KUKA weaving with carbon fibre

INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN POLISH FOLK TRADITIONS AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES

INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN POLISH FOLK TRADITIONS AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES

INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN POLISH FOLK TRADITIONS AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES Barbara Dżaman Bachelor’s Final Project

Supervisors:

dr Oskar Zięta

dr Dawid Wiener

Coaches:

mgr Dorota Kabała

mgr inż. arch. Mateusz Zwierzycki

University of Social Sciences and Humanities Faculty in Poznan, Poland School of Form Poznań, June 2015

Acknowledgements

This project would never have been possible without the support of my closest, guidance from my supervisors and help from my coaches.

I would like to take this opportunity to express gratitude to Oskar Zięta, my project supervisor, for critical encouragement and challenging me on every step of the project journey.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to Dawid Wiener, my humanist supervisor, for pushing me to think about the theoretical part of the project and correcting my Polish abstract late at night.

Many thanks to Dorota Kabała, my teacher, who listened to me every week and shared her experience by showing me the way when I got lost in a maze.

I am deeply grateful to Mateusz Zwierzycki, my programming master, who helped me to make all the red components grey by feeding them with tasty lines of code.

I place on record, my sincere thank you to Barbara Matelska, our school director for helping me to bring my 3D models to life.

I would like to thank Alex Pyper, for giving me emotional support and reminding me about reality when I got lost in the digital world.

I wish to thank Anna Baranowicz, who shared with me the secrets of making Snutki.

I am also grateful to my parents who supported me through this venture. Thank you for calling me to check whether I was still alive.

Contents

Acknowledgements .

Summary .

Idea .

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Research Polish handcrafts .

Design projects using spooled materials .

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Snutki Definition .

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History .

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Recipe .

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Stitches used in Snutki .

Extracted rules .

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Material Experiments Dry spooled materials + nail mock-ups .

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Resin with Carbon, Kevlar and Glass fibre .

Stiffeners .

Separators .

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Stiffening handmade crochet .

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Tool Tool prototyping workshops .

Prototypes with Lego .

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Physical tool mock- up on KUKA robot .

3D Environment .

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Tool 038 .

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Tool 061 .

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Tool 063 .

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Tool 065 .

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Tool 099 .

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Tool 105 .

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Tool 105- mounting Dremel .

Tool 105 with new tip .

Tool 106 .

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Conclusions .

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Digital Snutki Pattern parametrization using running stitch .

Running stitch program .

Buttonhole stitch .

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Buttonhole stitch program .

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Project process conclusions .

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Reflections .

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Future work .

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Final exhibition .

References .

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Key

Considering the fact that the project has taken on a nonlinear structure after the main research phase, I decided to create a key to navigate the catalogue.

The colour hint at the edges of the page indicates the project disciplines that it is related to.

If you are interested only in one of the aspects, you can follow the colour and treat this publication as an adventure book.

Enjoy!

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Research and theory

Tool prototyping

Material experiments

Programming patterns and stitches 9

Summary

Taking a traditional embroidery style called ‘Snutki’ from the local region of Wielkopolska as the basis for a case study in process design, this project represents the crossing point between a number of topics, directions and disciplines such as: technology and tradition, mechanisation and handmaking, globalization and locality, imperfection and mass production.

Inspired by both rediscovering an obscure craft and mastering emerging technologies, understanding Poland’s current place within the world and a blend of humanistic thinking, the project offers a lens through which the overlaps of these can be investigated.

Through a multi-staged design process encompassing research, analysis, workshops, modelling, rapid prototyping, materials experimentation, programming and testing, a highly abstracted form of Snutki embroidery was developed from concept to a fully working technology.

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The systematic process-based focus of the project allows the exploration of problem solving methods and new approaches to Industrial Design as an integral part of the manufacturing journey. Of particular note, the project concludes that with the employment of new 3D modelling and additive manufacturing techniques, the designer can reintroduce a playfulness and physical connection to the making-process not seen since the days of hand crafted products.

The crossing of black and white, seemingly contradictory concepts in the project are allow the creation of a new form in which these ideas can simultaneously coexist creating a new, colourful way of seeing the world. This has particular implications for design and manufacturing as we move into a post industrial society dominated by the information age.

Podstawową inspiracją dla projektu było nawiązanie do tradycji haftu snutkowego, który związany jest z obszarem Wielkopolski.

Jednakże był to wyłącznie punkt wyjścia do dalszych kroków w rozbudowanym procesie projektowym, który intencjonalnie starał się być zawsze na styku technologii i tradycji, mechanizacji i rękodzieła, procesów globalizacji w opozycji do wartości tego, co lokalne, czy problemu „niedoskonałości“ ręcznej manufaktury zestawionej z wymogami masowej produkcji.

Inspirując się zarówno odkrywaniem zapoznanych cech dawnego rzemiosła, poznawaniem możliwości oferowanych przez nowe technologie produkcyjne i materiałowe, jak również wplatając w ów proces humanistyczną perspektywę, zaproponowano, w pewnym sensie, projektową soczewkę poprzez którą można badać wyżej wymienione zagadnienia, będące non-stop „na styku”.

