Computational design for (industrial) designers using Rhino Grasshopper

Willemijn Elkhuizen; Anne van den Dool; Jose Martinez Castro; Wolf Song; Mehmet Ozdemir; Zjenja Doubrovski; Toon Huysmans

doi:10.59490/tb.87

Computational design for (industrial) designers using Rhino Grasshopper

Authors

Willemijn Elkhuizen, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering; Anne van den Dool, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering; Jose Martinez Castro, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering; Wolf Song, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering; Mehmet Ozdemir, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering; Zjenja Doubrovski, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering; Toon Huysmans, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59490/tb.87

Keywords: Computational design, personalized fit, digital fabrication, design exploration, Rhino Grasshopper

Synopsis

This interactive textbook provides an educational resource into computational design for (industrial) designers. The book focusses on the use of computational design of products/artifacts at a human scale, which might be contrasted by the architectural/build environment scale – a domain which also extensively utilizes computational design principles and tools. Throughout the book, we make use of (commercial) computer-aided-design software, namely Rhinoceros®, and specifically the (build-in) module Grasshopper®.

The lessons and knowledge base offered in this book focus on topics that are specifically relevant for and/or attuned to product design (scale), which are categorized in relation to its goal (e.g. design for personalized fit/comfort/aesthetics), by its means (e.g. design for digital fabrication), or for its role in the design process (e.g. for design exploration or design simulation).

The book is intended for students both at bachelor and master level. As we believe in a learning-by-doing approach, we aimed for a hands-on, easy-to-get-started set of introductory lessons, which is complemented with a knowledge base. The introductory lessons do not assume any specific prior skills or knowledge (in general or with Rhino Grasshopper) to get started. Yet, (some) experience with computer-aided design (CAD), programming, data processing, and/or mathematics will likely be helpful to really delve into the more complex topics, such as those covered in the knowledge base.

The book is currently used as course material in two courses taught at Industrial Design Engineering: “Prototyping with/for Digital Fabrication” (BSc level, part of the Minor Advanced Prototyping), and “Computational design for Digital Fabrication” (MSc level, Elective). The content in this book is in part based on course materials from the above-mentioned courses, which have been been taught to and applied by students with diverse (technical) backgrounds (e.g. industrial design, mechanical engineering, computer science, and electrical engineering). Other parts of the book are inspired by student (graduation) projects and/or follow from research activities by the various contributing authors.

Author Biographies

Willemijn Elkhuizen, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering

Willemijn Elkhuizen is assistant professor at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering (IDE). Her educational and research activities revolve around the use of digital technology in the context of design and cultural heritage. Willemijn obtained her PhD at IDE on creating life-like reproductions of paintings, using 3D imaging and 3D printing technology. Prior, she briefly worked in industry at Océ Technologies (now Canon Production Printing), and also obtained her BSc and MSc from IDE.

Willemijn coordinates the Minor Advanced Prototyping, which revolves around adopting an iterative prototyping and evaluation cycle, as a central to a design process. The courses in the minor revolve around topics such as human digital modeling, computational design, digital fabrication (incl. 3D printing), and prototyping with and for extended reality. She, Sander Minnoye, and Wolf Song initiated the development of this open educational resource, in 2022, to serve course material for the Minor Advanced Prototyping, ánd the course Computational Design for Digital Fabrication.

Anne van den Dool, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering

Anne van den Dool is Lead Engineer at Parts on Demand. She also worked part time as lecturer at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering from 2021 to 2023. Her expertise is in Computational Design and Design for Additive Manufacturing. In her current role, Anne leads the R&D team and consults customers on how to optimize products for SLS 3D printing. Prior, Anne worked at Maatbril, where she created made-to-measure eyewear, using 3D scanning, parametric design, and 3D printing. She has a BSc and MSc degree from Industrial Design Engineering, TU Delft.

Anne taught a course on design with Rhino Grasshopper as part of the Minor Advanced Prototyping for two years, transformed these lessons into this open, interactive textbook.

Jose Martinez Castro, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering

Jose Martinez Castro is an industrial designer and mechanical engineer, currently working as a freelancer with companies such as Nova Innova and Living Light. Prior, he held positions as a researcher and teacher at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering (IDE). As a researcher, Jose contributed to the Materials Experience Lab, where he explored computational tools in the fields of shape-changing materials, biodesign, and 4D printing. His educational background includes a MSc in Integrated Product Design from TU Delft and a BSc in Mechanical Engineering from The University of British Columbia (UBC).

Jose joined the development of the open educational resource in 2023 to build the content for the Knowledge Base and transfer the course's material into an interactive textbook.

Wolf Song, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering

Yu (Wolf) Song is associate professor at the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering (IDE). His main research interests include human digital twins, 3D scanning, ergonomics, and personalized product design. He joined the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering at Delft University of Technology in 2001. Prior to that, he received his PhD degree from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Hong Kong. Wolf has led or contributed to a series of industrial and national projects, such as EU ComfDemo, JLR, BMW, NWO's Interventional Cockpit, Next UPPS, Cross Platform Geometric Modeling, 3D scanning for shape modeling, and Epposi Pilot on homecare.

He also coordinates Mechatronics and Computational Design for Digital Fabrication courses. Wolf supported in transforming the lecture materials from the Computational Design course to be part of this open, interactive textbook.

Mehmet Ozdemir, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering

Mehmet Özdemir is a Postdoc researcher at the faculty of Industrial Design Engineering (IDE). His main research interests are materials and design for digital fabrication, computational design, product personalization, and design methods & tools. Mehmet obtained his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Politecnico di Milano on devising a design methodology for the mass personalization of consumer products in the context of digital fabrication. He also holds a PhD in Product Development from the University of Antwerp as a part of a double degree.

Zjenja Doubrovski, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering

Zjenja Doubrovski is an Assistant Professor of Computational Fabrication at TU Delft's Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering in the Netherlands. He earned his MSc in Integrated Product Design in 2010 and obtained his PhD in 2016 focusing on Design for Additive Manufacturing. His research focuses on advanced 3D printing techniques that achieve structures with novel and unique properties, behaviors, and user experiences. His research is situated at the intersection of computational design, digital fabrication, and materials science, setting the stage for a new era of product design that is innovative and sustainable.

At TU Delft, he teaches undergraduate, masters, and doctoral courses in Additive Manufacturing, Computational Design, and Computational Fabrication.

Toon Huysmans, Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering

Toon Huysmans is an assistant professor of Digital Human Modelling at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering. His research and teaching are centered around anthropometric and biomechanical digital human modeling and simulation. He focuses on data-driven methods and design tools applicable in ergonomics, anatomy, and orthopedics, with a special interest in the design of ultra-personalized products and services. Toon is also involved in Dined (Anthropometry in Design, https://dined.nl), Fieldlab UPPS, nextUPPS (http://upps.nl), and KidsCAN (http://kidscan.tudelft.nl), and is member of the Center of Design for Agile Manufacturing.

Toon is involved in courses such as Biomechanics and Digital Humans Modeling, Minor Advanced Prototyping, Computational Design for Digital Fabrication, Understanding Humans, Human Factors / Ergonomics, and Technical Ergonomics and Product Experience.