mychdesign-blog

[mychdesign-blog]

Project 4: Photos

[mychdesign-blog]

Project 4: Final Video

[mychdesign-blog]

Project 4: Contribution

Original design - claudia

Research Waste of materials - claudia Fast fashion - huy Talk to galleries - mac Material analysis and samples - oliver

Talk to city mission and salvation army and other opshops - mac and claudia

Sourcing materials, donation and purchasing - mac, claudia and huy

Testing materials - mac, claudia and huy

Concept rethinking x2 - mac, claudia, huy and oliver

Modelling table - mac and claudia

Sourcing wood - mac

Cnc - mac

Modelling creative creator - mac, claudia and huy

Laser cut - mac and claudia

Making swatches for creative creator - mac, claudia and huy

Milling swatches into chips for creative creator - mac, claudia and huy

Testing mold release agents - mac, claudia and huy

Prepping table mold - mac, claudia and huy

Casting test leg - mac, claudia and huy

Making final output (3 legs 1 table top) mac, claudia and huy

Post production - mac, claudia and huy

Video storyboard - mac, claudia and huy

Filming - mac, claudia and huy, oliver

Photography - mac, claudia and huy

Editing video - mac, claudia, huy and oliver

Coding - oliver

Engineering for creative creator - mac, claudia, huy and oliver

Assembling creative creator - mac, claudia,huy and oliver

Blog posts - mac, claudia, huy and oliver

Name creation - mac, claudia, huy and oliver

[mychdesign-blog]

Project 4: Filming and photography

Filming - Huy, Mac and Claudia

For the final video we wanted to show the process of the interaction with the creative creator and the output that it produced. 

We placed the output within a bedroom setting so people will know that it is functional as a bedside table. 

[mychdesign-blog]

Project 4: Stool finishing

Post process - Claudia, Mac and Huy

After removing the parts from the mold, there was flashing that had to be removed. A craft knife was used for this and then the parts were sanded down to a smooth finish. 

To combine all the parts together, we heated up the attaching areas and added some more raw material to act as a adhesive. We then pressed them together until they cooled down and attached. This meant we didn’t need to use any glue and we claim that it is made out of 100% up-cycled garments.

[mychdesign-blog]

Project 4: Forming the stool

Making of stool - Mac, Huy and Claudia

After a lot of testing, we decided to use raw material and melt that straight into the mold as it was a lot more time and energy effective. We then use the chips as the top surface of the stool to show the colours that the users chose.

This gave us a more consistent and smooth output. After molding the material, we clamped it down to make sure it wouldn’t deform out of the mold. It was quite difficult to make a smooth and flat surface all over and we didn’t want to sand it down as it would remove the marbling and shine. We decided to keep it the way it was as it shows the different patterns and texture. It also correlates with the legs more. 

During the mold making, the parts occasionally cracked as they would cool down, to solve this we heated it back up and added more material to fix the cracks. 

[mychdesign-blog]

Project 4: Test casting

First mold testing - Huy, Mac and Claudia

For our first test mold we used the pre-melted chips and re-melted them to form the mold. We realised this took a lot longer to melt compared to raw fabric and the final result was patchy. We pressed the mold in using a metal sheet and molded it into the corners of the legs using our hands. 

[mychdesign-blog]

Project 4: Mold

Molding - Claudia, Mac and Huy 

Using mahogany wood as our mold, we CNC’d it ready for casting. We used engine oil and wax as release agents to test on some existing mahogany wood. The engine oil heated up smelt really bad and darkened the wood mold, so we decided to go with the wax. 

[mychdesign-blog]

Project 4: Technology - Oliver

Code - Programmed to move forward clock wise and when it reaches a certain point it stops and rotates anti clockwise. This movement is activated using a potentiometer that the user with interact with. It will continue to move back and forth until enough material is collected ready for melting and the user turns it off.

Final Code

#include <Stepper.h> const int stepsPerRevolution = 200;  // change this to fit the number of steps per revolution // for your motor // initialize the stepper library on pins 8 through 11: Stepper myStepper(stepsPerRevolution, 8, 9, 10, 11); int stepCount = 0;  // number of steps the motor has taken void setup() {  myStepper.setSpeed(100);  Serial.begin(9600); } void loop() {  // read the sensor value:  int sensorReading = analogRead(A0);  if (sensorReading>100){    // step one revolution  in one direction:    Serial.println("clockwise");    myStepper.step(stepsPerRevolution);    delay(500);      // step one revolution in the other direction:    Serial.println("counterclockwise");    myStepper.step(-stepsPerRevolution);    delay(500);  } }

[mychdesign-blog]

Project 4: Technology - Oliver

Coded to move forward and back along a gear chain. 

We originally tried to move it with a gear linear movement however the box was too heavy so we resorted to a gear chain.

[mychdesign-blog]

Project 4: Making the Creative Creator

Creative Creator - Mac, Claudia, Huy and Oliver

Arduino/code - Oliver

For our creative creator, there will be a mechanism that will be powered to slide back and forth, pushing the chips that users drop that will eventually fall into the mold of the stool that will be placed at the bottom. We are using an arduino to code the movement that will be powered by a stepper motor. The stepper motor will move forward and back along a gear chain. We are using clear acrylic as we want the gears and arduino to be exposed to accentuate our technology. We also wanted to keep it quite minimal so the colour comes through from the chips that are collected. 

