World CodeSprint 13

This was one of the problems of the recent hackerrank contest (World CodeSprint 13). It had a really low success rate 18.5% which was shocking since this was one of the easiest problems in the…

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The Laser Cutter Project

I am inspired by nature, fractals, and diverse sustainable practices. I am also a gardener planning and preparing for my first growing season in the Midwest. All of my ideas for this project center around tools for the garden.

Idea 1: Biodegradable Seedling Pots & Trays

These pots and trays are made of cardboard to prevent root shock when transplanting. They easily decompose into the soil.

These images are of current products on the market. They appear to be made from molds.
I included holes near the bottom of the containers to allow water to drain.

Idea 2: Hand Dibb(l)er

Dibblers or dibbers are pointed, generally wooden tools used for making holes in the ground for seeds. They come in a variety of designs.

To make these dibb(l)ers I would consider sanding the edges or using many more layers in order to create a more seamless slope that is easy to clean.

Idea 3: Rolling/Bed/Infinite Dibb(l)er

These dibb(l)ers allow farmers to prepare large beds with perfectly even spacing for direct sow.

This dibb(l)er is dysfunctional in that the wheels are of decreasing size and the spokes are unevenly placed. This object really serves to create conversation about our ideas of efficiency in farming.

Idea 4: Tomato Trellis

This summer I farmed at Wozupi and learned to trellis tomatos. Each plant was split into two branches to increase productivity and create easy access to the fruit from the aisles.
Similarly my design promotes the branching of each plant. To harvest their fruits one could walk underneath these very tall trellises.

Idea 5: Protective Netting

Eglash points to this textile as an example of showing the full range of fractal dimensions. I am interested in duplicating this pattern into a net.
This doily uses logarithmic spirals, an important symbol throughout Africa representing infinity and life force. “In a logarithmic spiral [versus a linear spiral], there is an increasing distance between each revolution. An infinite number of turns can fit in this finite space.” This ability to fit infinite complexity within a constant boundary is one characteristic of fractals.
In this designs I incorporate the logarithmic spiral to create a netting pattern.

I chose my 5th idea to create a protective net for my plants because I love how easily it incorporates a simple and significant African fractal, and because it seemed well suited for creating with a laser cutter. Online I found a great demo video on creating golden spirals in Illustrator.

To make a golden spiral, I used the arc tool and transformed and distorted its scale, placement, and rotation, so that it fit perfectly together. I multiplied these spirals in both directions within a hexagon and made the shapes in between the paths my cut lines. Before being print ready, I had to use the shape tool to combine all my paths.

My first test print on a thin cotton at 15% power was very delicate and required 2 prints in order to cut all the way through the fabric. This image shows a small rectangular sample of the net pattern.

On my second attempt, I increased the dimensions of my file and printed on a thicker canvas material at 90% power.

Here are some images of my multiple attempts at creating the file in Adobe Illustrator. Unfortunately, both the cotton and canvas frayed into pieces.

After first attempts, I returned to SR Harris Fabrics and chose a green and white polyester that I hoped could withstand the delicate pattern. Using Rhino, I recreated the file at a larger scale, approximately 8" in diameter. Using the Offset and CurveBoolean commands, I created the thickness of each line and the shapes between all to be cut. After creating the first tile of logarithmic spirals, I copied and snapped them into place to print a larger iterative hexagon. Given the weight of the center of the design, I designed those lines to have even less weight.

After weeding the approximately 3'x3' piece, I experimented with presenting the work in a variety of ways: on the floor, hanging from the ceiling and wall, and as was my original intention–protecting a plant.

Going forward I will create an even larger net while ensuring that the net maintains more of its hexagon shape when hanging from the ceiling. Leaving a generous border around the 17 tiles will hopefully give it this structure and strength. This work will continue to grow as I prepare for an upcoming solo exhibition in January 2020.

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