Wielopoziomowy proces obejmował badania, analizy, warsztaty grupowe, modelowanie, szybkie prototypowanie, eksperymentowanie, programowanie i testowanie, co ostatecznie umożliwiło wygenerowanie nowoczesnej abstrakcyjnej formy snutek. Nowy haft - cyfrowy haft - powstał zatem podczas przejścia całej drogi: od konceptu do w pełni funkcjonującej technologii.

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Zastosowana metoda pracy (jako opisany wyżej proces) pozwala na skuteczne poszukiwanie metod rozwiązywania problemów projektowych i przedstawia świeże podejście do wzornictwa przemysłowego jako integralnej części procesu produkcyjnego. Na szczególną uwagę zasługuje fakt, że dzięki użyciu nowoczesnych technik, jakimi są modelowanie 3D i produkcja addytywna, projektant może szukać nowych rozwiązań poprzez swobodne próby, wręcz zabawę i fizyczny kontakt z procesem wytwarzania, przywołując na myśl czasy w których produkty były wykonywane ręcznie.

Skrzyżowanie skontrastowanych, „czarno-białych”, pozornie przeciwstawnych konceptów, podejść i filozofii działania w jednym projekcie pozwala stworzyć własną formę, w której owe idee mogą równolegle koegzystować oferując nowy i wielobarwny sposób rozumienia oraz zmieniania otaczającej nas rzeczywistości. Może to mieć szczególne znaczenie dla projektowania i produkcji przemysłowej, gdyż dopiero wkraczamy w nowe, postindustrialne społeczeństwo zdominowane przez zmianę wywołaną zaawansowanymi technologiami informacyjnymi, materiałowymi i produkcyjnymi.

Idea

The main aim of the project was to take a traditional handcraft style and see if it could be combined with new technology to create a forward, and backward looking hybrid.

Being Polish I felt that I lacked understanding of my national traditions.

As a part of the 1990s generation, I had become alienated from the old Polish handcrafts that had lost relevance to their new surroundings.

In a world that is getting ever smaller there is a growing interest in incorporating and understanding the vast multitude of cultures whatever their size may be.

I have realised that the desire to comprehend traditional handcrafted culture also includes Poland.

By living in a global culture we learn to understand our place within it and in turn can gain a deeper understanding of our home culture.

Taking inspiration from Polish folk traditions, the project aims to remind us of forgotten techniques in a new, abstract way.

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Research

Polish handcrafts

Polish handcraft traditions stem from rural, local environments. Folk handcrafting techniques were initially created to fulfil the basic needs of rural societies.

Having the ability to make clothes, interior decorations and all the needed objects such as furniture and dishes by themselves, people were independent and had no need to import expensive and hardly available products from other places. This made the community self- sufficient in terms of economic and everyday life. Folk handcrafts were mastered in their regional enclaves, passing know-how from one generation to another, creating a patchwork of styles on a map of Poland. Polish folk handcrafts managed to survive until today, yet only in a “superior but artificial edition”. As P. Korduba is saying in the book “Ludowość na sprzedaż“, after 1949, when the Folk and Art Industry Headquarters (CPLiA) was established, what used to be an intimate, valuable local art fulfilling creators’ needs became isolated from the makers in the villages and destined “For sale”. Mass production of valuable handcrafts as a form of technique conservation, paradoxically made them devoid of individuality and the fundamental one-of-a-kind feeling.

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As a part of handcraft research the project used workshops with second year Industrial Design students (Róża Rutkowska, Olia Synyakevych and Szymon Grochowski). The first task was to find a technique in Poland that is interesting in the aspect of production process, materials, aesthetics and inspiration.

The second task was to build a mock-up showing the making process of a chosen handcraft. The participating students had risen to the challenge and after a few days of working, presented a handful of mock-ups showing handcrafts such as broom making, wicker-working and tapestry making. The third stage of the workshop was to specifically search within the Wielkopolska region as the local area where our school takes place.

Among the variety of styles coming from all the regions of Poland, cut-outs from Łowicz and Koniakowska lace are possibly the most known handcrafts.

One of the styles found in a cottage ‘Golina’ placed within the Wielkopolska region is ‘Snutki’- a type of embroidery that uses a needle to create elaborate lace-like structures that are as much about the delicate detail as they are about the space between segments.

It was decided that this would form the basis of inspiration for the whole project.

Embroidery on tulle, Museum in Poznań

Snutki embroidery Ref 1

Wicker- weaving

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Łowicz paper cutouts Ref 2

Pająk, Muzeum in Poznań

Snutki

Definition

Snutki belongs to a family of embroidery styles. The pattern of Snutki is built from stitches based on a drawing previously sketched on a cotton fabric. Throughout history, the shapes and patterns were designed by the handcrafters with a lot of freedom.

The name ‘Snutki’ comes from the verb ‘snucie’ which may be translated more or less accurately as “to spin” or “to waft“. It describes one of the steps of the production process in which one loose thread is lead from one motif to the other without spinning or crocheting on the way. The fabric is cut out from underneath the threads after the work is finished, creating a spiderweb-like, light structure. In the process. Snutki are created using 4 main types of stitches.

There are no rules according to the single stitch size or style variations as long as the outcome is aesthetic and regular within the line. A key tenet of the embroidery process when making Snutki is that no knots may be formed during its production. To attach the thread a few swivel stitches.

