Assignment 3 - Reflection

Assignment 3 - Reflection - Fuel Tank

Throughout the semester, undertaking the digital making course, the overall goal of the individual sessions and tutorials was to guide us students through each of the submissions that were required but ultimately was to provide skills, tips and techniques that will help us deliver the final assignment the “Fuel Tank”. This reflection will critically review the process behind and finished product. The goal of the fuel tank assignment was to join into groups to deliver a successful 1:1 scale template that replicated one of the designs that were provided and create an aluminium skin that reflected and adhered to the shape and contours of the fuel tank itself.

Difficulties:

To deliver the fuel tank successfully a specific procedure and process needed to be utilised to ensure that; we created a template that was 1:1 scale and it replicated the shape as much as possible. These procedures required the utilisation of specific tools and programmes that many of my group and myself did not have adequate training in which meant that a longer duration at thesemachines were required and at a time where every group is required to use the machines it became frustrating trying to deliver this project. Examples included the use of Rhino to develop the3d model then transferring this to Fusion 360 for laser cutting and using the laser cutter which required one of your group members to be inducted into which with most of my group having full time jobs outside of university was hard to organise and delayed the completion of our fuel tank substantially.

One of the toughest parts of the Fuel Tank assignment was the overall shaping of the individual parts of the tank. My part was the side piece and one of the main difficulties that i recognised during the process was the difficulty in maintaining the overall curve of the shape. As the shown in the image below, you can see myself trying to curve the top edge to meet the top curvature, however one of the main difficulties that i was noticing was that, if you try and curve the top, the curve that you have maintained on the vertical side which is shown in image below. The curvature that follows the length of the fuel tank would warp in the other direction. To try and subside against this, we found that holding the individual part of the fuel tank against the template, reduced the overall effect, however did not effectively eliminate this.

Another issue that was consistent throughout the course of the semester was the finishing of the submissions. The main technique that was utilised for the fuel tank and the other submissions was “hammer forming”. This technique along with the mallets and other tools that were available would provide imperfections in the aluminium that was difficult to remove and make good after the completion of the submission. This was no different with the fuel tank. As with the other submissions the general english wheel to remove the imperfections by “stretching” the metal which will reduce the indentations where mallets have hit the aluminium. However with the fuel tank the utilisation of the english wheel was hard because the of double curvature of the shape. As the curvature shown on the below image is in two ways, the english wheel when used would affect the curvature when trying to mitigate the indentations in a particular area which would affect the overall shape and affect the overall replication against the template which was frustrating and meant that the finish of the individual pieces could not be maximised.

Problem Solving / Solutions:

As a group, we knew at some point we would need to shape our individual pieces against the template that was assembled in the early processes of the assignment, however we understood that continuous striking / hitting of the metal on this template would make it vulnerable to damage. One of the ideas was to utilise masking tape to hold the template together. This masking tape had to be tight but also had to be a good couple of millimetres thick to ensure that it could withstand the pressure. We also had to ensure that the template was not too tight as continuous masking tape would cause external pressure and potentially damage the template. To allow for this, the group made sure that the gaps between were slightly bigger than the 3mm, so we allowed for 3.05mm to allow for tolerance.

Alternative approaches that could be used:

As discussed further above, one of the major problems that my group and i struggled with was the shaping of the individual pieces against the template especially when the curves were going in each directions. When compared with the torus, the effect was greater and diminished the overall successfulness of the assignment. One of the alternative approaches that could of been utilised when reflecting on this assignment, is the utilisation of a vice or clamp to hold this metal in place and in curve. This would of required a secondary template to be created similar to what was used in the blister. The alternative approach, although it is undetermined if it would be successful, it could possibly mitigate the movement of the metal and maintain the curvature.

As was demonstrated in the blog post regarding the fuel tank assignment, the utilisation of the tool called the bead roller could of been utilised, rather than providing indicative hitting spots that would cause the metal to stretch and ultimately provide the curvature necessary. The bead roller could of been utilised to create the contour that followed the length of the fuel tank. Rather than trying to mark out where critical spots needed to be hit, it would of provided a more accurate and precise curve and potentially reduced the need for finishing at a later date.

How is this relative to Construction Management:

The tools and techniques that were gained throughout the fuel tank and other submissions throughout the course developed my knowledge and thought process regarding metal forming and the programs that are available with today's technology to produce products which are more developed that the ones that were produced in Digital Making. One of the key facets that will be taken away from this is the understanding of the properties of metal and how shrinking and stretching of the metal affects its properties, this can be utilised in construction as many materials that are used on a project include aluminium such as a waterproofing backpan system shown in below image, that is used predominantly behind a curtain wall glazing system or a cladding system as the main waterproofing element, that sometimes has to be shaped to particular surfaces which if the correct technique is not utilized could compromise the system in its entirety.

Another key understanding that can be taken away from Digital Making this semester is the wide variety of programs, machinery and tools that are available in the industry whether it is in relation to Architecture, Industrial Design or Engineering, all are available to be used in the Construction Industry. The course has given myself the opportunity to work on the programmes used in the Fuel Tank assignment such as Grasshopper or Rhino and the utilisation of Autocad and laser cutting machines demonstrates the overall 3d model output and process that is used that as a construction management student who is relatively involved with the construction of building in lieu of the overall design and look of objects, don't really get to understand and become involved in. These programs are a small representation of the ability of designers, engineers, architects ect, who are able to produce 3d models of buildings, that will include looking at design clashes, safety issues, programme requirements and potentially cost implication of choices. These are all examples of deliverables of construction projects which can ultimately benefit the industry.

Conclusion:

Following the course and the completion of the Fuel Tank assignment, although myself and others included underestimated the difficulty and time that it would actually take to construct this, it was an assignment that i would consider a enjoyable and challenging assignment that tested my understanding of the principles that were demonstrated and also how collaboratively we could produce a similar product to the samples provided. The subject has further increase my knowledge of principles of metal forming and also i would say further developed my hands on skills.