38 research outputs found

    Cross-Sectional 4D-Printing: Upscaling Self-Shaping Structures with Differentiated Material Properties Inspired by the Large-Flowered Butterwort (Pinguicula grandiflora)

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    Extrusion-based 4D-printing, which is an emerging field within additive manufacturing, has enabled the technical transfer of bioinspired self-shaping mechanisms by emulating the functional morphology of motile plant structures (e.g., leaves, petals, capsules). However, restricted by the layer-by-layer extrusion process, much of the resulting works are simplified abstractions of the pinecone scale’s bilayer structure. This paper presents a new method of 4D-printing by rotating the printed axis of the bilayers, which enables the design and fabrication of self-shaping monomaterial systems in cross sections. This research introduces a computational workflow for programming, simulating, and 4D-printing differentiated cross sections with multilayered mechanical properties. Taking inspiration from the large-flowered butterwort (Pinguicula grandiflora), which shows the formation of depressions on its trap leaves upon contact with prey, we investigate the depression formation of bioinspired 4D-printed test structures by varying each depth layer. Cross-sectional 4D-printing expands the design space of bioinspired bilayer mechanisms beyond the XY plane, allows more control in tuning their self-shaping properties, and paves the way toward large-scale 4D-printed structures with high-resolution programmability

    Towards reconnecting bits of mind and atoms of hand

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    Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Architecture, 2018.Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2018.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (pages 70-71).Multi-sensory interaction with material is the source of embodied design knowledge in the process of creative design. Through bodily engagement with material in the process of making, the integration of thinking and doing - or mind and hand - results in generating iterative design solutions. While compute raided design (CAD) tools have brought various benefits to the field of design, such as speed and accuracy in modeling, their detachment from physical world eliminates the multi-sensory interaction between designer and material. I argue that in order to overcome the separation of design and making in the context of computer-aided design tools, we need to rethink the interfaces by which designers interact with the digital world. If we aim to bring back material interaction to the computer-aided design process, the material itself should become the interface between designer and computer. I propose Augmented Materials - defined as physical materials embedded with digital and computational capabilities- to fill the gap between physical and digital model making. By embedding functional components such as sensors, actuators and microcontrollers, directly within modules of physical interface, an integrated system emerges that can offer computational capabilities such as speed and precision of modeling, while allowing designers to engage in a hands-on multi-sensory interaction with material. I implement my thesis by introducing NURBSforms, a modular shape-changing interface that lets designers create NURBS-based curves and free-form surfaces in a physical form, just as easily as they do in CAD software. Each module of NURBSforms represents a base curve with variable curvature, with the amount of its curvature being controlled by the designer, and represented through real-time actuation of material. NURBSforms bridges between digital and physical model making by bringing digital capabilities such as such as real-time transformation, programmability, repeatability and reversibility to the physical modality. I implemented two modalities of interaction with NURBSforms, one using direct manipulation, and the other using gestural control. I conclude this work by evaluating NURBSforms interface based on two sets of user studies, and propose potential future developments of the project. My thesis contributes to the fields of Design and Human Computer Interaction by introducing Augmented Materials as a framework for creating computer-aided design interfaces that integrate physical and digital modalities. The NURBSforms interface can be further developed to be used as a pervasive design interface as well as a research and education tool. The software, hardware and fabrication techniques developed during implementation of NURBSforms can be applied to the research projects in the fields of architecture, product design, and HCI.S.M

    Fuel Gas Network Synthesis Using Block Superstructure

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    T‌I‌M‌E-D‌E‌P‌E‌N‌D‌E‌N‌T B‌E‌H‌A‌V‌I‌O‌R O‌F C‌A‌N‌T‌I‌L‌E‌V‌E‌R L‌I‌G‌H‌T W‌E‌I‌G‌H‌T C‌O‌N‌C‌R‌E‌T‌E B‌R‌I‌D‌G‌E B‌A‌S‌E‌D O‌N T‌E‌N‌D‌O‌N A‌N‌D L‌I‌G‌H‌T W‌E‌I‌G‌H‌T C‌O‌N‌C‌R‌E‌T‌E T‌Y‌P‌E‌S

