advanced digital fabrication & construction: sheet · pdf file1 advanced digital...

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Advanced Digital Fabrication & Construction: Sheet Steel Fabrication

Andrew AnspachBrandt HewittAndrew LawrencePeter RiveraDaniel Wassum

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Table Of Contents

x. Introduction

4. Investigative Research

16. Material Studies

23. Complex Material Studies

31. Door Installation

36. Area 15 Installation

x. Reflection

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Sheet Steel Fabrication Introduction

The work that follows results from a collab-orative invesigation into the material stud-ies of sheet steel. Using a CNC plasma cutting table to fabricate the various stud-ies and installaion, this research seeks to explore new applications of steel in architecture and design. The primary method of investigation was the use of perforations in creating single pieces of steel that can be folded by hand into a predetermined shape. Working in a team of 5, the research team found new and intriguing utilizations of steel.

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Sheet Steel FabricationInvestigative Research

A Study of Sheet Steel Today digital technology stands to transform the processes of architectural design and construction. Through advances in compu-tation, fabrication, and construction technologies, a more direct rela-tionship between designers, fabricators, and assemblers now exists than in much of the recent past. The integrated method of design and construction work performed by these individuals necessitates clear communication and suggests that further exploration into the processesofproductionbydesignerscouldgreatlybenefitthequal-ity of resulting works. While it seems that the gap between archi-tecture and production should be narrowing at a rapid pace, current architectural practice often occurs with very limited contact between all of the involved parties. The work resulting from design in isola-tion of the making process often leaves much to be desired. Aside from creating disparities in worksmanship and assembly methods, uninformed design may fail to realize many of the opportunities forincreasedefficiencyandformalexpressionthatcouldbehigh-lighted by the knowledge of the fabricator. By actively engaging the processes of fabrication, designers can better understand the rich opportunities and inherent limitations of a material as well as the ability for its transformation by fabricators to inform the aesthetics of its construction. A critical understanding of material and fabrication processes by designers is essential to the transformation of archi-tecturalideasintobuiltworkofquality. Though the capabilities of computer aided design and manufac-turing have expanded, there has been a simultaneous decline in the qualityofourbuiltenvironment.Economicrealitieshavegener-ated more built work with less material and time to the detriment of designandbuiltquality.“Thetimeframeassignedtoarchitecturalproduction has been continually compressed, and the distance between design and fabrication is narrowing. At the same time we are losing direct contact in both social interaction and the material

fabrication process.” The thoughtless adoption of new technology in search of novel forms and ideas has led many in the profession to stylized designs that fail to address critical social, cultural, envi-ronmental, and economic concerns. In order to improve the aes-theticqualityofthebuiltenvironmentwhileaddressingsocial,envi-ronmental, and economic needs architects must pursue innovative approachestosolvingdesignproblemswithinhighlyefficientmeansofproduction.Toachievemeaningfulaestheticqualities,builtworkmust be visually expressive of how and why it was constructed. As architects seeking the beautiful expression of form and function in a culturally relevant work, our goal is to better under-stand the potential relationship of functional form with the culturally rooted technologies and processes of design and production. By understanding the fabrication processes, materials, and networks ofproduction,architectscanimprovethequalityandefficiencyoftheir design process and shape the built environment in a meaning-ful way. Research into both the cultural and technological history ofaspecificmaterialanditsevolvingprocessesofproductionwillallow us to focus our understanding of the material, its properties, its cultural identity, and the potential for its use in new and appropriate ways. Sheet steel offers an excellent opportunity for such an investi-gation and is the focus of this research. While it is clear that a single materialisunlikelytodefinewhatisnewinaneraofarchitecturalproduction , there remains an important role for functional aesthet-ics informed by material character and the making process. Sheet steel is a material well suited to inexpensive fabrication through the emergent and evolving processes of integrated digital design and fabrication. Through the unifying language of folding processes in sheet steel, this research aspires to consolidate highly variable partsintoaunifiedandevocativecomposition,whosesociallycon-structedmeaningisvisibleinthefinalbuiltform. During the Cold War, US defense spending funded the creation ofthefirstCADandCAMsystems,alongwithparametricmodeling,

