Sunday, November 18, 2012

Digital Fabrication




Digital Fabrication
By: Chris Pacanowski 
            Many people use the laser cutter all of the time in the architecture, as a way to make models of designs and all sorts of other things. Just this year the SIU School of architectures Digital fabrication lab has improved on what It has had in the past and instead of just having one laser cutter they had purchased another larger laser cutter, 2 3D printers as well as a new CNC. With these additions to the school new types of model making is now possible.
            With new machines come new ideas along with them. Each template for instance has to be set up differently, before with the laser cutter all you had to think was in flat 2d when setting up the file, but now things are becoming three dimensional adding an extra layer of complexities. When it comes to the 3d printers I haven’t been able to get a chance to work with but am extremely interested in the idea of working with it. The way the 3d printer works is it just keeps adding layers upon layers of plastic to create a mass. Some of the most interesting things that you can do with the 3d printer are to create pieces or components of something that you had designed and actually have them function.
                                               
            From the idea of plastic layering on top of each other, the CNC is another different idea all together. With the CNC it just pushes material around with a drill bit. Some of the things that you have to make sure when you are setting up the file for are that you have to always think about the drill bit that you are using. With the CNC the drill just skims the material at the level that you want it to be at and when it comes to small details there is always the possibility that the drill will actually just break it off.
                                       
            With all of the new ways to make models these days you have to look at each method and think of what is the best for the project itself. When I look at each method I still think that the laser cutter is the best method to create detailed building models. I also believe that when building a site model the CNC is the best way to go, mostly because it is on continuous piece because the CNC can utilize large sheets of material, mainly wood though. Finally the 3d printer is a great thing for detailed mechanical equipment or showing how joints work, but I don’t believe that I would ever use it as a building model.

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