Panel Mockup

Waterjet Research

Hey guys,
So I did my research, and here is the dealio:
-We can’t laser aluminum, it is too reflective.
-In steel, laser and waterjet are equal in speed.
-Powdercoat (paint) wont stick to a lasercut, but I don’t think that this applies.

I called around, and no one was able to give me a solid estimate without seeing the file. Obviously, the more cuts and the less intricacy, the cheaper. The company that I think that we should work with is the following:

South West Waterjet
http://www.sw-waterjet.com/
srswwj@yahoo.com
11101 Randall Street
Sun Valley, CA 91352
Phone: (818) 573-6463
-Max panel size: 78’x14’
-Can ship design via pdf
-Can make a rough or refined cut, refined takes more time.
-Tolerance: 0.001
-Can email design via pdf, and he will give us a $ for $ estimate
-Open Monday and will send me an estimate over the weekend if I want it.
-Charge between $125-175, sounding like $125, has gone down to $90 (I think I can work that out)
-And I worked my charm, he will give us an educational discount. Actually, he was willing to be very flexible to get the job. Who isn’t in this economy?

The other companies I called were more expensive and less flexible.
http://www.jaymfg.com/
Fernando@jaymfg.com
(800) 660 0529
-Max panel size:50’ x 100’
-$150/hr—Not a solid estimate, must see design
-Tolerance: +/- .010”

Charisma Design Studio
818 252 6611
-$0.25 cents an inch,
-Not willing to give much info without the file
Max panel size: 12x 6


So, as soon as we get a file, I can carry on with the communication and get this party started.

Flockbot

[c]space pavillion

this is dope

Unsmash!

Nevermind, so smash is not as accurate as aligning the C-plane. Yet another lesson learned the hard (but effective!) way.

Smash!

Smash. The command that would have been the much more efficient task to complete the task on my last post (creating 2d ribs). Well, I definitely wont forget it now...

Team A: Lattice Construction

So my team met to figure out our system, work out the details, and make a game plan for Wednesday. I went home to explode our radial ribs and convert them into 2d drawings for laser cut.

The random planes in the image represent the surfaces that I tried to project and orient each rib on. Project skewed the form, and the orient option ultimately disoriented me--never laying flat on the surface created. I continued problem solving, trying various options to get each rib to the degree of 2d precision that I was looking for.


Ultimately, I realized that I could orient the C-Plane to the object rather than orienting the object to the C-plane--and this is the route that I took. However, since each rib would require a different plane, I had to save each rib as its own file and orient the C-plane to each individual rib. I identified the ribs by arbitrary colors to communicate the construction clearly.


I continued to convert the object (rib) into 2d via Rhino command, and then exported each 2d drawing. I scaled the drawing to 1/2"=1'-0", and created a file of the all 6 ribs for laser print.

Ultimately, in order to create six 2d ribs, I had to create six 2d files. It was pretty labor intensive, and makes me wonder if there is a more direct process to complete the same task.


Ultimately, mission accomplished.

ex_03

Offset surfaces
Whoa, cool! Finally!


Considering aviation...


And a progression of the models as I developed an understanding for the paneling tool.

Intersecting panels


Inner and outer panels seperated

ex_03...and the paneling

So I paneled the surface
Then I offset it
The first time around, the panels had very ragged seams which didn't seem appropriate so I re paneled it with tighter seam.

Panels per surface--

ex_03

In creating a surface from the posted polysurface (first image to the right), I used the following commands:
>Dup edge
>>Move (duplicated edges)
>>>Loft

In my first shot, I used 5 control points in the loft--this left a lot of unaccounted for space between the surface I created and the original edges duplicated. I repeated the process with 5, 10, and 20 control points, and found success in 20 control points.

ex_01

I experimented with joinery techniques that create subtle curves out of orthogonal surfaces.

Space Frames: The Water Cube

PTW Architects, Beijing
Called the Water Cube (even though it's a box 584 feet square and 102 feet high, not a cube), this building's skin is made of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (a transparent form of Teflon) cells with either 14 or 12 sides. A space frame assembled on site from 22,000 steel tubes welded to 12,000 nodes holds the cells in place and provides a column-free structure with spans of 396 feet in either direction.
http://images.businessweek.com/ss/08/07/0730_olympic_architecture/3.htm


The structural design is based on the natural formation of soap bubbles which give a random, organic appearance. To achieve this, research was undertaken by Weaire and Phelan (professors of physics) into how soap bubbles might be arranged into an infinite array.
http://www.arup.com/eastasia/project.cfm?pageid=1250

Speaking of Legos...

Hahaha, Allianz Bank in legos. How cool is that?!

http://solissf.stores.yahoo.net/1105.html

Space Frames: Allianz Arena

Herzog & de Meuron Munich, Germany

From a distance, the building’s skin resembles blown glass, but up close, the arena reveals itself to be covered in plastic cushions made of ethylenetetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) foil a mere 0.2 millimeters thick, inflated by a constant stream of warm air. No two of the 2,784 diamond-shaped cushions are alike—each fits in one spot and one spot only, a feat of mass customization made possible thanks to computer modeling—and their installation required the talents of 35 mountain climbers. The cushions are illuminated by 5,344 lamps that change depending on which team is playing.

http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/bts/archives/stadiums/06_allianz/overview.asp

Space Frames: Audi Dynamic Frame

Audi's Dynamic Space Frame combines thinking in aerodynamics, environmental responsibility and a holistic approach to prototyping and manufacturing.

The Dynamic Space Frame integrates all fluid and electrical channels within the frame, a hydraulic fluid drive in place of a traditional driveshaft and suspension/body components filled with fluid that responds to electrical current to control the ride. A new level of individualization is achieved by its dynamic space frame made of an "all-inclusive" single material used for both the interior and exterior.

To offset the resources used for this concept, Audi purchased domestic wind power from Renewable Energy Choice and planted trees through Trees for the Future's Global Cooling Program.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jalopnik/278199094/