Double Curved Panel Forming with Bespoke Slits

In this publication, the authors show and discuss a method, that allows the forming of flat sheets of material to a wished three-dimensional state, based on bespoke slits cut into the sheet. Especially a method known as Kerf is investigated. As current methods are using a grid of slits from border to border in linear or orthogonal crossing configuration, the authors are presenting a method with slits based on surface curvature. The bespoke slits can be straight or curved and must not be from border to border of the sheet-material. Depending on the curvature, the slits can cross. The method is applicable for developable and with strong limitations for non-developable surfaces. The authors will explain their method that analyses a given target surface’s curvature and generates a slit pattern of smooth planar curves on a 2D development of Surfaces. The pattern relates a physical slit, that will be closed until the upper gap is closed. The Angle of the closed gap defines a target angle. In this paper the described slits have a constant angle and a constant depth. but can have different cross sections namely a V- and U-shaped one. The paper focuses on the geometric generation of the slits and will show and analyze some results. As the investigation is done in the context of architecture, the authors are mainly considering a pure geometric approach that is not taking into account different physical material properties.