10. Textile Scaffold¶
Research¶
What is a Scaffold?
A scaffold is defined as a temporary support structure or foundational framework used to guide the shaping, growth, or development of materials, whether on a physical or conceptual level. It is a system that provides stability and initial structure, allowing a form or material to develop until it becomes self-sustaining without further support.
In biofabrication and biomaterials design, scaffolds are used as structures that guide cell growth or shape living materials, determining the form, density, and structural orientation of the material. They act as intermediaries between raw material and final form, particularly in experiments involving bio-tissues, growth materials, and interactive systems.
Scaffolds in Art and Design
The concept of scaffolds extends to various artistic fields, including:
Sculpture: where they are used as internal structures (armature) to support materials such as clay or fabrics during construction and shaping.
Architecture: where they function as temporary structural scaffolding, enabling the gradual construction of layers until the structure is complete.
Textile Arts: It appears in techniques such as weaving, crocheting, modular structures, and repetitive compositions that rely on a supporting structure to define the compositional pattern.
Experimental Design: It is used as a platform for testing new forms, material relationships, or unconventional structures.
Its Connection to Other Fields
The concept of scaffolding is directly related to several disciplines:
Biology and Textile Engineering: to guide cell growth and tissue formation.
Digital Fabrication: as a framework for setting parameters and controlling the structure of prototypes.
Computational Design: where it functions as a logical framework that organizes parametric systems and algorithmic patterns.
Educational Methodologies: used as a concept to support progressive learning and the sequential construction of knowledge.
Scaffolding as a Creative Concept
In the context of contemporary art projects, the scaffold is not merely a physical structure; it becomes a conceptual framework that organizes the experience, determines the design path, and creates an interaction between material, movement, and function. It is a space for research, experimentation, and constructive failure, enabling the realization of innovative design solutions based on a deep understanding of material structure and behavior.
The scaffold represents a fundamental basis for experimentation, allowing for the exploration of the relationship between form and material, and guiding the development process from abstract concept to functional prototype, thus combining aesthetic and functional aspects simultaneously.
References & Inspiration¶
Designers who employ the principles of scaffolding, fabric as scaffolding, and crystallization combine art and technology to create flexible or rigid supporting structures, whether in clothing, architecture, or biological materials.
Their structures are not merely supportive; they are a design language that guides form and growth, creating interactive and aesthetically pleasing works that transcend the traditional function of the material.
Marc Fornes / THEVERYMANY
Fernando & Humberto Campana – Campana Brothers
Tomás Saraceno
Julia Lohmann
Elisa Strozyk
CNC Milling:¶
CNC milling is a digital manufacturing technique that uses programmed machines to precisely cut and shape materials by removing material. It is widely used in the mold, technical fabric, and accessory industries to achieve intricate details and consistent quality.
In Our lab - MAKERSPACE AMMAN- we a huge CNC machine about 240cm * 120cm & maximmum spindle speed about 16500 RPM.
For using this machine there ara some safty rules
How it works:¶
All CNC tools, move a mill around a big table (X and Y axes) and move it up and down as well (Z axis) allowing it to make 3D movements and cut different shapes. The cutter looks like a drill bit and is spun by a motor called a router or spindle.
By precisely moving the mill through material, a ShopBot CNC tool can create many shapes and will do it in materials such as wood, plastic, foam, aluminum and many composites.
You can use for 2D or 3D designs
CNC tool-holding parts¶
The main parts that we should know
- End Mill
The cutting tool itself.
Common types include:
Flat End Mill
Ball Nose End Mill
Corner Radius End Mill
Roughing End Mill
This is what actually cuts the material
- Collet
The precision sleeve that grips the shank of the end mill and keeps it perfectly centered.(Chosen based on the diameter of the end mill shank.)
- Nut
The threaded nut that tightens over the collet and locks the end mill in place.
For measure the End mill tool shank lenghth and diameters... etc, we use calliper.
The effect of design on cutting accuracy¶
Geometry and design play a crucial role in the efficiency and accuracy of CNC cutting. Sharp angles, curves, and line thickness all affect tool trajectory and cutting speed. The more carefully considered the design in terms of shape and voids, the cleaner, less wasteful, and more stable the cut will be during operation.
