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ROBOTIC FABRICATION WORKSHOP
3D PRINTING WITH 6-AXIS INDUSTRIAL ROBOTS
London // 2nd and 9th May 2015
Workshop Objectives
Robots.IO presents a series of workshops that focus on learning through making, with
digital fabrication at its core, through the use of IO robot simulation plug-in for Rhino’s
Grasshopper .
In these workshops, participants will engage in 3D printing using Robots.IO in-house robots,
in order to generate their personal designs, which they can later keep.
Participants will be introduced to robotic fabrication and will investigate approaches to
generate forms through digital parametric design and physical prototyping.
The fabrication process of this workshops will speculate on the advantages of using 6-axis
robotic arms to extend what is possible in conventional 3D printing. Robotic control and
material intelligence will be combined to allow a new way of free-form 3D printing.
This workshop is appropriate for professionals and students.
Schedule
09:30 - 10:00
Introduction to facilities
10:00 - 11:30 - Introduction to robotics and Grasshopper
12:00 - 13:30 - Introduction to the IO plugin basic functions
13:30 - 14:30 - Lunch (provided)
14:30 - 16:30 - Designing with the IO plugin and 3D Printing with the robots
16:30 - 18:00 - Designing with the IO plugin and 3D Printing with the robots
18:00 - 18:30 - Presentation of outcomes
18:30 - ....
Drinks
Robots.IO and RoboFold
Robots.IO is an industrial robotics software development company, offering robotic
consultancy expertise and developing bespoke robot simulation software. Robots.IO
uses the IO software to build robust industrial solutions for a broad range of clients, in
manufacturing, medical, entertainment, architecture and design. The IO plugin makes it
possible for professionals and academics to create their own robotic solutions.
Robot software should be intuitive for users who are new to robots and the Grasshopper
software platform. The Robots.IO mission is making robot simulation software that allows
first time robot users to easily progress from interacting with a simple interface on day one,
to more complex tasks like building their own plug-ins for IO with our API. The software
is built around an interactive timeline, which shows gives a literal translation of the robot
movements and it’s limit-errors into a simple linear timeline, so a path can be checked for
validity in the software, and then uploaded and run right first time.
Robots.IO Timeline
RoboFold made a big impact in the world of architecture and design when it debuted
in 2008. It was the first time that a sheet metal forming process had been introduced that
could match the promise of ‘mass-customisation’ offered by the rapidly evolving CAD
(Computer Aided Design) design tools.
Although RoboFold initially focused on the larger automotive market, it is the more specialist
design and architecture markets that have found immediate use for the technology due to
it’s novel aesthetic and their ability the quickly develop dedicated design capabilities within
their existing CAD platforms.
RoboFold operates from a base in London, where their own production facility is situated.
They are well positioned to focus on the provision of design development and panel
production for architects and designers. RoboFold also runs the www.curvedfolding.com
social network promoting to exploration of the geometry of folding in CAD software.
Robotic curvedfolding
Who we are
GREGORY EPPS is the founder of RoboFold and Robots.IO. He is one of the first people
to appropriate robotics for applications in design and architecture. He graduated from
the Innovation Design Engineering joint masters at the Royal College of Art and Imperial
College London.
Gregory is involved in both industry and academia. His clients vary from Zaha Haddid
Architects, Foster and Partners, to Joris Laarman and BMW and he has taught at over 100
workshops globally and given lectures internationally, including Smart Geometry, 60SME,
the Architectural Association DRL, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, IaaC, Bartlett, ETH
Zurich and many more.
Gregory is the co-organiser of the Shape to Fabrication conference and was previously Chair
of the Workshops for the Advances in Architectural Geometry.
FLORENT MICHEL
- CTO
- MA Industrial Computer Science
- IO system architect and lead developer for 4 years.
Florent started at RoboFold developing the robotics system and is now in charge of delivering
the software at Robots.IO. He has built the software from it’s origins as a GH definition, into
a robust industrial solution. The software continues to rapidly evolve, adding new features
for milling, welding and other industrial requirements.
VINCE HUYGHE
- Head of Applications
- MA in Advanced Architecture, IaaC
- MSc AdaptiveArchitecture and Computation, Bartlett
Vince is an experienced roboticist, having developed multiple 3D printing systems using
Universal Robots as part of his thesis and as an assistant to students. He is also co-developer
of the Scorpion plugin, which he continues to work on. He is in charge of Applications and
steering the direction of the development of the IO plugin at Robots.IO.
EVA MAGNISALI
- Workshop coordinator
- M.Arch Design Research Laboratory, Architectural Association (AADRL)
- Master of Architecture and Engineering, National Technical University of Athens
Eva is an architect registered in Greece. Her thesis at AADRL proposed a way to develop
a process of actively bending architectural forms by integrating industrial robotic arm
technology into the construction process with the aim to apply the system to large-scale
architectures. Her current interests include generative and parametric design, digital
fabrication, material computation and the implementation of robotics in architecture. She
has organized and participated in a plethora of international conferences, exhibitions and
workshops, and is a member of the International Union of Architects (UIA). Eva is in charge
of the educational program of Robots.IO, coordinating workshops and events.
Research Agenda
Additive manufacturing, known as 3D printing,
has revolutionized the way we perceive fabrication
by providing the possibility to turn electronic data
into physical objects. Yet, conventional 3D printing
methods of sequential deposition of 2D material
layers, face several limitations that prevent them
from becoming a mass production process.
In order to overcome these difficulties and enable a
new way of free-form 3D printing, 6-axis industrial
robotic arms have started to be used instead of
smaller 3D printing devices.
