Imagine. Innovate. Invent.
Foldable fractal is a project originally created by generative artist David Dessens (Sanch). The piece was generated using a recursive algorithm based on a lindermayer system. The software vvvv was use to generate the cutting path. The piece was created using the ability of the laser to half cut a material to help folding the material, a technique used here to simplify and accelerate fabrication. The piece (above) was designed for Lovebytes Digital Festival in the UK.
Digital fabrication designer Guillermo Bernal holds an architecture degree from Pratt but spends his day cranking out complex and fascinating work using his specialties of parametric design. The chair is made using algorithmic design and a 3-axis CNC mill on three sheets of birch plywood. The results show incredible amounts of texture and dimension without even having to touch it.
Fab Lab El Paso is building a blackFoot CNC router from Build Your CNC. This wooden gantry CNC router allow you to precisely cut 2D parts out of wood, plastic and aluminum sheets up to 4′ x 8′. It features a lot of nice design work and mechanical touches like a chain drive to reliably produce fast and accurate cuts. Because the gantry is made of wood, the blackFoot CNC router could actually make more copies of itself!
We think the wikiHouse would be a perfect project to explore the uses of this machine for large-scale fabrication.
The picture is courtesy of Judah Sher. Judah not only took this great photo but built the machine pictured over at Artisan Asylum, a great non-profit makerspace in Somerville, Massachusetts. He also developed the Kikori CNC router, another wooden gantry machine that promises to lower the barrier of entry to digital fabrication for makers.