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    T‌h‌e b‌a‌l‌a‌n‌c‌e‌d c‌a‌n‌t‌i‌l‌e‌v‌e‌r c‌o‌n‌s‌t‌r‌u‌c‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f p‌r‌e-s‌t‌r‌e‌s‌s‌e‌d c‌o‌n‌c‌r‌e‌t‌e b‌o‌x-g‌i‌r‌d‌e‌r b‌r‌i‌d‌g‌e‌s h‌a‌s b‌e‌e‌n r‌e‌c‌o‌g‌n‌i‌z‌e‌d a‌s o‌n‌e o‌f t‌h‌e m‌o‌s‌t e‌f‌f‌i‌c‌i‌e‌n‌t m‌e‌t‌h‌o‌d‌s o‌f b‌r‌i‌d‌g‌e c‌o‌n‌s‌t‌r‌u‌c‌t‌i‌o‌n. T‌h‌i‌s m‌e‌t‌h‌o‌d h‌a‌s g‌r‌e‌a‌t a‌d‌v‌a‌n‌t‌a‌g‌e‌s o‌v‌e‌r o‌t‌h‌e‌r m‌e‌t‌h‌o‌d‌s, e‌s‌p‌e‌c‌i‌a‌l‌l‌y i‌n u‌r‌b‌a‌n a‌r‌e‌a‌s w‌h‌e‌r‌e t‌r‌a‌f‌f‌i‌c m‌a‌y b‌e i‌n‌t‌e‌r‌r‌u‌p‌t‌e‌d, o‌r o‌v‌e‌r d‌e‌e‌p v‌a‌l‌l‌e‌y‌s o‌r w‌a‌t‌e‌r‌w‌a‌y‌s w‌h‌e‌r‌e f‌o‌r‌m‌w‌o‌r‌k c‌o‌u‌l‌d b‌e e‌x‌p‌e‌n‌s‌i‌v‌e a‌n‌d h‌a‌z‌a‌r‌d‌o‌u‌s. T‌i‌m‌e-d‌e‌p‌e‌n‌d‌e‌n‌t d‌e‌f‌o‌r‌m‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f m‌a‌t‌e‌r‌i‌a‌l‌s h‌a‌s a‌d‌v‌e‌r‌s‌e e‌f‌f‌e‌c‌t‌s o‌n b‌a‌l‌a‌n‌c‌e‌d c‌a‌n‌t‌i‌l‌e‌v‌e‌r b‌r‌i‌d‌g‌e‌s. T‌h‌e t‌i‌m‌e-d‌e‌p‌e‌n‌d‌e‌n‌t c‌o‌n‌c‌r‌e‌t‌e c‌r‌e‌e‌p a‌n‌d s‌h‌r‌i‌n‌k‌a‌g‌e e‌f‌f‌e‌c‌t‌s o‌n s‌e‌g‌m‌e‌n‌t‌a‌l b‌r‌i‌d‌g‌e‌s a‌r‌e m‌o‌r‌e c‌r‌i‌t‌i‌c‌a‌l t‌h‌a‌n o‌t‌h‌e‌r t‌y‌p‌e‌s o‌f c‌o‌n‌c‌r‌e‌t‌e b‌r‌i‌d‌g‌e‌s. A‌n i‌n‌c‌r‌e‌a‌s‌e i‌n t‌i‌m‌e-d‌e‌p‌e‌n‌d‌e‌n‌t d‌e‌f‌o‌r‌m‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f c‌o‌n‌c‌r‌e‌t‌e l‌e‌a‌d‌s t‌o t‌h‌e r‌e‌d‌u‌c‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f p‌r‌e-s‌t‌r‌e‌s‌s‌i‌n‌g f‌o‌r‌c‌e o‌f c‌a‌b‌l‌e‌s a‌n‌d a‌f‌f‌e‌c‌t‌i‌n‌g t‌h‌e s‌e‌r‌v‌i‌c‌e a‌b‌i‌l‌i‌t‌y o‌f t‌h‌e b‌a‌l‌a‌n‌c‌e‌d c‌a‌n‌t‌i‌l‌e‌v‌e‌r b‌r‌i‌d‌g‌e‌s. T‌h‌e c‌o‌m‌b‌i‌n‌e‌d e‌f‌f‌e‌c‌t‌s o‌f c‌r‌e‌e‌p a‌n‌d s‌h‌r‌i‌n‌k‌a‌g‌e o‌f c‌o‌n‌c‌r‌e‌t‌e a‌n‌d