The quotes, information pictures and in the history chapter are based on a book by A. Glapa, Wielkopolski haft snutkowy. „Konteksty. Polska Sztuka Ludowa” t. 9, z. 4: 1955, s. 193-205

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Snutki before and after cutting out the fabric from underneath the loose threads

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Snutki

History

Snutki- birth

Snutki- Second Era

The history of “Snutki” stems from the Renaissance lace known also as Icelandic, Luxeuil or point lace. All the listed laces are made from previously fabricated strips joined together with chains or circle stitches.

According to A. Glapa, none of the 19th century Snutki examples survived the times of wars and occupation.

The renaissance lace is built on waxed fabric with a pattern drawn on top.

Variously shaped and sized strips are positioned in marked places and joined together with chain lace.

As Renaissance lace made its way through the countryside from the palaces and churches, the technique changed notably. Considering the fact that people in the countryside had less tools and material resources, the mass produced strips and crochet hooks were replaced with handmade folk patterns and needles resulting in Snutki embroidery. It was also used as a decoration for Sunday clothes.

Eventually however, by the beginning of the twentieth century Snutki was gradually becoming replaced with a much cheaper embroidery technique called “Tulle netting“.

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Thanks to Helena Moszczyńska, the owner of a village “Golina”, the technique didn’t become extinct. She went to a big effort to start a new era for Snutki.

Between 1894 and 1095, she collected a lot of the preserved examples of precious Snutki and took good care of them.

Helena Moszczyńska didn’t only save the physical Snutki, but also organised a lot of workshops inviting women from the village to the palace and teaching them the basics of its creation.

The pieces were sold to the nearby palaces and churches. After reading further about Moszczyńska, it became abundantly clear what an encouraging and generous teacher she was, providing the women with valuable tips when they needed and ‘giving them the rod, not the fish’.

It wasn’t just imitative repetitive work - each of the women could create the pattern however she liked as long as it fulfilled the given surface and matched with other modules.

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Different Snutki patterns

“Każda z nich wykonywała jakiś fragment całości podług swego pomysłu, by później pod bacznym okiem zespołu rówieśnic połączyć części w całość” “Every one of them was making a piece according to her idea so that at the end, under the watchful eye of the team of peers, they could combine it with other pieces to create a whole“ (Ref 3)

Snutki- Third Era

Snutki- Recent Era

In 1945, after the war had taken its toll, the lands of Wielkopolska were missing fabrics, specific threads and most importantly people. In fact, there were only 3 women who knew the technique of Snutki. Since circumstances were not easy they were made to work much more than before the war, leaving little time for teaching.

Looking for resources to learn about Snutki and its history, I stumbled upon an announcement talking about a Snutki workshop. After the initial excitement subsided, I realised that they had unfortunately already taken place a month before.

In 1947, after field research in Golina and realising the high possibility of Snutki‘s impending extinction, Wielkopolska People’s Industry Cooperative in Poznań (Wielkopolska Spółdzielnia Przemysłu Ludowego w Poznaniu), formulated 3 goals vital for Snutki’s future existence. “ 1. nauczyć jak największą liczbę osób techniki wykonywania snutek, 2. dać ludności miejscowej wyżyć się estetycznie w formie dla niej najodpowiedniejszej, a przez to uratować wartości ludowe przed zagładą, 3. zbadać możliwości wprowadzenia snutek na rynek handlowy - dla korzyści tak mieszkańców Goliny, jak i spółdzielni.” “ 1. To teach the Snutki technique to as many people as possible.

2. To give the local community an opportunity to express themselves aesthetically in any way they desire in order to prolong and preserve folk values from extinction, 3. To research the possibilities of bringing Snutki to market- benefitting the citizens of Golina as well as the Cooperative.”

By bringing these principles to life 51 young girls became knowledge carriers, passing on to their children the unique Snutki knowledge.

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Hoping to attend the next meeting, I wrote to Anna Baranowicz, the leader of the workshop. She replied the next day and we set up a meeting for the following Saturday.

The lesson was very inspiring, only in 8 hours I learned all the needed embroidery stitches as well as the steps of the process. After the lesson was finished, I had my first, very own Snutki piece in my hand.

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Snutki

Recipe

Tools and materials White cotton fabric Strong white thread Medium thick needle Nail sharp scissors Thimble Piercer (knitting needle 6mm) Paper sheet

This recipe is inspired by Skype lesson with Anna Baranowicz, Polish experienced artistic handcrafter specialising in all existing styles of tangling threads, including Snutki.

Anna is a teacher by vocation, eager to pass on the precious skills.

She showed me how to make my first Snutki and as a debt of gratitude I feel obliged to pass it on.

Embroidery hoop (10cm)

Step 1

Step 2

Design the pattern and copy it onto the fabric. The spaces between circles have to be big enough to fit the edging stitches.

Mount the fabric onto the embroidery hoop. The fabric should be evenly tensioned. Follow the drawing with a running stitch(all the stitch styles mentioned in the instruction are described at the following pages.) Knots are not allowed.

In the past, women used pots or glasses to draw regular geometric shapes such as circles, stars and ovals.

Leaf and flower patterns were sketched on paper from nature observation. The complicated modules were copied with calque.

If you choose to draw the pattern on the paper, it needs to be cut out and placed on the fabric in order to draw an outline. You can also draw straight on the fabric.

Anna Baranowicz, Snutki master, uses Corel and prints out the patterns on her home printer.

