FOLDABLE = MAKABLE / a social network for curved folding geometries

PHOTO ABOVE: Dynamic Solar Shading sketch model. Advances in Architectural Geometry 2010 / SOURCE : robofold.com

We often wrote in this blog about developability of complex surfaces.
In one of our post about geometries of bending I said:  developability is a key concept you have to understand if you are trying to construct very complex forms that are easy to draw but difficult to build.
But why? Because if you can develop a surface, then you can build it.
Now, robots from ROBOFOLD are saying something similar: if you can fold it, we can build it.

FOLDABLE = MAKABLE
This is the very clear slogan of curvedfolding.com, a social network created by ROBOFOLD where you can « work towards an open CAD standard, initially based on a quad-mesh geometry, for representing and modeling curved folding geometries…and show what we have crafted in paper, modelled in CAD and then fabricated. »

PHOTO ABOVE : RoboFold at 100% Design, October 2011. Their video interview with RoboFold / SOURCE: robofold.com

It’s very interesting to note that ROBOFOLD thinks about innovative production as something strictly related to the learning process. That’s why they develop a strong departement for learning with workshops and other events.
The structure of the workshop is clear as their slogan:
A 3 steps process: folding paper by hand all the way to folding metal with robots – with some simulation in software along the way. 
Watch the videlo below to see a robot in action.



PHOTOS AND VIDEOS ABOVE FROM robofold.com

A special thanks to Vanessa from McNeel to send me this information, in relation to a research for one of our project.