r‌e‌l‌a‌x‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f p‌r‌e-s‌t‌r‌e‌s‌s‌i‌n‌g t‌e‌n‌d‌o‌n‌s c‌a‌u‌s‌e g‌r‌a‌d‌u‌a‌l c‌h‌a‌n‌g‌e‌s i‌n t‌h‌e i‌n‌t‌e‌r‌n‌a‌l f‌o‌r‌c‌e‌s a‌n‌d d‌e‌f‌l‌e‌c‌t‌i‌o‌n‌s o‌f s‌p‌a‌n. D‌e‌s‌p‌i‌t‌e a w‌i‌d‌e r‌a‌n‌g‌e o‌f a‌p‌p‌l‌i‌c‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n‌s o‌f b‌a‌l‌a‌n‌c‌e‌d c‌a‌n‌t‌i‌l‌e‌v‌e‌r l‌i‌g‌h‌t-w‌e‌i‌g‌h‌t c‌o‌n‌c‌r‌e‌t‌e b‌r‌i‌d‌g‌e‌s w‌i‌t‌h l‌o‌n‌g‌e‌r s‌p‌a‌n‌s, t‌h‌e‌r‌e i‌s n‌o s‌u‌f‌f‌i‌c‌i‌e‌n‌t k‌n‌o‌w‌l‌e‌d‌g‌e a‌b‌o‌u‌t t‌h‌e t‌i‌m‌e-d‌e‌p‌e‌n‌d‌e‌n‌t b‌e‌h‌a‌v‌i‌o‌r o‌f l‌i‌g‌h‌t-w‌e‌i‌g‌h‌t c‌o‌n‌c‌r‌e‌t‌e. I‌n t‌h‌i‌s s‌t‌u‌d‌y, t‌i‌m‌e-d‌e‌p‌e‌n‌d‌e‌n‌t a‌n‌a‌l‌y‌s‌e‌s o‌f b‌a‌l‌a‌n‌c‌e‌d c‌a‌n‌t‌i‌l‌e‌v‌e‌r l‌i‌g‌h‌t-w‌e‌i‌g‌h‌t c‌o‌n‌c‌r‌e‌t‌e b‌r‌i‌d‌g‌e‌s a‌r‌e c‌a‌r‌r‌i‌e‌d o‌u‌t b‌y c‌o‌n‌s‌i‌d‌e‌r‌i‌n‌g t‌h‌e c‌r‌e‌e‌p a‌n‌d s‌h‌r‌i‌n‌k‌a‌g‌e o‌f l‌i‌g‌h‌t-w‌e‌i‌g‌h‌t c‌o‌n‌c‌r‌e‌t‌e a‌n‌d r‌e‌l‌a‌x‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f p‌r‌e-s‌t‌r‌e‌s‌s‌i‌n‌g c‌a‌b‌l‌e‌s. S‌t‌o‌l‌m‌a b‌r‌i‌d‌g‌e f‌i‌e‌l‌d e‌x‌p‌e‌r‌i‌m‌e‌n‌t‌a‌l r‌e‌s‌u‌l‌t‌s a‌r‌e u‌s‌e‌d t‌o v‌e‌r‌i‌f‌y t‌h‌e a‌n‌a‌l‌y‌s‌i‌s m‌e‌t‌h‌o‌d. A‌B‌A‌Q‌U‌S s‌o‌f‌t‌w‌a‌r‌e c‌a‌p‌a‌b‌i‌l‌i‌t‌i‌e‌s a‌r‌e u‌t‌i‌l‌i‌z‌e‌d t‌o c‌o‌n‌s‌i‌d‌e‌r t‌h‌e s‌t‌e‌p-b‌y-s‌t‌e‌p c‌o‌n‌s‌t‌r‌u‌c‌t‌i‌o‌n p‌r‌o‌c‌e‌d‌u‌r‌e, s‌o t‌h‌e s‌u‌i‌t‌a‌b‌l‌e s‌i‌m‌u‌l‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f t‌h‌e b‌r‌i‌d‌g‌e l‌i‌f‌e‌t‌i‌m‌e i‌s a‌c‌h‌i‌e‌v‌e‌d. T‌h‌e n‌u‌m‌e‌r‌i‌c‌a‌l s‌t‌u‌d‌y i‌s p‌e‌r‌f‌o‌r‌m‌e‌d f‌o‌r o‌n‌e, t‌h‌r‌e‌e, f‌i‌v‌e a‌n‌d t‌h‌i‌r‌t‌y y‌e‌a‌r‌s a‌f‌t‌e‌r t‌h‌e c‌o‌m‌p‌l‌e‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f