Ana Cabral

Week 2

Computer Aided Design - CAD

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The assignment

The assignment this week was to try out different 2D and 3D software, and model (draw, render, animate, simulate, etc) a possible final project.



Trying different programs...

I have a masters in Architecture and throughout my education got skilled at 2D and 3D software - Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, AutoCAD and Revit. A couple of years ago, when my FabLab journey started, got skilled at open source/free software like Inkscape, TinkerCAD and 123D apps. So my plan was to try something new, where I could model parametrically. I had something very specific in mind: Fusion 360….!

My final project will be some kind of responsive clothing, so this week I have decided to model a mannequin, using a waffle structure, like the examples below.

I started by trying Fusion 360, watched a couple of tutorials and tried to apply it to my mannequin project. I didn’t really like the workflow…. I expected it to be more intuitive when one is already used to Autocad and Revit. Followed a 1 hour class in FabLab Spinderihallerne (given by some of our amazing volunteers), started liking it more, but understood it was not the most indicated for what I was trying to do.Below some screenshots of what I have been trying in Fusion 360.

So, kept searching the web and trying different software suggested in the lecture. Tried FreeCAD and OpenSCAD. Really really enjoyed OpenSCAD, but soon realised what I was trying to do was way too advanced and there was not enough tutorials/examples of someone who has done something similar.

While searching for tutorials on how to create a parametric waffle structure, I stumbled in a lot of examples done in Rhinoceros 3D, using Grasshopper plugin. A lot of my fellow students in Architecture school have used Rhino and Grasshopper, but I’ve always found it too messy! So tried to stay away from it… Turns out, it’s the software that best fits my project, not only for this specific week, for the mannequin, but also for developing responsive clothing. It suits experimental projects very well. Besides, there is a great community/forums and loads of tutorials. The downside is that Rhino is paid software, only has a trial of 90 days and no free license for education purposes. Grasshopper is a free plugin.



Working towards the final project

After trying a lot of different software, I settled on Rhino and Grasshopper. I’m developing a script that creates waffle structures for any 3D geometry, based on this tutorial.

My final project is a responsive dress. The reason for developing this script is so that I can use it to create a mannequin, to make it handy and easy to work on the dress and take measurements. On week 3, I’ll test the mannequin by laser cutting it (scaled down); on week 5, I’ll 3d scan myself and update the geometry; on week 7, I’ll use the large CNC milling machine to create a 1:1 mannequin of myself.

Here, you can check my progress (Grasshopper file). Or take a look at the screenshots below.

I’ll keep working with the Grasshopper script during next week. I would like to add text tags to all the elements (so it’s easier to assemble) and to get all elements compiled in a cutting sheet. I’ve been watching Digital Toolbox tutorials on Youtube, to understand the logic behind it. Now I need to adapt it to my script. Again, the reason why I ended up with Grasshopper, had to do with the amount of support I was able to find online.



Learnings from this week

Even though it wasn’t in my plans, it’s good my final project “forced” me to try different software. It’s really meaningful to have a project steering the weekly assignments. Motivation rises and this week it clearly made the criteria for picking software more authentic.

Another great learning… watching tutorials and accessing other people’s files speeds up the process, inspires, allows to understand the potential of a software but extracting useful information from others and adapting it to your own project is not easy, is a time consuming process.