Creating metal skin

Using metal sheet from Bunnings Warehouse as there was not enough time to purchase metal from Dalsteel.

The specifications are as below

Worked in the workshop with various hammers and equipment to get desired metal skin.

I am doing half of the orange shape by choosing part that have more curves.

Progress photos

The process starts by transforming the metal sheet into a bowl shape, following the circular nature of the object itself. After the basic shape is done, then I start placing the bowl onto the skeleton and just directly hammer it to mark certain places with curves going on to different directions. Clean the uneven surface by hammering the metal skin with dome metal shaping station and wooden hammer, to minimize dents and bumps. Cut the metal sheets according to the skeleton and hone it with the metal sharpening object. Use english wheel for finalizing the skin.

Final product

Object Formwork

Laser cutting the formwork using plywood 3mm as the material.

54 pieces in total to be stacked together.

Some of the smaller pieces later on are not used, as they are not that significant in determining the shape of the object.

Stacking up all the pieces with glue then the form work is ready.

123D Make + Adobe Illustrator

Load in 3D Model in 123D Make with extension .obj from Meshmixer app.

Some errors might occur, stating that the model needs to be shrinkwrapped in order for the form work to work properly.

After shrink-wrapped it to the desired level, then the cutting could be done properly. There are several methods in building the framework. In the end, I chose stacking method as the other method such as interlocking did not work properly.

Red cutting means there are some error in the model, thus the form work could not be done

In order to get a finer curve-shape of the actual model, we need to add more layers horizontally and vertically. The scale can be adjusted as well. I scaled it down from 260 mm to 200 mm. 

For laser cutting, I am using plywood 600 x 300 mm with thickness of 3 mm. For the final result, I need to have 9 sheets with total of 54 parts needed to build the actual model.

Exporting all the sheets into .pdf and then doing some adjustments in Adobe Illustrator (based on module BHSM015: Laser Cutting - VLS 3.50 (2016)

Changing line color from the actual document to make color red to blue #0000FF and blue to red #FF0000. Red means cutting and blue means engraving.

Stroke weight needs to be changed to 0.001mm

Check the boundary also as the laser cutter might not cut shapes properly around the boundary.

123D Catch + Meshmixer

 Trying out the app with various objects found in classroom.

My backpack


Chair

There are tips on tricks on 123d app for a clean and better result of the 3D model, by using newspaper or post-it with scribbles to make it easier for the app to focus on various angles of the object.

After playing around with the app and understands how the app works with photographing 3D object, finally using it to take pictures of orange peels.

Using 2 orange peels, with careful thinking for orientation. Is it better to face it downwards or upwards?

Facing upwards


Facing downwards


Based on the result, it is better to orientate the oranges up as the app can grab all the circular texture (especially the base) clearly.

Using another software, Meshmixer to clean up 3D environment capture from 123D Catch.

Before

After

Now, it is ready to be processed in 123D Make to create formwork of the object.

Orange Peel

As an architecture student, I have been told to pick an object that reflects my discipline. After much deliberation, I choose orange peel as my chosen object.

Why?

Orange peel is one of the inspiration for Sydney's iconic architecture, Sydney Opera House. The design of the Sydney Opera House was inspired by nature, its forms, functions and colors. 

The roof structures of the Opera House are called ‘shells’. Jorn Utzon claimed that the final design of the shells, was inspired by peeling an orange. It is said that the shells of the 14 separate roofs, form a sphere if combined.