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Sheet Steel Fabrication Investigative Research

in order to create an automated manufacturing process for the Air Force. In the interest of minimizing the gap between design and production, the Air Force sought full automation in its production of aircraft and weaponry. Ultimately, as discovered by the Air Force, theefficientproductionofCADandCAMdesignsrequiresthatjudg-ment and skill be exercised by both designers and fabrication tech-nicians due to variability in materials. In an early experiment with NumericalControl,GEexperiencedapartsproductionrunwith90%waste due to material inconsistencies. This failed implementation ofautomatedcontrolwasalsoverysociallycostlytoGE,whohadhoped to eliminate the need for paying an intelligent workforce. Today, the repetition of identical forms, even in large structural sections, is no longer necessary to economical mass production. The advent and development of computer controlled manufactur-ing now allows variation (within limits) to be produced at nearly the same cost as repetitive identical members. The economies of scale now possible through mass customization can be increased expo-nentiallywithdesignefficiencyintheuseofmaterials.“Thedogmaofmassproductionthatdominatedthe20thCentury,epitomizedby the universal steel section, is being challenged by the liberating potential of computer-aided design and manufacture, with profound implications for the conceptualization and construction of built form.” The theory of the intricate, as introduced by Greg Lynn, seeks to maximize the economic production of endless variety in service of continuous and voluptuous form. Intricacy in architectural form is composedofnumerousandinfinitelyvariablesmall-scaleelements,subverting the hierarchy of individual details to the continuity of the integratedform.Intricacyseekstheeliminationofthemodule“infavoroftheinfinitesimalcomponent”andimpliescompositionalfolding,weavingandjoining.Theintricateformisintendedtoinstilla sense of motion through time and space with its continually-devel-oping,“incomplete”character.LynnArguesthat

intricacy is organic form as each part is simultaneously related to every other part of the whole through the mathematical algorithms underlying their geometry. Withadvancingtechnologyandanincreasingdemandforeffi-cient production processes, the ways in which the parts for building assemblyaremanufacturedarebeingredefined.Methodsofcus-tomization which had been abandoned for much of the recent past are now being re-evaluated due to renewed interest in the integra-tion of design and fabrication. In the Centre Pompidou, Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers worked closely with engineers and fabricators, revivingaprocessofsteelcastingfromthe19thcenturytoformthebuilding’s distinctive structural gerberettes. The integrated, team based design methods explored by Piano and others work to pro-vide continuous communication between architects, engineers, and fabricators, resulting in a well-informed interdisciplinary dialogue. “Productionofmaterialsandfabricationofbuildingcomponentswillsoon be simultaneous. The age of mechanical production, of lin-ear processes, and the strict division of labor, is rapidly collapsing around us.” The recent development of computer tools in fabrication has greatly increased the material possibilities of steel through various techniques.CNCcuttingtechnologieshavegivendesignersdramat-ically increased precision, economizing the production of complex and intricate forms. Architects such as Bill Zahner and Frank Gehry have devoted most of their architectural careers to metal form-mak-ing, concerned not only with the surfaces but also with the integra-tion of skin and structure. Skin-structure integration requires a framework of modular design utilizing a mathematical constant to generate parameters for formal variation. Gehry and Zahner have collaborated to create numer-ous practical applications for the skin-structure

