Spin!
Discover!
Motion, Mechanisms and Work: An Introduction to Basic Mechanical Design for Art and DIY
with Michael Kontopoulos
Date & Time
January 3, 2010, 2pm–5pm
January 6, 2010, 7pm–10pm
January 9, 2010, 2pm–5pm
Location
Machine Project
Map
Pricing
Free

Making a project move or effect the physical world is an exciting prospect, but stops many creative people in their tracks. Physical computing platforms such as Arduino are a great place to begin learning about collecting data and/or using actuators such as motors.

Often times, however, the emerging hobbyist or media artist will become frustrated by limitations: “I know how to control this motor, but how can I use it to animate the arms of a doll?” Or mechanize the flapping wings of a wooden bird? Or 100 birds?

This workshop will serve as an introduction to simple machines, linkages, couplings, basic mechanism and how all of these combine into more complex machines. We will cover many critical concepts including levers, block & tackle, gears, work, force, machine elements, and most important, translation of force. Focus will be on creative applications.

Workshop hours will be divided between lecture, demo and labs with a small final project in the end. The workshop will be almost entirely analog. We will be focusing on materials, methods and applications; When combined with physical computing savvy, these skills will help bring your ideas to life!

Michael Kontopoulos is a Los Angeles based artist-designer-tinkerer, and a recent graduate of the MFA program at UCLA’s Design | Media Arts program. His personal work mixes the media of sculpture, physical computing, programming, and video.

REQUIREMENTS

  • No physical computing knowledge is necessary. Rotating elements will be provided for the final project.
  • Some tools and materials will be provided; Others will be brought in by each participant, as needed.
  • Comfort with tools (cutting, sanding, drilling), geometry, physics are a plus. Craftiness and visual thinking skills are a huge plus.

Note: With each lecture and demo, I will be showing A TON of examples of mechanical motion in: The machines around us, Notable DIY projects, Fancy-pants Artworks, Funny online videos. The goal of the workshop is to demystify the concept of mechanisms, give you an overview of construction options, and the vocabulary for extending your experiments beyond the workshop.

 

 

Class 1
Sunday, January 3, 2pm–5pm
with Michael Kontopoulos

Back to high school physics, but without math this time.
Classes of simple machines. Uses, Applications in Industry, Design and Art…
Levers, Pulleys, Wheels, Gears, Screws, Planes & Wedges, etc.
Lab!

Class 2
Wednesday, January 6, 7pm–10pm
with Michael Kontopoulos

Demystifying machine elements (i.e. Learning the proper words for “doodad” and “whirlimajig”)
Overview of Bearing, Springs, Linkages, Couplings….
The uses of mechanisms: Translating Motion, Gaining force, Gaining speed.
Turning rotary motion into linear motion, Changing direction of force, Cams, Irregular motion.
Work, Power and Force
Lab!
Group presentation / discussion of final project proposals. Don’t worry! At this point you are
only expected to provide concepts and ideas. We will talk about the technical ways to execute the
project. This isn’t a critique; it’s a discussion.

Class 3
Saturday, January 9, 2pm–5pm
with Michael Kontopoulos

Work Day! Execution and Documentation of Final Projects.
Extensions: Going beyond the prototype…

Refund policy:
Please note, all class fees include a non-refundable enrollment deposit of $25 that will be deducted from your refund if you sign up for, then drop, a class. So, for example, if you sign up for Machine Sewing 101 and pay the $155 class fee, but then remember that you have trapeze school final exams that conflict with the Sewing class and shouldn’t have signed up after all, we will refund you $130 of your tuition payment.
Gift certificate purchase:

If you have a Machine Project gift certificate you’d like to redeem for a class, please email us at machine@machineproject.com and let us know.