Digital design and modelling

Digital design and modelling refers to aspects of two-dimensional (2D) and threedimensional (3D) design work that can be undertaken within a computerised environment. This has become increasingly common over the past few decades with the improving speed of desktop computers and advances in user interfaces. Traditionally, 2D and 3D design and modelling are done using manual techniques such as sketching, hand rendering, engineering drawings and handmade physical models. These techniques can be employed in a range of disciplines including industrial design, fashion design, furniture design and architecture. They are still used widely used today, often to complement the use of digital techniques, and a competent designer will be comfortable in both the manual and digital realms. [...continues

Using the continuum of design modelling techniques to aid the development of cad modelling skills in first year industrial design students

Loughborough Design School (LDS) used the Design Modelling Techniques to aid the development of CAD modelling skills in first year Industrial Design (DP1) students. All 130 students were asked to create an external product form around a given set of internal components. They were required to both sketch the form and translate it into a foam model. They were also given the option of using 3D CAD to complement their manual techniques. Iteration between the different media was encouraged. The expected outcome was that students would develop a competence in 3D shape analysis and the transformation into 2D profiles. It was found that the vast majorities of the students had grasped the concept of key cross-sections and were able to identify these on images of existing products. Virtually all of the students became very competent in iterating between 2D sketches and a 3D foam model, where they would derive the key sections from their model, re-sketch the shape they wanted and modify the foam accordingly

Increasing product attachment through personalised design of additively manufactured products

The research reported in this paper has demonstrated that emerging digital technologies are offering new methods for designers to work with end users to help them create personalised products. Additive manufacturing provides a manufacturing process that is capable of producing virtually any geometry with little or no cost and time differentials. The most difficult part of the process is the CAD modelling effort required to create highly complex personalised shapes. Conventional CAD struggles to support the user creativity required whereas the advent of Virtual Clay modelling seems to offer some potential in this area. Overall, the combined use of co-design and additive manufacturing results in an exciting new environment for creative designers and users to work together. They can work in a digital medium that mimics the flexibility of 3D physical modelling and yet offers the speed, repeatability and cost benefits of automated production. The increased emotional bonding that users have with personalised products has been shown to be a potential source of greater product usage life and hence improved sustainability

From CAD and RP to innovative manufacturing

From CAD and Virtual Prototyping, there are already available many Rapid Prototyping (RP) techniques to produce physical, hand hold able parts. A brief overview is presented of some important aspects regarding how to get a good 3D solid model, how to transfer it to RP machines and how to produce quickly a physical prototype. The RP models could be used for different downstream applications. The paper gives some alternative tooling routes, depending on some criteria, such as: volume production, material and complexity of the parts. The RP models could be used as master models for vacuum casting, metal spraying, investment casting and other innovative manufacturing techniques

Using rapid prototyping to verify design for assembly

Design for assembly (DFA) is a well-establish technique that has proved beneficial in many companies in different manufacturing sectors. It aims to simplify the assembly of a product by reducing the number of components and by making sure that they fit together easily. Often, a DFA analysis will show a theoretical improvement in the assemblability of a product, but the re-design is not implemented because there is no way of verifying the findings of the analysis. Rapid prototyping (RP) enables physical models to be made directly from CAD data in a relatively short period of time. Using RP, it is possible to build the re-designed product and test the accuracy of the DFA analysis. This paper describes the procedure that can be followed to achieve this and demonstrates its practicality through use of a case study

Pushing the design boundaries with metal AM

Pushing the design boundaries with metal A

Using Idea-2-Product Labs® as a strategy for accelerating technology transfer

Technology transfer poses particular problems to developing countries whose governments cannot always afford to fund expensive high-tech solutions. This article reports on the Idea 2 Product Labs® concept that was developed in South Africa to offer a low-cost open-source alternative. The motivation behind the work was to put innovative new technologies into the hands of more people within a shorter timeframe than would otherwise be possible. The background, planning, objectives, outcomes and impact of the project are reported together with some conclusions on how this model could be adopted across a wider domain

Application of additive manufacturing to the digital restoration of archaeological artefacts

The application of digital technologies to relic conservation is a common research topic in the field of world cultural heritage. Both the inheritance of traditional techniques and the introduction of advanced technologies depend on the users and their awareness and understanding of cultural heritage. Manufacturing processes are the manifestations of culture and art, and there are always new methods appearing in the historical development. Digital technology is now one of these methods, which inherits cultural aspects, improves efficiency and raises quality. Every technology has advantages and limitations. What is important is developing the advantages and avoiding the weaknesses, integrative utilisation, and designing feasible and effective solutions. This paper explains process chains for optimised archiving, restoration, and replication of archaeological artefacts. It shows the exploration of overlapping areas between 3D digital technologies and traditional art, application examples of optimally combined forward and reverse engineering (RE), and developing prospects in the cultural creative industry. The outputs from the research should prove to be valuable to anyone working in the field of digital restoration, particularly when a physical replica is required. This applies in the archaeological domain but also in any field requiring artistic modelling of complex surfaces

Application of additive manufacturing to fine art sculpture

Additive manufacturing (AM) has shown itself to be beneficial in many application areas, including product design and manufacture, medical models and prosthetics, architectural modelling and artistic endeavours. For some of these applications, coupling AM with reverse engineering (RE) enables the utilisation of data from existing 3D shapes. This paper describes the application of AM and RE within sculpture manufacture, in order to optimise the process chain for sculpture reproduction and relic conservation and restoration. This area poses particular problems since the original artefacts can often be fragile and inaccessible, and the finishing required on the AM replicas is both complex and varied. Two on-going projects are presented as case studies: a group of large scale sculptures of horses that will be created and installed in Ordos, Mongolia; and the repair of an antique from the Forbidden City in Beijing. The latter project in particular involves a wide range of artefact shapes and downstream finishing techniques. The combination of digital technologies and traditional art requires interdisciplinary knowledge across engineering and fine art. Also, definitions and requirements (e.g. ‘accuracy’), can be applied in both engineering and artistic terms when specifications and trade-offs are being considered. The paper discusses the feasibility for using these technologies across domains, and explores the potential for developing new market opportunities for AM. The paper finishes with conclusions about the feasibility, constraints, pros and cons of adopting AM in this area

User-led development of an Interactive Evolutionary Design system

This paper includes two distinct but related elements: 1. It raises issues surrounding how Interactive Evolutionary Design (IED) systems are developed and their adoption by industry; 2. It describes an existing IED system known as ‘Evolutionary Form Design’ (EFD). These elements are linked through the proposal that the EFD system can contribute to addressing the issues raised. The paper opens with the suggestion that investigation is needed into the disappointing uptake of IED in commercial industrial design. Preliminary enquiries suggest that awareness of the technology in the design community is minimal. Concern is also expressed with the apparent lack of end-user participation in IED development. Reasons for these issues are suggested. The next section provides an overview of the EFD system’s implementation within a CAD system, and its representation employing blended geometric primitives interacting through Boolean operators. Some distinctive features are then described: control of Boolean interaction, edge blending strategies, a team-forming algorithm and machine-based geometric and aesthetic optimization. The section ends by listing the system’s strengths pertaining to its suitability for use in the proposed user-trials and outreach activities that are outlined in the last section. Conclusions re-affirm that the described EFD system overcomes some of the perceived barriers to greater uptake in design practice and will be further developed via inter-disciplinary collaboration and greater user involvement