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Step 3 The name “Snutki“ comes from that step. The verb “snucie” translates more or less accurately “to spin” or “to waft“ and describes the action of leading one loose thread from one motif to the other without spinning or crocheting on the way. The fabric will be cut out from underneath so be careful to place the endings of lines precisely on, or even a little bit behind the previously drawn line. Use a running stitch to go along the drawing.

Drawing on the fabric

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Running stitch and wafted threads

Step 4

Step 6

Hem the big shapes with a buttonhole stitch 1A or 1B or a chain depending on the result you want to achieve. Be careful to keep the same height of each stitch to preserve aesthetics.

When all the stitches are surrounding all the lines and everything looks ready, it is time for washing your Snutki. Remove the fabric from the hoop and splash it gently in soapy water. Rinse and dry.

With this action, the loose threads are stabilised and joined firmly with the fabric.

Pierce a hole in the middle and finish it with the whip stitch.

Step 5 When the thread base is done, it’s time to hem the outline circles.

Each circle has to be finished one by one. Start with piercing the first circle with a knitting needle. Choose between whip and buttonhole stitches to finish the circles in a sinusoidal order.

I chose the whip stitch for the inner side of the circles and buttonhole stitch 1A with the frill outside for the outer edges of the circles.

After 10 circles I came back to stitching a mirror sinusoid using buttonhole 1B in the place of 1A (to make it the same working from the back side). When coming back from one fully finished circle to the other, whip them together where they touch each other. A few times should be enough.

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The right way is to dry Snutki in the sun.

Step 7 Iron the Snutki piece upside down.

Use scissors to cut out the fabric from underneath the loose lines. The first cut should be made from the top side, then lift the threads up a little bit and precisely cut out the material up to the

Hemming the edges

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Piercing the hole

Cutting out the fabric

Stitches used in Snutki

There are 4 main types of stitches used in Snutki. There are no rules according to the single stitch size or style variations as long as the outcome is aesthetic and regular within the line.

There is one rule though that must be adhered to. A key tenet of the embroidery process when making Snutki is that no knots may be formed during its production. To attach the thread a few swivel stitches are made in one place instead.

The stitches may be seen as follows:

Running stitch This is the most basic of all the stitches. In Snutki it is used to protect the patters from fading away during working on it. As the drawn line disappears from rubbing, the stitch stays not only to imitate the drawing, but also to hold the Snutki together and make it more durable.

Chain stitch Used to make bigger patterns bolder.

The chain of loops makes the decoration thicker and stronger

Swivel stitch Very simple stitch used to hem the edges. It prevents them from fraying and bolsters the structure.

It can be employed to connect adjacent modules.

Buttonhole stitch A buttonhole stitch may be used in various incarnations: finishing straight or loop edges as well as creating outlines on the fabric. The frill created during the stitching may be placed at the edge of the fabric as well as on it.

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Snutki

Extracted rules

Principle 1

Principle 7

Fabric in Snutki plays the role of a support material and is removed after the work is finished.

Different stitches are used in order to increase the structure’s strength, Running stitch acts like a skeleton together with the fabric hidden between the stitches.

Principle 2 There cannot be any knots during the process of making Snutki.

Principle 3 Snutki pattern creates a spiderweblike structure of single connecting threads.

Principle 4 After the work is finished, Snutki is stiffened in potato starch so as to improve freshness and durability.

Principle 5 Snutki to date has been a local community-based handcraft tradition.

Principle 6 Snutki embroidery was saved from extinction by letting people follow their imagination. Changes and progressions in style were allowed in the past.

Principle 8 One of the styles of making Snutki consists of preparing modules by different people, to be joined when finished in order to create a whole.

Principle 9 Quasi-serendipity- Each Snutki piece is based on a drawing placed on the fabric.

In the block style, each person had to fill in a surface with a <whatever she wants> pattern, but the outcome was formerly planned in shape.

In collaborative Snutki manufacture, each person is given a shape within which they can create any style. The end total result is based on the chance composition of the people in the group.

Principle 10 High quality materials are used in the process of making Snutki, such as cotton. This has remained unchanged for many years.

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Research

Design projects using spooled materials

In search for a new suitable material to replace cotton in Snutki, with the help of a team of 2nd year students, we focused on research into spooled materials and collected knowledge about different kinds of threads and wires.

We checked every material in the aspects of possible benefits, strength, possible stiffening, flexibility and innovation.

Analysing the features of the collected samples, to start we chose steel wires of diameters around 0.2mm as a compromise between malleability and the permanence of the final shape.

In the further stages of experimentation with different materials, carbon, Kevlar and glass fibre were taken to the laboratory.

An example of using spooled materials and blurring of production styles, is the ‘Silk Pavilion’ project by MIT Media Lab’s Mediated Matter group. They modelled the movement of silk worms, and used a robotic arm to create a three dimensional lattice of panels out of silk thread that could be then assembled into a dome. Using this framework as a base, they then deposited a swarm of 6,500 silk worms onto the structure to finish it off with a layer of randomly placed silk from the insects. The resulting product was both organic and mechanical- the imperfection of the animal produce with the clinical, robotically produced frame.

