Acadia Workshop Attendees Explore Boston Valley’s Manufacturing Processes

Utilizing Rhino and Grasshopper software, architecture professors and students designed their own terra cotta unit, several of which were routed out of foam on the 5-axis CNC machine.

On October 22nd and 23rd, Boston Valley Terra Cotta interns Andy Pries and Peter Schmidt hosted a workshop at Boston Valley as part of the Acadia 2013 conference. The workshop dealt with how the company utilizes Rhino and Grasshopper software with the five-axis CNC machine in the model, mold, and prototype phases of production. Eighteen architects, students and professors learned about Boston Valley’s 4 manufacturing processes as well as the various attachment methods the company employs and how these processes and methods influence or affect the terra cotta form generated. Tours of the entire factory were conducted for those in attendance, and there were many opportunities to ask president John Krouse and other employees about Boston Valley’s capabilities. The second day of the conference featured the attendees designing their own terra cotta unit, several of which were routed out of foam on the 5-axis CNC machine.

Acadia is an organization

“committed to the research and development of computational methods that enhance design creativity, and that aim at contributing to the construction of humane physical environments”.

This cross-national conference was held both in the US and Canada and sponsored by the University of Waterloo, the University of Nottingham and the University at Buffalo. Because of Boston Valley’s partnership with the University at Buffalo’s School of Architecture and Planning, co-chair of the conference Omar Khan encourage BVTC’s participation as a demonstration of our successful collaboration with UB and successful utilization of 3D software, laser scanning and 5-axis CNC milling.