darlab - digital architecture robotics lab - 2015 booklet

1 DIGITAL ARCHITECTURE ROBOTICS

2015 | SUMMARY

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004ABOUT

008OBJECTIVES

012FACILITIES

016EDUCATION

020PROJECTS

026PARTNERS

030CONTACTS

SUMMARY

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ABOUT


THE DARLAB

DARLab (Digital Architectural Robotics lab) is a research platform in archi-tecture education that advances experimentation and cross-discipline col-laboration among professors, students and industry partners to expand the boundaries of architectural practice. We are a mixed team of qualified experts from all over the world who work together to obtain the best results out of avant-garde technologies applied to architecture and design. The intention is to give to students and visitors a 360 knowledge of the matter. The DARLab is located in London South Bank University’s Southwark campus, division of Architecture and Build Environment.LSBU is a top modern university in London for its research ‘impact’.Nearly three-quarters of London South Bank University’s (LSBU) research pro-jects were awarded the two highest possible ratings for ‘impact’ by the latest university research excellence exercise - REF 2014.

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LAB TEAM


FEDERICO ROSSI | Director AADipl. RIBA II, SBA nl Founder and Director of the DARLab. Studied at the Uni-versity of Florence and graduated from the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London. He gained significant professional experience working with Nigel Coates, SOM and Zaha Hadid Architects. He is an asso-ciate professor at London South Bank University, where he is responsible for a design studio in PgDip Architec-ture and for all digital design courses.

TRISTAN SIMMONDS | Technical Tutor MSc Ing, CEng Worked at Arup Engineers for 13 years on many inter-national projects, on secondment in Hong Kong and Ja-pan and was a founding member of the Arup Advanced Geometry Unit. Responsible for designing the sculpture Marsys for artist Anish Kapoor at the Tate Modern and has since collaborated in designing many large and com-plex sculptures for artists such as Antony Gormley.

THIBAULT SCHWARTZ | Robotic ResearcherDipl. Arch. Architect, researcher and entrepreneur based in Paris and London, specialised in industrial robotics applied to con-struction. He is director of HAL Robotics ltd, company that provides services and products for advanced industrial robot programming, based on the experience and tools he has been developing in this domain. HAL Robot Program-ming & Control software is one of these tools.

MATTEO MAURO | RoboLab Assistant Ba(Hons) Arch.

RIBA Part I architectural graduate. Studied in England and Germany. Worked as an architectural assistant in various practices in London. Attended and coordinat-ed at several architectural events, such as workshops, summer shows and galleries’ exhibitions. Working at Moving Architecture in the Hackney “maker’s mews” and researcher assistant at South Bank University.

TEAM

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OBJECTIVES


AREAS OF EXPERTISE

The digital architecture robotics lab is looking to examine the changes in ar-chitectural production requirements that result from introducing digital manu-facturing techniques. Our interest lies in combining data and material and the resulting implications this has on the architectural design. The possibility of directly fabricating building components described on the computer expands not only the spectrum of possibilities for construction, but, by the direct im-plementation of material and production logic into the design process, it es-tablishes a unique architectural expression and a new aesthetic.

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CONSULTANCY

TEACHING

We can offers applications consultancy to industry spe-cific uses. This could include 3d printing equipment, robotic milling, and automation in building industry, 3D scanning, customized training or development. Often we collaborate with digital artists, engineers, architects and fabricators to implement digital to fabrication process-es.

We offer one course each semester on a selected sub-ject in which we develop the brief in practice with a pro-totype in scale of 1:1. The goal of our teaching activities is to endow the students with competence in dealing with the design and production aspects of digital fabri-cation and to involve them actively in research with our partners or other academics. Our aim is to develop a full integration between architecture and digital fabrication expand the design potential towards high-performance systems.


The main area of research focuses on additive digital fabrication techniques used for building standardised architectural components. Utilising industrial robot as generic fabrication tool for additive fabrication to inno-vate mass customised building components. Our objec-tive is to develop criteria and integration between new materials, new tools to develop innovative construction fabrication processes.

RESEARCH

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FACILITIES


ROBOTIC PLATFORM

The newly renovated Digital Architecture Robotics Lab (DARLAB) at London South Bank University leverage state-of-the-art industrial technology to per-form architectural fabrication research. It is one of few selected academ-ic institutions around the world utilising robotic automation to perform both subtractive and additive manufacturing processes. The Multifunction Robotic Platform for Architectural Applications (MRPAA) is a robotic platform able to process different materials with different equipment and tools. This is ob-tained by mean of using an industrial robotic arm in combination with quick change plates able to easily modify the configuration of the cell depending on the process to be applied.

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The robot cell is equipped with a KUKA Quantec Extra 150R 2700 absolute accura-cy, a KRC4 controller with Robot Sensor In-terface and as external axis a rotary table 1000 Kg with Nabtesco gear box.

ROBOT

GRIPPER

SPINDLE

This device is composed by a Schunk pneumatic gripper unit mounted on a quick change plate. It is designed to carry parts in wood or heavy materials with a maximum weight of 20 kg.

The main electro spindle 12Kw 24000rpm, short nose, liquid cooling with automat-ic tool changer with HSKF63 tool holders. A second external electro spindle 10KW is fixed to an external process station.


A Schmalz vacuum gripper equipment is de-signed to handle flat parts on thin shaped made of wood, plastic and be able to per-form process operation on the external tool station or to pick and place parts.

VACUUM

HOT WIRE CUTTER

EXTRUDER

The hot wire cutting device is composed by an aluminium frame holding a steel wire 0.6 mm that has the function to perform cutting operations. The tension of the wire is guar-anteed by mean of mechanical springs.

