Saul Digital Fabrication Elective
From School of Architecture, University of Limerick Wiki
Digital Modeling and Fabrication is a process that joins architecture with the construction industry through the use of 3D modeling software and CNC machines. These tools allow designers to produce digital materiality, which is something greater than an image on screen, and actually tests the accuracy of the software and computer lines.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Case Studies
Here you can find is a collection of case studies related with digital fabrication and digital craftmanship initiatives around the world.
[edit] Online Printing Services
- Shapeways is a 3D printing service that sells and manufactures objects that are uploaded and created by users. The platform provides community members the ability to share ideas, gain access to cutting edge fabrication technology and offers the opportunity to make money by doing so. Customers can use the marketplace to purchase printed objects from gifts to gadgets to mathematical art. The service is similar to others such as Thingiverse, but the jump in service provided by Shapeways means that not only are models and ideas shared around the community, but users have the potential to earn money from their designs. The manufacturing methods offered include the ability to print designs in plastics, metals and glass.
- Ponoko The world easiest making system. They not only provide a printing 3D 2D service but a truly digital fabrication marketplace.
[edit] Digital Craftmanship
- Unto this last Digital Craftmanship. A software-oriented furniture company based in London producing custom plywood furniture designs at low cost.
- Legare Furniture - A furniture company which uses CNC to fabricate tool-free assembly furniture. Watch an assembly video here
- Sprout furniture for kids - Modular tool free assembly furniture for kids. Currently trying to start up with Kickstarter. Find a 60 second assebly video here
[edit] Alternative CNC technologies
- CandyFab - A low cost alternative to selective laser sintering, whilst working on the same basis. It uses sugar as a medium and a hot air jet instead a laser. Much lower resolution on produced objects.
[edit] Digital fabrication in architecture
- Vineyard Estate Gatenbein[2] by Gramazio & Kohler ETH Zurich.[3]
- Architectures volantes by Gramazio & Kohler and Raffaello D'Andrea ETH Zurich.
- ICD Institute for Computational Design faculty of Arhitecture and Urban Planning. University of Stuttgart.
- CNC House A flatpack Disaster House and Shelter System made of router-cut European sustainable birch plywood pieces that fit together like a 3D puzzle, requiring no nails, screws or glue.
- WikiHouse is an open community construction set. Design, share, download and print CNC milled houses and components
[edit] Digital fabrication and Open Source
- Joinery files Open source downloadable files for complex joinery details.
- Simple CNC Chair - Can be made from one sheet of plywood.
- Open Source Blueprints for Civilisation A network of creators sharing designs for open source hardware. It allows for easy DIY fabrication of the machines necessary to develop a civilisation. What they produce is a modular, flexible and efficient way of producing the mechanical infrastructure upon which the "open source ecology" operates. Find their wiki here
[edit] Designs that use CNC for minimizing material
- CNC Shelves The aim was to use in the horizontal every single little piece of wood cut in the vertical panels. The precision of the software and machine allow for the calculations necessary for the efficient use of material.
- Pano chair This chair is a specially designed furniture that is handy, stylish and accommodates in your less spacious home easily.
- Cut-out Furniture Various types of furniture types can be made from the one sheet of plywood just varying the "cut-outs".
- Fold up furniture Designer Nathan Tobiason of Revol-Design has design these simple pieces from a single piece of 13 ply Baltic birch plywood. Put together using stainless steel piano hinges provides strong, bendable joints.
- Heatherwick Plank Chair A plank of wood that folds up around itself to become a stool or bench.
[edit] Other references
- Aerospace Manufacturing - A simple and accurate way to build aircraft components by using CNC. The CNC allows for better precision even on small projects - Wing Building.
[edit] Digital fabrication technologies
A compilation of technologies used in digital fabrication
[edit] Digital tools for fabrication
This article showcases different software solutions used in digital fabrication:
[edit] CNC Controlling Software
- Mach3. Is a PC-based software for controling CNC machines.
- LinuxCNC is a software system for computer control of machines such as milling machines, lathes, plasma cutters, cutting machines, robots, hexapods, etc
- RepRap control software for the Open Source RepRap 3D Printer
[edit] CAM software
Computer Aided Manufacturing software. It is used for creating CAM files Gcode from CAD and 3D modelling softwares. More Information on Gcode files here
- CAmBam is an application to create CAM files (gcode) from CAD source files or its own internal geometry editor. CamBam has many users worldwide, from CNC hobbyists to professional machinists and engineers.
[edit] Rhino Plugins
- RhinoCam is a CAM plugin for Rhino, this plug-in offers an easy to use yet powerful general purpose machining program for the general machinist. RhinoCAM includes 2-1/2, 3, 4 & 5 axis milling and hole making operations.
[edit] SketchUp Plugins
- BezierSpline. Provides tools for more complex curves. Also can convert lines to polyline. Download here
[edit] Other software
- Solidworks. a very complex program for detail modeling and fabricating on the CNC machines [1]
[edit] Software guides
A guide describing how to turn your [sketchup model into DXF or STL files]
[edit] Blackfoot CNC 4x8
An article about the CNC router that will be built