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ICD and ITKE Universities Ref 4

Mischer Traxler Ref 5

Besau Marguerre Ref 6

Silk Pavillion MIC Ref 7

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Compositence Ref 8

Carbon fibre

Tool

Tool prototyping workshops

The long path of developing a custom tool that would let a KUKA robot make Snutki began with workshops with second year industrial students (R贸偶a Rutkowska, Olia Synyakevych, Szymon Grochowski).

The workshop was very fruitful; the participants were presented with materials and the brief. After a few hours of teamwork a few tool prototypes were created.

The tools built from plastic, metal and paper depict the ideas in reality. Post-it notes were attached to describe all the places where imagination was required.

The students continued this prototyping process on their own initiative even after the workshops were finished.

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Team work

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Post-its and tape prototypes

Tool built by Olia and Szymon

Róża’s prototype

Olia’s prototype

Tool

Prototypes with Lego

The workshops opened my eyes to a variety of options and proved to be very useful in predicting possible error points. They motivated me to prototype a fully working tool the very next day, using Lego wheels and zip-ties. With this I managed to make mock-ups using different spooled materials.

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Rolls leading the wire

Robotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mounting plate

3D printed negative

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Material Experiments

Dry spooled materials + nail mock-ups

As soon as the first tool prototypes were finished, it was possible to try out their functionality with different input materials. During the first set of experiments, the Lego tool was confronted with a number of spooled materials that would eventually replace cotton in the new Snutki-making process. Aspects of the mock-ups assessed were: aesthetics, possible technological benefits, strength, flexibility and innovation. The copper wire was attractively flexible, but after taking it off the support, the structure was not durable.

The sewing thread and ribbon created aesthetic webs which would rise to the challenge when applying stiffeners.

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Support

Ribbon

Steel wire

Cotton thread

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Steel wire

Tool

Physical tool mock- up on KUKA robot

Sculpting ideas in reality plays a vital role in every design process. Building the concept allows the designer to predict major error points of the installation at a low cost and without making any serious decisions.

To get the overall idea, a life-sized physical mock up was built using various different types of available materials, 3D printed parts and old weaving machine elements. This created an image of the area reachable by the robot and a rough estimate of the toolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scale. By doing so, new challenges occurred. It was very helpful to create the overall idea by hand in order to translate the whole surrounding to the 3D computer models.

The changes concluded in the analysis of the finished mock-up were applied to the 3D model.

To enlarge our understanding about automating the process, we analysed pieces of an old weaving machine, focusing on the mechanisms that would lead the thread on the rollers under tension.

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Metal hoop

3D printed rolls

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Material experiments

Resin with Carbon, Kevlar and Glass fibre

Together with second year students, we analysed how epoxy resin reacts with different materials. Three types of threads were taken to the laboratory: glass, carbon and Kevlar fibre The workshop provided us with hands-on experience and created a lot of resininspired ideas. We were winding fibres dipped in resin onto different objects.

It was very hard to spread the resin evenly on the thread. We used thick cream as a separator, it worked on forms which were narrow at one end or flexible. However, the resin fibre broke while taking it off from stiff, straight objects. Five following conclusions were drawn from the experiments: -Spread the resin evenly on the thread.

-Separate support from dried resin fibre.

-Protect the dry resin fibre from breaking.

-Strengthen the loose net of resin fibres.

-Protect the work environment from resin.

These conclusions led me to creating a new tool that would administer the resin and fibre combination into the robot embroidery technology.

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Preparing resin

Kevlar fibre dipped in resin

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Unexpected reaction

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Winding fibre with resin on styrodure cube

Fibre taken off the cube

Winding fibre with resin on metal roll

Fibre taken off the metal roll

Winding fibre with resin on metal pipe

Fibre taken off the metal pipe

Winding fibre with resin on plactic cup

Fibre taken off the plastic cup

Team work

Loose fibre structure

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Loose fibre structure after cutting

Material experiments

Stiffeners

R贸偶a, one of the second year students felt unsatisfied with the resin experiments and decided to continue her investigation into spooled materials by trying different stiffeners on them (Pic36, page 53). She combined structurecreating materials with supports of a different melting temperature and analysed the reaction after putting them in the extreme conditions. For example heating up the candy made it harder and the structure stayed untouched after removing support. A similar situation happened to the metal structure with the wax support. The candles melted down and the metal which had been covered with a temperature resistant glue stayed in place.

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Candy on wooden support before and after taking the support away

Metal structure on wax support

Thread+ glue

Thread+ glue

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Fabric ribbon+ resin

Dental floss + silicone before and after removing the needle support structure

Material experiments

Separators

Much as it is fun to experiment with resin, it is even more fun to be able to detach the resin structure from the form or, more importantly, from the robot.

Resin when still fresh, can be removed with acetone. The problem appears when the plastic also reacts with chemicals.

Using 3D printing technology I had to face these problems as the 3D printing materials (filaments) available were highly reactive and melted. Putting ABS and Ultrat filaments aside, Hips hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t shown any reaction and therefore, proved to be the best material for rapid prototyping. After checking the reaction with plastics, silicone showed the lowest adhesiveness. Using this material in spray proved to be the best separating solution.

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Separator

Wet carbon fibre in resin

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Dry sample dismantled from plastic

Separating the tool and the robot with silicone spray

Material experiments

Stiffening handmade crochet

To check the durability of a crocheted fibreglass structure, I preformed an experiment dipping the crochet in epoxy resin. The structure came off with a little help from a spatula as I forgot to separate the crochet from the metal bed before drying.