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component. Othertechniquesinsteelfabricationarealsorapidlyevolving.Folding processes, once only associated with paper are currently beingappliedtosheetedsteel.Bydefinitionafoldgivesanother-wise planar surface three dimensional characteristics. The example ofconceptualoverlapbetweenpaperandsteeltechniquescanbeenseenintheJapaneseartoforigami,whereasquareunitofpaper is folded into intricate shapes and patterns, resulting in a threedimensionalobject.Thesameprinciplescanbeappliedtosheet metal but with limitations in terms of material rigidity. In order to achieve a solid fold many designers such as Formtank utilize per-forations in the steel to fold along pre-designated lines. The formal resultsoffoldingfromasequenceofperforationstoasinglesheetof steel lends itself to the fabrication of Formtank’s ‘2d3d’ tables. The perforated sections fold up to each other to create the legs and structure of the table or desk, needing only a glass surface to serve as the tabletop. Folding not only gives aesthetic language to sheet metal but also provides overall rigidity to the structure through the trigonometricformscreatedbythevariousfolds.Themainfigureinorigami is the triangle, which is also implemented in truss patterns for its ability to distribute the different loads of the structure. Fold-ingprocessesaredefinedbygeometricalgorithms,establishingtherulesforchange/permutationwhilenotdictatingfinishedform.Whiletheadoptionoffoldingtechniquealonedoesnotguaranteerelevant innovation in design, its limitations and applicability remain undetermined; fertile ground for exploration through research. The theory of the fold is related to both the processes and prod-ucts of design. Initially derived from Gilles Delouze’s The Fold, Leib-niz,andtheBaroque,foldingtheoryseekstounifypartsthrougha language of formal and spatial composition based on their laws oftransformationratherthantheirfinishedphysicalform.Foldingtheory, as explained by Mario Carpo in Folding Architecture, seeks to convey the sensation of motion or change through continuous variationintheformalqualityofthesurface,whilemaintainingthe

integrityofthewhole.Throughintricacy,aformallanguageofinfi-nitely variable small-scale parts, the hierarchy of individual details is suppressed in favor of a diffuse detailing throughout the whole.Acomparablebutdistincttechniquebeingappliedtometalisthatof tessellation. Unlike folding, where the same piece of material is manipulated by introducing folds, tessellations are an assemblage of initially separated parts. This assemblage of like components al-lowsthematerialtobecomejustaboutanythreedimensionalshapesolongastheindividualpiecesfittightlytogether.Tessellationscanbe traced as far back as ancient Rome, where they were employed twodimensionallyasamosaictechnique.Whiletilinghadnormallybeen seen as two-dimensional installations, the dawn of the digital age has enabled designers to create three dimensional forms by changing the way in which we look at the ancient method. Digital designers use several different methods to derive the intricate forms producedbytessellating.Onetechniqueinvolvesusingmeshestoconstruct polygons and subdivisions that mimic curved surfaces withoutactuallycurvinganypieces.TheHeliosHousebyOfficedAutilizes triangulated stainless steel panels that allow the structure, canopy, and kiosk of the gas station to be constructed forming one continuous surface . Other designers use patterns to dictate where the surface manipulations take place. Brennan Buck’s Technicolor Bloom installation used structural patterns and the surface geom-etriestopiecetogetheraseamlessflowofpatternedpieces.Theuse of the pattern in parametric modeling integrates individual components into the language of the whole. While tessellation offers anunlimitedamountofdesignpossibilities,thetechniqueislimitedby the need for a structural skeleton to hold each component, as the components are fabricated completely separate from each other. Richard Serra, an artist known for his work with large assemblies of sheet metal, is fascinated with the spatial language between twotorquedplanes.Heisanartistwho“hasputourperceptionofthings in tension with our conception of them: he invites our bodies, informedbymaterialsandstructures,todothethinking,“tothinkonourfeet.”Itisthejuxtapositionoftwosimilarsurfaces,similaris

