The Verge: Vacuum forming is a manufacturing technique that’s been around for a while. You take a heated sheet of plastic, press it down onto the object you’d like to make a mold of, and then use a vacuum to suction down the sheet of plastic to accurately capture the exact details. It’s a pretty analogue process for the most part, but the Vaquform is a Kickstarter project that hopes to add some digital technology to the mix, while also promising to bring an industrial level of quality to a more consumer-friendly form factor at a lower price.
:gifv():no_upscale()/cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53238945/vacuform.0.gif)
4 comments:
I remember using a vacuum form in middle school and I thought it was really cool. I Also thought it was really crafty and couldn't figure out any reasonable use for the machine besides making interesting 3-D designs for an 8th grade industrial tech class. More so for crafts than professional use, and I couldn’t have been any more wrong. The addition to the level of accuracy turns a large clunky machine into an efficient powerhouse. It evolved past its limitations due to size and it's no longer a crafty machine because it’s details are as exquisite as a professional. The possibilities are increased with it’s attention to detail and it's reasonably priced. Not only is it more efficient and convenient it's also reasonably affordable compared to other machines on the market. While it does have an increase in detail the size drastically decreases and limits the possibilities to small detailed pieces on the Vaquform and larger less detailed pieces on competing vacuum formers.
Article Rating:
7/10
Notes:
The succ works better if you warm it up first
I remember using a vacuum form in middle school and I thought it was really cool. I Also thought it was really crafty and couldn't figure out any reasonable use for the machine besides making interesting 3-D designs for an 8th grade industrial tech class. More so for crafts than professional use, and I couldn’t have been any more wrong. The addition to the level of accuracy turns a large clunky machine into an efficient powerhouse. It evolved past its limitations due to size and it's no longer a crafty machine because it’s details are as exquisite as a professional. The possibilities are increased with it’s attention to detail and it's reasonably priced. Not only is it more efficient and convenient it's also reasonably affordable compared to other machines on the market. While it does have an increase in detail the size drastically decreases and limits the possibilities to small detailed pieces on the Vaquform and larger less detailed pieces on competing vacuum formers.
Article Rating:
7/10
Notes:
The succ works better if you warm it up first
It exciting to see technology like this that I always associate with smart labs or big companies like this becoming more accessible for the public's general consumer. Being a student at Carnegie Mellon University also creates an interest in seeing how the world of math, technology, and science can be integrated with the arts. I first heard of vacuum form being used in this way for special effects make up, mask making, and fabrication. It's use and prevalence is obvious for the props department, especially after having seen it in use here. I wish that this article went into more specifics as far as how vacuum form relates to costumes as it says in the title, even though I suppose the main point of this article in the first place was to discuss the new "vaquform" piece of technology. As I go into my props mini during the next half of the semester as well as going into the mask project during my sophomore year here, it'll be interesting to learn more about vacuum form and how it works, along with it's possible uses in theatre or film.
Vaquforms are incredibly interesting and they do have uses in prototyping and copying tectures/designs, but I believe they are too often used for the wrong things because they are a cool “new” technology. Last summer I used an extremely large vaquform (4’ x 6’ – it would not have fit on a desk) to copy the texture from a found concrete carving and translate it onto a “stone” prop bench. The plastic (when it’s hot enough it feels like marshmallow fluff) worked wonderfully (the second time after I used clay to create a stronger seal at the base of the concrete “original”) and captured the texture, but it was terrible to paint and attach to the wooden bench. I ended up using staples and adding extra texture (plaster of Paris, paint, and sawdust over primer) to mask to staples and the edges. The use of the Vaquform for making the Ragtime Star was also appropriate. However, I have also seen some architecture students try to make a bust of Thomas Jefferson with the vacuform (the plastic encircled the original and they couldn’t get it out. These are really cool tools, just be respect their limitations.
Post a Comment