Category Archives: CNC Cutting

Assignment 3 Model Fabrication in the CNC Milling Machine_Barrio 5

By iaac | Published: December 5, 2010

Team members: Andreana Papantoniou, Carolina Libardi, Erina Filipovska

The aim of this assignment was to create a foam model of our barrio using the CNC Milling machine. We first prepared a 2d rhino file of our barrio which had to be printed in the laser cutter at the scale of 1:5000 and on which we discussed and examined various issues concerning the 3d printing process and the way of union the different barrios (boarders, designing methods etc.). The file comprised the streets, the blocks and the buildings, all organized in one layer in order to be engraved. The boarders of the barrio were organized in a second layer determining the cutting lines.

We created the 3d rhino file using the required information from the web and we organized the buildings in layers, according to the number of floors of each building, giving finally the corresponding height. We added the 3 cm base of the model and the 2 mm height sidewalks and we changed the scale into 1:2000. We converted the polysurfaces into meshes and union them all together.

A barrio (Camp de l’ Arpa) that has not been previously allocated to any of the groups was added to ours a posteriori. Finally, the model was printed successfully in one piece. Because of the different height of the materials, we had to cut our piece through horizontally manually, in order to fit with the neighbor areas.

The digital design process

The fabrication process in CNC Milling machine & the final model

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The Table Bench

By iaac | Published: November 9, 2010

To think about a bench is to think about several people. And several uses. Some people read, others sleep, some sit and some eat. Sometimes it’s just good to be able to do it all. For the IaaCommunity Bench, we decided to keep it simple and keep it working. A table bench. As the section of the bench was predefined to enable the different proposals to connect, we started by defining that the top of the bench would be flat and the bottom would look like… a bench! The editing process begun by creating a cage with the command CageEdit>Select the Bench>BoundingBox> x=15, y=10, z=4. With the Control Points on, we repositioned the points so we could have the form imagined by us. After the form was defined, we needed to close the interior surface using the command Curve> Curve From Objects> Duplicate Edges. Then to create a surface and finally close the bench, we used the command Loft.

The next step was to use command Contour to create sections of the object in X and Y axis. For that, we created new layers, one for each axe. After creating the “ribs”, we created a new layer called “Intersections”, and used the command “Intersections” to create lines in the intersections between the ribs in X and Y axis. Those lines were used as guidelines to create pipes at the intersections between the ribs.

Using a Grasshopper script we chose ribs on the x-axis, the y-axis and the intersections lines in order to be faster instead of copying and moving each pipe one-by-one manually. After the intersections had been made, we baked the axis individually and grouped each rib by using the TOP view and selecting each line separately.

After we mdke a new layer called DOT, we used the Dot command to name each rib and group it with it’s piece so we would be able to move them around without getting the order of construction lost. We then rotated the ribs so they could be in the same direction. We trimmed each section in order to get the connection edges. Finally we used another script to engrave the numbers and our name in the pieces under a new layer.

To finish the process we deleted the previous layer DOT and drew a rectangle with the dimensions of the wooden board (1200×2500) under a layer Wood. We manually placed each rib on this plane in order to make the most efficient placement and the less use of materials. Finally we created a layer Cut and renamed all the ribs on that layer. The file was then ready to be exported as a .dxf format.

Posted in CNC Cutting | Tagged bench, Furniture, laser cutter, Plywood Ribbing | Leave a comment

laSer cUt benCh- Miguel Guerrero-Natassa Pistofidou

By iaac | Published: November 8, 2010

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Bench_Fabrication

By iaac | Published: November 8, 2010

Duygu Kirisoglu // Jesús Zabala

The main idea is based on the usage of both sides of the bench. To do so, the bench has been divided into two in the middle. The form of the bench is generated mainly with plug-in called t-splines which allows to manipulate the surfaces smoother. In order to do that all the surfaces are converted to t-spline surfaces. Commands in t-splines such as manipulator, grip selection, smooth toogle etc are applied on the object. After the design is completed all surfaces are converted to rhino polysurfaces in order to make the ribs of the waffle structure. Contour command is applied in both x and y axis with different distances. Thereafter, to have the notches on the intersection of the ribs’ surfaces, a grasshopper skript is used. Finally Project cplane command is applied on the surfaces to get all the pieces on the same level to print in lazer cutter.

