1.3 Press-Fit Project

Details. The project was milled using a ShopBot CNC router with a 1/4″ endmill, RPM of 14,000 and a feed rate of 1.7 (these settings proved to be a little to high and chewed up the edge of the plywood, requiring significant sanding; I would recommend lowering the feed rate a bit). A drill pass was used to mark where the screws were to be placed on the 8′ x 4′ x 0.5″ plywood sheet.

I created two profile passes, one for the interior cuts and one for the exterior. Since the PartWorks software lets you access and hide/show your layers exported from Rhino I placed the interior and exterior lines in Rhino on different layers which sped up the process of creating the two seperate profiles (very similar to the cut/score layer management used for laser-cutting).

A spacing of about 1-1.5″ between each piece allowed plenty of space for the 1/4″ endmill and enough to enable the placing of the screws between most of the components.

The final pieces (in need of a bit of sanding), and a bunch of circular swarf (coasters perhaps?).

4.196 Special Problems in Architectural Design Complete Fabrications Nick Gelpi Mon-Fri, Jan 5-7, 10-11, 13-14, 18, 20-21, 24-25, 27-28, 01-04:00pm, 3-402/7-432studio, 1st mtg Wed 1/5 Pre-register on WebSIS and attend first class. No listeners Prereq: Permission of instructor ; Yr-1 MArch students who have completed 4.123 only Level: H 9 units Standard A - F Grading Can be repeated for credit Lab Fee: 150 A comprehensive introduction to methods of “making” explored through a wide range of brief but focused exercises. Skills = developing complex geometries from flat components; fine-tuning press fit construction, molding and casting, and making repeatable molds for customization. A two-part workshop, the first half will contextualize contemporary tools and techniques within the trajectories of historical case studies of building, combined with hands on familiarization of tools. The second half will implement the tools of our workshop in the context of Design. Working on group design build process for three MIT 150 FAST installations, students will test and influencing designs through the instrumentality of production. These hands-on design build projects are intended to produce reciprocity between skills and design, making more complete the problems of fabrication. Subject limited to year-one MArch students who have completed core-1 studio. Contact: Nick Gelpi, 9-224, 253-9415, ngelpi@mit.edu -

COMPLETE FABRICATION