Biru
Pendant lamp · bent acrylic and wood
One 19″×12″ acrylic sheet and one 9″×12″ wood panel, bent into a hanging lamp.
Hung and lit.
At a glance
Role
Industrial designer and fabricator
Focus
Pendant lamp
Skills
Acrylic forming · living hinge
The problem
The material was the brief: one 19″×12″ acrylic sheet and one 9″×12″ wood panel.
Both pieces had to end up in the same lamp.
Concept brief
The acrylic sheet is the shade. The wood panel is the slatted shell. A tension fit holds them together.
Acrylic bends between 290°F and 350°F
Living hinge length follows L = θR, with θ the bend angle in radians
Sketches and CAD
Rhino, before anything got bent.
Rhino · body
Ended up more oval than circular.
Rhino · slat pattern
Curving around the acrylic.
Rhino · top view
Process and iteration
Heat gun, then the heat press.
Scored panel
Decided to lean into the oval shape for a more exaggerated curve, to better show the living hinge and a tighter tension fit.
Heat gun
Solely using the heat gun caused the material to warp.
Heat press
Went to the Knowledge Lab for a heat press and used spray paint to assist the molding. That fixed the warping and made the form consistent.
Overall shape
Looking up into the shade
After leaning into the oval shape the tension fit felt very sturdy and did not pop out.
Specs
19″×12″ acrylic sheet
9″×12″ wood panel
Living hinge
Heat formed 290 to 350°F
Heat press
Tension fit
L = θR
Lit
Front
Lit, from the front.
In the room
Hanging, room light behind it.
Close up
Light between the slats
Acrylic against the wood
Close up
Light and shadow
Light through the slats
Build
Living hinge on the outer shell. Bent acrylic covers the lighting.
Next project
Pohon
Coat hanger integrated lamp