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Assignment 2: The Bench [lasercutted]

By iaac | Published: November 8, 2010

Hugo Carvallo + Viraat Kumar

Viraat

After experimenting with the first exercise -where we have to come up with a Lego brick design, we have involved ourselves into this new assignment, which is to design a small bench and fabricate it using a laser cutter.

During the process we look at different precedents where we learned more about parametric design of furniture. We took a look at the ‘Parametric Couch’ designed by Seyyed Mohsen Hossainy, the ‘Chick ‘n’ Egg’ Chair designed by Manuel Kretzer of the group CAAD/ETH Zurich.

To carry you through the development of the bench in rhino…

Primarily we began with the curves and arranged the curves in a manner to get the correct curvature and bends.

Secondly, we lofted (loft) the contours to generate the form, thereafter we contoured (contour) the bench with sections longitudinally and latitudinally.

On generating the contours we created a planar surface (PlanarSrf) for each contour and used the intersect command to get the intersection lines.

A pipe was created about the central axis of each line and projected upward and downward about the mid point of the intersection lines.

The pipes in the upward direction were intersected and trimmed with the latitudinal ribs and likewise the downward pipes with the longitudinal ribs, such that, the groove of the ribs interlock with each other.

The face edges of each surface was duplicated from the Curve<Curve from Objects<Duplicate face border option.

Each curve generated was grouped along with the rib number (to make identification and assembling easier). The Rhinonest plug-in was used to quickly organize the curves on the size of the plywood sheet. The file was then exported to the dxf format for laser printing.

The bench has multiple properties, it does not only can be used as a seating furniture, but also as a tool where students can interact and use it to place cups, cans or bottles, also the lower part is open for storage where backpacks, books, shoes, and other objects can be placed.

Also posted in 3D Printing, CNC Milling, Uncategorized | Tagged bench, hugo carvallo, lasercutted chair, parametric chair, viraat kumar | Leave a comment

Laser Cutting ‘the bench’

By iaac | Published: November 8, 2010

Team: Mani Khosrovani & Manuel Huerta

The goal of this project was to create a bench that would be part of a series of benches to be used in a particular space. To do so, we keep the end sections as they are in the original file that was given to us. Our idea was to create a back to back seat, but also make it dynamic where you can sit in different positions and have a smooth surface.

To start modeling the original shape of the bench which is a polysurface you could use CageEdit command - bounding box/world/select cage points you want to work with and then global… when you finally get the modeling done you will have to contour the shape in both directions to make the curves, then you Join each of them in order to have a single curve, next step is offset these curves, after this turn them into PlanarSurfaces, these are the Ribs, after you have the ribs you do the intersections, ProjectToCPlane the ribs and arrange them in an area of the size of your sheet.

: Diagram of the bench

: Top, Front & Perspective view

: Bench to Bench connection

: Bench in use

: Laser cutter

: Bench finished

: Bench finished

: Bench finished

Posted in CNC Cutting | Tagged digital fabrication, laser cutter | Leave a comment

Laser Cut Bench

By erinafilipovska | Published: November 4, 2010

Group: Erina Filipovska and LuzMichelle Lavayen

Assignment: Digital Fabrication, Laser cutting

For this assignment we created a bench based on designing a waffle structure and getting into the process of fabricate our model with a laser cutter machine. The bench is actually a part of group a furniture, in order to do that we had some restrictions, the size should not exceed of the given bounding box (500 x 500 x 350 mm) and we should keep the 2 outer sides in that way all the benches could be put it together. We design a bench that could be comfortable, like a resting sofa.

The first step was to design the bench in rhino. We selected the existing geometry surface and Contour in order to get the final 2 contour lines, then we Loft the 2 polylines and rebuild the surface with 20 control points we got a closed surface and were able to turn the control points on. We modify the surface till we like the design and the proportions of the bench. Offset surface, and made another surface inside the first one to get the thickness of the ribs. Using the command Contour we made contours along the x axis and y axis with these polylines we got the ribs for the bench. We made the intersections with pipes and subtract them and got all the ribs with the connections.

