VECTOR PRAXIS: MODEL DRIVEN DIGITAL FABRICATION

EVERY PART IN EXACTLY THE RIGHT PLACE

A MODEL DRIVEN APPROACH TO OFF-SITE, HIGH- TOLERANCE, ULTRA-CUSTOM FABRICATION

THE PROJECT: -‘AAA’ FEATURE STAIR - SEAGRAM BUILDING, 375 PARK AVENUE, NY -STAIR CONNECTS THE 23RD AND 24TH FLOOR -PROJECT ARCHITECT: GENSLER -GENERAL CONTRACTOR: TRISTAR CONSTRUCTION -CONTRACT: DESIGN, DETAIL, BUILD SERVICES -MATERIALS: STEEL, CORIAN, GLASS, STAINLESS STEEL

CHALLENGES/OPPORTUNITIES

FEATURE STAIR -COMPLEX GEOMETRY (ELLIPTICAL STAIR) -NYC SITE (LISTED BUILDING) -TIGHT FABRICATION TIMELINE -TIGHT COORDINATION REQUIRED FOR ON-SITE WORK -DESIRE TO MINIMIZE TENANT DISRUPTION -UNDERSIZED FREIGHT ELEVATOR -CORIAN CLADDING REQUIRES HIGH TOLERANCE STEEL STRUCTURE (+/- 1/8”) -ABSOLUTE NOVELTY OF PROCESS

CONCEPT MODEL DRAWINGS JIGS PART ASSEMBLY LOGISTICS INSTALLATION

SIMULTANEOUS VERSUS SEQUENTIAL FABRICATION

PHASE 1 CONCEPT AND DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

SKETCHES QUICKLY LEAD TO A WORKING MODEL THAT GROWS MORE ROBUST AS DESIGN DECISIONS ARE MADE

THE SITE IS CAREFULLY ANALYZED

CONCRETE CHIPPED AWAY FROM STEEL GIRDERS, SITE MEASUREMENTS TAKEN

A PARAMETRIC MODEL IS PRODUCED THAT REPRESENTS A BUILDABLE REALITY. THE MODEL BECOMES THE CARRIER OF ALL INPUT

WITH RENDERINGS THAT REFLECT ACTUAL CONSTRUCTABILITY

ACCURATE ARCHITECT INPUT CAPTURE LEADS TO FASTER RESOLUTIONS AND SPEEDIER APPROVALS

OUR SOLIDWORKS MODELS CAN BE RAPIDLY UPDATED AND VARIOUS CONFIGURATIONS TESTED WITH FULL PARAMETRIC CONTROL

Ie. MAKE CHANGES TO THE THICKNESS OF A GIVEN MATERIAL AND THE MODEL WILL RESPOND TO ALTER AFFECTED ASSEMBLIES AND COMPONENTS.

WE DESIGN MULTI-MATERIAL ASSEMBLIES FOR FASTER AND MORE ACCURATE INSTALLATION- A PRECISE KIT OF PARTS

INTEGRATED ‘POUR STOP’ ASSEMBLY -COMPLETE GLASS SHOE -ALL STRUCTURE REQ’D TO CONNECT TO BASE BUILDING -INSTALLED TO EXACT CEILING HEIGHT FOR APPROPRIATE REVEALS AND OTHER ARCH DETAILS

-THIS INTEGRATED POURSTOP ASSEMBLY COMBINES THE WORK OF 5 TRADES IN ONE PRE-FABRICATED PART -WHAT COULD TAKE WEEKS TO INSTALL USING TYPICAL METHODS, TAKES A COUPLE DAYS TO INSTALL

MONTHS BECOME WEEKS, WEEKS BECOME DAYS

LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS ARE UNDERSTOOD THROUGH THE MODEL AND FORM A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE DESIGN PROCESS

PHASE 2 MASTER MODEL

THE MODEL CONTAINS: CUT FILES BILL OF MATERIALS WEIGHT OF MATERIALS LOGISTICS AND SHIPPING INFORMATION COST CALCULATIONS DESIGN DOCUMENTS FABRICATION DRAWINGS FOR OUTSIDE TRADES ASSEMBLY DRAWINGS JIG AND FIXTURE SYSTEMS FOR FABRICATION INFORMATION FOR COORDINATION WITH CLIENT ETC. THIS IS TRUE PARAMETRIC BIM.

