PRODUCTION PROCESS INTERVENTION

Research approach

This project is inspired by the technique of the swaging machine and combined with the technique of the metal spinning lathe. By fusing these two I created my own technique and made soft and somewhat organically looking shapes. The swaging machine is originally used to strengthen sheet metal by making ridges into the material. However, I was intrigued by the way the metal shaped around the ridge in an uncontrollable and uninspected way. Besides this aesthetical factor, I was also wondering what I could do with the negative space created by these ridges. To enlarge this space I came to the idea of using the metal spinning lathe to create hollow shapes. By tilting the "spinned plates” sideways and opening up the negative space with the ridges I can make use of the space while keeping the interesting organic shaped details.

Key Experiments and Insights

Central Question(s)

Design Criteria

Relevance

Can I make metal appear like a soft/flexible material?

Can I create a soft structure in metal?

Samples 1

Sample 2

While making soft structures I discovered the metal creasing of the metal around the ridges

Sample 3

How can I make use of the negative space of the ridges?

Sample 4

Can I create bigger ridges?

By using a mold made from a metal tube I can create bigger ridges.

Sample 5

How can I enlarge the negative space of the ridge to create a potential functional product?

By putting to sides with the same ridges together, the ridges become functional since they create an open space.

- Make metal seem soft


- Use only aluminum or copper as the material, since this is the only metal I could use on the spinning lathe


- Use decoration and give it another function besides aesthetics.

- Make a watertight and functional product

The way that I approached my work, and what I found most effective, was experimenting and playing with my technique in a practical way, rather than in a theoretical way. This allowed me to come to more surprising results. One such example is how the metal can appear soft and that the metal lathe can be used for a more unexpected approach. Instead of making a hollow object out of 1 “spinned” piece, I combined two to create a shell. This gives the vase a unique form with a much thinner shape on the side and a wide shape on the front. Since it's a pretty time consuming process I’d have to make a reusable metal mold to press the shape into the sheet metal if I would want to put this into production for an affordable price.

How can I make use of negative space?

How can I make a function out of the space created by deforming the metal?

By using the swaging machine I was able to create these soft shapes.

I was amazed by the fabric-like flexible look of this side effect and wanted to have this detail in my endproduct.

By combining the technique of the spinning metal lathe and the mold hammering technique I was able to enlarge the negative space to a product while also keeping this fabric-like detail.