, but a volumetric change of approximately 10% can be assumed. This change in volume and relative density can be harnessed for a variety of purposes and has the benefit of being silent, smooth and reliable, passively activated, reusable and potentially quite forceful. The wax we used in this workshop is paraffin wax. Paraffin wax is a waxy white or colorless solid hydrocarbon mixture used to make candles, wax paper, lubricants, and sealing materials. It melts between 47째C and 65째C and is insoluble in water.
These experiments proofed the expansion of wax and its pressure created . The left glass, with orange wire, was filled with solid wax completely and covered with the latex sheet. By the time the glass was heated up, the volume of the wax expanded and create a bulge, which will be dissapear when the wax is cooled down again. The right glass, with blue wire, was on the other hand only filled with 50% liquid wax and 50% air. On the first moment the latex skin was flat, which later on creating a dip, as the wax is cooling down. This shows the pressure inside the glass. 3
wax actuators /surface
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Experiments on different wax as actuator: Â In the beginning we experimented with a solid wax covered by the liquid latex (fig.1). Unfortunately, not all of the surface are covered well. In the second time we create a new solid wax object, and covered it with a thicker latex layer. We also experimented with the wax pigment. After we warmed it up, we came with the result that the latex layer was too thick and the wax inside was not completely melted. The pigment experiment, on the other hand, was quite successful. Here, we can see the pigment particle in the latex layer before the heating (fig.2). After a certain temperature, the wax pigment particles melted and merged, although they were separated by the liquid latex layer (fig.3). Later on, experiment on combining the wax and card board modules was made. The goal was to understand the materials behaviors and to aim to create a movement inside the surface actuator. The balloon was filled with the modules and solid wax (fig.4). After 15 minutes under a 150W bulb, the wax began to melt (fig.5). Balloon surface was too thin and it was torn by the modules (fig.5). 5
Experiment: One cup of a paraffin wax was wrapped with a single latex sheet, then sealed and warmed up under a lamp to make it soft and moldable (fig. top left). After 30 minutes, the wax was already soft. The sealing wire was removed and the wax was pressed together into a form of a ball (fig. bottom left). Theoretically, the amount of air inside the ball was very few. Then paraffin wax ball was covered again with 0.22 mm latex sheet, sealed with a cable fixer and warmed under a 60W bulb (fig. top right).
Result: The surface of the ball expanded to every side to around 10% from its starting size (fig. bottom right). The wax mold took about three hours to deform. Even after this period, only the outside part of the mold melted, the inner part did not melt after another hour. In our assumption, the melted wax did not transfer the heat fast enough to the center in one hour period.
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Experiments on different kinds of wax ‘container’ : In the previous experiment, we learnt that direct heating with the bulb to a latex surface could damage the outer skin and create a leak on it. This time we try to heat the wax indirectly from the bottom of the container. (both fig. on the top). Paraffin wax was softened and molded into the container. It was made of sereval layers of cardboards, both the inside and outside part were sealed with the liquid latex. The day after, the liquid latex layer was fully dry and ready. Unfortunately, the first model leaked quite early.
Result: The liquid latex layer was too thick, that the wax could not expand to the top side, but instead it pushed to the bottom and caused a leak. In the second experiment, we changed the material of the container. We took plywood instead of sealed cardboard. Since the heating from the bottom side took a very long time, we decided to find a solution for the heating from the top. Here, (bottom left fig.) we tried to seal the wax with a normal 0.22mm latex sheet. Unfortunately, it leaked again. (bottom right fig.)
Result: A thin liquid latex layer as the sealing should be tried, since it sealed perfectly in the earlier experiment but it was slightly too thick.
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Experiment: Â The wax was molded into a wooden form and covered by a double layer of liquid latex. The wax was heated from the top with a 60W bulb.
 Result: Due to its visibility, the liquid latex works better than the common latex sheet. The form changing moments was very clear to observe. Since the form was flat, the movement could not be remoted. Another variation with different forms and vertical alignment could possibly make some more effective movements. The ten per cent of the wax expansion could not be measured easily, though he changing surface of the latex could be easily observed. 8
wax actuator /piston
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Experiment: Â The bottle was filled with wax and water (50%Â to 50%).Then it was sealed to a 20ml syringe. Boiling water was used to replace the bulb in heating up the wax and to accelerate the process. There are two main goals of this experiment: to measure the pressure / movement and to proof the seal quality. The timing of the process was not the aim.
Result: The movement in the syringe was visible, yet a higher percentage of wax is needed to achieve a total movement of the syringe. Approximately, the percentage of wax and water of 70% to 30% will create a maximum movement to the 20ml line.
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Experiment: (left and center pictures) The bottle was filled with wax and water. The syringe was attached to the bottle through a ø 5 mm pipe. Then the bottle is heated with a 150W bulb.
Result: The complete movement in the syringe was visible from zero to beyond 20 ml in a period of two hours. The water works as a good substance in this experience.
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Experiments: 1. Instead of fixing the the syringe on the measuring pipe (the outer part), this syringe was tied on its movable part to the bottle thus making the tube bend on expansion of the wax. This is the first experiment to research the tube movement. Later on the amount of the tube can be added. (two left pictures on the opposite page) Result: The pressure to pull the syringe was very high leading to the failure of the seals 2. Raising the bulb on heating and distancing it from the wax thus cooling the wax leading to lowering of the bulb. This should create a continuous process. The metal sheet was used for concentrating the heat of the lamp. (both of the top pictures) Result: Leaks on the joints. After the bulb moved upwards, it did not move down again, because the syringes were too short to lift the bulb high enough to let the cooling down of the wax. 3. Connection of various actuators to increase the power of the system if needed. Here the balloon was used to proof the air migration from the glass to the balloon. (both pictures on the bottom) Result: The connections were not airtight and not strong enough to take the pressure created.
