3-D Prototyping and its Relevance to Architecuture

Topic

Topic: I am studying 3d prototyping and how it can benefit architecture through 3d functional systems

Question: Because I want to find out how printing 3 dimensionally can better illustrate the functionality of a building system and how it works.

Significance: In order to improve design communication through a medium of 3d components that visually show what the imagination of the designer is.

Goals

My goals for this project are to start by understanding Makerbot as a 3-d prototyping machine, what its capabilities and its limitations are. How I want to better understand Makerbot is by constructing a Hand Crank fan with some simple parts so I can test the printer out and better understand the process from modeling to printing. Once I completely understand the functionality of Makerbot and its process I want to design a wall section with an operable window system, this window system will be constructed out of multiple materials but some components of the model will have to be constructed from the 3-d printing machine. By doing this the wall system will help demonstrate to a client how and why 3d printing needs to be utilized in the design phase for better understanding of how multiple components of a building would be constructed and how they would function

Research examples on how 3d prototyping is relevant to architecture

Manufacturing Processes for Design Professionals.  Rob Thompson. London: Thames & Hudson 2007.

This book explains the influences of computing on contemporary design and manufacturing through rapid prototyping. But it explains how “rapid prototyping is good but not comprehensive”.

Measuring for Success, Integrate the Methods associated with Digital Fabrication into their practices. 

HPA Architects Bahai Temple 

Computer model was first developed through MAYA. MAYA is a software animation industry. Using the program CATIA and a special plug in called Digital Project design by Gehry Technologies, HPA architects were able to use this program to help them model there temple leave structure. Simliar to 3-d Printing machine which prints layer by layer NPA used a CNC milling machine. This machine starts with a block of alabaster in this case and cuts away from the alabaster until the final product is revealed. NPA’s main reason for cutting multiple pieces out of alabaster at a 1:6 scale was to get a more specific prices range of how much the materials labor and Miscellaneous would be for the project. In the conclusion it helped the architects better relate there drawings and ideas to the client and builders, resulting in more accurate prices estimates and a better understanding of the structure of the model and fabrication process. 

The Michal Lee-Chin Crystal in the new ROM, Toronto

Another example of using digital fabrication to manage a design concept to completion is at the “renaissance” of the Royall Ontario Museum. Daniel Libeskind wanted to design and model in form –Z before he ever worked in physical models. He wanted to do this at multiple scales to better understand the programmatic requirements of his project. His overall structure is a dia-grid giving the “Crystal” element of the ROM’s renovation multiple load paths. This would allow for the interior of the crystal to have more open space on the interior eliminating interior columns. Because of working with a scaled down prototype model Daniel was better able to understand the structure of the ROM and understand the maximum space allowed for the least amount of supporting structure. 

Remodeling a Hand Crank Fan

Continuing from my last blog, where I had modeled a hand crank in Google Sketch up and I then attempted to print this model out using Makerbots 3d printing machine. This had failed because of the dimensions I was making the hand Crank fan out of. The dimensions were too small for the 3-d printer to comprehend, and when printed would come out a blob of plastic.

First attempt of hand crank in Google sketch up

So what I did was remodeled the hand crank fan into Revit and then converted it to 3-ds Max. By modeling it in Revit first it would come out more accurate making it easier to print. 

Second and Final attempt of hand crank

The process

After I modeled it in Revit I then had to select one component that would be printed by. For example I selected the gears. I then exported the gears out of Revit as an FBX file. 

Revit file gears

I then imported this file into 3-Ds Max. 

Imported Selection of Gears

Something very important that I learned after importing it into Max and before exporting was once imported into max the selection must be centered in the program vertically and horizontally. Without practicing this you will have multiple problems getting the file to print or even getting the selection to scale or move correctly. 

Once center on the platform in 3-ds Max I selected the gears and exported them as a STL file and saved it as a Binary Project. 

