Computational Design and

Digital Fabrication
Date: April 10, 2017
:I
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Lisa Iwamoto
Digital Fabrications, Architectural and Material Techniques
IWAMOTOSCOTT ARCHITECTURE is a San Francisco based practice
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Lisa Iwamoto
Digital Fabrications, Architectural and Material Techniques
Digital fabrication has spurred a design revolution, yielding a wealth of architectural
invention and innovation.
Designs use digital fabrication and material techniques to calibrate between virtual model
and physical artifact
Digital practices have the potential to narrow the gap between representation and building,
affording a hypothetically seamless connection between design and making.
Digital fabrication is often one of the final stages of design process, and it is very much what
it sounds like: a way of making that uses digital data to control a fabrication process.
Falling under the umbrella of computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM), it
relies on computer driven machine tools to build or cut parts.
CAD/CAM has been a mainstay of industrial design and engineering and of manufacturing
industries-particularly the automotive and aerospace industries-for more than a half
century.
Scaled models are made quickly, using rapid-prototyping machines that turn out accurate
physical models from the computerized data.
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Lisa Iwamoto
Digital Fabrications, Architectural and Material Techniques
Once the computer model is refined and completed, the data are transferred to computer-
controlled machines that make full-scale parts and molds from a range of materials such as
aluminum, steel, wood, and plastics.
processes that are typically compartmentalized, often eliminating intermediate steps
between design and final production.
There is the potential for architecture also to move more fluidly between design and
construction.
… CAD replaced drawing with a parallel rule and lead pointer, but buildings looked pretty
much the same. This is perhaps not so surprising-one form of two-dimensional
representation simply replaced another. It took three-dimensional-computer modeling
and digital fabrication to energize design thinking and expand the boundaries of
architectural form and construction.
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Lisa Iwamoto
Digital Fabrications, Architectural and Material Techniques
… inventiveness in design/ architectural has to do in part with restructuring the very process
of construction. The work of Gehry Partners and its associated firm Gehry Technologies has
played a pivotal role in this regard.
Gehry's office began using CAD/CAM processes in 1989 to develop and then test the
constructability of a building system for the Disney Concert Hall.
…Gehry's office adapted software from the aerospace industry, CATIA (Computer Aided
Three Dimensional Interactive Application), to model the entire exterior of the concert hall.
This building method revealed that the complexities and uniqueness of surface geometries
did not significantly affect fabrication costs, and it is this realization, that one can make a
series of unique pieces with nearly the same effort as it requires to mass-produce identical
ones, that forms a significant aspect of the computer-aided manufacturing that has since
been exploited for design effect.
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Lisa Iwamoto
Digital Fabrications, Architectural and Material Techniques
Gehry Technologies now acts as a consultant to Gehry Partners, as well as to other
architects, assisting with digital construction and management. The company is
revolutionary in that it expands the role of the architect to include oversight of the building
and construction-management process, much as it was in the age of the master builder.
…the digital environment allows architects to take control of the building process…
In addition to Gehry's, architectural offices such as Foster & Partners, Nicholas Grimshaw,
and Bernhard Franken are forging similar integrated project-delivery methods for large,
complex projects.
Michael Speaks has termed "design intelligence": "Making becomes knowledge or
intelligence creation. In this way thinking and doing, design and fabrication, and prototype
and final design become blurred, interactive, and part of a non-linear means of innovation.
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Lisa Iwamoto
Digital Fabrications, Architectural and Material Techniques
Rather than construct the surface itself, sectioning uses a series of profiles, the edges of
which follow lines of surface geometry. The modeling software's sectioning or contouring
commands can almost instantaneously cut parallel sections through objects at designated
intervals.
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Lisa Iwamoto
Digital Fabrications, Architectural and Material Techniques

Sectioning: Digital Weave

Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Lisa Iwamoto
Digital Fabrications, Architectural and Material Techniques

Sectioning: Digital Weave

Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Lisa Iwamoto
Digital Fabrications, Architectural and Material Techniques

Sectioning: Digital Weave

Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Lisa Iwamoto
Digital Fabrications, Architectural and Material Techniques

Sectioning: Digital Weave

Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Lisa Iwamoto
Digital Fabrications, Architectural and Material Techniques

Sectioning: Digital Weave

Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Digital fabrication integrates the manufacturing process from conception to production into
one single chain. The chain begins with the use of CAD (Computer Assisted Design) and
CAM (Computer Assisted Manufacture) software; resulting designs are constructed with
the use of numerically controlled hardware. This is by no means a recent development;
Gershenfeld5 reminds us that computers were being hooked up to machines at MIT in
the 1950s. Heavy industry has been using this process on assembly lines for years, while
mechatronics centers where small businesses can build rapid prototypes exist
worldwide. FABLAB
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
SAFETY (Discuss)

