Tangible CAD
Researchers:
Dr. A. Specker, J. Wirth (IWF), R. Zanini (IWF), P. Sachse (Dresden), F. Schroda (Dresden), M. Grönimann (Hochschule für Kunst, Zürich)
Partners:
Nine Swiss industrial companies
Financed by:
ZIP (Zentrum für Integrierte Produktionssysteme)& CTI (Commission for technology and innovation)
Motivation:
Design as an activity means connecting thinking and acting in a comprehensive manner. The connection is not interdependent, but rather interpenetrating. This means a rejection of a unilateral relationship between thinking and acting. Acting on a model itself is thinking.
Both work psychological theories and empirical findings emphasize that just this interrelationship between thinking and manually crafted models (prototypes) are of crucial importance for the efficiency of design activities. These findings have consequences for (a) the methodology of design as well as (b) human-centered CAD systems. Therefore, our objective is (a) to offer assistance in the early steps of engineering design with an appropriate design methodology concerning the adequate use of prototypes and (b) to provide new concepts of CAD-Software - so-called Tangible CAD. Engineering design must be analyzed in terms of design problem solving. Profound evidence about the importance of haptical interactions during design activities led us to the concept of a so-called ''Tangible CAD'' (TCAD). This corresponds to the attempt at computer-aided model-making. Not without irony one could call it a ''computer-aided design system''. Besides the well-known numerical computer-models of classical CAD-Systems, a ''TCAD System'' possesses permanently a material, physically tangible model. This model is the center of the interaction with the computer system.
The objectives of the project are:
As a key input device for human-computer interaction, a TCAD system incorporates, therefore, a physical 3-dimensional object. In a TCAD system, a 3-dimensional physical object (e.g. design foam object) can be manipulated in the usual way by direct manual interactions. Not only can a user manipulate this object - but the computer also is in a position to carry out any changes of the physical form.
The following activities have already been completed:
A feasibility study showed that the combination of optical measuring technologies and rapid prototyping is able to build a TCAD system as proposed. Optical measuring systems now available permit digitalization of models in a very short time. On the other hand, robot milling has been applied for milling. These technologies have been integrated in the requested manner to support tangible design activities.