Initial coding

#include <Stepper.h> const int stepsPerRevolution = 200;  // change this to fit the number of steps per revolution // for your motor // initialize the stepper library on pins 8 through 11: Stepper myStepper(stepsPerRevolution, 8, 9, 10, 11); int stepCount = 0;  // number of steps the motor has taken void setup() {  // nothing to do inside the setup } void loop() {  // read the sensor value:  int sensorReading = analogRead(A0);  // map it to a range from 0 to 100:  int motorSpeed = map(sensorReading, 0, 1023, 0, 100);  // set the motor speed:  if (motorSpeed > 0) {    myStepper.setSpeed(motorSpeed);    // step 1/100 of a revolution:    myStepper.step(stepsPerRevolution / 100);  } }

Context

Ideally this would be installed at a gallery to raise awareness in a public setting where people can come and interact with it. They are involved with the initial process of the output and our job is to physically make it to be handed back to them - similar to a custom order.

[mychdesign-blog]

Project 4: Making the Chips

Chip making - Claudia, Mac and Huy

For the interactive part of our creative creator, the user will come and sort through chip-like bits of melted garments. They will select colours and patterns that they like and put it through our creative creator. At the bottom will be the mold of the stool top, so eventually the chips will be pushed to fall into the mold and filling it up ready for us to melt into one piece. 

To make the chips, we melted down the different garments and pressed it into a flat sheet, this gave us different patterns and colours. We used a 36mm drill piece and cut out circular chips ready to be used with our creative creator. 

[mychdesign-blog]

Project 4: Sourcing Material

Claudia, Mac and Huy 

We contacted City Mission, and have been receiving bags of old clothing that they would get rid of. We are using primarily synthetics (polyester, nylon) as it is the easiest to melt to plastic. We also made a little donation box and left it in the design studio where people have also brought their unwanted garments along for us to use. 

[mychdesign-blog]

Material Experimenting

Material tests - Claudia, Mac, Huy and Oliver

First material tests since switching away from a paste extruder. Looking at how different fabrics respond to heat.

Checking workability, how different fabrics bond and the kinds of surface finishes that result in those combinations.

Drawing from our initial findings we are going to pursue the use of synthetic materials such as polyester and nylon as this is the easiest to melt. We are unable to use natural materials such as cotton and these only burn.

Looking further into casting and moulding for an end result of the creative creation process.

These tests were done with spare garments that we had. They included synthetic socks, high vis vests, and tops. 

[mychdesign-blog]

Project 4: Final Concept

Our initial concept was to make a stool using recycled garments. We decided to do it as flat pack furniture so it is easy for the user to assemble. For the interaction, we have made a creative creator that will be interactive - users will come and sort through colours of existing garments and interact with this game-like creation that will help determine the colour of the top of the stool. Doing this will mean that we are including the audience with the design process and as a result, the final output will have more personal value as it was customised for them.

Our final concept idea consists of making a creative creator that produces flat pack furniture out of recycled garments. We have decided on a side table because it is functional and we don’t have to worry about the weight of a person sitting on it if we were to make a stool.

Creative Creator - Mac, Claudia and Huy

Our creative creator acts as an interactive game, that allows the user to pick and personalise the colouring of the output. Our aim is to raise awareness about the waste from fast fashion and show how it can be upcycled to extend the longevity of its fabrics. Including the user in the process of the design allows for them to have an input and result in an output that has more value. 

[mychdesign-blog]

Project 4: Concept Redevelopment

Rethinking our concept - Mac, Claudia, Huy and Oliver

Suggestions to redevelop our project lead us to many different ideas.  We started to pull away from the paste extruder to something more reliable and realistic. 

New project ideas

Lego bricks from clothing

Dropping plastic chips through open and closing valves to be made into furniture

3D printing paste pen

Pendulum pattern

Splatter clothing fibre into art

[mychdesign-blog]

Project 4: Initial Thoughts

We discussed the context of where we wanted our creative creator to be, as well as refining the input material. 

For the context, we want it to be within a public art space setting as we are trying to raise awareness about the wastage of clothes and alternate ways to upcycle/recycle them.

Discussion - Mac

- Upon discussion with the director of the Auckland art gallery Toi O Tāmaki – Craig Goodall - around what the acceptance process and concept generation is when displaying in public held spaces. Not intending to use the gallery itself but attempting to understand how best to acquire the space needed to present an interactive and audience participation driven art piece. - One such place suggested is the Toi Poneke arts center. Similar spaces within the city councils urban development and community arts programs are the intended spaces.

For the canvas that the prints will be on, we want to change the original paper with thicker recycled papers. This contributes to the environmentally friendly image that we are trying to portray and promote. 

A couple of us visited City Mission, Paper Bag Princess and the Salvation Army to get some more information about clothing wastage; 

City mission - quick talk 30% of donations are put out to be sold - 30% awful rags - straight to dump - 30% not sold not worth selling - bagged and and given to other charities/ragbag

Salvation army - 20%  of donations are put out to be sold - 80% collected to be ‘recycled’ by national provider (recyclers don’t take ripped clothing)

Paper bag princess/recycle boutique - If not sold/doesn't fit the store passed down the chain   - Recycle boutique and Paper bag princess

On to other charities; SPCA, wellington food bank, etc (Mac and Claudia)

https://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Arduino-Drawing-Machine/?fbclid=IwAR2S2Twx2RFx9S_z0u_V_W0B6xndWyJqUGQuTClc06pkeYDt0zyGCO7WBE4

We looked at drawing machines as it is the closest to what we are trying to achieve. From here, we would swap out the pencil for an extruder that recycled fabric would come out of, as well as adding a feature that would grind up the fabric and feed into the extruder. We have still yet to decide if this will be open to interaction (through crank) that the public would be able to use.