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size,color,andtexturethatenhanceexperientialqualitiesinwaysthat transcend typical digital fabrication processes. It is the newly combinedproductiontechniqueswitholdpracticethatlendthem-selves to design that is aesthetic, structural, and responsible.The main component of most CNC and CAD fabrication meth-ods is the use of parametrics. Parametric modeling uses a set of constraintstodefineamodel(i.e.quantitiesanddimensions).Asthe modeling process becomes more complex, parameters may bemodified,whichcausethemodeltobeupdatedtoreflectthechanges.Thisallowstheusertocreateanearinfinitenumberofalternativesolutionsforanyspecifiedprogrammaticspace.KieranTimberlake’s Loblolly house utilizes parametric modeling to de-velop a modular system of elements, capable of being individually configured,thenrecombinedaspartofthewhole.Intheorytheseelementscouldbearrangedinmanydifferentconfigurations,withconstraintsappliedtothehierarchicalnatureofspecificaspectsofeach element. While it is clear that the advances of digital fabrication and design technology alone do not determine form or aesthetics, it is equallyclearthatthesenewmethodsprovideuniqueopportunitesforgeneratingcomplex,efficient,andrationalforms.Thistransfor-mation of process is preceded by emergent theoretical discourse as well as social changes in the networks of production. The linear, hierarchical processes of architectural production are being challenged by emergent interdisciplinary approaches to a parallel process of research, design, and fabrication. Folding theory, while emphasizing intricacy over modularity, still requiresasetofconsistentparameterstodefinethelimitsofformalvariation within the whole. Though subordinating the emphasis of the detail to the hierarchy of the continuous whole can generate voluptuous form, there is perhaps additional opportunity for rich formal language to be investigated in the nature of modules, details, andjoints.Byfurtherexploringthesignificanceofthemodulewithina design composition, the processes of making can inform the aes-thetics of resulting work. Through material exploration, we seek to

further evaluate the language of rational form in service of concrete function,producedwithmaximumattainableefficiency.Ininvestigat-ing the unifying language of folding processes, this research aspires to consolidate highly variable parts into a continuous and expressive whole,whosesociallyconstructedmeaningisvisibleinthefinalbuiltform.


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Notes

1. Mori, Toshiko, ed. Immaterial - Ultramaterial:Architecture, Design, Materials. XIII. 2. Leatherbarrow, David and Mostafavi, Mohsen. Surface Architec ture.Cambridge:TheMITPress,2002.,214 3. Moe. 7.4.Moe.10. 5. Carpo. 17 6. LeCuyer, Annette. Steel and Beyond: New Strategies for Metals in Architecture. 7.7.Lynn.10.8.Lynn.10.9.LeCuyer,9.10.Mori,Toshiko.XV. 11. Formtank 12.Carpo, Mario. Ten Years of Folding. 16. 13.Lynn,Gregg.10-12. 14. Iwamoto, 3615.Iwamoto,50 16. Iwamoto, 56 17. Foster, Hal. 8.


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Annotated Bibliography

Andrews,Kate.“LondonDesignWeek:Formtank’sstunning2d3dTables.”11Sept2008.Inhabitat.29Aug2009.<http://www.inhabitat.com/2008/09/11/formtank-folding-flatpack- tables/>

-Andrews,awriterforInhabitat,discoverstheLondon-basedfirmFormtankandtheir“2d3dtables”.Cutfromasinglesheetofmetalislasercutandperforatedinaspecificpatternallowingthesteeltoliterally fold into the structure of the table, leaving only a sheet of glass needed to complete it.-

Bryant, John, and Sangwin, Chris. How Round Is Your Circle? WhereEngineeringandMathematicsMeet.Princeton,N.J.:PrincetonUniversityPress,2008.

-Theauthorscreateabeneficialrelationshipbetweenmathematicians and engineers. By illustrating why mathematicians should re-gardpracticalengineeringproblemsasrealchallenges.Andrequiretheengineertosuspendpartialbeliefandrealizethatthe“thinlinesand perfect circles” of mathematicians cannot be fully disregarded. They explain how mathematics can provide the answer for geometri-cal problems created by the engineer, and how some mathematical experiments can be done simply by pen and paper, or more com-plexly with the use of complicated machinery and workshops.

Charleson, Andrew W. Structure as Architecture. Oxford: Architec turalPress,2005.

-Andrew Charleson explores the ideas of structure functioning as both the form and structure of buildings, in essence marrying engineering and architecture. Case studies such as the Baumschu-lenweg Crematorium, the Guggenheim Museum in Spain, and the worksofEricOwenMossprovidegoodexamplesofthismarriage.

Gary Shoemaker Architects. Urban Oragami: ARUP’s Complete Storefront.NewYork:EdizioniPress,2002.

-Gary Shoemaker Architects documents their research in the creationofwhattheycall“urbanorigami”developedfortheARUPstorefront.Theyspecificallylookatthe“unfolding”ofinteriorandexterior environments to create a seamless transition and allowing the public to grasp a greater understanding of art and engineering.