The second step was to print the file with all the pieces of the bench. We used for material 2 sheets of plywood of 3mm thick with dimensions of 2.50 x 1.22 m. And then printed on the laser cutter machine

The third step is the assembling part. First we start with the vertical pieces and intersected with the horizontal in the top and the horizontal in the bottom and in the end the 2 outer vertical pieces.

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Bench Fabrication

By iaac | Published: November 4, 2010

Process:

This second assignment had the aim of fabricating a bench using laser cutting technology. The end product was to become part of a larger additive collection of furniture. We were given a simple 3D model designed in Rhino and our task was to shape it into our desired shape. Some constrains had to be observed, such as the fixed dimensions of the furniture.

Visualizing the bench.

We first generated a cage around the original Rhino model, adding control points in the three dimensions, 5,7,5. These control points allowed us to morph the model into our desired shape, although it wasn’t as easy as we though it would be. Visualizing the shape was one thing, but actually getting it done properly imposed several challenges, specially because we had certain design restrictions.

First problems

We discovered that some of our ribs were not thick enough to make it pass the laser cutting process. These ribs were so thin they would have been burned during cutting, or worse, cause an accident in the machine. Not only that, but we also saw, after closer scrutinity, that despite our first attempt, the chair would probably not be able hold structurally, let alone carry the weight of a person. We decided to start from scratch and try a thicker, less wobbling approach for our design.

Second design

Just as before, we began working with the original Rhino shape, using the same cage with control points on the axis, 5,7,5. This time, however, we went for a cleaner, smoother design.

Once we obtained the shape we wanted and made the intersections, the next step was to unroll the pieces into the construction plane and arrange them like a puzzle in the frame that would serve as a template for them to be printed.

Laser cutting.

Assembly

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Bench – 2d laser cut machine

By iaac | Published: November 4, 2010

Group: Liliana Viveros Diaz- Maria Margariti

The aim of this assignment was to design a bench that would constitute part of a collaborative furniture project and construct a model of 1:2 scale using the waffle structure and a Laser Cut machine. The bench should be designed by transforming a given model in Rhino within a bounding box of 500mm x 500mm x 350mm but keeping the end sections untouched in order to connect with the different benches.

Designing the bench model

As a first step in the design of the bench we exploded the initial model in order to separate the top surface and transform it. In order to do that we rebuilt the surface by putting 10 point counts to both U and V and keeping in mind that this surface is not only going to be the sitting surface of the bench, and therefore it should be comfortable, but also that it should fulfill our aesthetic criteria we activated the control points of the surface and started to move them at will.

We begun by hollowing the arched initial surface so that to create two pits that will consist the main sitting areas (more accurately, one sitting area for two persons), but keeping the back of the bench so that it is more comfortable. Then we moved vertically the control points of the back of the left side of the bench until the borders of the bounding box and we repeated the process horizontally by extruding the right part of the bench until the bounding box and at the same time hollowing the left, so that in one hand it would amplify the waving form and on the other hand it will enlarge the right sitting area and turn it towards the other. Afterwards, with the command Surface, Extrude curve, Along curve, we closed the shape, and by typing Boolean2objects we union the different surfaces. The final result acquired a biomorphic form that serves as a hug, as a nest for the users.

The waffle structure

After completing the form of the bench we started the procedure of the waffle structure system. We used the contour command in both X and Y axis in order to produce sections on the form every 50mm. Then, with the extrude curve command we extruded 50mm the curves of the y axis and due to the fact that the curves on the x axis form loops we used the command offset to offset them also 50mm and we created the surface by typing PlanarSrf.

Afterwards, we selected the ribs from both directions and using Curve Curve from object, Intersection, we intersected them. On each of the intersection curves we created pipes of 2.8mm thickness, we moved them vertically from the end point to the midpoint and then we copied them from the top end to the bottom and putted them in a different layer. Therefore we were able to intersect the different pipes from the according axis of ribs and delete the small part of the intersection by using the split command on each rib and the curve that was created by the intersection. With that procedure we completed the design of the ribs of the waffle structure.

In order to prepare the parts for the Laser cut machine (we used the Epilog Laser cut machine of the Fab Lab Bcn at IaaC) we unrolled each rib, we duplicated their borders and we fitted them in rectangulars of 450mm x 900mm that represent the plywood material of 3mm that we were going to use for the laser cutter.