The triangular shape was not planned; I tried to crochet a simple square, but forgot about the last knot in each row which successfully led me to a thin end.

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Hand-made fibreglass crochet

Crochet before dipping in resin

Crochet dipped in resin

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Tool

3D Environment

To model the tools to be specifically designed around the KUKA robot, rapid prototyping was the best solution. The first stage was to create models of the readily available objects such as screws, nuts and wires.

I worked around the known dimensions of the KUKA mounting plate in order to be certain that my tool could be successfully attached. After all the fixed elements were placed in a 3-dimensional space, a skeleton was modelled in order to join them.

By subtracting the material from the places with lower loads as well as predicting the specific features and limitations of 3D printing (support structures and maximum dimensions) a practical tool was created. This was part of a series of models that allowed me to experiment and find the right balance between functionality, strength and economy of material use.

I used the program â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rhinoceros 3Dâ&#x20AC;?.

Its environment allowed me to create a 1:1 scale basic form which was then morphed into new tool generations.

Changes were based on digital analysis as well as measuring and testing the 3D printed equivalents of the most recent generations. After each 3D printing attempt problems were resolved and new ideas were applied to the following models. This cycle ran numerous times.

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Tool 038

The main purpose of the Snutki tool for KUKA is to simultaneously coat the thread in resin stiffener while weaving.

To solve the problem of tension, the tool is fitted with 3 metal cable guides, each with a hoop at the end. They are responsible for leading the thread throughout the mechanism. The length of the guides is not included in overall dimensioning.

To reduce the time for cleaning the tool after filling it up with resin, the mounted cup is disposable and widely available in medical stores. A cup with resin can be easily screwed in and out of the tool from the bottom.

The tool has 2 sets of rollers. One for feeding the thread to the cup, the second for reducing excess resin from the thread as well as guiding it out.

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Tool number

038

Filament usage

36.67m(89g)

Print time

10h 59m

Overall weight

186g

Components

35

Functions

1

120.26

91.32

59

112.07

3D printing process

3D printed top part with support

3D printed bottom part with support

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Removing supports

Tool 038 mounted to KUKA robot

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Tool 061

Mounting the first 3D printed model to the KUKA robot, I noted down ideas on how to make the tool more functional.

I started from modelling the bottom part. The stem of the tool 061 is long and it consists of 2 rollers with a screw which leads the thread to the bottom hoop.

An additional cable guide is added right above the first row of rollers. The model was fitted to the 3D printer in the most efficient way, using the least amount of support material.

Unfortunately, the stem broke quite easily when putting stress on the tip. The broken surface followed the grain of the printed layer.

The conclusion for the next tool generation was to place the model horizontally to increase the durability by making the available breaking surface as big as possible.

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Tool number

061

Filament usage

63.40m(155g)

Print time

19h 54m

Overall weight

278g

Components

55

Functions

1

299.77

90.52

63

117.92

Bottom part of Tool 061 on a 3D printerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s built-plate

Tool 061 on the robot

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Tool with its components

New metal hoops

Making rolls using lathe

Handmade versus 3D printed rolls

Render

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Crash test- predicting the possible line of breaking

Broken partsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; alignment

Zip-ties for fixing procedure

Stabilising parts

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Drying process

Fixed tool

Tool 063

Placing the model horizontally on the printer turned out to be a rather tough challenge. To prevent the tool from breaking, the model had an empty space inside for a truss-rod to be fitted.

The idea was to strengthen the construction as it does in most guitars.

For all the promise that it showed, this model was not successfully printed, because it did not stick to the 3D printerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bed. An abstract sculpture was created instead.

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Tool number

063

Filament usage

69,43m(171g)

Print time

21h 16m

Overall weight

320g

Components

53

Functions

1

299.77

90.52

69

117.92

Helping the 3D print with tape

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Fitting 3D printed parts to Dremel

Unsuccesful print

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Tool 065

As tape turned out to be unsuccessful, I tried experimenting with ABS glue to keep the print attached to the heat-bed from the beginning.

To prepare the glue, I had to melt ABS filament in acetone. It proved to be a success on the first attempt. The tool itself has spiral cable guides allowing thread attachment from a side, without the need of piercing the hoop with the end of the thread.

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Tool number

065

Filament usage

62.74m(153g)

Print time

19h 57m

Overall weight

298g

Components

59

Functions

1

276.19

91.32

73

112.07

3D printing on ABS glue

Removing supports

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Measuring the Dremel on the tool

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Truss-rod

Digital Snutki

Pattern parametrization using running stitch

Programming The challenge was to generate a parametrized Snutki based on a specified or random point input.

Processing the point input, he script gives 2 output paths for the robot.

One is telling KUKA where to drill the holes for support nails, the other is leading the tip of the tool around the support structure. It always hooks the thread on every single nail. In the places where nails create a line, it surrounds the group and builds up an outline.

This process imitates the third step of making Snutki described in Snutki Recipe chapter. I am programming the path using KUKAprc plug-in in Grasshopper environment, which is a plug-in to Rhinoceros.

The programme works without any errors, but when observing the process, an interesting situation had place. The tool tip grabbed a loosely laying thread and dragged it with the next layer. I decided to play with that feature in the next trials.