A custom developed 3D printing device is mounted on a quick change plate, allow to perform 3D printing operations. The device is actually equipped with two type of tool head one to plastic material the other one for ceramic materials.

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EDUCATION

MSc

DigitalArchitectureAndRoboticFabrication


The MSc program focuses on digital design methods and construction tech-nologies in Architecture, Engineering and Design. The Curriculum provides sci-entific and practical foundation and gives an overview of latest developments in Advanced Modelling, Computational Design and Robotic Construction.

Approach.Digital technologies altered the field of architecture and the architectural profession significantly – from design to production. Against this background the study pro-gram incorporates the professional qualities of higher architectural education as well as the theoretic and op-erative aspects of information technology.The study is based on the following principles:

- Computer-aided methods as cross-linking of de sign, construction and fabrication process.- Intransdisciplinary exchange.- Full-time study related to practice.- Synergy and additional benefit out of the con- nection between university, companies and ex ternal professionals.

Target students.The three semester MSc program addresses graduates of Architecture, Interior and Product Design, Civil and Mechanical Engineering, as well as Information Technol-ogy and related studies.

Career Opportunities.The Master program opens up various possibilities for a professional development, e.g. following occupational areas:

- Employment in the area of Architecture, Building Construction, Engineering, Interior and Product Design.- Specialization and consultancy in the field of Computational Design and Robotic Construction.- Admission to PhD study or employment in engineering research.- Employment in higher public service.

Course content.The MSc program has six modules and comprises a study period of three semesters. The module’s contents are oriented toward integrated learning assignments which are directed by senior lecturers and external experts. The contents are provided via different teaching meth-ods like lectures, seminars, projects and internships. The self-study is assisted intensively during the at-tendance period and further supported through specific course materials and internal e-learning offerings. The MSc programme will conclude with the master thesis at the end of the third semester. The aim is to conduct the thesis with the highest possible relation to practice and multidisciplinarity together with cooperation part-ners, an engineering company or another School of the London South Bank University. The MSc in Digital Archi-tecture and Fabrication is UK validated and Worldwide recognised The MSc program leads to the qualification of the worldwide acknowledged academic degree: Master of Science (MSc). The degree entitles to a PhD degree study and opens the admission to higher public service.

Entry Requirements.A qualification recognised as being equivalent to this ev-idence of a Bachelor’s or Diploma qualification, in excep-tional cases also evidence of another final examination, for a course having major engineering science compo-nents (interior and product design, civil and mechanical engineering, as well as information technology) over at least six semesters evidence of normally at least one year’s professional experience in the field of building and construction evidence of a special, i.e. technical and methodological, aptitude based on a specialised portfo-lio and an explanatory report.

Enrolment Info at www.dar-lab.net

COURSE OVERVIEW

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MODULESCOURSE


INTEGRATIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND ROBOTIC MANUFACTURING

ADVANCED COMPUTING AND STRUCTURAL SIMULATION

DESIGN PROJECT ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES

ADVANCED DIGITAL DESIGN TECHNIQUES

DESIGN PROJECT MATERIAL BEHAVIOUR

TECHNOLOGY FOR BUILDING SYSTEM

The module will enable the students to use machine-specific constraint space model-ling, feedback techniques, automated con-trol language, production simulation, proto-typing and related computational tools.

The module will explore the use of advanced Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software for modelling timber and composite structures.

Digital design research project or an inno-vative design exploration.

The module will enable the students to learn design oriented data and geometry management: Algorithmic procedures, evo-lutionary computation, agent based model-ling, parametric modelling, simulation with various programming languages from visual programming to software specific scripting (Python, Java, MEL).

Digital design research project or an inno-vative design exercise.

The module will enable students to acquire advanced knowledge of technical princi-ples for sustainable and resource efficient building design and construction empha-sizing the interrelations between building structure, building envelope and building technologies.

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PROJECTS


Students work

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PARTNERS


INDUSTRY COLLABORATIONS

We seek to provide our external partners with solutions to their personal busi-ness problems and challenges that they currently face or expect to crop up in the near future.We offer businesses a number of avenues for accessing our research exper-tise.

We also undertake research projects for small and big businesses alike at competitive rates and where speed and confidentially are key requirements.

If you’d like to know more about the area of research for business at DARLAB LSBU contact us.

PARTNERS

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QDesign, a team of experts in the different en-gineering sciences. Their solutions offer a wide range of robotics plants applications and con-tinuous softwares development.

Hiteco designs and manufactures high-tech machine components for machining wood, light alloys, plastic and composite materials.

London South Bank University is a public uni-versity located in Southwark, London, Unit-ed Kingdom. It has over 19,000 students and 1,700 staff,

SCM Group is company world leader in the pro-duction of woodworking machinery and sys-tems. Offering from standard machines for joinery companies, up to integrated lines for industrial production of wood components.


CIMsystem has grown to be a leading provid-er of CAD/CAM technology and technological solutions with a worldwide technical and sales partner network.

HAL is a Grasshopper plugin for industrial ro-bots programming supporting ABB, KUKA and Universal Robots machines. Allows to simulate, program, control and monitor robotic cells.

As a pioneer in robotics and automation tech-nology, KUKA Robotics is one of the leading manufacturers of robotic systems worldwide.

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Federico RossiAcademic-Research Leader

School for the Built Environment and ArchitectureDigital Architecture Robotics LabLondon South Bank University103 Borough RoadLondon SE1 0AA

CONTACT US:

Email: [email protected]: www.dar-lab.netPhone: +44 (0) 20 7815 7130

CONTACTS

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WWW.DAR-LAB.NET

darlab - digital architecture robotics lab - 2015 booklet

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