May 12, 2012, 10:48 pm 
A worshop about designing and manufacturing a parametric facade using the CAM curved folding technique |
In April 2011, I took part on a workshop about Curved folding. It is a method in digital manufacturing that enables you to create large parametric facades. In such facade, the elements do not differentiate from each other a lot but still every element is different. If you look at the whole facade, there is a transition between two completely different elements.
We came up with a form and explored the possibilities of parametric variation in both directions.
We have created a model of one element in Rhino. It is segmented, similar to the actual cutting pattern. We have then introduced a simulation of forces and created a program that records the coordinates of three given points (robotic grippers) throughout the whole process.
Here is the simulation
The coordinates given by our program have been used to drive three robotic arms with vacuum grippers.
A part of our group showing a sample part out of wood carton.
At the end of the week, our final real size product in the "Forschungshalle" of the ETH at Hönggerberg.
