WEEK 2: Digital Bodies¶
A week of exploring new programs to digitally fabricate and physically construct the human body.
WHAT I MADE¶
Laser Cut Mannequin - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
INSPIRATION¶
Inspiration Text - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
Visual Inspiration Map - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
MY PROCESS¶
Fabrication Process - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
STEP 1: Make a Humanoid - SOFTWARE: Make Human¶
A software program to generate digital humanoids. A very user-freindly interface that allows you to experiment with the limits of the human body through measurement, personal features, and movement.¶
- Open Make Human.
- Start with the 'Modelling' 'Main' tabs.
- Set the measurements and physical characteristics of your desired human.
- More specific characterisitcs can be modified by going to 'Menu - Face' 'Menu - Torso' 'Menu - Arms and Legs'.
- After spending 20 minutes measuring each limb of my physical body in the lab, I set my humanoid to match my exact body measurements.
- Save Humanoid in Make Human - Export as OBJ
Make Human Software - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
BACKGROUNDS: Placing humanoid in different environments.
Upload Background into Make Human Software - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
Make Human Humanoid in New Environment - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
Exporting UV Map, Light Map, and Texture Folder from Make Human - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
Water Transparency x Make Human x Vimeo - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
Floral Background x Make Human x Vimeo - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
SKETCHFAB UPLOAD:
- Drag and Drop .OBJ file into Sketchfab.
- Click 3D Settings button on right side.
- Change lighting, materials, backdrop, VR play.
- Embed Link into Gitlab.
STEP 2: Chop Limbs off Humanoid - SOFTWARE: Rhinoseros¶
A 3D computer graphics and CAD software based on the mathematical model NURBS. A very user-freindly interface that allows you to create, edit, analyze, document, render, animate, and translate NURBS curves, surfaces, and solids, point clouds, and polygon.¶
- Open Rhino.
- Select cube symbol in left tools panel (3rd row down, middle icon)
- Drag selection to areas you want to cut.
- Group mesh - because eyes, ears, mouth are separate parts, so when I move them, they must move together.
- Type in top left: MeshtoNurb.
- Select mesh by clicking group (mesh) not polysurface (solid)
- Right click Boolean object next to cube (3rd row down, 4th from left)
- Type in Mirror in top left.
- Select Body > File > Export > OBJ > Move bar to far right.
Chopping Limbs in Rhino - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
STEP 3: Convert 3D Model into 2D Pattern - SOFTWARE: Slicer for Fusion 360¶
A software program to turn digital 3D models into 2D patterns that can be cut out of any flat material. A non user-freindly interface due to its delay in actioning requests.¶
- Open Slicer for Fusion 360.
- Import OBJ Model saved from Make Human or Rhinoseros.
Manufacturing Settings¶
- Click on pencil icon in top left.
- '+' Add new dimensions of material you will be cutting on.
- NOTE. This time, we printed on 1160mm x 960mm x 3mm corrugated cardboard.
Object Size¶
- Click Original Size.
Construction Technique¶
- Choose technique (Stacked Slices, Interlocked SLices, Curve, Radial Slices)
- NOTE. This time, I chose Radial Slices.
Slice Distribution¶
- Method: By Count.
- Play with the amount of slices that works best for your design.
- Monitor the amount of slices with the amount of sheets in top right.
- NOTE. This time, we were assigned a maximum of 5 sheets per person so we had to stay within that boundary.
Slice Direction¶
- Use the blue triangle axis to play with angle.
- Use the yellow shadow to generate the angle of slices.
- To see the direction of angles, hover over body.
Modify Form¶
- Play with panel along bottom of page. .
- Choose from Hollow, Thicken, Shrinkwrap.
- At this point, Save your file.
- Slicer > Save > Save to Computer > PDF, DXF.
Assembly Steps¶
- Return to this tab once you are ready to assemble.
Get Plans¶
- Bottom panel of page.
- File Type > DXF > mm > Export to my computer.
STEP 4: Refine Cutsheets - SOFTWARE: Adobe Illustrator¶
A vector-graphics software that allows you to create and edit drawings, logos, and typography. A smooth user-interface that can be complicated.¶
- Open zip file > Open in Adobe Illustrator.