c‌o‌n‌s‌t‌r‌u‌c‌t‌i‌o‌n p‌r‌o‌c‌e‌d‌u‌r‌e. A p‌a‌r‌a‌m‌e‌t‌r‌i‌c s‌t‌u‌d‌y i‌s c‌o‌n‌d‌u‌c‌t‌e‌d b‌a‌s‌e‌d o‌n t‌h‌r‌e‌e t‌y‌p‌e‌s o‌f c‌o‌n‌c‌r‌e‌t‌e L‌C60, L‌C40, a‌n‌d L‌C25 a‌s w‌e‌l‌l a‌s t‌w‌o t‌y‌p‌e‌s o‌f b‌e‌h‌a‌v‌i‌o‌r o‌f s‌t‌e‌e‌l, n‌o‌r‌m‌a‌l r‌e‌l‌a‌x‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n a‌n‌d l‌o‌w (T‌R‌B) r‌e‌l‌a‌x‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n. T‌h‌e r‌e‌s‌u‌l‌t‌s d‌e‌m‌o‌n‌s‌t‌r‌a‌t‌e t‌h‌a‌t t‌i‌m‌e-d‌e‌p‌e‌n‌d‌e‌n‌t d‌e‌f‌o‌r‌m‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n‌s h‌a‌v‌e c‌o‌n‌s‌i‌d‌e‌r‌a‌b‌l‌e e‌f‌f‌e‌c‌t o‌n l‌i‌f‌e‌t‌i‌m‌e b‌e‌h‌a‌v‌i‌o‌r o‌f l‌i‌g‌h‌t-w‌e‌i‌g‌h‌t c‌o‌n‌c‌r‌e‌t‌e b‌r‌i‌d‌g‌e. M‌o‌s‌t o‌f t‌h‌e t‌i‌m‌e-d‌e‌p‌e‌n‌d‌e‌n‌t d‌e‌f‌o‌r‌m‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n h‌a‌p‌p‌e‌n‌e‌d i‌n e‌a‌r‌l‌y y‌e‌a‌r‌s a‌f‌t‌e‌r t‌h‌e c‌o‌m‌p‌l‌e‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f c‌o‌n‌s‌t‌r‌u‌c‌t‌i‌o‌n p‌r‌o‌c‌e‌d‌u‌r‌e o‌f t‌h‌e b‌r‌i‌d‌g‌e. T‌h‌e p‌a‌r‌a‌m‌e‌t‌r‌i‌c s‌t‌u‌d‌y s‌h‌o‌w‌e‌d t‌h‌e i‌d‌e‌n‌t‌i‌c‌a‌l r‌e‌s‌u‌l‌t‌s o‌f c‌o‌n‌t‌r‌i‌b‌u‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f c‌r‌e‌e‌p, s‌h‌r‌i‌n‌k‌a‌g‌e a‌n‌d r‌e‌l‌a‌x‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n e‌f‌f‌e‌c‌t‌s o‌n t‌h‌e d‌e‌f‌l‌e‌c‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f t‌h‌e m‌i‌d‌d‌l‌e s‌p‌a‌n f‌o‌r d‌i‌f‌f‌e‌r‌e‌n‌t t‌y‌p‌e‌s o‌f c‌o‌n‌c‌r‌e‌t‌e. T‌h‌e e‌f‌f‌e‌c‌t o‌f r‌e‌l‌a‌x‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌n t‌h‌e d‌e‌f‌l‌e‌c‌t‌i‌o‌n o‌f t‌h‌e m‌i‌d‌d‌l‌e s‌p‌a‌n i‌s n‌e‌g‌l‌i‌g‌i‌b‌l‌e f‌o‌r r‌e‌l‌a‌x‌a‌t‌i‌o‌n c‌a‌b‌l‌e‌s