MODEL GEOMETRY READILY EXPORTED TO ENGINEERING SOFTWARE FOR LOAD ANALYSIS AND STRUCTURAL REFINEMENT AS REQUIRED

TEMPLATES ARE PRODUCED FROM MODEL GEOMETRY TO AID CONTRACTOR WITH LAYOUT AND DEMOLITION

A SIMILAR TEMPLATE RECREATES THE SITE CONDITION IN THE SHOP

EXTREMELY ACCURATE ASSEMBLIES ARE PRODUCED FROM THIS TEMPLATE SYSTEM

A SERIES OF JIG SYSTEMS ARE PRODUCED WITHIN THE MODEL FOR THE FABRICATION OF STEEL AND CORIAN COMPONENTS

STEEL ASSEMBLY JIG CORIAN ASSEMBLY JIG

FROM MODEL TO SHOP FLOOR

JIG FOR STRUCTURAL STEEL AND HANDRAIL

JIG FOR CORIAN BENDING

CUT FILES SENT OUT TO STEEL FABRICATOR FOR PRECISE CUTTING AND ROLLING

PHASE 3

SIMULTANEOUS PRODUCTION OF ALLIED PARTS & ASSEMBLIES IN SEPARATE LOCATIONS

STEEL STRINGERS ASSEMBLED IN JIG

STAIR SECTIONS ASSEMBLED

FROM DRAWINGS EXTRACTED FROM THE MASTER MODEL

MEANWHILE CORIAN PRODUCTION BEGINS AT SOLID SURFACE FABRICATOR

OTHER COMPONENTS CONTINUE TO BE PRODUCED AT VP SHOP

FABRICATION DRAWINGS FROM THE MODEL ENABLE HIGH PRECISION FABRICATION AND PERFECT FIT

HANDRAIL BENDING AND FITTING TO JIG

IN-HOUSE TESTING OF COMPONENTS AND ADHESIVES

HOIST POINTS ARE CALCULATED THROUGH THE MODEL AND ELIMINATE GUESSWORK

SPLICE PLATES CONNECT STAIR SECTIONS AND ELIMINATE ON-SITE WELDING

ALL DETAILED EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH THE MODEL

AS CORIAN SECTIONS ARE COMPLETED THEY CAN BE TEST FIT TO THE MASTER JIG WITH STEEL STRUCTURE ASSEMBLED

WHILE FABRICATION CONTINUES ON OUR END, BASE BUILDING STEEL IS GOING IN, READY FOR OUR WORK WITHOUT DELAY

PHASE 4 SHIPPING COMPLETE ASSEMBLIES ‘JUST-IN-TIME’ TO SITE FOR IMMEDIATE ERECTION

STAIR ASSEMBLIES WITH CUSTOM CARTS DESIGNED TO FIT WITHIN SITE ELEVATOR AID INSTALLATION

STEEL ERECTION DETAILED INSTALLATION DRAWINGS PRODUCED FROM THE MODEL FOR USE BY THE NYC ERECTOR

LOAD-IN OF STEEL

HOISTING STEEL SECTIONS INTO POSITION

THE STAIR SECTIONS ARE ERECTED ON-SITE IN LESS THAN A WEEK

CORIAN INSTALLATION

THE CORIAN IS INSTALLED PERFECTLY, ENABLING CONCURRENT GLASS INSTALLATION WHILE THE CONTRACTOR COMPLETES OTHER SITE WORK

CORIAN COMPONENTS SLEEVE OVER STEEL STRUCTURE

CORIAN COMPLETE, TREADS TO GO IN

MODEL DRIVEN FABRICATION ENABLES TREADS TO BE LASER CUT OFF-SITE. TREADS AND RISERS ARE INSTALLED ON-SITE IN 2.5 DAYS

INSTALLATION OF HANDRAIL

A CENTRAL JIG ENABLES THE HANDRAIL TO BE OFF-SITE FABRICATED AVOIDING SEQUENTIAL PRODUCTION AND SHAVING WEEKS OFF THE PROCESS

COMPLETION IMAGES