Exporting out of 3-Ds Max as a Binary File

Now using the program Replicator G I imported the saved STL file. 

To get the scale right you have to change from metric to standard since Replicator G is a Metric based program

Imported gears into Replicator G

Since I built my Hand crank Fan in 1”=1’ I have to convert the model from down.

Once I do this I then go the move button and make sure the file is centered and sitting on the top of the platform. 

Next I generate the building code. 

These are the setting that worked best for me when printing. Don’t use a rafter, it just wasted plastic and can potentially ruin your model when trying to detach it. Don’t use exterior supports, they can ruin the model when trying to detach them once the model is built. There is almost always a way to build what a model without supports it might take longer but it will help in the long run. Set your infill to 75%, on models with little structure or infill needed. By doing this it will ensure your model will stay cleaner and have less mess ups while its being printed,  when the infill is set to 100% the plastic ends up getting in the way on post layers and can also cause a longer print time. Set your shells to 2-3 shells. It will help your model to read better and more fool when it’s finished printing, and it also increase the strength of the model. 

Replicator G code generator

 

After the code is generated I then printed my selection. 

When first printing the gears I ran into some problems with scale and 3-Ds Max but these problems I have already mentioned how to fix in my blog.  

Failed attempt to print gears

Here are the Final gears and other component of the hand crank that I was able to print out. They came out the right scale and they were also were very accurate considering previous prints. 

Hand Crank components

Everything went great except for the fact that I ran out of plastic to print with, so half of the Hand Crank fan was not able to be printed. 

Final Project, wall section with operable window system

Now that I better understand the process from Revit to Makerbot. I can build my operable window system. This system will be constructed mostly form other materials but there will be some materials that cannot be modeled by hand and will need to be printed off by the 3D printer. Because of the issue of having no plastic to print with this wall section will be put on hold until then.

Here is what the Wall section will look like and how it will operate. 

Operable wall section in Revit

Wall section Revit

This wall section will show how 3-D printing can be relevant to architecture. It will show how the designer can better demonstrate his thought process through a functioning 3-dimensional model, therefore helping the client to fully understand what is being demonstrated with little questioning to the designer

Conclusion

In Conclusion I was able to accomplish my goals of understand Makerbot and how it can be relevant to architecture. I had multiple problems along the way with getting it to print, the accuracy of the printing and importing and exporting between files. Overall I have learned a lot more about Revit and how it’s compatible with 3-Ds max and replicator G. In the future I would further like to show how more relevant 3-D prototyping can be to architecture on a greater scale and with bigger projects.

Research Project

Original Idea

Topic:  Cinematography through Photoshop and Studio 3D Max

Question:  Because I want to create not just a picture but a realistic depiction of a building using cinematography. A Photograph that shows more than the building, it makes you feel the space and understand everything about it.

Significance: In order to better communicate a 2 dimensional image by infusing fine art with architecture. 

Final 

Topic: I am studying 3d prototyping and how it can benefit architecture through 3d functional systems

Question: Because I want to find out how printing 3 dimensionally can better illustrate the functionality of a building system and how it works.

Significance: In order to improve design communication through a medium of 3d components that visually show what the imagination of the designer is.

Process:

Create a file in

3Ds-Max or in Sketch up 

Then export the file as an STL file

This will allow you to open the file in Replicator G 

Replicator G is a very simple 3D printing program

Once in this program load you model

After scaling and making any correction to the model so it will print properly you will then print the model to Makerbots 3D printer

 

If everything works out the model should print correct

Where I started

I started by looking through Thingiverse to find models that have already been printed out of Makerbot. That way I could get a better Idea of how printing 3 dimensionally works

First I printed this Pirate ship

After printing the ship I got a better idea of what degree the printer can print at without supports. 

For the ship it printed at about a 30 degree angle with no problem.

