Assa Ashuach works exclusively with advanced design and manufacturing technologies to produce his award winning products.A Research Fellow at London Metropolitan University and Head of Post Graduate Design, Assa uses a combination of the advanced tools available at Metropolitan Works for his unique way of working. He calls his design and production methodology ‘Digital Forming’.
Assa’s Osteon chair and AI stool are the result of many years of intensive study of digital production technologies. “These products are grown in free space with an artificial intelligence, like a DNA code,” says Assa. “This code contains all the information required to ensure that the object will transform perfectly from a virtual design into a 3D object that achieves the optimum strength whilst maintaining the desired visual aesthetic.”
When Assa first came across digital technology ten years ago the possibilities for producing complex structures was very limited compared with the exciting results which can be achieved today. “These new technologies gives us a taste of how products will be designed and produced in the future. Now we can start the production process with a 3D virtual image of the final product,” he comments.
Metropolitan Works introduced Assa to Dr Siavash Mahdavi of Complex Matters, a cutting edge software development company, and together they have created large, functional structures such as Assa’s laser sintered Osteon Chair. The software intelligently calculates and creates internal lattice structures based upon an object’s form and intended function and optimizes the strength of the materials used in the product.
Made from Polyamide, Assa says the Osteon chair is built with a ‘cosmetic skin’ and an ‘intelligent’ internal structure. “Like the biological structure and mechanism of bone, the artificial intelligence software used to produce the chair knows where to create sufficient support according to stress loads,” he comments.
Assa has found Metropolitan Works an invaluable resource. He says: “As well as offering an outstanding range of advanced technology and contacts, the team also gave me a lot of technical assistance throughout the experimental and developmental process which went into producing the virtual Osteon Chair.” Assa also worked closely with EOS, manufacturers of Selective Laser Sintering machines who together with Autodesk were sponsors of the final product.
