Team 3 The Construction Process
We began the construction process after we had finalised a sketch model incorporating all of the feedback which we had taken onboard from the user testing. And so we began to examine the technical specifications, and final form which our piece would take. Tara conceptualised a 3D model using Rhino software which she was using for the first time and picked up very quickly. Tara came forth with a really nice 3D model of what the final physical element would take
Then the physical construction process began. Things we needed to consider were the materials as part of our design we aimed to make the installation portable for the client to move to a variety of locations. Therefore, we needed to have light and durable materials, which also needed to incorporate air tight tubing for inflating the balloons. We also hoped that the materials could be shaped to appear as abstract tree branches.
We headed over to Chadwicks to investigate different materials that would suit this. We chose half inch PVC Pipes to use as the branches due to their light weight and because they are easy to bend and manipulate. We also needed to consider a durable but strong tubing to place inside the branches that would fit wiring for the leds and also provide support for the bending of the PVC tubing using a heat gun. We finally acquired a larger 2.5 inch rain pipe which we would use as the trunk for tree.
And so the construction process began....
The tubing was placed inside the PVC piping which we then began to bend and shape using a heat gun in the workshop. In the meantime we also had began some of the laser cutting which included etching information about the pollutants onto large pieces of perspex which would make up the casing for the piece.
As the tree progressed in its form, Tara began to chose the colour that we would spray it. We reviewed a number of colours but it seemed a nice copper finish would give a level of polish to the product which was already made up of cheaper light materials.
And after spraying the tree was beginning to look quite well...
Following this we brought the piece back up to the studio where we began to wire up the led's through the pipes and connect them to the arduino board. We programmed the LED's to have different values depending on the data values of each pollutant. Once we fixed the LED's in place at the end of each of the tubes we were able to attach the large multi-coloured balloons to end of each tube.
The following morning (Friday) we headed back down to the workshop to construct a wooden hexagonal base for the piece in which it would provide a housing for the Arduino, the Air Pump and the power sources.
The base was then taken out and sprayed late on Friday morning so we could begin to piece each element together in the afternoon. On Friday evening it was all beginning to take some shape.
The final piece is shown below while the finishing touches are being made
Then the physical construction process began. Things we needed to consider were the materials as part of our design we aimed to make the installation portable for the client to move to a variety of locations. Therefore, we needed to have light and durable materials, which also needed to incorporate air tight tubing for inflating the balloons. We also hoped that the materials could be shaped to appear as abstract tree branches.
We headed over to Chadwicks to investigate different materials that would suit this. We chose half inch PVC Pipes to use as the branches due to their light weight and because they are easy to bend and manipulate. We also needed to consider a durable but strong tubing to place inside the branches that would fit wiring for the leds and also provide support for the bending of the PVC tubing using a heat gun. We finally acquired a larger 2.5 inch rain pipe which we would use as the trunk for tree.
And so the construction process began....
The tubing was placed inside the PVC piping which we then began to bend and shape using a heat gun in the workshop. In the meantime we also had began some of the laser cutting which included etching information about the pollutants onto large pieces of perspex which would make up the casing for the piece.
As the tree progressed in its form, Tara began to chose the colour that we would spray it. We reviewed a number of colours but it seemed a nice copper finish would give a level of polish to the product which was already made up of cheaper light materials.
And after spraying the tree was beginning to look quite well...
Following this we brought the piece back up to the studio where we began to wire up the led's through the pipes and connect them to the arduino board. We programmed the LED's to have different values depending on the data values of each pollutant. Once we fixed the LED's in place at the end of each of the tubes we were able to attach the large multi-coloured balloons to end of each tube.
The following morning (Friday) we headed back down to the workshop to construct a wooden hexagonal base for the piece in which it would provide a housing for the Arduino, the Air Pump and the power sources.
The base was then taken out and sprayed late on Friday morning so we could begin to piece each element together in the afternoon. On Friday evening it was all beginning to take some shape.
The final piece is shown below while the finishing touches are being made
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