SmartNodes Prototypes

RESEARCH BACKGROUND: Conventional fabrication of connection components for construction typically utilises casting, forging and hot and cold forming of metals (primarily steel and aluminium). Recent advances in additive manufacturing promise a broad availability of additive manufacturing technologies in metal, enabled through Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and Selective Laser Melting (SLM) processes. Some preliminary research into design for this technology has been undertaken in the aerospace and automotive industries. The team has made a prototype for a tensegrity structure, an international first. RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION: The SmartNodes prototypes are full scale components which explore the design and additive manufacture of construction components for use in shell structures. The parts are designed to connect within a network of beams arranged across a freeform shape and are examples of connection nodes with specific but non-rectilinear angles between adjacent members. Architects, engineers and construction specialists worked together to define connection details that are oriented through a parametric model. The shape of the node design draws on Bi-Directional Evolutionary Structural Optimisation (BESO) techniques for topology optimisation, minimising volume and mass required for manufacture. Forms are smoothed within tight tolerances for a continuous appearance. The results are highly organic and the unique forms exploring the capacity of the SLM to produce such shapes efficiently. RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE: The project has been invited to exhibit at prestigious national and international events that reach a broad audience of academic peers, industry partners and the public. These include: Engineers' Australia Convention, Melbourne (Nov 2014); and REAL2015, Fort Mason Centre, San Francisco (25-27 February 2015) for 3D sensing, making and visualisation industry leaders and innovators.