Lost Foam Casting

Lost Foam Casting // Final Presentation (HfK)

2007-07-17T07:34:00.000-07:00

Final presentation of the results of this semester's Lost Foam Casting Course.

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Wednesday, 18 July 2007
from 13.00 - 17.00
Location: HfK Bremen (Room 3.12.090)
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For any questions, e-mail: info(at)materialstories(dot)com

Best, Arnold

Model Making Notes

2007-06-21T09:21:00.000-07:00

Lost Foam Glue / Klebstoff
- EPS parts should be assembled with the special lost foam casting glue given by the IFAM. Best is to melt it in a pan/Pfanne (50-60 degrees, don't cook!) and apply this with a brush/Pinsel.
- If this is too hard or messy, please keep your model in separated parts (!) we can glue+finish models all together during the Lost Foam Casting Day.

Do-It-Yourself Tools
MakeZine website (http://www.makezine.com)
- a useful site for making your own tools such as HOW TO make a hot wire cutter for polystyrene foam (I will bring one myself next Wednesday)

Photos
Find last week's class EPS cooking at our photo site.

Planning Update

2007-06-21T09:16:00.000-07:00

>>Please write these dates in your agenda's - if you are not able to attend let me know asap!<<

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KW.26 - Final check
Next Wednesday (June 27th from 13.00-17.00) I would like to have final look at your model makings.
I need to know 'who is casting what' before the lost foam casting day, so use this afternoon to come by for few minutes of final comments, model making tips and requirements for final documentation.

KW.27 - Lost Foam Casting Day
Please write in your agenda's, we will NOT be casting Friday the 29th due to changes at the Fraunhofer IFAM but:
Thursday, 5th of July at 13.00 (location: Fraunhofer IFAM)

KW.28 - Week 28 can be used to pick up and finish your models for final presentation.

KW.29 - Final Presentation and Evaluation of Casted Model + Project Documentation
Wednesday, 18th of July at 13.00 (location: HfK room 3.12.090)

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(check your e-mail for further details)

Lost Foam Casting Day: Friday June 29th (see e-mail)

2007-06-20T03:14:00.000-07:00

Dear all,

~~Friday, June 29th~~ has been announced as 'Lost Foam Casting Day'.

This day will be all about preparing our foam models for casting at the Fraunhofer institute and will probably see some foam firing that day...

More about this during the next class.

Do-It-Yourself Lost Foam Casting

2007-06-04T07:05:00.000-07:00

We don’t know this guy but already love him for his 'Lost Foam Casting rock-n-roll'.

Frank is doing some wicked stuff on the countryside in Canada. See his website to see some examples of hands-on metal casting.

See this one or browse through all 13 Lost Foam Casting projects for your inspiration.

GIFA casting fair in Düsseldorf

2007-06-04T05:07:00.000-07:00

June 15th (Friday) we plan a visit to Düsseldorf for this year's GIFA trade fair. During this time four high-tech trade fairs GIFA, METEC, THERMPROCESS and NEWCAST are presented at the same time. These are not public events but some tickets are available and will allow us to learn more about casting in general.

Link: GIFA trade fair for casting products

Fraunhofer IFAM at HfK Bremen (KW22)

2007-06-04T03:25:00.000-07:00

Wednesday May 30th, Mr. Woestmann and Frau Ohle from the Fraunhofer IFAM visit us for a review of the first concepts. During the afternoon we enjoy an overview of very diverse concepts.

A student visit at the MAX BAHR do-it-yourself store gives us an overview of the available materials on location in Bremen.

The next four weeks will be all working out our concepts into molds and models for lost foam casting - see our photo site for progress and results.

Fresh Concepts, Hot Water, and Useful Tips (WK7)

2007-05-16T14:46:00.000-07:00

[This week's photos: Cooking EPS]

During the past weeks we have been brainstorming on how to use the advantages of Lost Foam Casting in designing everyday things. This week we discuss some first concepts and started hands-on model making which we will continue next week.

