Narendrakrishnan Neythalath: Modern architectural CAD models are in general parametric and as such represent a range of complex forms. At the same time, society increasingly desires automated procedures to fabricate architectural formwork. Automating a system which can cater to low volume production work flows which relies on high level of flexibility poses an interesting challenge: How can we turn a parametric CAD model of an architectural element into a parameterized robotic workflow?
The difficulty of this task is compounded by the sheer diversity of materials and manufacturing
methods used in the building industry. A given structure might be manufactured by placing
individual bricks, mechanically bending wooden elements, casting concrete or by other means.
Moreover, elements can be joined using mortar,
screws or
fasteners
. Many of these choices are
not easy to automate and might really come down to aesthetic design choices or require
knowledge of how the final architectural component is going to be used.
In light of this, we
will be developing
an interactive tool that allows its user to import a parametric
CAD file and turn it into a robotic workflow. The tool allows a user to load a parametric CAD file.
Having done so, the user is shown a graphical realization of the parametric model.
The tool
presents a generalized paradigm which can support different machining processes and geometri
es
used in the field of digital fabrication of architectural elements.
The
tool
graphically presents the user with a view of the rationalized shape for a given choice
of
the original parameters. In other words, the user sees a visualization of the shape
as it will look
when manufactured. The original CAD model is supposed to be parametric and
these parameters
are still exposed to the user of the
tool. Changing the parameters will change the visualization of
the rationalized model. Once the user
settles on a
given choice of
the parameters, it is possible to
initiate the robotic production directly from the
tool.
PhD project title: Smart Manufacturing Frameworks
Effective start/end date 01/08/2018 → 31/07/2021
Main DTU supervisor: Jakob Andreas Bærentzen from Section for Visual Computing.
Bundsgaard Pedersen, Anders (Co-Supervisor)
Søndergaard, Asbjørn (Co-Supervisor)