VCarve Pro¶
After using one of designin softwares like Rhino, we safe the file in Stl format. Then we start using other software which is common used with CNC machines VCarve Pro
VCarve Pro is a design and control software used to configure cutting paths for CNC machines. It features an easy-to-use interface that enables the creation of precise engravings and 3D carving techniques. It helps convert digital designs into efficient operating commands, ensuring high accuracy and smooth execution of cutting and engraving operations.
Before milling starting¶
Make sure to clean the pieces before each project.
we should define the ZERO for X, Y, Z axes, according to the wood board and the design.
Star mould designing and milling¶
For this mould the design was inspire from NINE ARMED SEA STAR
The nine-armed sea star is found at depths of up to 40 metres (130 ft) around the coasts of Florida, in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and along the coast of South America to southern Brazil. It favours sandy, muddy or shelly seabeds in sheltered locations such as lagoons.
you can read more abot it HERE
FIRST STEP : DESIGNING¶
I started designing process using Rhino & Grashopper.
I started with RADIAL ARRAY with number slider to set the shape and the size of the design of the star, then I added QUAD SPHERE to get the balls shape.
After finish the design on grasshopper I started to make the mould shape on Rhino by making the rectangle shape & using Boolean Difference so I got the 3D shapes mould.
After finishing the design I save the file on STL format, so we can open it on VCARVE SOFTWARE
SECOND STEP : VCARVE PRO¶
I imported the file to VCARVE software, in the photo you see the interface of the software before file importing
After importing we start to set the settings of the software for the mould.
The design was converted into toolpaths within the Vcarve program.
Third step : Cutting execution¶
After selecting the appropriate end mill type, choosing suitable wood, securing it, and preparing the machine by installing the correct End mill and determining the zero point, we begin the milling process.
I used Beech wood, 5 cm thick for this mould.
In the following picture you can see the Endmills that we used for the mould.
Run the program and monitor the initial cutting process.
Start with the Roughing stage to remove the majority of the wood.
Move to the Finishing stage to achieve a smooth surface and fine details for the mold.
The expected time to finish the CNC was approximately 5 hours.
Final step¶
Sand the mold to remove traces of the tool, and apply 2 coats of varnish then let it to dry completly.
Hybrid Matter: Composite Material Explorations¶
I prepared three types of compost from materials I used during the experiments to optimize resource utilization.
The first: grains I used to test root germination. The second: lentils after germination. The third: black tea after preparation for kombucha.
For these composites I used BIO RESIN
To prepare this recipe:
Ingredients amounts:
- Gelatine: 24 g
- Glycerine: 2.5 g
- Water: 150 ml
Add the water to the pot and wait couple of miniuts then add the glycerine and stir, when you see the that they mixed well then add the gelatine and keep stirring slowly untill the gelatine completly dissolved you can keep stirring for more time but be sure not to boil the mixture, know you can powr the mixture into your mold or tray and keep it untill complete dry.
FIRST COMPOSITE: BEANS WITH BIORESIN
After trying to rooting these beans I found that it will take very long time, so I dried and ground all the beans together, then I mixed the powder with bioresin.
SECOND COMPOSITE: LENTIL PLANTS WITH BIORESIN After lentil planting I cutted the plants and dried it and mixed it with bioresin.
THIRD COMPOSITE: BLACK TEA WITH BIORESIN After preparing black tea for the kombucha, I kept all the leftovers and dried it and mixed it with bio resin.
crystallization:¶
Crystallization is the process by which a compound or substance transforms from a liquid or solution state into a regular solid structure called a crystal. This occurs when the solution cools, the solvent evaporates, or the concentration changes. Crystals are characterized by a precise internal arrangement of atoms or molecules, and the crystallization process is often used to purify materials and control their physical properties, such as hardness, transparency, and shape.
Read more about crystallization HERE
Salt Crystallization¶
I started experimentation with SALT CRYSTALLIZATION I dissolved about 400 gram of salt in one liter of water while heating until the salt stop dissolving.
Result
with same processes I experimented salt crystallization on Biomaterial bead.
For salt crystals, you can start see the crystalls after the solution get saturated, your crystalls will be easy to observed within one or two hours.
Alum Crystallization¶
My second experiment was ALUM CRYSTALLIZATION in red cabbage dye bath. I used the leftover dyebath from the biochrome & biofabrication week. It was 60ml of the dye bath so I dissolved 24G of Alum.
For Alum crystalls, it takes 2 days to start seeing the crystall, you will get bigger crystall if you let it more time.