Next I printed a DaVinci Cryptex 

I printed this to get a better idea of how multiple pieces of plastic would function together based off the there precise measurements in Sketchup

At first I had a lot of trouble printing all of the piece because it took up to much space in the 3d printer. But overall it printed very well. I had to do a little sanding on some pieces in order for them to fit together properly.

Next Step

For my next step I wanted to create a functioning hand crank to understand the process better from Sketchup to the final product

So I started in Sketchup and modeled a hand crank that could be printed 3 dimensionally

This didn’t’ turn out so well. The more I modeled the hand crank the more I realized the printer would not be able to print it. This is because the measurements I was coming up with were 1/256” and the printer only models to about 1/32” 

Here is the hand crank I was working on. This will give a better idea of my process 

Final Step

For my final step I would like to model a wall section that has functioning parts. This will help better illustrate to a client what the designer was thinking when it was designed

Assignment 5

For this assignment we had to find a site anywhere in the world and pull it into Unity from Sketechup. Then we took a model from Revit and imported it into Unity on that site. It was a complicated process but in the end resulted in a fun interactive game like simulation.

The program Unity makes it easy to view and walk through your building as if you were the client. One of the biggest problems I had and still could not figure out was being able to paint texture maps onto my building. This is why the building is white.

Here is the link for the simulation

file:///C:/Users/nhay/Desktop/Unity%201/WebPlayer/WebPlayer.html

Since this link does not work you can also find it on

Joshua2/Arch/Classes/Beach530/Nathaniel Hay/Computers/Nate Hay Unity Simulation

Research Topic

For my semester project I plan to study 3D prototyping and how it can better the school of architecture. There are hundreds of things you can do with a 3D prototyping machine. But finding out how it can be used for architecture other than just building a model is what I would like to discover. The programs I will be concentrating on will be Sketchup, Revit and 3Ds design.

I think that by studying 3D prototyping I can find better ways for 3 dimensional models to show what the architect is trying to portray easier than a 2 dimensional drawing of a section or model. Instead of taking an entire model and modeling it, just model what is needed to provide the client with better information. With this technology I would like to apply it to architecture for example by modeling a window and showing how it is functional. This would be done by printing out multiple parts and attaching them together to make a functional window system.

http://www.makerbot.com/blog/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eojAdYMT0g&NR=1

 This is a animation done with 3Ds Max design. I 

framed the video to express the structural composition 

of the building through circulation with the camera

movement through the building.

Vasari: Wind and Sun Analysis

Retrieve the location. Butler MO

For some reason I could not retrieve the mapping 

from google,but I will still insert the blank image.

Now with a surface to work on I can create a 

massing model.

Wind Rose Butler, MO

The Ecotect Solar Radiation for Butler, MO 

on March 20 at 8:00 am.

 

Butler, MO on March 20 at 1:00 pm.

Butler, MO on March 20 at 5:00 pm.

Sun sets at 6:22 pm.

Now for wind simulation just load your massing model 

into the wind tunnel. Here the wind is hitting the building 

from the South. The height the wind will hit the building

at is set to 6 feet.

Now the wind is shown vertically coming from the West. 

Here is wind in 3d moving throughout the building simulated 

with flow lines.

With Vasari's new wind simulation program it is very easy to

understand everything you need to know about your building 

and how it is affected by the wind.

Google Earth - Butler, MO

Now Google Earth will allow you to do so much more by allowing you to import a building designed and built in Google SketchUp and see it in its real location on Earth with multiple add on and tags to the building.

One interesting new feature is the ability to overlay an image onto Google Earth right where you have imported your building. This allows you to better describe your building and or surrounding buildings.

The purpose for which I have used this is by showing what Butler, MO Fire station looks like and its location. I have also show what that location would look like if the Butler Police department were to relocate to the building connecting to the Fire station.

Here is an overlay of Police cars images I have inserted into Google Earth. This gives a better idea of what the Police station would look like in this location.

Map of Butlers Police and Fire Station.