For experimenting with the material we used a 1.2 mm thickness sheet. Before starting the milling the brass sheet was attached to the machine’s board using double sided tape and 6 screws distributed on the edges. The RinoCam file was set using “2D Engraving” in 2 steps of 0.6 mm each; the first one contoured all the triangles of the origami pattern and the second one cut them leaving 0.6 mm bridges that allowed us to fold the piece. In spite of the total depth of the milling was 1.2 mm as the material, some areas were not cut though. The solution found for next experiments was to increase the total depth of the cut.

For experimenting with the material we chose 5 mm thickness felt. The sphere is composed by 8 triangular pieces of 2 types and together they create a simple anchor joint . By testing the joint we were able to assay the tensile strength of the material which turned out to be good. Since the material is a soft textile, it does not keep the shape so the sphere looked squared depending on the angle of the viewer.

Laser cut parameters:

- Power: 130

- Speed: 60

- Height: 2

The piece was made in the Makerbot 3D printer. The joint consists in a hard center with 12 arms made to be attached to brass triangles. Each arm has a 1 mm of diameter hole to lock the arm into the brass by adding an additional stick piece. The precision of the 3D printer is not enough for the dimension of the hole and the arms were too long so they easily break.

FORMULA

Wool

MATERIAL DESCRIPTION

Wool felt is one of the world’s oldest man-made fabrics because it does not require weaving. Instead, it interlocks to form a continuous useful material. Through a process of manipulating, hammering, and steaming, scales on the wool felt fibers engage each other to form a lasting, resilient bond. The natural fibers in wool felt cannot be duplicated in the laboratory. Each wool felt fiber has a flexible microscopic covering of scales similar to the scales on a fish. Wool felt scales are made of keratin, the same tough substance that grows to form horns and hooves on cattle and other animals.

Keratin scales give wool felt fibers several advantages:

• They trap air to make excellent thermal insulators.
• They are extremely resistant to wear.
• They promote capillary action for wicking liquids.
• They form resilient bonds to absorb vibrations and shocks.
• They facilitate homogeneous penetration of chemical treatments.

 EXTRACTION PROCESS

Felt is a no textile produced by condensing and pressing wool or synthetic fibers together, using their own adhesion property.

BASIC PROPERTIES

ADVANTAGE IN THE CONTEXT OF DIGITAL FABRICATION

• Wool felt is highly resilient, retaining its strength and unique properties for decades.
• Felt does not ravel or fray.
• Felt can be cut to any size, shape or thickness with no need to finish edges.
• Felt can be hard enough to turn on a lathe or soft enough to be sewn.
• Felt has extraordinary wicking capabilities delivering consistent fluid flow without deterioration.
• Wool felt is a renewable and environmentally friendly resource.

 MATERIAL SUPPLIERS

La casa del feltre – www.lacasadelfeltre.com/

Servei Estació – www.serveiestacio.com/

PRICE

 La casa del feltre – www.lacasadelfeltre.com/

25 € / m2

PROJECT PHOTOS

 By Claudio Varone & Anneke Copier

http://www.annekecopier.nl/

Hodgetts + Fung used 16mm thick felt across the ceiling of the auditorium at the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-Arc) in an undulating plane to absorb sound. Suspended from an aluminum truss system and slit in a geometric pattern to create air pockets, the felt is attached to a polypropylene grid with vinyl upholstery buttons.

http://fabricarchitecturemag.com/articles/052412_ce_hearingfabric.html

Clouds by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec

http://www.kvadratclouds.com/