ALGORITHMIC SURFACE MODELLING FOR SLA PRINTING

After figuring out that I am printing this object, we had a group meeting in class, discussing what this object can be used for, and assessing the possibility and concerning points of printing this structure. As its use, I thought it can make a good light shade thanks to its hollow spots all over the structure. My team mates agreed on my opinion on that. The first feedback I got was that some of the part is displaying really thin points, and it might not be sturdy or even thick enough of print. So, I was advised to add thickness on those parts.

< Thin and pointy points that are concerning >

And I asked opinion on how to solve the problem I have with this project, which is that I have two separate pattern sources to warp on surface, since I couldn't display them in one bounding box.

< Two separate objects are warped on one surface and each shown in blue and green color. >

Team mates pointed out that I didn't made actual bounding box in Rhino and just used bounding box in grasshopper and advised me to start fixing it from there.

After the meeting in class I was trying to thicken the pointy spots and at the same time tried to BooleanUnion everything, since I thought if I could do that I can put them in one bounding box. While doing so, it didn't work as I intended and I ended up asking help to the instructor. He taught me how to use bounding box with many objects, which left me no need to BooleanUnion everything.

He also solved my other problem, which is repeating patterns on top of same patterns.

< Big patterns are displayed on top of smaller patterns. >

It was because of the "Multiply" I used in grasshopper. I used it so that the patterns on one horizontal low can be displayed according to the base shape, which is 16 sided star shape which round points. I thought I was multiplying pattern source 8 times so that it will have more uniform look from every view, and it didn't work as I expected. After he fixed my definition on grasshopper, it looked better. However, I realized that the pattern is displayed differently from my original intention.

< Original Pattern Design that I got the idea from. >

In original pattern, the pattern sources are repeated diagonally as they are repeated vertically, without any gap among them. But, my pattern was not doing so. So, I figured I need to make pattern source differently. As I doing so, I also was not happy about my pattern source having so sharp on edges, unlike I wished it to have organic look. So I built the pattern source from scratch again.

< "Loft" for half of the structure in the middle & "Mirror" >

< Made skeleton for "Pipe" >

< After "Pipe" >

< Pattern source rebuilt >

< Pattern source repeated and made Pattern. >

And I had to figure out how to cut this pattern. I used Illustrator for less burden for my computer and found the pattern source that can build the pattern that I want.

< A New Pattern Source Figured Out. >

I also remembered to hear from the instructor that it would be easier to print if the sculpture is close to a cube. And I built a new shape that is less vertical. I thought since my pattern source has thicker shape in the middle, having odd numbered shape based sculpture will place that thicker part at the points and make the shape more attractive. So I redesigned a new surface with base shapes resemble 5-petals-flower with rounded points.

< A New Surface, Perspective View >

< A New Surface, Top View >

< A New Surface, Front View >

I faced a troubleshoot, since I accidentally made the bottom of the surface and tried to display patterns on it. Grasshopper didn't like it and I tried again with same surface without bottom and fixed the problem. The bottom was not even in rectangle shape that can project patterns.

< Grasshopper couldn't project patterns with bottomed surface. >

The design that I intended appeared finally. However, I found that the thicker part of the pattern source is not seating at the tip of the petals. Also, the pattern looked wider than I imagined. So, I tried more number horizontally.

< Pattern source repeated 6 vertically and 10 horizontally. Front View >

< Pattern source repeated 6 vertically and 10 horizontally. Top View. Noticed that the thickest parts of the pattern source not placed at the tip of the petals. >

< Pattern source repeated 6 vertically and 15 horizontally, Top View. Thickest parts of the pattern source not placed at the tip of the petals. >

< Pattern source repeated 6 vertically and 20 horizontally, Front View. Thickest parts of the pattern source not placed at the tip of the petals still. >

I found the answer by comparing top views of the surface. It looks like my surface has 15 vertical pieces (A1-A5, B1-B5, C1-C5), with 10 of wider pieces(B1-B5, C1-C5) and 5 thinner pieces(A1-A5). And on each of the 5 thinner pieces(A1-A5), only 1 of the pattern source was placed, and the rest of the pieces were placed on the 5 pieces(Bn+Cn, n=1~5) evenly, which are the combination made with 2 bigger pieces.

< Surface, Top view. Can figure out that it is a combination of 15 pieces. >

For example, if I set 15 pattern sources on a horizontal low, 5 pieces will be seating on A1~A5. And the rest of the 10 pieces were placed on Bn+Cn area, evenly. So, I thought if I can figure out how many A pieces can fit on Bn+Cn area, I can display pattern sources in similar width. It looked like 5 of A pieces can fit in Bn+Cn area, So I put number of pieces as 30 and it looked about right.

< Pattern source repeated 6 vertically and 30 horizontally, Front View. Thickest parts of the pattern are placed at the tip of the petals. >

< Pattern source repeated 6 vertically and 30 horizontally, Top View. Thickest parts of the pattern are placed at the tip of the petals. >

< Pattern source repeated 6 vertically and 30 horizontally, Right and Front View. The width of the pattern sources look similar. >

< Pattern source repeated 6 vertically and 30 horizontally, Perspective View. >

Satisfied with the result, I built the lip and the bottom part of the structure. That was when I noticed the angle of the edges. I think I liked the look of, however I was not sure about going for it.