Digital Generation of CNC Router Surface Patterns
- Submitting institution
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Manchester Metropolitan University
- Unit of assessment
- 32 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
- Output identifier
- 247439
- Type
- L - Artefact
- Location
- National Craft Study Centre: University of the Creative Arts, Farnham, United Kingdom
- Open access status
- Out of scope for open access requirements
- Month of production
- November
- Year of production
- 2018
- URL
-
-
- Supplementary information
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-
- Request cross-referral to
- -
- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
- -
- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
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0
- Research group(s)
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C - Design
- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- The research project “Digital Generation of CNC Router Surface Patterns” investigates the use of boundary constraints and adjustments to cutter path settings in the CNC Router control programme, to produce a range of textures and patterns on the surface of digitally machined work. It challenges the conventions of CNC Router manufacturing with its objective to produce highly regulated, repeated and uniform surfaces, where all traces of the manufacturing process are erased. The research is reflective of the making process of traditional craft practitioners such as David Pye, where the physical traces of individual making are central to the final character and value of the work. It is also informed by the use of advanced manufacturing technology within contemporary craft by practitioners such as Gareth Neal, who utilise complex digital modelling and machining within their making, but whose work is pre-determined and fixed at the CAD modelling stage. The innovation of the research is in how it blends these two distinct cultures and approaches, engaged craft making and pre-determined digital manufacture, into a single new approach of process engaged digital making. Through systematic and iterative experiments, the research reveals that engagement with the physical CNC machining process can develop an original craft informed language of materiality and making within digital manufacturing, to develop CNC machine generated surface textures and patterns. These innovations demonstrate how distinct individual outputs can be efficiently generated from a single common 3D CAD model, without modification to underlying 3D CAD data, and by echoing the material character, individuality and associated higher value of craft, evidences the potential to increase the value to CNC manufactured products within commercial contexts. The significance of the research has been recognised through invitations to present and exhibit the work to international audiences at solo and group exhibitions, research conferences and symposia.
- Author contribution statement
- -
- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
- -