Process

Inrō Stereolithography

During the Edo period (1603–1868) Japanese travelers could be found wearing a small carrying case known as inrō. Literally meaning “seal basket” (印籠), inrō were used to store important items like medicine or one’s personal seal for stamping documents. Production of these utilitarian objects of lacquer, wood, or ivory developed into the trade of highly skilled craftsman.

The combination of scale, utility, design, and craftsmanship makes inrō compelling artifacts of Japanese mobility. That they also served to transport small, valuable goods gives the object a kind of special presence along a journey. I thought it would be interesting to create my own version of inrō, drawing from the formal properties of crystal, which also has its own talismanic quality.

I designed the object in CAD software to be printed three dimensionally at NYU’s Advanced Media Studio. This additive manufacturing process involves a computer-controlled laser beam that hardens a liquid polymer as the structure is built up in layers. Here is a wireframe view of the inrō.

When printing is complete, the piece is fragile and needs to be infiltrated with a special epoxy. After infiltrate is applied it can be handled as normal. Two versions of this intial prototype were made. The first is bone white—essentially as it came from the printer—and the second is painted with black enamel.

What would you keep inside an inrō?

Manscan: A Collaborative Support Structure

Manscan is a collaborative chair project developed in tandem with ITP classmate Greg Borenstein. We set out to fabricate a support structure that playfully references the act of sitting and the form of a chair simultaneously. In doing so, we’re collaborating both physically and intellectually on a project that explores a new approach to CNC milling. A three-dimensional Kinect scan of Greg and me in a back-to-back position provided the data necessary to begin the multi-stage preparation for fabrication.

Translating the point cloud generated with the Kinect to machine code readable by a CNC router occupied the bulk of our project time. This involved bringing the original scan into MeshLab to clean up the image and create solid surfaces. The file was then imported into Vectorworks in order to make additional adjustments and export the project in a format that could be opened by the NC programming software, MasterCam. Once tool paths were defined in MasterCam, we finally had the G-code to operate the router.

Our first prototype was completed at a small scale in blue foam. The finish is rough but the execution was successful. Charting a path from image data to physical object took more turns than expected and, all the while, we were still familiarizing ourselves with the CNC router. I anticipate that, from here, more straightforward applications of the CNC will feel like a breeze. Which is good because I’m enthusiastic about the ways in which digital fabrication opens new channels between media and form—or, in this case, foam.

In Triangles

These images document a pair of algorithmic portraits materialized in plexiglass with a laser cutter. Each image consists of three layers: two in which the portrait is cut out of black sheets of plexi and one clear sheet, uncut save for the perimeter and screw holes, in between them. This layering adds rigidity and depth to each piece, which together form a diptych. My wife, Sachiko, and I are the subjects of this first iteration.

Sketch for a Physical Image

This is a sketch of an algorithmic portrait for digital fabrication. It’s based on a webcam mirror image that draws triangles of increasing size based on brightness. The Processing sketch and working Vectorworks file are also linked.

Kodak Ektagraphic III A Projector

A Kodak Ektagraphic slide projector was the subject of my first CAD drawing, done in Vectorworks. PDF and VWX files are also available to view.

CNC Router Research

A Computer Numerical Control (CNC) router is part of a larger family of CNC machines that read machine language instructions to drive a mechanical system. This tool allows for precise, rapid machining of complex parts out of materials including metal, wood, foam, plastic, particle board, composites, and glass.

Here is an example of a CNC router machining aluminum.

The machine works by rotating a spindle with a cutting tool to shape, carve, or engrave a material resting below it on a cutting bed. The spindle rotates anywhere from 2,000 to 30,000 RPM, depending on the material. The work area can range from 12″ × 12″ for a hobbyist model to a full 4′ × 8′. CNC routers are commonly available in three-axis and five-axis models. With a three-axis model, objects can be modified in space: left and right, top to bottom, and forward and back. These are the X, Y, and Z planes. A five-axis model enables modification of an object on several axes, the extra two commonly known as the Q and B axes. Q refers to rotation and B refers to tilt.

This video shows the machine with a fourth-axis accessory shaping a column of wood.

Multiple stages of communication are usually required to materialize a design with a CNC router. This usually begins with CAD software that provides a user with tools for designing objects in two or three dimensions. Once the design file is set, Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) takes the CAD files and helps translate them into a series of steps for the machine to perform. G-Code, the standard for numerically controlled machines, is the language that the router actually follows to perform its operations.

Low end machines are intended for DIY use in light duty applications and typically cost between $10,00 and $30,000. Mid-range CNC machines range from $30,000 to $120,000, are built of heavier gauge steel or aluminum, and have a separate controller. High-end, three- to five-axis routers, which cost upwards of $120,000 are industrial strength and come with a full range of accessories like vacuum table and automatic tool changer. Setup costs often include shipping and training, not to mention the CAD software with which designs are created.

CNC machines have been in commercial use for a few decades now and it’s not hard to find suppliers online and regionally. K2 Devices, based in Southern California, seems to be a well-regarded, experienced dealer. Closer to New York City is Techno CNC Router Systems on Long Island and The CNC Router Store which sells used models. ShopBot Tools, in North Carolina, is another company that manufactures CNC routers in the States. It should also be noted that DIY CNC routers are increasingly common.

Below are a few places I found around New York that offer digital fabrication service for artists, designers, and students.

NYC CNC
Located in New Rochelle, just north of the city, NYC CNC is a friendly and helpful small-scale operation. They’re interested primarily in projects at $500 and up, unless very simple. I spoke with Yanne who was also familiar with ITP.

Associated Fabrication
This is a brooklyn-based studio founded by Columbia architecture graduates. They do a lot of work with designers and architects and specialize in solid surface manufacturing. They’re interested in projects at the $1,000+ level.

Prototope
Prototope is in Tribeca. They seem to focus on laser cutting but I’m awaiting correspondence about CNC millling. Joe at Prototope responded to my inquiry and indicated that they only do laser cutting.

For more on CNC routers, I highly recommend Alain Albert’s Understanding CNC Routers, where much of this information is drawn from. CNC Router Source was also helpful. This document is part of an overview of digital fabrication techniques collated on this page.