This project grew out of my fascination with mechanical and analogue techniques. This fascination has been there since childhood, when I played with pulleys and swings and built all kinds of constructions to get heavy things off the ground. In this project, I want to explore this fascination and make it specific. And realise my dream of making a working machine.

MECHANICAL AND ANALOGUE TECHNIQUES

Potential energy is super interesting to me: storing energy so it can be used at a later moment. We encounter this constantly in our daily lives, for example, in the form of a battery.

the use of energy is a huge topic as we as humanity keep looking for new ways to sustainably generate energy. As a maker, I also come across this. In fact, I would say that the only energy you should use is the energy you put into something yourself.

I don't think we need to add a component to deal with energy in a sustainable way. after all, there was a time when we didn't have the energy grid we have now.

POTENTIAL ENERGY

gravity

elastic

kinetic

pressure

forms of potential energy I am interested in

weight

spring

flywheel

pressurised air

Visit textile museum

Inspiration from ancient techniques operating on forms other than electriciteid. ancient weaving machines that operated on human power

I recognise a lot of parts of machineries and tools I use in my making process. The punch card they use in these machines (the computer) is similar to a G-code that I prepare for a 3d printer.

STEAM

If we step forward in time we see the same way of powering still the punch card but a different way of powering it.

HUMAN-POWERED

ELECTRIC

If we go even further, we see that the way of powering is changed by electric motor there is no longer 1 motor driving all devices but each device has been given its own motor. The source for that electricity has disappeared to a central point probably somewhere in Tilburg. The control has also changed from a punch card to a digital computer that controls the pulling and pushing of the wires.

who is the craft person here?

What strikes me is that in all the machines that inspire me and that I use the most in my design process all have 1 thing in common:

POWER

CONTROL

potentional energy

analogue

can move on their own for some time

space for collaboration/error
between maker and machiene

the computer or the person telling the computer what to do?

NON-ELECTRIC ERA

MY MACHINE

to learn about other ways of storing energy, we can look at the past. simply because there was a time when we did not have electricity at our disposal. Processes took place on animal, wind, water and human power.

SPIT JACK

one of the first automatic moving kitchen machines. This piece of technology comes from the 18th century and is based on how an old clock works. a weight/spring is put under tension by humans. and by slowly lowering the weight/spring, an axle is driven that rotated a piece of meat over the fire for a certain time.

hand crank to tension spring

Governor
to regulate the speed

pulley to determine speed

spring

there are a lot of similarities in when looking at these machines. the spring/weight/air pressure/flywheel comes back all the time. The Governor device or something similar to this. and transmitting the energy through gears or chain/rope/belt.

CLOCK

hand crank to raise weight

weight to determine speed

escapment
to regulate the speed

weight

the mechanised clock invented in the 13th century driven by a weight. Here again, we see the recognisable elements. We see the basis of what has been expanded to multiple functions by adjusting the weight or by making it move faster, other possibilities are again possible.

MAKING

To get a better grip and feel on how these mechanisms work, how much power they have and what it takes to make them work, I want to not only collect digitally but also start making and understanding them.

energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only altered in form.

WEIGHT

SPRING

Basic clock escapment

retracting spring

WEIGHT

governor speed limiter

retracting spring

SPRING

I used a spring to allow the arms of the ratchet to spring back

A governor, or speed limiter or controller, is a device used to measure and regulate the speed of a machine.

SPRING

By using a spring ratchet system, I am able to wind up the weight without having to move the whole mechanism.

retracting spring