Parametric Robotic Hot-Wire Cutting

This project explores how robotic hot-wire cutting can be integrated into a computational design workflow to generate complex foam geometries. Using Grasshopper to simulate robotic motion, the study develops a digital-to-physical pipeline in which form is first constructed through parametric operations—bounding boxes, trimmed meshes, lofted surfaces—and then translated into robotic toolpaths. The robot executes sequential cuts that reveal variations in curvature, surface continuity, and material behavior. The physical models demonstrate how computational logic and robotic precision can collaboratively shape architectural form.

HOT WIRE CUT _ PHASE 1 _ FORM DESIGN

BUILD A BOUNDING BOX

BUILD A MESH

ARRAY LINES

USE GRAPH MAP TO REMAP LINES

USE BOUNDING BOX TO TRIM LINES

LOFT SURFACE

USE FOAM TO CUT A PORTION OF THE SURFACE

INSERT TO ROBOTIC

HOT WIRE CUT PHASE 2 SIMULATION OF ROBOT MOVEMENT

FIRST CUT

REMOVE THE CUT PART

SECOND CUT

ROTATE AND SECOND CUT

PHYSICAL MODEL IMAGES

PHYSICAL MODEL IMAGES

This project reflects an early exploration of how computational design and robotic fabrication can work together to transform simple foam blocks into precise, expressive forms. By iterating between digital simulation and physical cutting, the process revealed how machine-guided operations can generate unexpected spatial qualities while maintaining controlled precision. The work demonstrates a foundational understanding of toolpath logic, robotic constraints, and material behavior—laying the groundwork for more advanced integrations between design intention and automated making.