Greg Lynn, ed. Folding in Architecture. West Sussex: John Wiley andSonsLtd.,2004.

-Folding in Architecture captures the beginnings of new theory and practice in architecture immediately prior to widespread integra-tion of digital design and production methods. While many of the designsdetailedinthisbodyofwritingrequiredorwouldhavebenefittedfromtheuseofdigitaltoolsintheircreation,GregLynnarguesthat“noneofthemcouldbesimplyreducedtodigitaldesign,visualization or manufacturing tools.” The collection of essays and projectsexploresthetheoryofthefoldinarchitectureasaprocessratherthanexplicitlyasfinishedform.Thereisaconsistentdiscus-sionofan“architectureoftheintricate”throughoutthejournal.This


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“intricacy”isdefinedbyaninfinitenumberofunique,small-scaleelements acting together to form a dynamic whole. Rather than contrastingtheindividualrolesofdetails,intricacyjoinsthemacroand micro scale through endless variation within a framework of continuity. The concept of the fold in its architectural translation is mostwidelycreditedtoPeterEisenman’sadoptionofideasfromGillesDelouze’sTheFold,Leibniz,andtheBaroque.Thefoldrepre-sents a way of imparting a sense of motion through time and space onto built works of architecture (which are typically non-mobile) by continuous formal variation within a unifying structure.

Hall,Peter.“BendtheRulesofStructure.”Metropolis22(2003): 138-143.

-The company AlgoRhythms bends sheet metal into complex and elaborate forms based on calculations that attempt to decode the underlyingprinciplesofnaturalandartificialform.Algorhymicallygenerated geometries set out to modulate a stiff metal surface into several rigid curved surfaces without weakening the material. Typi-cally, in metal bending, the material is stretched to form to desired curves. AlgoRhythm gives a method where folding along perfora-tions enables the material to increase structural properties.

Hall,Peter.“Sheet-metalmagicians:anobscurecompanyisfast becoming the go-to fabricator for façade and structural innova tion.”Metropolis,2005Oct.,v.25,n.2:[114]-119,165,167,169.

-ThisArticlegoesindepthwithdefiningthe“metallicmeandering”ofmany Architects including Frank Gehry. This Article also talks about metal fabrication in three ways; production of skins, structures, and metalfabricatedsystems(monocoque).Thiscanapplytoour

research as it calls out all three types of fabrication applications. We can possibly look at all three to decide which is the best application for our research.

Hoard,Flannery.“Creaseistheword:geometricfoldsandcrisp twists bring sharp new angles to the fore in furnishing for the home.”Metropolitanhome,2007Dec.,v.39,n.10:158.

-InthisArticleitdescribesthedifferenttechniquesfordesigningfurniturewiththeuseofthe“fold”.Thefoldnotonlycreatesamorestructurallysoundpieceoffurniturebutitdefinesanewlanguagewithin the realm of furniture making. Lamination is only one of the main concepts when designing furniture out of wood. This process creates a more ridged and structurally sound piece. This can apply to our research by seeing this method of folding being demonstrated andexperimentedwith.Alsoitcaninfluencemethodologyofpos-sibly using steel in a manner that it wouldn’t necessarily be used. What I mean by this is taking steel and applying concepts such as lamination or others to the material of steel. This experimentation can hopefully add depth to our research with this material.

Kieran,Stephen,andTimberlake,James.LoblollyHouse:Elements of a New Architecture. New York, N.Y.: Princeton Architectural Press,2008.

-The authors explain their architectural process during the devel-opmentoftheLoblollyHouseproject.Byexplainingtheirdesignprocess and decision making process they enter into different aspects of architecture such as prefabrication, parametric design, clientspecificdesign,andflatpacking.Thesedifferentaspectsofthe design build phase allow other architects to begin to develop new mentalities for construction and design of other programmatic spaces.


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LeCuyer, Annette. Steel and Beyond: New Strategies for Metals in Architecture.Boston:Birkhauser,2003.

