Assignment 4 Submission

 For this project we had to create an object that consists of multiple parts by either using the 3D printing technique or the laser cutting technique. I decided that I would use the 3D printing technique and began creating my object using GrassHopper.

The body:

I wanted to create a simple car object which I broke into 3 main parts, the body, axles and wheels which I will 3D print separately and then join together to create a simple car that is fully functional. I used a series of boxes and Boolean union commands to create the first part of the body. I then created a copy of the first body section and began creating cross members in between both sections. I then used the Boolean union command to join all sections of the body together to create one object.

The Axles:

The axles were rather easy to create as I used a simple cylinder that was long enough to connect both sections of the car together but also extend further to allow for the wheels. I made copies of each axle and used the Boolean difference command to create the axle opening between the body of the car and the axles.

The wheels:

The wheels were also created using a cylinder and a Boolean difference command was used to create an opening between the wheel and the axle which I will glue together once I print these parts.

The above screenshot conveys my final script that I developed using GrassHopper to create my simple car.

The above screenshot is of my simple car which I created using GrassHopper

The above screenshot conveys my baked simple car in Rhino ready to be exported as .stl files for 3D printing.

This particular project has enabled me to think about the design process involved in creating such object. Before I began creating my object I had to analyse the design process and establish how the various components that formed my object were going to connect together.

After establishing the process that I would need to undertake and combined my knowledge of GrassHopper I was able to create my simple car. Throughout this semester I have been able to expand my knowledge on this new technology and I'm also beginning to understand what needs to be considered in order to ensure that the model will work in the real world once produced.

GrassHopper File:
STL Files:

Assignment 3 Submission (Update)

For this particular assignment we had to create a mass using the waffling or sectioning technique. I decided to use the sectioning techniques. I began by creating my form by using points which were controlled by sliders. I then created curves through those points and used the sweep commands on my created curves to extract my main form. I then divided my form into smaller parts using the divide command and used the solid difference command to subtract a few spheres from my main form in order to accomplish the finished mass. Lastly, I extruded my surface to give it depth and baked it into Rhino and began sectioning it for laser cutting.

Below are a few screenshots of my script and finished mass.

The above screenshot conveys my final script in GrassHopper

The screenshot above shows my final model which I have baked into Rhino

Above is sheet 1 of 2 of my layers that I will be laser cutting

Above is sheet 2 of 2 of my layers that I will be laser cutting

I believe that my skills in using GrassHopper have improved dramatically over the semester. This particular project has enabled me to use my developed skills in using GrassHopper and Rhino to produce this sectioned mass and I believe that I can only improve in future projects.

GrassHopper File
Rhino File

Update 16/6/2014 - Design Refinement

I decided to refine my current submission for assignment 3 laser cutting an interesting surface which I developed using GrassHopper and laser cutting it using the waffling technique to convey the contours of the surface. Below is a screen shot of the final script from GrassHopper and also an image of the final model.

Part 1 of script

Part 2 of script

Part 3 of script

Final script of refined model

GrassHopper File

Assignment 2 Submission

For this assignment we had to create a tessellated surface in GrassHopper and Rhino which we would then 3D print to produce a physical model. At the start of this project I had many obstacles trying to create a parametric tessellated surface using GrassHopper due to my short knowledge in using GrassHopper. 

However, after watching many online tutorials and through the help of my tutor I was able to understand the basic concept and the procedure involved in creating a tessellated surface using GrassHopper. Below are some screen shots of my script in GrassHopper and my final surface explaining some of the procedure that I undertook to create the end result. 

The above screenshot shows a series of points that I created in GrassHopper which are controlled in the x,y and z directions using sliders. The above script was repeated to create another series of points for the second curve.

The above screenshot shows my created curves that used the series of points which I created earlier in the project. I then lofted both curves to create a surface that I then placed in a surface container to begin the tessellation process.

The above script uses a series of division commands, lines and item containers to create parametric surfaces which can be adjusted based on the u and v values and also in the directions of x,y,z.

The above screenshot conveys my final tessellated surface created using the script attached in GrassHopper.

I'm overall pleased with my final outcome for this project which has further developed my skills in using GrassHopper which has made me realise the powerful capabilities of GrassHopper and how it can be applied to Architectural solutions. 

Link to GrassHopper model

Tutorials which I have viewed to help me create my tessellated surface.

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxcbfRBXDXU

2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxNrNGL4EY0

3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLQuKrW9-YI

4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEjsP7o5JwE