Abstract
Although every year designers, engineers, and scientists create new materials, users, if they can, still choose natural fabrics over synthetic compounds. Natural materials are rooted in local traditions and cultures. Wood, stone, or glass not only feel more familiar but also guarantee well-known sensual experiences and bring back memories, which people are seeking even when they are using new products. At the same time, rapid growth of economy and population leads to an abrupt increase in consumption of goods and resources. The industry is using more and more oil, coal, metals, and minerals. The demand for wood is constantly growing too. Plundering of natural resources like forests is very harmful for the natural environment. It contributes to climate change and loss of habitat for billions of animals and plants. This research explores new ways of solid wood processing based on traditional crafts and patterns. The process based on material experimentations, computer simulations, and durability tests result in developing of a new wood processing technique. The technique includes machine cutting of solid wood into a curvilinear shape and laminated maintaining negative spaces in-between. Gaps between slats help to reduce amount of wood used for production by more than a quarter. The end result of the process is an openwork board with physical properties and firmness similar to a wooden slab or glued wooden board but created with less stock, which transfers to a lower weight. The technique allows to reduce the material use by 20 % and the weight by 25%.
Presenters
Karol MurlakProfessor, Industrial Design Department, Pratt Institute, New York, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Material design, Material efficacy, Manufacturing techniques, Wood