-Steel and Beyond introduces the current realm of steel and metal design, production, and fabrication with a brief history of metal build-ing technology. The writing asserts that we are in a time of rapid transformation of methods and means for design and production in metal. Because the reprogramming of computer controlled milling machinesisfarmoreefficientthanthemanualretoolingofpasterasofproduction,neworuniqueformsaremorereadilyattainable.Fol-lowing the brief contextual introduction, LeCuyer discusses a series of technological and methodological innovations through case stud-ies. There is a wide range of design and assembly methods within the examples cited. In addition to providing technical descriptions of theprojects,LeCuyerdiscussesthedesignintentandconstructionmethodsdevelopedwithineachproject’scontext.Throughoutthework there is an emphasis on the need for collaboration between architects, engineers, and fabricators in order to continue expanding the possibilities of architecture.

Makowski, Z.S. Steel Space Structures. London: Michael JosephLtd.,1964.

-Steel Space Structures presents a strong argument for the use of space frame systems. The author calls particular atten-tion to the possibilities for the use of space frame systems with “modern”prefabricationmethodstoreducetheexpenditureof both time and materials in the production of architectural space. After a brief introduction of the basic types of space structures (skeleton frames,suspended structures,

and stressed-skin systems) Makowski describes the inherent strengths of various space structures and their applicability to particular uses. The book is divided into 4 sections: single and double layer grid construction, braced barrel vaults, braced domes,andstressedskinsystems.Eachsectionprovidessome historical information about its type before describing “current”worksanddetailingtheresolutionofforceswithinthe system. Steel is emphasized in this work as it’s strength in both tension and compression makes it well suited to three dimensional structural systems. Steel components are also noted for their ease of use in industrial prefabrication and design for disassembly.

Slessor,Chatherine.“BrassOrigami:houseextension,London.”Architecturalreview,2005Oct.,v.218,n.1304:94-[97].

-ThisArticlesmainfocusisanadditiontoahouseinLondon,Eng-land. It speaks about the idea of using a metal cladding system such as brass and applying it to origami. This housing addition looks as if they wanted to keep the metal-cladding very ridged much like ori-gami but the out come actually appears as a tessellating aesthetic. This article can help us in our research to undergo an investigation of how tessellating panels can play in a cladding system. The clad-dingmaybeagreatstarttothisbutIthinkthatamonocoquemetalsurface is the way to go in our design.

Sulzer,Peter.JeanProuveCompleteWorksVolume2:1934-1944.Boston:Birkahauser,2000.

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The second volume of Peter Sulzer’s Jean Prouve books picks up at the beginning of Jean Prouve’s larger scale architectural work. Jean Prouve had thorough training in design and fabrication before becoming a builder and an innovative entrepreneur. After transition-ing from smaller scale workshop projects to larger built works, Jean Prouve became one of the first produc-ers of serially prefabricated buildings. Prouve’s designs emphasize workmanship, economy of material func-tion, and beauty while experimenting with novel forms. Though there have been unfortunate misinterpretations of Prouve’s work leading to misguided imitations, the ideas behind this innovative work are relevant today. Jean Prouve sought workman participation in an inte-grated production process to create high quality “tailor made production, not simple serial production.” Through very recent developments in computerized design and manufacture, the workers and the designers of today are increasingly able to work collaboratively in the pro-duction process.

Takahashi,Masaaki.““Springtecture”B.”Architecturaldesign,2006, v.76, n.1: 125-127.

-ThisArticletakesacasestudyfromArchitectShuheiEndo.Heex-plores the realm of corrugated metal within a domestic application. He goes in depth not only with the material, but the uses and the bending process. This can add an interesting effect to our research asitcangiverealexamplesthanarenotjustbeingusedintheurban context but in the local housing context. Although our

research is primarily focusing on the material of sheet metal and this article focuses on corrugated metal, I think that the properties and concepts that are being applied to this house can create or help us arise to a primary methodology and theory.

Wilson,Eunice.AHistoryOfShoeFashions.NewYork,N.Y.:TheatreArtBooks,1974.

