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Digital Fabrication Lab

A fab lab (fabrication laboratory) is a small-scale workshop offering (personal) digital fabrication. A fab lab is generally equipped with an array of flexible computer-controlled tools that cover several different length scales and various materials, with the aim to make "almost anything". This includes technology-enabled products generally perceived as limited to mass production. (Wikipedia)

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What Is a Digital Fabrication Lab (fab lab)?!!!

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WHY

IT

IS

C O N T E M P O R A R Y

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SOME EQUIPMENTS OF DIGITAL FABRICATION LAB

3D PRINTER 7-AXIS ROBOT

CNC KNITTING MACHINE

CNC WATERJET DIGITIZER CNC ROUTER

LASER CUTTERS

ZUND KNIFE CUTTER

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• It provides teachers with 3 dimensional visual aids

that they can use in their classroom particularly in illustrating a hard to grasp concept.

• Digital Fabrication make it easy for teachers to seize

the interest of their students compared to just showing the pictorial representations of objects.

• It enhances hands on learning and learning by doing.

Using this prototyping technology, students will be able to produce realistic 3 dimensional mini models

• It provides more room for interactive class activities.

How beneficial is Digital fabrication in Architecture Education ?

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7 AXIS KUKA ROBOT (KR100 HA L90)

• The 7 axis Robotic Work cell is a large format 6 axis articulated robotic arm mounted on a 10 m linear axis.

• The robotic system serves as a flexible, reconfigurable, motion control platform.

• A variety of tools can be mounted to the arm, including a high speed router spindle, miller and an abrasive water jet cutting nozzle.

• In addition to machining processes, the arm can be reconfigured to perform assembly work using a gripper.

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6 AXIS + 1 AXIS

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PHYSICAL ASPECTS • The Robotic system is composed of a Kuka KR100 HA L90 arm mounted on a K-1500-3

linear axis.

• The arm has a max reach of 2.8m and a max payload of 90 Kg. • The linear axis has a 10m travel. This allows the system to move between work cells,

allowing rapid conversion from one task to the next.

• The work cell is pre-configured with a 4'x8' cutting area for multi axis water jet and a 4'x8' cutting area for multi axis routing.

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PROCEDURE

• Robotic programming requires additional steps not found in typical CNC programming operations.

• There are two primary methods used to program this system.

• One uses the standard Mastercam software, using 3-5 axis tool paths.

• This is augmented by a plugin called Robot master, which converts the tool path to robotic motion instructions, and simulates the tool path on a 3d kinematic model.

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MATERIALS SUPPORTED

• In Water jet applications the robot can cut all metals and plastics, as well as rubber and wood.

• Milling application, mills the wood and mdf like materials to produce a desired form.

• In routing applications, The robot is limited to wood and foam materials.

• In general, robots do not possess the necessary rigidity to perform heavy cuts compared to a gantry or bridge type router.

COST Varies between ₤9500 to ₤10000 depending upon the model used

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Abrasive Water Jets 1. Water jet machining is a mechanical energy based

process used to cut machine soft and non-metallic materials.

2. Involves the use of high velocity water jet to smoothly cut a work piece.

3. During this process its kinetic energy is converted to pressure energy.

1. Reservoir 2. Pump 3. Intensifier 4. Accumulator 5. Control valve

6. Flow regulator 7. Nozzle 8. Mixing tube 9. Catcher.

Components-

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Has an ability to cut intricate design, at high speed without breakage- ‒ cutting granite, marble, slate, limestone,

soapstone, travertine, engineered stone or any other material for floors and counters.

‒ porcelain or ceramic tile for inlays or medallions;

‒ glass and metal for artistic accents and signage.

APPLICATIONS The Advantages of WJM are:

1. Water jet machining is a relatively fast process.

2. It prevents the formation of heat affected zones on the work piece.

3. It automatically cleans the surface of the work piece.

4. WJM has excellent precision. Tolerances of the order of ±0.005″ can be obtained.

5. It does not produce any hazardous gas.

6. It is eco-friendly.

WJM has following disadvantages which are: 1. Initial investment is high. 2. Requires large space for installation.

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ACHIEVED PRODUCTS…..

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FUNCTIONING of D IGITAL FABRICATION LAB

‘TAUBMAN COLLEGE OF

ARCHITECTURE ’

AS a Case Example

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The newly renovated Digital Fabrication Lab (FABLab) at Taubman College leverages state-of-the-art industrial technology to perform architectural fabrication research.

Currently the FABLab houses • six industrial robots, organized into three cooperative work cells, providing the ability to

work at a wide range of material scales. • A wide range of large-scale CNC machines

• including two 3-axis routers • one 5-axis router • one 3-axis vertical machining center for metals, one 3-axis water jet. • one 4-axis digital knife cutter.

• Lasers • 3D printers. • A CNC industrial knitting machine is a recent addition to the FAB Lab’s suite of digitally

driven tools, enabling complex textile forms to be produced for a wide range of applications.

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VARIOUS STAGES TO ACCESS AND USE FAB LAB AT TAUBMAN UNIVERSITY

The website and lab’s guide mention the important and fundamental information for students in order to assist them to efficiently learning and working. 1. Dimensional Limitations of the equipment (For the desired product)

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2. SIGN UP CALENDER

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4. PROCEDURE 1. Have an Idea

2. Become Familiar

with Equipment

3. Create the File

4. Submitting the File

5. Fill out Form

6. Pay for Print

7. Finishing

5. MATERIALS The manual or webpage describes the various materials that are compatible with the respective equipment of the digital lab.

3. FILE PREPARATION

• Checking Nurbs File

• Trouble Creating a Solid. (LA will assist)

• Exporting to STL

• Checking STL Mesh

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Conc l us i on

Given all these attributes, Digital fabrication seems to

hold some promising and groundbreaking innovation that

will definitely assist in the fulfillment of a productive

Architectural educational experience.

It turns students, professionals (users) from being passive consumers to active creators.

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R e f e re n c e s …

• https://taubmancollege.umich.edu/labs-workshops/digital-fabrication-lab • Dan Collins and Don Vance, Arizona State University, Digital Culture / 3D Tools

August 23, 2012

THANK YOU…..