TOOLS AND MACHINES

Epilog Laser
ShopBot
Roland Milling Machine
CAMM-1 Servo GX-24 Desktop
Vinyl Cutter
Scroll Saw
Surface Mount Rework

…
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
TOOLS AND MACHINES

Laser cutter
• Cuts a wide variety of materials (wood, paper, cardboard, PMMA, leather, etc.)
• Marking (metal, aluminium, stone, etc.)
• Engraving (engraving is deeper than marking) €15,000-€30,000 depending on laser
strength
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
TOOLS AND MACHINES
We can use any file formats as long as you can export or save as one of the following vector-
format file types:

DXF compatible with AutoCAD version 2011 or earlier

DWG compatible with AutoCAD version 2011 or earlier
CDR (CorelDRAW)
AI (Adobe Illustrator)
EPS (Adobe Illustrator)
SVG
PDF.
https://www.pololu.com/docs/0J24/5 see this link for further instruction on laser cutting
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Maximum Power
: DF 500W or more but customized
Cooling Method Water or Air Cooled
Concentricity after WD adjustment +/- 0.1mm
Working distance adjustable range 0mm-40mm
Nozzle adjustable range in X/Y +/-1mm
Nozzle adjustable range Z +/-1mm
Maximum input beam diameter 24mm
Mirror tilt angle Adjustable,+/- 3degree

Laser Cutting Head

Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
CNC milling machine

• Mills (removing/cutting away of material according to a specific design) a variety of

materials (wood, foam, light metals, etc.)
• Creates moulds
• Printed circuit board (PCB) milling (epoxy coated with adhesive copper film)
• Some function as 3D “scanners” by replacing the mill with a sensor €3,000-€5,000
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
3 Axis router/spindle

• Woodworking mill (solid wood)

• Large-volume mould creation
• Applications similar to the CNC milling machine but with added security €14,000-€20,000
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
3 Axis router/spindle

• Accuracy. Repeatability .Spindle and axis motor horsepower. Number of controlled axes
.Dimension of workspace .Features of the machine and the controller

stepping motor/
Servo motor(discuss)
DC motor (discuss)
G-code (discuss)
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
3 Axis router/spindle

Bits
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
3 Axis router/spindle

Bits
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
3 Axis router/spindle

Bits
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Vinyl cutter

• Cuts various materials including vinyl, certain papers, heat transfer films, decals, and
certain fabrics
• Cuts adhesive copper film for PCB manufacture €1,500-€2,500
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
3D Printer

• 3D Object “printing” on demand

• Meld creation
• Prototyping €2,000-€50,000
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
3D Printer

• When designing 3D models and 3D printing, you’re likely to encounter a variety of file
types. Some file types are related to the design software, some are associated with 3D
scanners, and other file types are proprietary to certain brands of printers.
• With so many different files, keeping track of what files are used for what processes can
be confusing.
• While there are many different file types that can be used in 3D printing and modeling,
here’s a list of some common file extensions you’ll see in 3D printing:
• OBJ: OBJ is an open file format that represents 3D geometry. It is a common file used in
3D printing because many design software exports to OBJ and most printers accept OBJ as
a printable file.
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
3D Printer

• STL: STL files are a standard file type that interfaces between Computer Aided Design
(CAD) software and 3D printers. Most CAD software exports to an STL file and most 3D
printers accept STL files.
• VRML: VRML (or WRL) files are commonly used when a 3D model has color and you want
to transfer that color to the print.
• X3G : X3G is the file type that interfaces with the MakerBot 3D printer. MakerWare and
ReplicatorG will output an X3G file.
• PLY: PLY files are normally scanner- generated models and will have to be imported into
some type of design software before sending to a 3D printer to print.
• FBX: FBX is a file format owned by Autodesk. It is used to efficiently exchange data
between Autodesk programs including 3ds Max, Autodesk and Maya.
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Other big scale
fabrications
In situ Fabricator
(construction robot) is
fabricating a doubly
curved mesh structure
during a fabrication test
on the Empa NEST
building in Duebendorf,
Switzerland. Credit:
Photo: NCCR Digital
Fabrication and ETH
Zurich
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Other big scale
fabrications
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Other big scale
fabrications
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Other big scale
fabrications
Computational Design and
Digital Fabrication
Digital Fabrication
: DF
Lisa Iwamoto
Digital Fabrications, Architectural and Material Techniques

Sectioning: Digital Weave