Void, Solid and Block

Project Description |
Project003 requires us to design a block which can present the void space and solid material with each other when they are aggregated together. Meanwhile, CNC router is the machine we need to use in this project. The material of the frameworks is foam with which we are going to cast 6 blocks. On the other hand, reusing the molds is an important issue for the project. After casting, those blocks are going to be aggregated together and the voids hence are completed, furthermore, the compositions have to present the relationship among the blocks. Erwin Hauer's works may be reference for us because strong relationship between void and solid is represented in his works.

Void Block, T.C. Kurt Hong, Summer 2015

Design |
I try to keep the same design element in this series of models. The wormhole-like form is the element I want to continue. In the first project, I tried to use fabric to create the void space, and this wormhole-like shape is generated at that time. During project 2, I kept the shape and turned it into solid, aggregated them and obtain a series of variation. Thus, this time I turned it back to void space again and used it to generate the space and connect all blocks with this void. Therefore, the design started from the continuous void space (an endless wormhole which connect two diagonal vertexes of a block), I cut the void space with the surfaces among 9 blocks and insert the each part back to each corner of a block.

Continuous voids pace through blocks

Re-arranging the void spaces

While aggregating them together, the separated void spaces are connected together and hence complete the original void space. Further, although only shallow void spaces show up in the elevation of the composition, the diagonal perspective shows the penetration of the void space. Viewer can look though the all the blocks and the spaces blocked by the blocks thus connected.

Rhino model of the Void Block

Aggregation of blocks

Error Propagation |
The goal of this project is to deliver the digital model to physical world as possible as we can, hence, overcoming the errors which may occur in each phase. Although the errors in each step are slight, however, the propagation of the errors can cause a huge distortion in the final result. Also, the aggregation of the errors is a serious problem. Therefore, controlling the error or compensating the effects may be the most difficult part in this project.

Diagram of Undercut

The software for CNC router we used is MasterCam, which is a toolpath simulation software and and can generate the milling code for us. The setting of the router is complex and the drillbits have many limits.

Milling process of CNC Router

The components milled by CNC router

Before milling the components, we have to check if there is any "undercut" in the file. Undercut is not allowed in CNC router because the router cannot mill the undercut part and will ignore it. And, the draft angle also has to be considered  in advance, or the de-molding will be very difficult.

Secondly, we must leave a thin skin among each component because it is not allowed to drill through the material. Hence, the thickness will be the first error which is inevitable and the thickness cause the mismatch while assembling. Furthermore, the density of the foam is an crucial issue while de-molding, however, the high density foam is too thick to fit into the machine. Thus, the robot arm became a foam cutter (thanks to Asa for his kindly help!) for us.

Asa and his robot arm

When milling was done, we made some de-molding tests to figure out how to take off the frameworks from plaster without damages. We are going to use the same molds to cast 4 to 6 models, hence the molds need to be protected well. We tried Murphy's oil, dish soap, rough surface, polished surface, tape and the wrap plastic. The conclusion is: wrap plastic.

Wrapped component

De-molding of the Void Block

Although the wrap plastic can prevent the plaster from sticking on the foam, the plastic is hard to wrap on the component without wrinkles. Moreover, the texture of the foam and the router are both covered by the plastic. In some cases, the designer wants to keep the trace of the tools (router), however, this is a trade off. After all preparation works, the plaster still caused the largest error in the whole process, even though we cast so many models before. The curing time, mix proportion and the material of mold we use are all different from those before, so there were still many unexpected problems.

Void Block, T.C. Kurt Hong, Summer 2015

4 Void Blocks, T.C. Kurt Hong, Summer 2015 

6 Void Blocks, T.C. Kurt Hong, Summer 2015

Review |
We talked about "unexpected" factors during review. Because the goal of this project is to deliver the digital form to real world as possible as you can. Thus, I feel that the material is only the media for representing the "ideal" model in digital world. However, the real model still has its magic because of the light, the shadow, the color and the tactility of plaster, and the traces left by plastic. All those real things can not be shown in Rhino. To connect the gap between digital and physical is the mission of digital technology group, but what we need to do is not only single directional but bi-directional. To deliver a digital form to real world completely is not the whole but a small part of digital technology, most part of digital technology is to deliver the real world to virtual environment.