-This book was written as a historical record of shoe design through-out history. The author emphasizes the interrelation of shoe fashion to the fashion scene as a whole, and how the trends changes in one directly affect the other. The author uses illustrations along with written text to explain the progression of shoe design along with the manufacturing process of the shoe.

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Extended Bibliography

Alini,Luigi.KengoKuma:WorksandProjects.Electa,Milan:Phai-donPress,2005.

Auckly,David&Cleveland,John.“TotallyRealOrigamiandImpos-siblePaperFolding”.TheAmericanMathematicalMonthly.Vol.102,No3,1995pp.215-226.

BallardBell,Victoria,andRand,Patrick.MaterialsforDesign.NewYork:PrincetonArchitecturalPress,2006.

Bosse,Chris.“DigitalesOragami-eineInatallationinSydney=Digi-talOrigami–andinstallationinSydney.”Detail,2007,v.47,n.12:1446.

Bray, Natalie. Dress Pattern Designing: The Basic Principles of Cut andFit.London:CollinsProfessionalandTechnicalBooks,1986.

DeFocatiis,DSA&Guest,SD.“DeployableMembranesDesignedfromFoldingTreeLeaves.”PhilosophicalTransactions.Vol.360,No1791,2003pp.227-238.

Demaine,Erik,andJosephO’Rourke.GeometricFoldingAlgo-rithms.NewYork:CambridgePress,2007.

Devere, Louis. The Handbook of Practical Cutting on the Centre PointSystem.Mendocino,CA:R.L.Shep,1986.

Gheorghiu,Adrian,andVirgilDragomir.GeometryofStructuralForms.London:AppliedSciencePublishers,1978.

Hall,Peter.“SheetMetalMagicians.”Metropolis25(2005):114-119.

Hudson,Jennifer.Process:50ProductDesignsfromConcepttoManufacture.London:LaurenceKingPublishingLtd.,2008.

Lefteri,Chris.MakingIt:ManufacturingTechniquesforProductDesign.London:LaurenceKingPublishingLtd.,2007.

McLean, William, and Silver, Peter. Fabrication: The Designer’s Guide.Boston:ArchitecturalPress,2006.

Milliken, Douglas L., and Milliken William F. Chassis Design Prin-ciplesandAnalysis.Warrendale,PA:SocietyofAutomotiveEngi-neers,2002.

Nonell, Juan B. Antonio Gaudi Master Architect. New York, N.Y.: AbbevillePress,2000.

Peterson,Ivars.“UnlockingPuzzlingPolygons.”ScienceNews.Vol.158,Sept.2000,pp.200-201.

Pollock,Naomi.“Foranarchitecturalphotographer,UrbanFourthdesigns Second Plate, a house and studio folded sheet metal evok-ingcrisp,whiteorigami.”Architecturalrecord,2005Apr.,v.193,n.4:[154]-163.

Plummer,HenrySheppard.“LiberativeSpace.”JournalofArchitec-turalEducation.Vol.40,No3,1987.

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Serra,Richard.TorquedEllipses.NewYork:EnterprisePress,1997.

Serra,Richard.TorquedSpirals,Toruses,andSpheres.NewYork:GagosianGallery,2001.

Storeygard,Adam.“GreekOrigami.”Leonardo.Vol.34,No3,2001.

Sulzer,Peter.JeanProuveCompleteWorksVolume1:1917-1933.Berlin:Wasmuth,1995.Thompson, Rob. Manufacturing Processes for Design Professionals. London:ThamesandHudson,2007.

Vyzoviti,Sophia.FoldingArchitecture.CorteMadera,CA:GingkoPress,2003.

Zieta,Oskar;Dohmen,Phillipp.“Stabilitythroughflexibility:anewwayofprocessingsheetmetal.”Detail(Englished.),2007Sept-Oct.,v.5:540-541.

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-Oncetheresearchpaperwas“complete”thenextgoalwastofindoutwhatwewereworkingwith.

-Beforewecouldcutoutanythingwefirstfamiliarizedourselves with the Plasma Cutter.

-Thefirststudymadewasastudyofperferrations.

-These perferations were designed as the weak points in metal which would allow us to overcome the sheet steel’s strength.

