Kinetic Mesh

kinetic mesh project_Merna Safwat.mp4

Modular Kinetic Mesh For Building Facade

Kinetic facades have emerged as alternative building envelopes, designed to meet the increasing of varying and complex demands related to user comfort, energy consumption and cost efficiency.

kinetic facades are defined as the ability to response and adapt to the changes of the environmental conditions. The strategies mainly focus on the functions and performances of kinetic facades in the context of indoor daylight quality and thermal heat performance.

Project Idea

The aim of this project is to design and fabricate a modular automated kinetic mesh to buildings' façade consisting of independent louvers that responds to sunrays to achieve thermal comfort during daytime. The introduced design is motorized by servo motor that is controlled by LDRs that indicated sunlight direction. Also a manual mode is added to allow the control by the user using a potentiometer knob.

The perforations also decrease the weight needed to be supported by the building's framework and provides both light and shade. The shade helps with a cooling effect with the hot temperatures, which provides huge benefit. The shade provided by the Kinetic Mesh means that some of the weight can be relieved from such a cooling system.

Equally, within a building the Kinetic Mesh can be used as a design feature. It can replace a solid wall while allowing light and fresh air into an otherwise dark and stuffy room. This is one of the main benefits for interior designers.

The design is inspired by The beauty of the Mashrabiya and its use in modern design is the same today as it was centuries ago. The design is also inspired by the ancient Egyptian culture (queen Nefertiti face) that makes the design worthy be used for Egyptian museums or any other institute that is related to ancient Egyptian civilization.

The deign can be considered modern, smart product (parametric design techniques, smart operation and fabrication methods) that is inspired by the Islamic culture (Mashrabeya style) and ancient Egyptian civilization.

Operation Videos & Product Images

automatic mode 1.mp4
manual mode.mp4
automaticmode 2.mp4

General Functions & Features

The kinetic louvers' mesh is used for external facades rotates to reach maximum shading allover the day to achieve thermal comfort in spaces. this works when the light sensor tracks the sun light and according to light intensity the controller (arduino) gives a specific rotation angle for the servo motor to rotate and blind sun rays.

Technical Modules

Technical Modules

1- Mode 1: Automatic mode

Construction Parts: laser cut Louvers and case

Input:

Sensing: LDR sensor (for tracking light)

Action: the louver rotates independently with servo motor according to the sun light sensed to maximize shading and thermal comfort.

Brain: An Arduino board would act as the smart device's brain that processes the light sensor and send orders to sevo motor

Power Management: 9V adaptor


2- Mode 2 : Manual mode

Construction Parts: laser cut Louvers and case

Input:

User Input: switch to turn off automatic mode and a potentiometer

Action: Potentiometer controls louvers rotation in case of automatic mode is off

Brain: An Arduino board would act as the smart device's brain that processes the swiches and send orders to servo motor

Power Management: 9V adaptor

If I had more time i would have achieved the complete features (louvers responsive to temperature) and the nice to have features (make louvers responsive to motion in case of night mode for privacy) (check final project proposal for complete and minimum features). Also I would have completed the fabrication of the 2 other louvers to complete the design

Design & Fabrication

Started by creating my components lists according to the action components and input components i needed for the minimum features and calculating the voltage, current and resistances needed for each component (I=V/R), then started my procedures:

1- First I started with a 3d model on 3Ds max for the specified number of louvers and the overall design and made connections between the assembly parts (Splines & Extrude) and the fixation of the electronic components (imported servo motor model from thingiverse in 3Ds max).

2- Get my Code completed on arduino IDE and tested on tinkercad and uploading the code on arduuino uno with the usb cable.

3- Then started to design the perforated screen with Nefertiti image in image sampler on grasshopper in rhino 3D and exported it to .dwg and then to 3Ds max to export the whole design with .igs to be imported in Fusion 360. (attached the Code for image sampler code in grasshopper)

4- Double checked the connections and the assembly between the different bodies on fusion 360

5- Started to project the faces of the design and created the 2D sketches

6- Saved the 2D sketches into .dxf files

7- Prepared .dxf files to be imported in laserWorks (overkill the overlapped lines and made the thickness of the lines with 0.00m)

8- Prepared 3D files (imported from thingiverse ) to be printed on Prusa slicer.

9- Laser Cut project's enclosure parts

  • open laser works and import the dxf file and set the speed 23mm/s and the power 65%

  • download the file on the machine and rename the file

  • check the power on the laser cutting machine (power it on)

  • check the origin of the machine by controlling the arrows (up-down-right-left) and click on origin button to set the origin

  • open files on the machine and search for the named file to print and track the cut area

  • control the vertical distance of the bed to the laser handle to just fit a coin (from the side of the machine)

6- select the file again from the machine and start the cut process

10- Connecting electronic parts and making connections.

11- Testing the performance and the functionality of the project.

Enclosure Parts & Mesh Parametric Design

Code Design, Wiring Diagram & Simulation

simulation video.wmv

Parts Assembly

Softwares Used

Rhino 3D & Grasshopper (for the Parametric Perforated Screen Louvers with Image Sampler)

Autodesk 3Ds Max (For the design of the enclosure parts 2.5D)

Autodesk Fusion 360 (For the joints assembly ,adding electronic components and exporting 2D .dxf files)

Laser Work V6 (To prepare 2D sketches to be cut with laser cut machine)

Arduino IDE ( to design the code for the electronic circuit)

Tinker Cad ( for the wiring illustration and simulation)

Tools & Components

Enclosure Components

Electronic Components

2.5D Laser cut parts (enclosure Parts)

3D printed Parts (connections)

Screws (3mm diameter)

Nuts and Screws


3 Servo Motors

2 LDR Modules

Arduino Uno

Breadboard

Potentiometer (100kohm)


1 Resistors (10kohm)

Slider Switch

Adaptor 9V

Jumpers

Crocodiles

Potentiometer Knob

DC Socket

Materials

Plywood

3mm thickness. (2.5D Parts)

Machines

Morn MT3050D Laser cutting machine (2.5D Parts)

Received Support

Actually I received support from day 1 of thinking about the final project, I got all the support I could need and shared my ideas with my peers.

Here I am summarizing the support I received:

The mechanism of the rotational motion of the louvers, my instructor helped me a lot understanding it and making the fixation of the servo motor with the louvers base.

I also learned from my peer's projects how can I use rack and gears to make many elements move with one servo motor, the thing that I could have made if needed

Also my instructor helped me a lot in debugging the errors in the programming code and reach the final code for the project and also helped me a lot in the implementation phase and the connections.I was always getting back to my instructor in every time I got stuck and I've always received support and advice.


Project's Files