DIGITAL DESIGN + FABRICATION SM1, 2017 Panel and Fold (Stool) Yifei Qiu, Zijian Shi, Xianghan Wang
825853, 784044, 741538 Joshua Batterham Russo Group 6
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THE COLORBLADE 3
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1.0 Ideation
1.1 Measuring the object 1.2 Object System Analysis 1.2 Sketch Model 1.3 Sketch design proposals
2.0 Design
2.1 Design development introduction 2.2 Digitization + Design proposal V.1 2.3 Precedent research 2.4 Design proposal V.2 2.5 Prototype V.1+ Testing Effects
3.0 Fabrication
3.1 Fabrication introduction 3.2 Design development & Fabrication of prototype V.2 3.3 Design development & Fabrication of prototype V.3 3.4 Final Prototype development + optimization 3.5 Final Digital model 3.6 Fabrication sequence 3.8 Final Model
4.0 Reflection 5.0 Appendix
5.1 Bibliography 5.2 Credit
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0.0 Introduction
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Our project; Color Blade; aims weaken the personal space barrier between people and encourage people to communicate and engage with others. The model uses it color patterns and its folding details to gain people’s attention and attract them to explore around the design. The lighting inside of the design also gives the model more fantasy and mystery feeling.
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1.0 IDEATION ________________________________________________
Ideation Object: Folding Stool Material System: Panel and Fold Working Mode: Individual Work
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1.1
Measuring the Stool The stool was measured both digitally and in reality. Firstly, I measured the stool with a normal tape ruler to get an idea of what the overall size of the object is. And then, I took photos of the stool from different directions; scale them in Photoshop; print them out; and trace along them to produce the plans and sections. Also the data gathered from the measurement drawings are used to build the 3-D model later on.
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PLAN SCALE: 1 : 2
220 mm
Plastic Rubber
280 mm
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SECTION A - A
ELEVATION
SCALE: 1 : 2
SCALE: 1 : 2
220 mm
122 mm
220 mm
210 mm
138 mm 250 mm
Rubber
250 mm
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1.1
3-D Modeling The 3-D model of the stool was built in Rhino. The 3-D model is capable of presenting much more details of the stool and allowing us to learn how the stool works much easier. The model was built in its original size in Rhino and the connection and rotation details were specified. Different parts of the stool were modeled individually and then combined together. The exploded image on the right shows clearly how they are assembled together.
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1.2
Motion Analysis
Fully Closed
Half-way Open
During the process of folding ad opening up the stool, there are distance changes in both horizontal and vertical directions. Due to the ‘Roller Joints‘ used at each connection of the stool, applying force in one direction will also cause movement in other directions. Which when the wider sides are being pushed together; it will cause the other side plates to fold-in toward the center of the stool and the upper plate to fold-out. Which, end up with a conversion from ‘height‘ to ‘width‘.
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334 mm 292 mm 210 mm
250 mm
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1.2
Detail Analysis The Main material of the stool is plastic.
The main material of the stool is plastic; and there are several reason that plastic is chosen for this particular structure. First of all, this folding stool only cost 5 dollars in the shop, plastic is a relevantly cheap material to use. Also, the stool is design to be portable and strong at the same time thus plastic can be very light weighted and with some strength. Furthermore, plastic is easy to form complex shapes during manufacture process.
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The inside of the connection part of the stool. Each of the rollers are partly hollow on the internal side of it; not only to reduce the weight; also to create a slot that make sure the chair is stable and will not have any moments after it is fully opened.
Rollers are used at the edge of each standing plates to connect each parts together and also to allow the connection to rotate in order to let the whole stool fold together.
Waffle Structures shown in the section drawing.
These waffle structures are evenly distributed on the internal surface of the folding stool. As said the stool needs to be light weighted and strong at the same time. These wafflelike strips can provide more strength to the plate without adding on too much weight to the whole structure.
1.2
Sketch Model Before completing this model, I've gone through a lot of examining and explorations. The idea of this ideation model came from two different sources which is the stool and the in-class activity I did. When I was observing the stool I found out that different parts of the stool are folding into different directions; which makes the stool a three dimensional object from a two dimensional plane. Thus I examined this idea on my model and with more randomness that every parts are folding into its own direction. Also, when we were folding hexagons and heptagons; i found out that due to the material and the shape, it is really hard to form stable structure and they ended up really loose. Therefore, I chose cardboards and to triangle which are relevantly stable. This model was all about folding and positioning in my point of view.
