03.   Computer-controlled cutting
Design, make, and document a press-fit construction kit

For this assignment, I decided to concentrate on the joinery of the cardboard components in order to create interesting forms.

The components were designed based on traditional 3-component joinery found in Japanese childrens' games. I tested several geometries and different laser-cut settings in order to find the best parameters for assembly.

Through this investigation, two issues arose that needed resolving. One, that the joinery only worked in proportion to the thickness of the material and the size of the component as it required an adequately sized notch to slot into. Because the cardboard was only 2.5 mm thick, the components were too tiny and fragile to interlock. And two, that a notch in the center of the component did not allow for proliferation. Because I could not change the material, I decided to layer the cardboard to double the thickness of the material and create bigger and functional components. I also designed the components with angulation and notching on either end, which allowed for the limitless proliferation of the structure.

In the end, the structure is composed of three parametric components that varied through different notching techniques.

Download the corresponding files here.