BEIL0014 Degital Making Qinan Song z5014211

Summary of Reflection

Assessment 1 - Multiple Metal Shaping

Through the whole semester, by taking the Digital Making Course makes me learn many techniques of shaping aluminum. In assessment 1, we have been asking to make Bowl, Torus, Tray and Blister. Each of these shape require different tools and shaping strategy. All of these shaping require right plans and effort. These tasks allowed me to exercise different machines in the workshop and helps me to easier get started in Assignment 2, the fuel tank modeling and in the future architecture model making.

Assessment 2 - The Fuel Tank

For the Fuel tank assessment, it takes some time on creating the digital 3D model by using Rhino, 3SDMAX and Slicer. But using these software we create our own physical model template of the fuel tank. We choose and use the technique we learn from Assessment 1 to shape the aluminum. In the end the assessment was successful and we are satisfied with the final project. The process was fun for the first time of shaping metal in to a functional product. In the same time we do multiple research on how to use the machines software and the Fuel tank itself but we still making mistakes and wrong decisions. I think is these fault makes us really learn and understand what happened to the metal and the model we created. After the assessment we can confident enough to create some of the product by using these technique. What i lean in this class will also help me in the future Architectural studies.

Review of Digital Making Process

Assessment 1 Critical Review

Part 1 the Bowl

In this picture is easy to see the mark on the edge of the bowl and when i use the English Weal which leaves marks inside of the bowl.

This bowl is from Cheree Richardson. It's clearly to see she makes better edges than me. The bottom of the bowl is smooth and fine.

As the diagram shows i change the method of shaping the metal , i first cut the aluminum edges make it octagon and then use the shrinker to shrink the edge of the octagon metal piece. Finally i will hammer the inner part of the metal to create the bowl shape i will reduce the time i use the English Wheal in order to keep the metal smooth.

Part 2 the Torus

For the Torus, just like the bowl i didn't take the shinker but used the hammer and the stump, the process took some times but the final product was not successful as i thought. The torus have too many marks on the surface. Also the overall curve was not balance.

This is the Torus from Cheree Richardson, she used another method of shaping the metal by use the shinker/Stretcher in the workshop. The cure is smooth and clean in the middle of the Torus. She also polish the surface of the metal in order to clean the marks of the project.

Assessment 2 Critical Review

In Assessment 2 i use the shrinker to create the overall cure of the fuel tank piece, limit the use of the hammer, made up plan of where and how i should hammer the aluminium. Some times i would use my muscle to force the metal in to correct shape which made the final piece in to a nice out come.

Application Within My Discipline

The Guggenheim Bilbao, 1997
Photograph: Courtesy

This West Coast architect is undoubtedly the most famous in the world right now, thanks to his 1997 design for the Guggenheim Museum branch in Bilbao, Spain. Though Gehry was already well-established in his field as the auteur billowing forms that seem to defy gravity and the logic of conventional construction methods. It's easy to see the exterior facade of the structure was build and made by shaped metal. Each of these pieces of metal has been calculate in the computer and shaped by large machine. From the course study i can now understand the whole process of the metal making and construction.

Architectural models:

These are the Architecture metal model made by student. These model have it own weight and texture. In this course i think i learn another way of making model by shaping the metal. These methods i can use on my own architectural model. From this course i understand the metal is really different from other materials and the tools are different as well. Overall what i accomplished in this course will help me a lot.

Assignment 2: The 1:1 Fuel Tank

Group member:

Qinan Song(EDDIE)

Selina Chen

Cheree Richardson

Daniel Gioia

Matthew Zeng

Monique Robinson

Pete Phuah

This assignment requires a multidisciplinary team and the first goal is to create a 1:1 scale plywood template, replicating an existing motorcycle fuel tank. Afterwards, we must apply all our skills learned from the previous assignment to create an aluminium skin that adheres to 70% of the fuel tank body and we decided to work on the custom fuel tank for the CB550 done by Andrew Wallace(pic below).

Week 1 Digital 3D Model and Laser Cutting

In the first week group stage we start to make a 3d model using 3D Max and Rhino, Russell suggested we should import our 3D models onto Autodesk Slicer for Fusion 360 to prepare our fuel tank template for laser cutting or CNC machining.

When we finish the digital model tank on slicer, we are ready to do the laser cutting.Using Adobe Illustrator, we manually relocated each and every sliced part onto the template boards, making sure that no extra space was revealed, and then afterwards, proceeded with laser cutting.

Week2 Assembling Piece together,Taping and Cutting a paper template

In this stage we start with the bottom part (2-3 layers) of the tank and assemble the mid vertical pieces as the support of other pieces. We make sure all of the parts are in perfect position. We hot glue the weak point to insure the structure stable.

Next stage we tape the outer layer of the tank skeleton to have the smooth surface.

The next step involved cutting a paper template to assist with creating our aluminium shape. As the properties of aluminium and paper are similar, the template provided a useful tool to indicate where the sheet metal would need to be shrunk and stretched.Once the pattern was cut and removed, we used each component to indicate just how much aluminium material we would need to use.

Week 3 Metal Shaping

This week out group divide in to 2 small group me Cheree,Selina, and Monique are in same group.

I began with a nylon mallet to create the cure on the sharp edge first, use sandbag and stump for some smooth details. To form the edges and the overall curve I used the shrinker. I also find out use the simple muscle strength is more easier to form some of the curve in the middle line.To smooth out the hammer mark left by planishing hammer and nylon mallet.I work between the model we made and the metal back and fourth trying to get the perfect shape.