Designing for Digital Fabrication

Thursday 12:30- 3:00
Danny Rozin danny.rozin@nyu.edu
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Class work WIKI

Description:

The ability to digitally fabricate parts and whole pieces directly from our computers or design files used to be an exotic and expensive option not really suitable for student or designer projects, but changes in this field in the past 5 years have brought these capabilities much closer to our means, especially as ITP students. ITP and NYU now offer us access to laser cutting, CNC routing, and 3D stereolithography. In this class we will learn how to design for and operate these machines. Emphasis will be put on designing functional parts that can fit into a larger project or support other components as well as being successful on a conceptual and aesthetic level. In this class we will discover methods to design projects on CAD applications for total control of the result, and we will develop algorithmic ways to create designs from software (Processing) to take advantage of the ability to make parts and projects that are unique, customizable, dependent on external data or random. The class will include 3 assignments to create projects using the three machines (laser, router, 3D) and the opportunity to work on a final project.

Class No. 1 Jan 26- Introduction

Class introductions.
Introduction to digital fabrication.
Introduction to class syllabus
Homework -
- Research assignment. Research your assigned digital fabrication machine (see Class work WIKI for your assigned machine). Create page with the results of the research, link to class work wiki by next week. Prepare a 5- 10 minute presentation to be given in your assigned week.
- Download the free student version of Vectorworks - http://student.myvectorworks.com/
- Start learning Vectorworks, concentrate on 2D drawing, you can use the following resources among others:
  - Vectorworks help- (help menu -> Vectorworks fundementals -> getting started )
  - Vectorworks tutorial: http://download2cf.nemetschek.net/www_misc/2011/GSG/Fundamentals/GettingStartedFundamentals2011.pdf
  - Vectorworks youtube channel:http://www.youtube.com/user/vectorworks
  - Vectorworks knowledge base:http://kbase.vectorworks.net/

Class No. 2 Feb 2 - 2D Drawing

2D drawing using Vectorworks
Using multiple views to describe objects
Dimensioning
Homework - Select an existing object of medium complexity (electronic device, furniture, physcomp component etc.) and draw it in 3 views in as great a detail as you can, dimension it

Class No. 3 Feb 9 - 2D Fabrication - Laser

Design considerations for laser fabrication
Prepping your design in Adobe Illustrator
Demo of laser
Box creating Processing sketch (thanks, Paul)
ITP laser cutting page
AMS laser cutting guide
our laser's manual

Homework: Think of a project (1.5 weeks, so not too ambitious ) for the laser. be prepared to discuss in class next week, and show completed in two weeks. Even though algorithmic 2D will only be shown in class next week, consider using algorithmic generated geometry.

Class No. 4 Feb 16 - 2D Algorithmic Design

Using Processing to create 2D design - There are a few reasons for us to want to create our geometry in a computational way rather than in the CAD program: User Interaction, External inputs, Computation and generative algorithms, Randomness.
- User Interaction:
  - brightness tracking to DXF
  - Etch-A-Sketch keyboard drawing to DXF
- External Inputs:
- Computation and Generative Algorithms:
  - Generative Pentigree to DXF
  - Shiffman Tree to DXF
- Randomness:
  - Random shape gradation to PDF
Using PDF and DXF formats to export design from Processing. You can use both DXF and PDF to go to Vectorworks, DXF works better because there is something funky with the ovals in PDF. For Illustrator PDF works great, DXF is supposed to work natively but seems to require a plugin such as EXDXF-Pro
- Processing PDF Library
- Processing DXF Library
Importing 2D designes into Vectorworks and Adobe Illustrator for further design and prepping for laser:
- Scaling your design interactively and numerically.
- Using compose to assemble all the lines into polygons.
- smoothing.
- offsetting.
- Good tip for selecting connected objects

Class No. 5 Feb 23 - Fasteners and presentation of Laser assignment

Using libraries and data sheets to incorporate fasteners and components into Vectorworks drawing
- Drawing of detail to make T connection in plexi with screws
- Drawing of detail to make corner connection in plexi with screws
Fasteners and fastening techniques for assembling 3D objects from 2D parts

Class No. 6 Mar 1 -2.5D Fabrication - MasterCam

Design considerations for fabrication using CNC router
Visualizing your 2.5 D designs in Vectorworks
Exporting 2D design as DXF into MasterCam
Using MasterCam to elevate our 2D design into 2.5 and generate NC files for router
- MCAMX4_Quick_Ref_Card.pdf - Quick reference card
- MCAMX4_QuickStart.pdf - Abbreviated manual
- MCAMX4_RefGuide.pdf - Full Manual
Homework-
- Do this tutorial, either as described or with your simple 2D shapes, generate the NC file. Next week we'll open the NC file in the router software.
- Start working on 2.5D assignment - Think of something that uses the CNC , is not too big (Max sheet is 4' x 4') . I encourage you to work in teams.

Class No. 7 Mar 8 - CNC 2.5D fabrication - CNC router + AMS 3D output demo

Using CNC router to fabricate part
Demo of 3D output at AMS
Homework - Use CNC to route the MasterCam NC file you made for this week (You can pair up if you want so that you are not alone with the machine).
- Start thinking of project for CNC, this is not your final project, and it is due March 29. Working in teams is encouraged

Spring break

Class No. 8 Mar 22- 3D

Using Vectorworks to generate 3D objects.
Importing 3D objects into Mastercam and generating tool paths.
Do this tutorial, skip the SolidWorks part and substitute with your own 3D part tat you import as DXF or IGS, generate the NC file, import into the Techno router software and view it with the preview tool to see that it is ready for milling.
Homework - start thinking of final project, can use any fabrication technique, can be individual or in team. be prepared to discuss in class next week and show progress in class for the next 4 weeks.

Class No. 9 Mar 29 - Final project proposals.

Generation 3D geometry in Processing and Exporting
Propose final project

Class No. 10 Apr 5 - Algorithmic 3D, and more 3D

Generation 3D geometry in Processing and Exporting
More complex 3D design in Vectorworks to take advantage of 3D output
- making a jewelbox step by step pdf
- Jewelbox, VectorWorks file
  - If you want the VectorWorks file with all steps as separate layers, get it from me, it is too big for web

Class No. 11 Apr 12 3D Rhino

Using Rhino to create more complex 3d geometry.

� show sketches/ design of final project

Studio visit April 15th 1:00

5102 21st street LIC 11101 5th floor
- Take no 7 train to Hunters Point , walk east towards Manhattan to corner of 21st street , walk left under the over path and over the tracks, the building is on your right.
- If you get lost , my cell 917-6281242

Class No. 12 Apr 19 - Final Project Workshop

Get Mac Rhino, (Beta version, expires every few months and needs to be re-downloaded)
Learn Rhino:
- download the tutorial manuals by running Mac Rhino and selecting Help > Learning Rhino > Open Level 1 Training Manual in the application menu. If you do not have the training manual installed, Mac Rhino will prompt you to download and install it. After you install the manual, this same menu option will open the manual for you. There is only one tuturial download. Once you install the downloaded file, you will have the Level 1 Training Manual, Level 2 Training Manual, and tutorial models all installed on your computer. They can all be accessed from the Help > Learn Rhino menu.
- Video tutorials
- lynda.com good course, you can get a free one week trial
show detailed design of final project