Some useful references we discussed:
- www.modulor.de // model making materials
- Bamboo connector by Conbam // connecting non-standard elements
- www.conrad.de // LED's or electronic parts
- www.nyh.de // Hamburg's rubber factory
- Designing toy cars // Automotive inspiration
- Gib Gummi // exhibition on rubber
- Masterpieces of Origami // Exhibition on Origami
- Erwin Wurm // great exhibition, if you're in Hamburg anyway :)

MUJI AWARD 02: Everyday Things

2007-05-10T02:40:00.000-07:00

Dear all, the MUJI Award 02 might be interesting regarding our special focus on everyday products. This year's theme is RE - "Re-think, Re-design, Re-use, Re-fuse... Show us how you can discover and conceptualize RE in a familiar, everyday thing".

Link: www.muji.net/award
Adisorn, thanks for sharing!

Also students can participate and group entries are allowed, so give it a thought or see last year's winners - we'll talk about it next week. MUJI is considered also considered as a kind of Japanese approach to IKEA, last year they opened a store in Düsseldorf. See this Design Report article or www.muji.de

50 Affordable Design Products

2007-05-03T13:19:00.000-07:00

[Photo: Magnito Salt & Pepper Shakers by Josh Owen]

Some examples of products which are considered "nice to have". If we look at them we see that most products are "hand-sized", "have an unusual approach to very usual functions", "iconic/reduced shapes" and seem to "combine only two/few different materials".

"A famous designer’s touch to an everyday object often results in unique but expensive products. Here we have put together 50 affordable products ($5-$100) designed by famous names and/or reached a cult status."

Link: www.designophy.com

Styrofoam cup sculptures

2007-05-02T11:17:00.000-07:00

Photo: Styrofoam cup sculptures at Ace Gallery by Tara Donovan.

An impressive example of creating shapes with existing foam products.
Link: Tara Donovan

Lost Foam Casting - process review (WK4)

2007-04-27T07:18:00.001-07:00

This week three Erasmus students join the class. After a short flashback at last week's Hannover visit we do some thinking on the lost foam casting process steps in order to document the possibilities and requirements.

Three groups are formed to explore the:
- material (EPS examples, any other materials for modelmaking?)
- process (which modelmaking possibilities do we have at the HfK?), and
- design/gestaltung (good examples of casted products, their advantages and which products would be suitable for lost foam casting?)

Next week we'll share our findings in three presentations.

Photos: www.flickr.com/groups/lostfoamcasting/

NOTE:
Mr. Woestmann and Mrs. Ohle from the Fraunhofer Institute will join us in the next meeting (2. May) to see our exploration and answer open questions.

Hannover Fair (WK3)

2007-04-27T07:07:00.000-07:00

This week we took the chance to visit the Hannover Messe for an update on new technologies. Each hall features its own theme such as subcontracting, energy, microtechnology, etc.

In hall 5 we were able to see the special show on Material Trends where the winners of the iF material award and material/product samples by 'material sense' and 'material connexion' are on display.

Hall 3 showed some examples of 'casted products' though gave us little insight in the casting process (this is something we'll do next week at the HfK).

Photos: will post some photos soon + feel free to send you own shootings for our project.

Fraunhofer IFAM visit (WK 2)

2007-04-13T04:06:00.000-07:00

April 11. we do a visit at the Fraunhofer institute in Bremen. Mrs. Ohle and Mr. Khoja give an introduction to the Institute and the process and possiblities of Lost Foam Casting.

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/groups/lostfoamcasting/

Mrs. Ohle (thank you!) supports us with entrance tickets for the 'Hannover Messe' where we are able to learn more about casting in general and consider possiblities in (EPS) model making.

We will discuss the list of limitations and possiblities of the project at our next meeting at the HfK Bremen 25. April (Wed. 13.00 - 17.00 / room 3.12.090)

Lost Foam Casting intro (WK 1)

2007-04-13T04:04:00.000-07:00

Our first meeting we review the relation between materials and design - including the important role of applications for understanding and learning materials.

Next week we will visit the Fraunhofer IFAM for a demonstration of Lost Foam Casting.

Opening of Summer Semester

2007-02-04T20:29:00.000-08:00

Lost Foam Casting starts here. April 2. is the semester opening at the HfK Bremen. Lots of students and lots of projects are reviewed (one minute per project).
Photos: http://www.flickr.com/groups/lostfoamcasting/