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D채nish workshop During the workshop with the Aarhus students from Denmark, we explore the using of RhinoScript in several materials, such as lycra, cotton, polypropylene and MDF. The works produced became one of the important part of the WAAG lamp.
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WAAG lamp
box + mechanism + surface
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the box
Paraffin wax melts at around 60 degrees centigrade. A 100 W bulb can get as hot as 247 degrees centigrade. If this heat is contained in an enclosed area, large quantities of wax can be melted thus creating the required movement. On the other hand, it cannot be totally enclosed as the bulb also needs to function as a lamp too. Also, for the lamp to get back to its original form, it has to cool down rapidly. Thus came the concept of the box with perforations which houses the wax actuators and the bulb. Small perforations contain the heat and at the same time takes care of ventilation. The pattern of the perforation were developed over a series designed with the help of scripting in Rhino which we learnt from the workshop with the Danish Students. This box not only served the as a function element but due the scripting of perforation helped in creating a wonderful lighting effect on the surface of the lamp. The scripting was thus indirectly patterned on the surface of the lamp.
the mechanism
The system employed are piston actuators. A 300ml bottle is filled with 60% wax and 40% water. These are connected to 20ml sirenges by a plastic tube. A total of 7 such bottles are connected to 8 sirenges. The bottle which is connected to 2 sirenges has 85% wax content. This quantity of wax was arrived at after the initial testing and it exactly manages to push a sirenge out to its maximum extent. These are then arranged around a 100W bulb in the box. To further contain the heat the inner side of the box is lined with an aluminium foil. In our first experiments on this lamp, the plastic tube was melted caused by the direct contact with the 100W bulb.To avoid this, they are covered with aluminium foil too. 16
Scripts A series of scripts were developed during a workshop with Aarhus Architekten, from Denmark, this workshop lead us to investigate the behavior and aesthetic of materials. These scripts were obtained in Rhinoceros 4.0 with Monkey scripting, the principal goal was to create different forms and patterns from a vector system. The results of the scripts were physically translated to different materials, such as mdf to create templates and polypropylene to create transparent surfaces.
A script was chosen to be part of the final product; this script was translated directly to the container/ box we used to maintain heat and connect surfaces, and the script was able to create two different phenomenons. 1 The light expanded in the dark room was from the script. 2.The surfaces were illuminated by it, in other words, the script was implicit in the changing surfaces as well in the room, and not explicit on both of them. 17
The script in the box was also a constrainer for the actuators and the moving surfaces, thus, the script was modified in order to create different sizes of holes. - Small size – surface restrainer - Medium size – illumination/ventilation - Big size – actuator restrainer The box is ready to receive all the system. 18
the surface
In order to develop an enveloped surface with high elasticity, motion, and in certain point translucid or semi-closed/semi-open, we found that the combination between fabric (lycra) and the structure (piano wire), was succesful. We started to develop patterns with any given logic, and the results were interesting but some of them weren´t able to develop movement, or the movement was obvious and predictable; hence we developed a series of curvilinear patterns, this patterns helped us to understand in some point the behavior of the materials.
two control points From the patterns developed a behavior table was obtained. four control points six control points two control points
a.less control points (1-3) - less movement in the internal faces. - more movement in the external faces. - more control of the fabric. - flexible model. - direct relations between the points. - less area used in the model.
two control points
three control pointst
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hree control points
b. more control points (4-6) - more movement in the internal faces. - less movement in the external faces - less control of the fabric. - rigid model. - indirect relations between the points. - more area used in the model.
From the patterns created we developed an internal logic, this logic responds to the number of control points in relation with the number of restrains and pulling/pushing points, some of these restrained points are also used to bend the surface rather in an internal edge or an external edge. Some of these restrained points are also used to bend the surface rather in an internal edge or an external edge. With this two relations combined, we analyzed all the possible movement of the fabric and the restrains and decided which edges were more interesting to pull/push due to the effect derived from the internal forces of the patterns. 20
From the morphogenesis and the logic of the surfaces, four patterns were chosen to create the external structure, each of the patterns were repeated two times and the intersections between edges and surfaces were attached with the leftovers of the fabric of the nearest pattern, thus, the surface in some points was continuous and the movements of the fabric traveled beyond its own limits, sometimes the patterns confined parts of the system as a counterpoint force of the actuators.
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Logic
one control point
The logic of the surfaces relies on the patterning of the fabric, but also in the intersections created by it. For example, we can see in the first example, (one control point) a fabric creating a tongue shape by pulling it; the second example, (two control points) the fabric stretches and expands in different directions, but nothing else happens the dynamic of this movements can be predictable and even boring is some point. The third example, (four control points) shows a different behavior, the fabric can expands in the area closer to the edges but can be flatten/loose on the central faces; all the faces can be expanded and the fabric until it´s breaking point can react expanding its fibers.
two control points
four control points ( transformed into two control points ) 22
the lamp
The lamp when switched on takes one and half hours for it to expand completely, i.e. when the wax melts completely. On switching off the bulb, it is back to its original position in 2 hours. WAAG lamp projects the light through several layers and creates deformations of light, both on its surface and in the room.
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wandy mulia + adrian aguirre + ashwin shah + ganesh sai =
WAAG
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