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1.3
Sketch Design #1 Thinking of personal spaces; the first thing that come up to my mind is a controllable space. It is always annoying to deal with whom you don't like that much. Thus I designed this ideation of a barrier that is folded together normally; when encountering 'danger', the barrier can be pulled out and become a screen that can peel you off those annoying ones.
Squish
Pull
The top part and the bottom part of the screen elements are folded reversely so that a space can be created during the process of opening the screen in order to provide a second chance for us to make sure what is happening outside. Also, this leads to the idea from the stool; which a single moment can trigger different directions of folding and displacements.
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When the screen is half opened there will be a small gap between that allow the person to look out.
1.3
Sketch Design #2 This design was based on the ideation model; it is the further extension of the triangular folding pattern of the ideation model. The whole design is proceeded by the same method that is carving and folding. When I was developing the ideation model I found out that these folded angles were actually quite sharp and thus I decided to use them as defenses of the person. The corners are all pointing outward which can give others a sense of repel; and work as a warning sign. The shape of this design also came from the inclass work we did in tutorial. The triangles can form a quite sharp corner after folding. Also this 'suit' goes over the neck and covers the month of the user; which to my point of view; can gives the user a sense of safety. (In Japanese Kento, neck is considered the weakest part of the human body)
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1.3
Sketch Design #3 What if you can create a space that others can not get in? This design can make the personal space of a person very flexible; that it can defend your privacy from any angle. The hexagons are connected to each other with rollers which came from the connection of the stool. The surfaces of hexagons can be either extended or folded back together; so that you become harmless and friendly again.
Folding and stacking the hexagons together give this structure mobility that people can carry around.
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Swing it! So he will not get any closer to you!
Reflection
Module 1 was the first beginning part of the digital design and fabrication course. The module provided many important informations and presented a great introduction to us on what the project will be like in the future. The way we measured items in the tutorial was completely new to me; that I never thought before there can be that much informations even in a coffee cup. It introduced me to a brand new way of looking at stuffs around me. Also, the sketch designs and the digital model were good warn up for the up coming projects. 19
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2.0 DESIGN _______________________________________________________________
Material System: Panel and Fold Working Mode: Group Work Group Members: Zijian Shi, Xianghan Wang
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2.1
Introduction To start up our design; we first looked at the personal space notions which is the core of this project. When looking at personal space of a person; we tried to focus on one individual person since each person have there own taste and preference. The diagrams indicates the specific personal space of one of our group member. Personally he doesn’t like to be touched on his arm and shoulder, and he also feel unsafe and uncomfortable when people standing close to him behind. We also see personal space as the comfort zone of people that in what range they will feel comfortable when engaging with others.
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These images represents the personal space when people are encountering each other. We are interested that when close friends or couples meet each other the two separate personal spaces can merge into one. If you trust each other enough you will feel relaxed and safe when you are with your friends.
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2.2
Design Proposal V.1
This design is based on people who are very shy and feel unconformable to express their emotions. Shy people can easily be discriminated by others since they can’t even express they anger. And for the shape of this model we looked at a image showing the emotions of a person that are exploding and ejecting out of his mind. We tried to represent a person’s feeling and emotion by these spikes showing that he or she is a person with emotion and attitude but just too shy to express them. Also the design is suspended on the shoulder of a person since shoulder is the widest part of a person and can maximum the effect of gaining attentions.
The Design at this stage was based on the idea of expressing one’s self to others. And we believed that a person who can express his or her true feelings deep in the heart should be admired. And that gives the effect of attracting others to come and engage with you.
Front
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Side
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The interior of the model
The model shows a single layer of the design. The spacing between the spikes can give the design more visual deepness and allow people to see through the design and the different shapes or colors.
Emotion exploding Image 1
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Image 2
2.3
Precedent Research Puppet Theatre by Huyghe + Le Corbusier The entire Puppet Theatre are built with more than 500 individual polycarbonate panels that are folded into triangular shapes and diamond shapes. These regular shapes allow the structure to be very simple to assemble and move; since each individual shapes can be interlocked together easily and form a complete self-standing structure. Layers of moss covers are installed into the panels; compared to the lightweighted structure, the moss covers appears to be floating slightly above the structure.
Regular Geometries, Organic forms, Clear Carving lines.
Image 3
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Representative prototype of the precedent
Precedent applied to design Regular Geometries, Organic forms, Clear Carving lines.
Representative prototype of the precedent
The sketch model also shows a diamond shape on the other perspective and also forming a interior space.
Development #1 Refining structure and keep the shape
Development #2
The idea of individual small particles forming a complete and unity structure really influenced our designs. We all considered triangular elements in our own sketch designs but we were all trying to insert them randomly without control. This puppet theater showed us a great example of using small systems to form a larger structural system.