    Application of an optimum design of cooling water system by regeneration concept and Pinch Technology for water and energy conservation

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    In this study, using a combination of Pinch Technology and Mathematical Programming, a new technique is presented in order to grass-root design for a cooling water system to achieve minimum total annual cost. The presented technique is further improved by using patterns from the concept of regeneration recycling in water systems: in a sense that cooling water is regenerated locally by an air cooler. Moreover, in the proposed method, optimum design of cooling tower has been achieved through a mathematical model. Related coding in MATLAB version 7.3 was used for the illustrative example to get optimal values in the proposed cooling water design method computations. The result of the recently introduced design methodology was compared with the conventional and Kim and Smith design methods. The outcomes indicate that by using this new design method, more water and energy can be saved and a lower level of total annual cost can be reached. © 2009 Asian Network for Scientific Information

    Process Debottlenecking and Retrofit of Palm Oil Milling Process via Inoperability Input-Output Modelling

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    In recent years, there has been an increase in crude palm oil (CPO) demand, resulting in palm oil mills (POMs) seizing the opportunity to increase CPO production to make more profits. A series of equipment are designed to operate in their optimum capacities in the current existing POMs. Some equipment may be limited by their maximum design capacities when there is a need to increase CPO production, resulting in process bottlenecks. In this research, a framework is developed to provide stepwise procedures on identifying bottlenecks and retrofitting a POM process to cater for the increase in production capacity. This framework adapts an algebraic approach known as Inoperability Input-Output Modelling (IIM). To illustrate the application of the framework, an industrial POM case study was solved using LINGO software in this work, by maximising its production capacity. Benefit-to-Cost Ratio (BCR) analysis was also performed to assess the economic feasibility. As results, the Screw Press was identified as the bottleneck. The retrofitting recommendation was to purchase an additional Screw Press to cater for the new throughput with BCR of 54.57. It was found the POM to be able to achieve the maximum targeted production capacity of 8,139.65 kg/hr of CPO without any bottlenecks.</p

    NURBSforms: A Modular Shape-Changing Interface for Prototyping Curved Surfaces

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    © 2020 Association for Computing Machinery. We present NURBSforms: A modular shape-changing interface for prototyping curved surfaces. Each NURBSform module represents an edge of variable curvature that, when joined together with other modules, enables designers to construct surfaces and adjust their curvature interactively. NURBSform modules vary their curvature using active and passive shape memory materials: An embedded shape memory alloy (SMA) wire increases the curvature when heated, while an elastic material recovers the flat shape when the SMA wire cools down. A hall effect sensor on each module allows users to vary the curvature by adjusting the distance of their hand. In addition, NURBSforms provides functions across multiple modules, such as ?save', ?reset', and ?load', to facilitate design exploration. Since each module is self-contained and individually controllable, NURBSform modules scale well and can be connected into large networks of curves representing various geometries. By giving examples of different NURBSforms assemblies, we demonstrate how the modularity of NURBSforms, together with its integrated computational support, enables designers to quickly explore different versions of a shape in a single integrated design process
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