Digital Fab Lab / Digifab Blog
The DigiFab Blog serves as an online gallery of ongoing work and research at the College relating to Digital Fabrication. Much of the work that is posted is a result of two courses, DigiFab I and DigiFab II. The goal of the DigiFab Blog is to assemble relevant student and faculty projects together and make them accessible and visible to both those within and outside the College.
DigiFab I
DigiFab I, taught by Maciej P. Kaczynski, exists primarily as a practical, hands-on introduction to material fabrication and construction through the use of digital tools. More specifically, the course serves as a platform to familiarize students with existing techniques of digital fabrication while fostering an environment dedicated to advanced material studies and experimentation.
The tools are collaborators in the design process but are not necessarily the focus of the class. The course stresses the use of computer-driven tools as a means of material research and exploration. Proficiency with digital tools (and associated software) must ultimately be demonstrated through finely crafted material explorations. The repetitious nature of the tools is exploited to quickly produce and evaluate experiments and prototypes. Students spend the first half of the semester working individually on specifically guided projects to gain familiarity with the tools and various material palettes with an emphasis placed upon tectonics and craft. Students will then form groups to propose and fabricate the final two projects. The scope and material palette of the final project is self-guided. The fabrication of the projects requires students to master the software and hardware of the lab's most recently acquired CNC (computer numerically controlled) machinery: the Onsrud 3-axis router, Prototrak 3-axis bed mill, and Flow dynamic 5-axis waterjet cutter.
DigiFab II
The course DigiFab II taught by Wesley McGee, functions as an evolving research lab for advanced fabrication techniques. A wide range of computer controlled manufacturing tools are available in the digital fabrication lab. The newest machine, a 6 axis industrial robot, serves as a multifunctional platform for both investigating new processes and producing full scale components. The robot has a working volume roughly 30' x 10' x 6', and can change between various functional tools, including a milling spindle, an abrasive water jet, and a gripper for assembly tasks. All of these tasks can be performed with high accuracy in 3d space, at speeds much higher than normal CNC equipment.
Projects in the course include exercises to learn the workflows associated with fabricating with the robot, as well as independent research projects designed by the students. An emphasis is placed on research which results in highly finished, full-scale installations. Prerequisites for the course include advanced 3d modeling skills in a program such as Rhino, Digital Project, etc. and some experience with MasterCAM programming for the CNC router. Scripting experience is also beneficial but is not required.