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2.4
Design Proposal V.2 Influenced by the precedent; we aimed to form structures in a larger scale with the original spade shape from version 1. The individual module was kept but instead of having single strips sticking together, the spade was cut out from a larger sheet of panel. Different panels are connected on the folding edge of the spade-shape-structure; and thus it will give the design more deepness and interesting details for people to observe.
Front
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Back
Side
The desig ing form t engage a patterns. attract pe the design simple in t walking to by folding different c can attra on this de connecte
gn aims to create a interestthat can attract others to and explore with controlled The idea of using colors to eople is also added into n. The design looks quiet the front view but when owards it; the gaps formed g are showing more of the colors in the inner layers. It act people to explore more esign such as how they are ed or the colors inside.
Front
Back
Left
Top
Perspective
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2.5
Prototype + Testing The prototype is a test of the color combination of the design version 2. And it is only a part of the whole design. The model is made of hard color card and the joints are connected with fabric lines and tapes. In the further development harder material and better connection method need to be improved.
Front
Back
Side
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Testing Effects
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Reflection
The module 2 was a combination of ideas and concepts which for the first time we get to work in a group and generate a single design. We all had our own ideas for the project and it was really hard to unite the ideas at first. We got stuck at the ideation stage for too long at first and that made it really hard to keep developing our project; after we’ve finally decided an uniformed idea there were not much time left for us and we have to rush to finish the M2 journal. Thus we were really lack of testing and experiment in our M2 journal. The module 2 really challenges us to work efficiently as a group, and that was what we were lacking of and need to be improved. Also, it was a great practice of my Rhino skill as well, due to the system we chose, it requires a lot of 3-D modeling skill, and I found the technique I learnt during the period were extremely useful even in other subjects.
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3.0 FABRICATION _______________________________________________________________
Material System: Panel and Fold Working Mode: Group Work Group Members: Zijian Shi, Xianghan Wang
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3.1
Introduction In M3 fabrication process; we have made a lot of changes to the designs we had in M2. In M2 journal we focused on producing a showy design that can gain people’s attention and encourage them to engage with you. The basic idea of the design was to gain people’s attention with the boldness of our 2nd skin and to attract them into your personal space with the detailed folding and blurry colors. We aim to weaken the barrier of ‘privacy’ between people and bring people closer to each other. In the previous design, we used large panels with folding patterns on it and connect them on their folding edges. The design sits on people’s arm and shoulder that they provide a good position for the model to ‘stand out’ from the wearer.
- Material: Have more material test to find th most compression-resistant one, it should be hard, hence the bottom pieces cannot bend when exterior forces applied on above ones.
- Color Sequence: Find a specific color scheme based on the color theory, and en sure the color rank could be attrac tive and fascinating.
- Connection pattern: The previous connecting method should be changed because using glue or wire cannot ensure a solid joint.
- Shape of model panels: There is insufficient persuasion of the former shape could represent a person’s advantaged space, the later development would focus on finding a shape be more obvious and absorbing.
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The previous model was composed by several layers with different shapes. Hence the hierarchy of colors would be showed when they were overlaid on each other. However, it was a bit messy. We decided to refined the shaped of each piece in a more uniform way, and carried out several testing with shapes and forms. The original design was placed on human’s arm and shoulder, while for the improvements, the entire panels change from the side to the front.
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3.2 Design Development + Prototype V.2 The second version of prototype is a collection of several material and connection testing models. After the M2 presentation, we found out that the previous material would become not as strong after all the folding and cutting; it ended up with the whole prototype too flat after applying forces on it. Also we found out that, after a period of time, most of the previous connection in the first prototype has came off. And thus we went through several material tests and connection test with laser cutter and by hand at the stage of the design.
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We tested out different connection methods with the individual modules which can keep the spacial quality of the structure.
After the material and connection tests. We found out some suitable material for the model that is able to bend and still tough enough to hold the shape at the same time. The 1 millimeter box board and the 1 millimeter MDF board was quite strong in terms of maintaining the space between them but still not as flexible as expected. We ended up choosing polypropylene as our main material as it doesn’t break easily and it is very flexible. But the issue with polypropylene is that it will easily get burnt after laser cutting and using too much glue will ruin the material, and that’s why our first testing with polypropylene at this stage was failed. For the connection we ended up offsetting the different layers a bit so that it is not a edge-toedge connection and that worked quite well and was able to hold the modules together strong enough.
