Responses to R02 & R03

02. Manufacturing Systems and Strategies

 

I saw a bigger picture of the whole industry of manufacturing systems in this essay. I have been thinking about the connection and distinction between robotic technologies in architecture and manufacturing systems (industrial robots). Before I read this essay, I bluntly concerned that the robotic technology we are currently using is just a borrowing from industrial robots 10 years ago. Now, I figured out that the difference between these two. They are focusing on different levels and for distinguish purpose. The CNC universal machine responds more flexibly to the need to produce many different types of products due to the computer control. And it is generally targeted for low-volume production. Though we get a great deal of variations, the cost is really high for project-based manufacture. Also, the quality of the product may be an issue due to the lack of money to refine the adequacies and accuracies of every process.

For another thing, the work envelope of the KUKA robot that we are using is not well defined. The essay says “Many production process simulation software packages provide geometric models that not only simulate the actions of a robot but clearly define the associated work envelope as well. More advanced packages extend this capability to geometric modeling of the actual work operation on a part or component.” While, in KUKA, the simulation in grasshopper does not offer the crucial working envelop, which, combined with the unpredictability of the gestures, causes problems and inefficiency of actual work.

03. Models, Prototypes and Archetypes

Model: a representation, generally in miniature, to show the construction or appearance of something. Prototype: original or model on which something is based or formed. The author brings up an intricate comparison between this two. Due to the specific design and construction of Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia Church, this problem became extremely complex. For today, complex architecture requires prototype as a researching and designing tools instead of just presenting the construction and appearance. So, the definitions of model and prototype are blurred. However, he points out that, model, as opposed to assist judgment, when acts as the prototype for potential outcomes, will complicated the design process. He presents a new paradigm, a 1:1 model becoming first a prototype and subsequently the archetype for the whole designing process. It is an interesting way of design. But I don’t think it will become a new epoch.