Lexus unveils fully drivable car made from cardboard.
Japanese
car brand Lexus used 1,700 individually shaped cardboard sheets to
create a fully functional replica of its IS saloon model.
Inspired by origami, the full-size sculpture was produced as a celebration of the human craftsmanship behind each Lexus car.
London-based companies LaserCut Works and Scales and Models were commissioned to complete the project, which took three months in total to finish.
The studios were provided with a 3D model of the existing IS saloon,
which they then divided into principal parts, including the main body,
dashboard, seats and wheels.
These sections were digitally rendered as 10-millimetre
slices, then laser cut from the cardboard and given individual reference
numbers to ensure the car was assembled in the correct sequence.
Every
layer was fixed together by hand using a water-based wood glue,
which had to be left to set for 10 minutes after each application.
"This was a very demanding job, with five people involved in the
digital design, modelling, laser cutting and assembly," said Scales and
Models founder and director Ruben Marcos.
An electric motor used to power the vehicle is mounted on a steel and
aluminium frame is housed within the model. The car also features a
fully fitted interior, functioning doors, headlights and rolling wheels.
"The seats took a few attempts to get just right and the wheels
required a lot of refining," said Marcos. "Once we could see the
physical pieces taking shape, we could identify where we needed to make
improvements."
"As with anything, there were some elements of trial and error, but
as we had all the resources we needed in-house, this made the changes
easier to produce," he continued.
The cardboard Origami Car will be on show as part of the Grand
Designs Live event at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in
Birmingham, UK, from 8 to 11 October 2015.
Earlier this year, Lexus revealed its Back to the Future-style hoverboard, which uses magnetic fields to carry its rider without touching the ground.
Cardboard has previously been used to create a waterproof bicycle that costs less than £10 to manufacture.
(Via DeZeenMagazine)
Israeli engineer and systems developer Izhar Gafni
has invented a cardboard bicycle that's strong, waterproof and costs
less than £10 to manufacture (+ movie).
Izhar Gafni
started developing the Cardboard Bicycle three years ago. "Since there
was no know-how with regards to the cardboard material, the first two
years were devoted to learning the properties and behaviour of the
material," explains Gafni.
Cardboard Bicycle by Izhar Gafni from Dezeen on Vimeo.
Cardboard Bicycle by Izhar Gafni from Dezeen on Vimeo.
"The idea is like Japanese origami," he says in the movie. "You fold
it once and then it doesn't become twice the strength, it's almost three
times the strength. So I took it from there and did the same thing with
cardboard. "After the shape has been cut out, the cardboard is treated with a
waterproof and fireproof coating specially created by Gafni, before
lacquer paint is applied over the top.
The
"urban bike" for adults costs around £6 per unit and weighs 9kg, while
the kids' bike costs £3 per unit and weighs 3.5kg. Both are made almost
entirely from recycled materials and cyclists
will also have the option to add an electric motor, according to the
designer.
Gafni's business partner, Israeli investment group ERB, is currently fundraising and developing the bicycle for production.
Here's some more information from Gafni's business partner, ERB:
The Cardboard Bicycle Project is a new, revolutionary and green
concept to produce bicycles made of durable recycled cardboard. ERB is
an active partner which manages all the business and financial aspects
of this project. ERB leads the worldwide business activity of the
cardboard bicycle in Israel and abroad.
The first commercial model of the bicycle is designed for large
companies as a vehicle for their employees and for large cities as a
cheap, light-weight vehicle. Parallel to those, the electric model is
being developed.
The Cardboard Bicycle can withstand water and humidity. Part of our
unique technology enables us to create a product that looks like it is
made out of hard lightweight polymer. The bike is stronger than carbon
fibre and can carry riders weighing up to 220 kilograms. The cost to
make the bicycle is around $9-$12.
No comments:
Post a Comment