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3.3 Design Development + Prototype V.3 The third version of the prototype is a series of digital experimental model that aims to test out the overall shape and the detailed pattern of the design. The overall shapes that were developed in M2 was found a bit rigid and too bold. The large and irregulars panels are not only time consuming but also, very hard to control the shape of it. Thus we decided to go back to small individual modules. Testing with different modules and different base surfaces was carried out. We tried to change the direction of the modules before distributing them onto the base surface with paneling tool; and they provided different transparency of the model and also gave us new solutions to the connection between layers.
During the development, m arrangement of distributing th paneling tool are still quite ra we decided to develop w
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many different surfaces were tested out and different he small modules were developed. But the result of andom and it would be really hard to fabricate, thus with some more regular shapes and give them some variety by changing their sizes and colors.
We retained the original spade shape as the basic shape and developed a curved and rounded spade-shape surface as the basic module. And then we tried out different ways of arranging them and finally came up with final design shown on the right.
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3.4
Optimization Prototype optimization - Effect
Our analysis on personal space aims to attract people to engage with the person who is wearing the design. We want to make the shape of the design more eye appealing and significant to people. Also, contains interesting details that allows people to explore inside your personal space area. The panels may looks flat on the front view, but when walk around the details are shown more and more to the viewers.
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To add up to the effect of th model, and to make our de sign can be appealing even i a dark environment; little ligh stream was applied beneat each layers. These lighting e fects gives the whole design sense of fantasy; and at nigh time, things that can shine ca be more attractive to peopl since compared to the su rounding dark environment; is more noticeable. Also due t the transparency of our mate rial, the light can also annotat the colors and the different lay ers that they can light up eac layers of the mode
he ein ht th efa ht an le urit to ete ych el.
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Prototype optimisation - Fabrication
In the M2 design , The reference line on the small piece of folding shape has been drawn manually for the purpose of making folding shape to create the volume on the structure. But for the expanse of the fabrication method. The drawing of the dash line is very important in our fabrication process.
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On the digital model, the dotted line has been draw in the middle part of each small folding shape. Then the digital model was send in the laser cutter. The laser beam will cut through the solid line on the object. But for the dash line, the laser cutter will make the connect joint of the folding surface not be the stiff way, but it’s still connect on the surface, compare to the etch strategy. The flexible joints fabricated by the laser cutter through the dash line on the surface is also prvoide the small folding shape to fold in two way to persist our folding strategy in the more simple and efficient way. The volume of the structure has been created base on that.
During the fabrication, we found that polypropylenes is not a stable material for laser cutting that they get burn marks and melt sometimes. And also due to we provided our own material to the cutter, the first try we did was very nasty. After that we provided more material that allows for a material test; by changing the temperature of the cutter the final cut was quite clean.
For the connection of polypropylene, we have tried all of these of kind of glue and finally found that super glue is the best one, also the connection part is better happened on flat surface. Besides, UHU for plastics was also a good choice for the adhesion of Perspex and polypropylene. The support frame also need to stick on clothes, and we choose hook and loop tape to connect thatďźŒthus the entire structure became strong.
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Prototype optimisation - Materials The original material is colorful papers, but it is easy to bend and hard to remain the space between panels. Material test: - Boxboard - Wood brown mountboard - Polypropylene Boxboard and wood brown mountboard is hard and solid enough, however, the overall shape of panels are placed around front body, hence the connected units are hard to bend and cannot fit perfectly. The result is that polypropylene is the best material, it is easy to fold and still remian the space in-between. Otherwise, it has colorful types which satify a aesthetical view.The colorful polypropylene is the main material that we applied on the folding pieces. Through the initial design, we try to use the color card board to shows the attracting color on the design, but the color on the card board is very bold. Then we found the colorful polypropylene as the transparency material to show its color in the crystal way, instead of hypostatic color from the previous cardboard.
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For the choice of the colored polypropylenes, we gave up on the traditional rainbow spectrum color pattern for the dessign; the color had too much differences between each other and they tunred out to be too bold. Then we started to look at gradient color for the design; trying to present the colors in a more simple and elegant way. Purple, pink, white and transparent color are the main color that we focus on the choose of the color, to match on the theme of elegant. We also tested out other color combinations and we thought they would be too bright and bold.
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3.5
Final Digital Model This design is a combination of two major parts the supporting frame and the surface panels. The frames are designed to fit the human body curve and to hold the panels near the body. The color panels are partly connected to the frames to give them some flexibility. Also, the transparency of the material for the frames ensures that the frame does not overtake the panels but stays behind it and supporting them.
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3.6
Fabrication Sequences
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The Laser cut material was quite dirty after the cut.
