Photogrammetry of a Curved Staircase

| ryantris

My personal company used to provide photo measuring services. Through using photogrammetry it is possible to produce extremely accurate CAD drawings of complicated surfaces. This is especially useful in situations where we have curved walls with enormous radii in which the center point is unobtainable. It is also extremely useful to template free-form and elliptical curves which cannot be easily define through traditional measurements. This results in a perfect match for the end product.

This particular home had huge sweeping semi-elliptical curves built on free formed walls, in order to manufacture the staircase accurately, I was contracted to template the walls and balconies. The final product turned out quite well, I was able to manufacture all the curved trim on a multi-axis CNC router. The curved stair treads and returns were manufactured in a similar fashion.

Detailed Staircase Prints and Elevations

| ryantris

This is a sample of a detailed staircase print and elevation drawings to guide shop employees during the manufacturing process. This particular job was for a very prestigious architect who was very detailed and exacting. The prints needed to produced with excruciating precision to show the exact way the beading on the newel post would be cut.

Laboratory Equipment Adapter

| ryantris

While characterizing the epoxy samples I previously talked about (here) we ran into another roadblock as we increased the ratio of plasticizer…the DMA machine could not break the samples. Unfortunately the dynamic mechanical analyzer we were using had a maximum force of 400 newtons. We did have access to another DMA , however, it was setup with clamps for viscoelasticit materials and did not have a set of 3-point-bending tools.

I was able to construct some 3D printed adapters that could fit the new apparatus. Inside the top adapter sits a permanent neodymium magnets that allow the tooling to snap inside without falling. These adapters allowed us to complete our research in the limited time we had available.

 

IMG_3772

 

Polymer Sample Stabilizer

| ryantris

In 2018 I was invited to spend the summer at Northwestern University’s MRSEC (Materials Research Science and Engineering Center). Here I was tasked with characterizing fracture toughness in epoxy polymers at cryogenic temperatures for aerospace applications (for a major space launch service provider…hint hint).

Part of my experimentation involved using a dynamic mechanical analyzer to calculate the maximum stress an epoxy sample could withstand before failure. Unfortunately the samples were prone to failing over during the cooling phase where the gaseous LN2 was pumped into the sample chamber. The narrow thickness of the sample, the rapid influx of gas, and the shrinkage of the 3 point bending apparatus continually spoiled the experiment as we could not keep a sample upright.

Fortunately Northwestern has am amazing engineering center with Stratasys FDM 3D printers. After some thought I was able to design a U-shaped saddle that could mount inside the 3 point bending tools and hold the sample upright without compromising the experimental results. Although the final product looks simple, it was a non-trivial solution to an ongoing problem.

 

Modern Railing Design from Concept to Manufacture

| ryantris

This was an interesting project where an architect had a design concept for a very unique rail that incorporated wood and metal to create a contemporary look. From a rough drawing I was able to produce a 3D model and photo rendering of the final product. After approval I took the 3D model and began design for manufacture. Lengths of half moon shaped rails were run at a local molding company. Then CAM tool-paths were applied to finish ends with their signature three dimensional swoop and loft. Machining was completed on a 3-axis CNC mill with a ball end mill in full 3 axis interpolation.