Course Description
This course will explore techniques, representations, and workflows for computational fabrication. Digital fabrication machines like 3D printers and laser cutters bring complicated designs into physical form, and computer programming helps overcome design challenges that are difficult or nearly impossible. Blending these two tools, students will use computational fabrication techniques to design and build functional, creative objects leveraging existing computer-aided design (CAD) tools, programming languages, and digital fabrication machinery.
Course Objectives
Students who successfully complete this course will:
Critical Thinking & Theory / History
- Understand the history and impact of digital fabrication technologies on society
- Evaluate research trends in computational fabrication that extend across human-computer interaction (HCI), computer graphics, and computational design
Design/Creative
- Design 2D and 3D forms leveraging the capabilities of computation
- Acquire strategies to design and model around the constraints of digital fabrication machines and physical space
Technical
- Knowledge of various computational techniques and their use within digital fabrication technologies
- Generate functional and creative objects using computer programming
- Utilize digital fabrication technologies such as 3D printers, laser cutters, and CNC machines
Source: Syllabus – Computational Fabrication 2023 Fall created by Professor Michael Rivera