Alcohol cleans the dusts on polypropylene board quite well.
All the pieces were separated from the cutting board.
Assembling the two sections.
Testing out the color pattern and the arrangement effect.
Testing out the color pattern and the arrangement effect.
A
Infill blocks in the pieces were removed.
Assembling the support frames.
Infill blocks in the pieces were removed.
The frames need to be assembled on a human body to fit the body curve.
Due to variations in shape and size some pieces need to be cut into two sections.
The final pattern.
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3.7
Assembly Drawings
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3.8
Final Model
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Reflection
Module 3 has been both the most interesting and the most challenging section of digital design and fabrication; where digital designs and physical models and fabrication techniques are finally coming up together. This is where the impacts are made and these impact challenge you whether you can solve all the difficulties that the reality is pressuring on you or it may force changes in your initial ideas and concepts. The real challenge for me in my design was trying to cooperate the relationship between a digital design and the fabrication restrictions. Foe this particular design paneling tool has been a huge part of the entire modeling process; most of the testing were done in Rhino with paneling tool. And, most of the times the items that paneling tool generated for you are way too complex for a laser cutter to fabricate. Especially when I was creating multiple layers of small objects; some modules were just twisted and sloped in very strange manners that due to the restriction of materiality and the laser cutter functionality; it is almost impossible to fabricate. Also, this is my first time to fabricate a project in such a large scale, the details that were required for such a large model were a bit out of my planning at first. Only laying out the laser cutting template took me days to finish. The module 3 has taught me a lot throughout the period; with the time pressure and the workload, I was forced to design and work more efficiently; achieving idea more precisely without too much hesitation. Also, fabricating such a large project contributed to improving my control to my design that I will have to think more about how can the design be fabricated; or will it stand in reality when I am designing the project. 57
4.0 Reflection _______________________________________________________________
Material System: Panel and Fold Working Mode: Individual Work The digital design and fabrication has been a challenging and helpful course throughout the semester. I’ve learn and improved a lot of skills during the process of the personal space project. The time set of the course were quite pressuring but it was helpful in terms of developing time managing skill. This course also developed my laying out skill in InDesign; that I learnt how to layout more efficiently and elegantly. Throughout the course; M1 was a introduction to the entire subject and the personal space project. We were introduced to a brand new way of observing and analyzing objects. The Rhino modeling was also a bit challenging at that stage. In the module 1 journal, I focused too much on the measured drawing and the 3-D model of the stool and ignored some of the analysis of the object such as the way it is folding and the connection of the different panels. Also the sketch designs were a bit lack of creativity and that is the result of not deeply analysis the system contained in the stool. Moving on to M2, as a group, we were really un-united at first that we can not unify our ideas together. The design process was didn’t go very fluently; the common problem in all three of our M1 journals was that we all didn’t put much effort into the sketch designs and that caused us really lack of ideas. And we were too hesitate on making decisions that we keep going back to discuss and discuss but nobody is making that final call saying ‘OK, we are going to do this!’. I guess we were all afraid of taking the responsibility of being a group leader at that time. Also, we did not distributed the workload to each group member reasonable in the M2 process. We didn’t get the job that we are good at and thus we were working really inefficiently. In M2 the other group member was doing the Rhino models and he is not good at paneling tool so that the designs we produced in M2 were really bold and without much control, also they were extremely time consuming. After we’ve reached M3; we all get more used to working in our group and we are finally able to work properly as a group. The major problem is the M3 was that we were trying to avoid solving problems when we were proceeding the fabrication. Mostly because of the time pressure, instead of figuring out a good solution when we encounter a problem; we start to fall back and try to go around the problem with a easier way. And that made our design a bit away from the right track; we’ve lost all the connections details we’ve been working on from so long that in the final design they just became decoration. But overall we’ve managed to produce something that can actually it on a human body for the first time of our lives. And I believe with the help of this course, I can improve myself better and better in the future study of architecture.
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5.0 Appendix _______________________________________________________________
5 . 1 Bibliography Image 1: Sol Ballard, How Thoughts Can Lead to Emotional Explosions, 2015, Tiny Buddha, http://tinybuddha.com/blog/how-thoughts-can-lead-to-emotional-explosions/ Image 2, 3: Huyghe + Le Corbusier, Puppet Theatre, 2004, https://app.lms.unimelb.edu. au/bbcswebdav/pid-5799373-dt-content-rid-22015209_2/courses/ENVS20001_2017_SM1/ ENVS20001_2016_SM1_ImportedContent_20160128045120/Puppet%20Theatre_MOS.pdf
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