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August 24, 2018

Caddisfly: Add-on for Grasshopper

Detail Design of Complex Free Form Structures

Description and How it came!

Caddisfly is an Add-on for Grasshopper (algorithmic modeling Plug-in for Rhino). It’s a series of tools for Complex Structures and Free Forms Detail Designing. The main idea has been based upon having the process from Conceptual Design, Analyze to Construction on Free Form Structures Automatically by less than 5 clicks. It is being developed by Python and C# both for a better flexibility up and running for different components. Caddisfly defines some phases of progress related to special structural systems which (Space Frames, Single Layers, Grid Shells, …) We will inform you for any metamorphosis of it. The algorithm in background just ask the user for some special basic parameters and check if those parameters can be applied on nodes according to the section of links or it should be corrected, then it design the node. As Caddisfly is trying to make node designing automatically, it had to be prepared for defining relations and proportions between special parameters according to the layers of optimization on many forms:

  • Geometry of Nodes (Sphere, Cylinder & …)
  • Outer Radius based on Links Section
  • Inner Radius for Subtracted Nodes (Based on Geometry selected)
  • Number of Bolts, holes and locations + the radius of holes
  • Links Basic section Geometry and Dimensions
  • And much more toward having flexible design

The Add-on features and future

 When I started to develop my ideas on detail designing of free forms, I was into solving the problems for our companies who couldn't deal with these series o beautiful and complex structures. There is always a reason when we connect things toward a better responding and that was the bringing a new approach to the field for me. I gathered what I actually got from studying about free forms together and start learning how to code beside as a parallel way. The most motivational part was the whole times I had to walk and think how to solve the bugs and bring it on when it couldn't run. Beside the journey I had started, there was a path to the next level which I asked specialists to discuss on how it might get better and these series of connections set me up with the features industry needs for a validated and reliable toolset. So, I presented Caddisfly 01.01 just only for single layer structures but the next version is undergoing to be prepared for double layers type and also have the integration with structure analyzer programs like SAP2000. The first step is having an out source adaptivity then it will become much more automata. 

The Story Behind

 for the past 4 years, we were working on special subjects in Architecture, Structure, Energy and much more related parts from a whole we call it Integrated Engineering. The main path for us was defined as making things as much as it can by connections and proportions between parameters from these factors to have a better qualification. Our mutual language defined by Algorithmic Engineering which provides a great level of functional coding related to demands. In this case our agents started to make a better atmosphere on what known as sophisticated. One of the major issues we started to work on was free forms and detail designing of complex structures. The story behind commenced by a project issue and right now the problem solving approach is getting us to a new detail designer plug-in named Caddisfly. It's a set of components providing the way for each system a little bit easier for designers and fabricators.

What we tried to defined presented as Caddisfly is literally a first step to have something brings a whole procedure under just a bunch of clicks. Single layer free forms as can be known by one of the greatest and also hard to engineer structures when they come through complex geometries but, handling it from conceptual design to detail design is the exact part we can feel how engineering and architecture could bonding toward excitement. 

In any case you might be interested to help us developing this tool or even want to know more, please click the link below in our official professional team in Ardaena: 

Caddisfly for Grasshopper

CAD/CAM, Digital Fabrication, Fab Systems, Structure, Technical Design , , , ,
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