1
There is a plethora of advantages of this innovative
approach, including:
- Variation of shapes that may be fabricated, taking
advantage of the ability to control the orientation of
the end-effector / extruder or part.
- Ability to fabricate large-scale objects without the
cost associated with a dedicated 3D printer.
- Fast 3D printing becomes possible through the
generation of space-frames.
- Robots are multi use, and can combine other
processes with 3D printing e.g. milling for re-shaping
REFERENCE PROJECTS
1. Mesh–Mould, SEC Singapore ETH Centre, ETH Zurich ,
2012-2016, ETH Research Project
2. The Bartlett GAD/RC4 2014 // Team Filamentrics: Nan
Jiang, Yiwei Wang, Zheeshan Ahmed, Yichao Chen
3. Sci-Arc ESTm 2014/Testa Studio // Glusion // Students:
William Hu, Haleh Olfati, Jasmine Park
4. Sci-Arc ESTm 2015/Testa Studio // Multi-Texturing
Extrusions // Students: Daniela Atencio, Rishabh Khurana,
Ana Zapata, Ken Zhu
5. Filament Sculptures // LIA
6. “Digital Future” Shanghai Summer Workshop 2014 //
Robotic Extrusion // Design Team: SHI Ji, LIU Xun, LUO
Ruihua, CUI Yuqi
7. Endless chair // Dirk van der Kooij
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3
7
6
4
5
Workshop Format
DIGITAL SIMULATION
Each participant will generate digitally the prototype that he/she will later 3D print, using
Rhino and Grasshopper for the design and documentation processes.
With the aid of the tools of Robots.IO plug-in, the robotic movement will be simulated
and visualized in a digital environment, prior to the actual physical 3D printing. Robotic
possibilities and limitations will create feedback concerning the initial design, which will be
re-adjusted to satisfy the fabrication requisites.
ROBOTIC ARM CONTROL
Using the Robots.IO plug-in, parameters such as the speed of the robotic arm, its acceleration,
or the orientation of the extruder, will be tweaked in order to experiment with the material’s
intelligence and produce a series of unexpected alterations to the initial design.
The control of the physical 6-axis robotic arm will be used to inform and enhance every
designed protype beyond its digital representation.
3D PRINTING
After achieving robotic control both digitally and physically, the designed prototypes will be
3D printed using the in-house 6-axis robotic arms.
According to the settings selected in the previous stages, material intelligence will compute
the final form. The outcomes will be explicitly guided but never fully predicted, leaving the
final call to each participant to modify his/her design.
Fees
STUDENT PRICING
£125 plus VAT per person.
Includes materials & lunch.
PROFESSIONAL PRICING
£175 plus VAT per person.
Includes materials & lunch.
Max 12 people per workshop.
Payments via the Robots.IO online shop
using PayPal or invoiced in advance.
Pre-requisite software installation
Rhino 5 software
www.rhino3d.com/download/rhino/5/latest
Grasshopper plug-in
www.grasshopper3d.com/page/download-1
IO plug-in
http://robots.io/wp/download
A trial version of Robots.IO software will be distributed at the event if required.
RECOMMENDED GUIDES :
Participants should have experience with Rhino and Grasshopper software prior to attending the workshop.
A large collection of rhino tutorials (video and PDF guides) for beginners. If you are new to
Rhino we recommend starting with Rhino level 1 & 2 training
https://www.rhino3d.com/learn
Offcial Rhino reseller and provider of training for the uk
http://www.simplyrhino.co.uk/rhinotraining/rhinotraining.html
Introductory grasshopper videos by its creator David Rutten
https://vimeo.com/channels/basicgh
A nice range of grasshopper tutorials
http://designreform.net/learning/grasshopper
Workshop Packages
Are you interested in hosting your own workshop? Or do you want to purchase a 6-axis
robotic 3D printer? Robots.IO can offer you a variety of options:
OPTION 1 : WE RUN A WORKSHOP AT THE ROBOTS.IO FACILITIES
You commission a workshop: In this scenario, we supply the equipment and staff, and you
manage the enrolment. A single fee is required from you.
OPTION 2 : WE RUN A WORKSHOP AT YOUR FACILITIES
We come to your space and run a workshop: You provide the facilities and manage
enrolment. We will bring our robots and give the tutorials to the participants. A single fee
is required from you.
OPTION 3 : BUY A ROBOTS.IO 3D PRINT PACKAGE
This is designed by our in-house experts. The system is safe, tested, and supplied with a
calibrated robot in a sturdy aluminum safety cell on wheels so you can just un-pack and
turn it on. The IO plug-in will communicate directly with the robot, and the package comes
with example Grasshopper definitions to for various control strategies.
Contact us directly
for more info:
Email: [email protected]
Call:
+44 (0) 20 7737 7760
Location
ADDRESS
RoboFold,
UNIT 38,
Mahatma Gandhi
Industrial Estate,
Milkwood Road,
Herne Hill,
SE24 0JF,
London, UK
NEAREST STATIONS:
Loughborough Junction: 5 min walk
Herne Hill: 10 min walk
Brxton Underground: 15 min walk
Make sure you are on Milkwood Road, and NOT Shakespeare Road, as
there is a railway seperating the two locations.
CONTACT DETAILS:
general enquiries: [email protected]
office: +44(0) 20 7737 7760
mobile: +44(0)7811 451 519
SUPPORTERS:
Copyright 2015 Gregory Epps ©. Copyright 2015 RoboFold Ltd ©. All right reserved. Robots.IO is a
trading style of RoboFold Ltd
Leaflet design: Eva Magnisali