- Set up cut sheet files for laser cutter.
- Cut any unwanted holes, delete or join anchor points, move cuts around on sheets to maximise fitting space.
- Save As > Adobe Illustrator File (.ai) > Version: CS2 > Untick all boxes > Ok.
Slicer for Fusion 360 Cut Sheet Plans - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
STEP 5: Laser Cutter - SOFTWARE: LaserCut 5.3¶
A laser cutter control software used to prepare cutting files before sending to machine. A non user-freindly interface due to its complex scaling and delay in actioning requests.¶
LASERCUT 5.3 SETTINGS¶
- Login in FABLAB > Desktop > FAB FILES > FABRICADEMY > BELA
- Open LaserCut 5.3 > Import > 'Nameoffile.ai'
- File will open up > Zoom out until you see the laser cutter table > Cntrl A the file > Drag into laser cutter table .
- Cntrl A the file > Click 'Size' icon in left toolbar.
- IMPORTANT STEP: This scale needs to match the scale of the cut sheet on Adobe Illustrator (see below how to find dimensions on Adobe Illustrator)
- NOTE. I kept in mm on Adobe Illustrator and LaserCut 5.3.
Matching Dimensions on Adobe Illustrator and LaserCut 5.3 - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
LASERCUT 5.3 SETTINGS CONT.¶
- Blue dot is parameter of page > Keep shapes within boundaries of page.
- Colour shapes according to the Speed and Power to which you want them cut.
- Speed and Power settings will change depending on material and cut type.
- Corner Speed: always 20.
- NOTE. This time, for cutting corrugated cardboard, I set CUT, Speed: 400, Power: 70, Corner Speed: 20
- NOTE. This time, for engraving numbers, I set CUT, Speed: 400, Power: 25, Corner Speed: 20
- Click Download button on bottom right. -'Del All' > Download Current.
- NOTE. Order of cutting very important. If cut inside of a t-shirt first, outside will be held in place. If cut outside of t-shirt first, inside will lose support.
LaserCut 5.3 Instructions - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
LASER CUTTER MACHINE SETTINGS¶
- Anchor laser head & Test cutting parameters.
- Use Arrow Keys to position top left corner > Anchor > Enter > Test.
- Tape or use a weight to hold down material if not flat.
- Close laser cutter lid with 2 hands.
- Flick green switch of vaporiser on > Wait for 'Tick' to give green signal.
- Start on laser cutter.
Laser Cutter Instructions - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
Laser Cutter Cutting Mannequin Sheets - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
STEP 6: Assembly - SOFTWARE: Slicer for Fusion 360 & Myself¶
Assembly Steps from Slicer for Fusion 360 - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
Assembly Steps Recorded at Waag - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
A folder with all the files for cutting and assembling can be downloaded here.
Other Digital Fabrication Techniques Learnt this Week:¶
3D SYSTEM SENSE SOFTWARE¶
A hand-held, full colour, 3D scanning software. A user-friendly, straight-forward interface.¶
- Open SENSE.
- Choose what you will scan; Body, Head, Object.
- Start.
- Physically pan around the body.
- Green: successful scan / Red: failed scan.
- Save > Finish > Export (.OBJ or .STL)
- Solidify closes holes.
- Files save to the computer.
- NOTE. changes only occur if click Apply.
- NOTE. OBJ: Adobe programs, STL: 3D print.
3D Scanning using SENSE - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
SKANECT SOFTWARE¶
A 3D scanning software that reads objects, faces, or bodies from a spinning platform. A non user-freindly interface due to its delay in registering data.¶
- Open Skanect.
- Aspect Ratio: Normal.
- Path: Where it will save.
- Choose Body, Object.
- Delay: How much time needed before it scans.
- NOTE. Scanner works closely with light. Try to avoid patches of light - the scanner will pick it up as the object being scanned.
3D Scanning using Skanekt - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
BONUS SECTION¶
I used the off-cut shapes from cut sheets to record pattern motion.
Cut Sheets x Gradient - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
Cut Sheets x Gradient - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
Cut Sheets x Gradient - Credit: Bela Rofe¶