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79

Program graph (Grasshopper)

Running stitch by hand

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Running stitch by KUKA

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Digital Snutki

Running stitch program

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83

Tool 099

The list of changes that needed to be applied was growing longer and longer.

It took 12 hours of constant modelling between the tool number 065 and 099.

- Stabilize the cable guide leading the thread to the cup.

- Get rid of the first set of rollers.

- The second set of rollers should be shortened and held from both sides.

- The bottom stem of the tool can be as short as possible to allow more precise calibration and durability of the tool .

- Drilling functionality has to be included by adding a holder for a Dremel.

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Tool number

099

Filament usage

60.57m(149g)

Print time

19h 03m

Overall weight

258g

Components

47

Functions

2

203.76

89.90

85

113.50

3D printing process

3D printed parts

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Drilling holes with Dremel mounted on KUKA

Tool 099 on KUKA

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Tool 105

After using tool 099 with KUKA, it turned out that even though the Dremel was attached with 3 screws, it was still loose and the shape did not align to the fitting place. In the tool 105 the Dremel add-on is positioned by a convey intake; the action of mounting it to the model is accompanied by a satisfying â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;clickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.

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Tool number

105

Filament usage

61.58m(152g)

Print time

19h 11m

Overall weight

205g

Components

49

Functions

2

203.76

89.90

89

113.50

Digital Snutki

Buttonhole stitch by KUKA

As the parametric program was successful, the next step was to choose a new set of boundaries and create a stitch which would be more durable when taken off the support structure.

It took quite a lot of tangled fibre to finally find a tool path that would cross the thread without using a second hand (as KUKA has only one). I took a playful approach of trial and error without constraints in order to generate interesting results.

Eventually, the threads did cross each other; I took a picture and reverse- engineered the movement. With repetition, I analysed the most efficient combination of movements between set points so that I may translate it to code for a variety of circumstances. During that process I realised that the tool would inevitably require modification.

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Searching for interesting combination

Trying the stitch with nails of different heights

Trying the stitch with nails of different angles

Trying different paths

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Chosen path

Buttonhole stitch by hand

94

Buttonhole stitch by KUKA

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Tool 105 with new tip

The conclusion after using tool 105 by KUKA was to exchange the tip taken from a pen for a 3D printed one.

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Tool number

105 new tip

Filament usage

63.48m(158g)

Print time

19h 52m

Overall weight

210g

Components

49

Functions

2

193.26

89.90

97

113.50

Digital Snutki

Buttonhole stitch program

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99

Digital Snutki

Buttonhole stitch by KUKA

As the hand- stitching was successful each time using tool 105 with a new tip, I could then translate the path for the robot. Each movement was divided into simple linear or circular partitions and measured separately. Input the measurements were provided to the program.

The script was improved in order to use the full functionality of new tools. The first generated path drills holes, second makes the new stitch.

The pictures show the robot movements step by step.

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101

Tool 106

When working with the robot, it occurred that the thread was sometimes loosened. In order to prevent that from happening, the distance between the end of the tip and its collar was lifted in tool 106. After that change, the thread is pulled higher when approaching a nail.

Tool 106 turned out to be fully functional in the stitching process. The results may be seen further.

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Tool number

106

Filament usage

63.43m(157g)

Print time

19h 46m

Overall weight

212g

Components

46

Functions

2

193.26

89.90

103

113.50

Mounting tool 106 on KUKA robot

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Calibrating Dremel tool

Drilling programmed holes

Planting the nails into pre-drilled holes

Adjusting nail height

Preparing resin

Separating tool and robot from resin

Adjusting stitching height in the program

Stiching

Tool detail- removing excess resin from fibre

105

Tool

Conclusions

Each generation has at least 3 parts that can be printed separately, thereforeif a change is needed in one of them, this particular part, or even its component is printed. The modular nature of each part allows one to be replaced with an updated function without having to reprint already functioning elements.

Saving the file after every major change, tool number 106 was reached, not including minor tweaks. Apart from measuring and analysing the 3D printed tools themselves, numerous stress tests and tool capability checks were performed. The results are a fusion of 3D modelling, 3D printing, material and programming experiments.

Even though the overall printing process takes time, the printer does not need constant attention, which makes it convenient.

Wide variety of materials and good quality 3D printers make it possible to create morphic shapes regardless of the creative ideas.

The colourful picture on the right shows parts of all the tools mentioned in the publication.

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Project process conclusions

This project has almost limitless scope and has created a multitude of possibilities over its development.

Much like the old saying that a painting is never finished, only ever abandoned; the project was brought to a close not because it ran out of energy but because I felt that it had reached a point at which meaningful conclusions could be drawn and a rounded overview of the whole endeavour could be taken. I do hope that moving forward, the topic investigated here can provide fertile ground for further research and experimentation either by myself or indeed others. In fact, if other people were to continue this topic it would be in keeping with the communal spirit of Snutki being passed from one person to another.

Even though the direction of work has been toward the end product and the tool needed to create it, I feel that investigation of the process itself has proven to be the most fruitful aspect of this project. However this by no means trivialises the unique lens that is Snutki, through which I have been able to examine the world. What started as an investigation into local culture has put me through a range of academic disciplines and has generated a wide variety of opportunities for me to better understand my own culture and its place within the world. I am left with an optimistic view of the future possibilities for Polish Design, especially as we

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enter a period of greater integration and communication globally.