Plasma Properties Test Sheet

Sheet Steel Fabrication Material Study

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-Once we were more comfortable with the Plasma Cutter we began studying the metals properties and morespecificallytechniquesthatwouldhelpusman-ually bend the metal.


¼” Perforations Test Sheet ½” Perforations Test Sheet

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¾” Perforations Test Sheet

1” Perforations Test Sheet 1 ½” Perforations Test Sheet

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-Thetechniqueweusedwastocreateaseriesofperfo-rations with varying dash and spacing (D, S) lengths. We found out that the number of dashes in the material did not necessarily affect how easily it would bend, but rather the ratio of void to solid along the D&S.

Bend Studies

D1S1½BendStudies(Easier)

D¼S½BendStudies (Difficult)

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-Our next series of test is to come up with a method for creating both functional and aesthetically pleas-ing connections between the different parts.

- We have looked at creating TABs and welding the pieces together and also Spot Welding and Filling in a space with the mig welder. (These last two tech-niqueswerederivedfromLizRichard’sSoundBoothproject.)

TABs

INFILL tab for mig welder

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Sheet Steel Fabrication Complex Material Studies

Complex Folds:

-ThefirstcomplexfoldstestedwereaseriesofReverseFolds.

-Unlike our paper studies we had to segment the reverse fold patterns into smaller modules for the simple purpose that we did not have the man power to overcome the material.

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Tessellations/Complex Folds:

-The WaterBomb pattern is a hybrid of the complex fold-ing and tessellations.

-This particular pattern proved to be a little bit trickier and thesequencingofthefoldsplayedanimportantroleinits success.

-Unlike the Reverse Fold, which was a direct translation of the paper study, the WaterBomb pattern acted differ-entlyforeachmedium.Inpaperthepatternflexedunderthe tension allowing the material to form the correct 3-dimensional form. In steel the material was too strong to overpower and therefore could not be folded into the correct form.

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Structural Properties:

-As discussed before, one of our goals with this mate-rial study is to utilizes the structural properties of the material.

-We understood sheet metal could be used as a rigid hor-izontal plane, but we wanted to incorporate the metals spanning capabilities into our research.

-We designed a spanning member we named the AirplaneTruss

-The AirplaneTruss incorporated our previous studies withfoldingandgaveaflatpieceofsheetsteelarigid3-dimensional geometry capable of spanning a reason-able distance (which is limited by the size of the Plasma Cutter).

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Sheet Steel Fabrication Door installation

Door Installation:

-TheDoorProjectisourfirstdesignprojecttoincorporatethe principles of our research.

-The intent is to design a skin for an (8’x4’) door which isdesignedusingthedifferenttechniquesinsheetsteelthat we have been exploring over the past few weeks.

-Duetotheaestheticsqualityofthedesign,theReverseFold pattern has been adapted to the programmatic requirementsofthedoor(muststillfunctionasadoor,door handle, safety, etc.).

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Sheet Steel Fabrication Door Installation

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Sheet Steel Fabrication Door Installation

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Sheet Steel Fabrication Area 15 Instalation

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Sheet Steel Fabrication Area 15 installation

Area 15

Thefinalprojectofthersearchinvolvestheuseofthepaperairplane-liketrussdesignintheArea15“rooflessgallery”.Eachtruss,formedbytwopiecesthatinterlocktogether, serve as armatures on which to mount lights during gallery shows and events.

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Sheet Steel FabricationReflection

The accumulated research over the course of the semester yielded a positive outlook on the applications of sheet steel. The door installation proved to be a suc-cessful application of customizable three dimensional pieces. Showing strength and rigidity, the truss design opens new realms of possibilities. If mass produced in an industrial environment, a customizable truss could be fabricatedanddeliveredonsiteasflatpiecesonapalletinstead of in large, heavy, prebuilt sections. While the research was constrained by the limits of hand folding, thetechniqueprovedtobewellsuitedforsmallscaleconstruction. The continuation of research will undoubt-edly reveal even more potential dof sheet steel.

advanced digital fabrication & construction: sheet · pdf file1 advanced digital...

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