P1-Process of a Giant Peanut.

Hullo, just thought it might be useful to post a short chronicle of my P1 process findings. Find below many accidents that you can avoid:

1. Laser- Ribs and Surface (Enter Giant Peanut)

• For doubly curved surfaces that meet at a point, the normal-to-surface ribs need to be offset to prevent this terrible joint:
  
• Although acrylic is nice and pretty, it does not bend. You will have to manually create a angled mould and melt each angle individually. Please use thin materials such as thin cardboard, tracing paper, the thinner the better:
• If you like to be smartass and make a surface that goes from the outside to the inside, please remember to offset the thickness of your material when making the model in Rhino:
• A plug-in that helps arrange your ribs automatically in Rhino: RhinoNest. Useful. Saves time and material.

 

2. 3D Printer (Slicing the Centre off Giant Peanut)

• This went well. When creating the .stl file for 3D printing, it might be useful to know the Mesh>Repair Mesh command, as it automatically closes up holes in your mesh object. Terribly convenient.
• To make taller objects than the 3D Printer height of 25, or to save 3D printing time in general (as height of model determines total print time), break the model up into smaller pieces and stack/spread them out so that they cover a shorter height. UHU glue works fine in joining them together. Will not recommend white wood glue.

3. CNC Milling- Mould and Negative Mould (Moduling Peanuts)

• CNC milling may be used with the intention to create moulds in mind.
• If you intend to create a plastic (acrylic) mesh structure to stretch over a mould, vacuum forming will be out of the question. Thus in order to form your (laser-cut) mesh over the mould, you cannot heat it with a hot air blower and press it down with gloves on. Why? Because a) your mould will catch fire, b) it is very, very hot and thus painful even with gloves on, and c) no one has that many hands.
   
  Also the resulting mesh will not conform to the shape properly:
  
• The wise student will then create a negative mould, offset with the thickness of acrylic to be used with an additional 3mm minimum. Preheat industrial oven at 150 deg C, place acrylic mesh on positive mould and place both in oven and set temperature to 180 deg C. When the temperature reaches 180 deg C, immediately remove mould and acrylic and place negative mould on, pressing the two units tightly together while the acrylic cools. (You may sit on it, if wearing thick jeans.)
  
  
  (Please note when lasering the mesh, please etch hairline lines for the module to break off from the rest of the mould, as well as to keep a datum on the Mould and mesh so that they may align well.)

Well, here’s hoping you don’t make the same mistakes. Keep on experimenting! 🙂

P2- Model Image and Algor Simulation

Simple Y-shaped module multiplies to act like a tree-structure. Note density and inter-connectivity increases at higher levels. May be able to create interesting atrium spaces. Horizontal shear is a problem…resolving! 🙂

Algor simulation image on the above, unfortunately mixing vector and surface analysis which generates inaccurate results. Still useful in determining the minimum density of “trees” per floor area, as well as continuity of structure from top to bottom.