I was also particularly impressed by the history of this craft, and the generosity and cooperativeness of its practitioners. I would be delighted if, even in the slightest way, this project would serve to raise the profile of Snutki as a traditional Polish handcraft. I am also grateful for the chance to explore a range of technical skills that have been instrumental in the development process such as: - Modelling and morphing the tool in Rhinoceros 3D using T-Splines.

- Programming and calibrating the KUKA robot using Grasshopper.

- Defining the path itself using parametric customizable coordinates.

- Rapid prototyping using 3D printers and physical mock-ups.

- Product testing using fully capable tools.

- Materials research and experimentation.

- Group problem solving and leading workshops.

- Self assessment and review of continued direction of focus.

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Reflections

As an aspiring Industrial Designer, I am looking to take away from this project a particular focus on Process Design.

Creating my own brief, expectations, constraints and scale gave me a framework in which to design a process from initial problem to outputting solutions and products. The use of rapid prototyping especially facilitated this, and forms a key pillar of the modern Industrial Design Process. Particularly its flexibility and speed which allows the design to reintroduce a playfulness into the process.

By printing an essentially finished product at the prototype phase, the designer is able to enter product testing in real world scenarios and with end stage forms at a much earlier point in the process than would otherwise be possible. On a personal note I found it very gratifying to be able to print an incarnation of the tool in the morning, physically put it through its paces, modify the digital model and have the next generation in testing the following day.

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The ability to destroy the 3D printed tool recklessly (as it is no effort to print another) has let me prevent faults in the following generations. Predicting errors has excluded the possible major damage to the robot. By modelling a customized part, the costs of production are lowered generally as it can be adjusted to the mass produced, cheap elements that are available worldwide. Thanks to using standard parts, the product may be created anywhere with a desktop 3D printer.

If I had to choose the most challenging part of the process, it would definitely be the formulation of constraints. Playing the role of the customer as well as the designer has motivated me to fulfil my own high expectations.

It is these intersections between play and work, local craft and global automation, digital and physical, producer and consumer that hint at a possible new way of seeing the world. In combining such differing perspectives and scales, seemingly contradictory ideologies are melded into a new and colourful hybrid.

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Future work

As with any project undertaken in a fixed period of time, there have to be limits in respect to the scale and scope of the work. To be able to focus, and have depth, this project has mainly concentrated on the process rather than hugely ambitious end results. However, moving beyond this year-long endeavour this project would have the opportunity to experiment with creating larger-scale sculptures and would use the freedom from time constraints to really explore the materials and pattern aspects of the abstract Snutki-style.

In addition, some of the students from the years below me (Magda Mojsiejuk, Jadwiga PaĹ&#x201E;czyniak and their team) have expressed interest in using the tools to create Gaudi inspired architectural sculptures by hanging the thread between two points. When dried, this would be inverted leaving an impressive domed structure.

This goes to show, that having brought this tool and style of working into the world, it may well take on a life of its own and end up being used in new and unpredictable ways.

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Second year studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s structure prototype

Final Exhibition

The project was exhibited in Concordia Design in PoznaĹ&#x201E; as a part of the first in the history School Of Formâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Graduation Show.

It was a great opportunity to discuss the project with well-known people from design world such as the trend forecaster Lidewij Edelkoort and many business representatives.

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Ref 9. Solaris company representative

Ref 9. Lidewij Edelkoort

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Dorota KabaĹ&#x201A;a

References

Ref 1. Snutki embroidery- http://snutki2013.blogspot.com/ Ref 2. Łowicz cutouts- http://folkstar.pl/ Ref 3. History of Snutki- A. Glapa, Wielkopolski haft snutkowy. „Konteksty. Polska Sztuka Ludowa” t. 9, z. 4: 1955, s. 193-205

Ref 4. ICD and ITKE Universities- http://icd.uni-stuttgart.de/?p=11187 Ref 5. Mischer Traxler- http://www.mischertraxler.com/ Ref 6. Besau Marguerre- http://www.besau-marguerre.de/ Ref 7. Silk Pavillion MIC- http://matter.media.mit.edu/ Ref 8. Compositence- http://www.compositence.de/ Ref 9. https://www.facebook.com/schoolofform?fref=nf&pnref=story

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My name is Basia DĹźaman and this is my graduation project in the 4th year of Industrial Design at School Of Form, PoznaĹ&#x201E;, Poland.

I always loved science and logic, but also had a soft spot for aesthetics. I chose to study art at first, but I missed logical thinking so much that I decided to move to School Of Form where I can combine both passions.

In every project I am thinking about solutions to problems which happen now and in the future.

Starting from defining the problem, observing peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs, performing research and a humanistic analysis (from psychological, sociological and anthropological perspectives), I then look to engage with available technologies such as rapid prototyping, robotics, and draw up 3D models to pursue end-user studies with a finished product.

For me design is all about simplicity, aesthetics and passion. I enjoy working in a team and sharing experiences. I am as enthusiastic about getting to know new technologies, as I am towards designing itself. I believe in networking and continual learning, trying to find a common language between people from different disciplines in order to fuse things which may at first seem unmatchable.

If you have any more questions, please contact me via e-mail: barbbasia@gmail.com or visit my on-line portfolio: http://cargocollective.com/barbbasia