Fab Academy 2

Computer Aided Design

P.O.W.A.R

Plant Observatory Weather Adaptation for Resiliency

To make the first modeling of my machine, I used the Rhino 3D 5.4 (MAC version) and began testing the technique of creating complete cubes and then extruding the interior, but then I realized that in order to later have the parts I would need ready to cut, it was better to create each of the parts separately and then join them.

That's why I started with the cube creation tool and with them I created what the sides of the box would be in acrylic sheets. For this I contemplated that the acrylic sheets would be 5mm thick. This structure is not a perfect 6-sided cube, since at the top it will carry the lighting and irrigation systems, which will come contained in a wooden box.

The Rhino tool of cubes, allows you to give them an initial point, then two secondary points that would be the points in X and Z, and at the end of the height, which would be the point Y. For this it is very important to keep in mind that the view is the indicated one, since this will affect how the commands work. 

LINK TO THE 3D FILE

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ACRYLIC STRUCTURE:

(5mm thick acrylic panels)

- 1 Base (600mm x 600mm).
- 2 Lateral (600mm x 1200mm).
- 2 front and rear (590mm x 1200mm). 

OBJECT SNAPS TOOL:

I repeated this process for each of the parts starting in point 0 and then with the OBJECT SNAPS TOOL  and adjusted it to SNAP at the END and INTERSECTION of the pieces, and thus joined each corner with the corresponding corner of the other piece that should be connected. 

* Using the top and front view, is a good way to see if everything is alligned, so it is important to be changing between views to check that everything is placed correct.

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OBJECT MATERIALS:

By double-clicking the screen, you can open the OBJECT MATERIAL window, in which you can choose the colors for the materials and different options you want to apply to them like transparency, color, gloss, or even add a texture from a JPEG or PNG image.


To give a reinforcement to the bottom of the acrylic cube, which would contain the water used for irrigation and moisture, I propose to use 10mm thick boards, and I built the support in the same way as the acrylic water tank, but at the moment of I putting them together, I want to reverse the order of the lateral connection leftovers. Saying with this that, on the side that has the less wide sides of acrylic, will come the widest of wood sides, and vice versa.
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WOOD PARTS:

LOWER BASE
(10mm thick wood panels):

- 1 Base (620mm x 620mm).
- 2 Laterales (600mm x 200mm).
- 2 frontales y traseros (620mm x 200mm). 

UPPER TOP
(10mm thick wood panels):

- 1 Base (620mm x 620mm).
- 2 Laterales (600mm x 200mm).
- 2 frontales y traseros (620mm x 200mm). 

The top and the bottom part are exactly the same, but what changes is the possition and orientation.

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WATER FILTER:

LOWER BASE
(5mm thick acrylic panel):

- 1 Base (590mm x 590mm). 

HOW IT WORKS? (how is it made)

It´s an acrylic panel with lazer cutted holes of 5mm, with a 30 mm separation between them for the water to pass by into the bottom tank.

For this I created the base acrylic panel, and then created an array of cilinders with the RECTANGULAR ARRAY TOOL in Rhino by added the settings I wanted and started trying with the different measures so that the array fits the size. Then I extruded the material from the panel.

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WATERING SYSTEM:

WATER PIPES

This would be the system that pumps tha water from the tank up, and drain it again above the plant.

For this I created a cilinder, extruded it and also used the RECTANGULAR ARRAY TOOL.

Voltio

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