High-Velocity Forming

[Arrow]

Some links I found interesting.


Electric arc discharge is used to convert electrical energy to mechanical energy.
http://archive.metalformingmagazine.com/1997/01/7mfjan5.htm


Link under "Liquid steel" : thin stainless construction was than achieved by blasting stainless steel plates inside of the mold using an explosive forming technique.
http://www.hartmann-designs.de/index.html


http://shock.smrc.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/shock/itoh/english/r-art/00.jpg

[Merlion]

I know something about this years ago. The technique is originally developed for engineering maufacturing. It is sometimes called explosive forming because most of the time explosives are used.

But it should be suitable for making relief artworks out of stainless steel sheets. The relief artworks can be low as well as medium relief, but there must be no undercuts.

The technique is a bit like pressing automobile bodywork sheet steel panels, but done at very high velocity. Also it is done without the need for both positive and negative molds as only the positive mold is necessary.

The steel sheet is driven at a very high velocity towards the positive mold and wraps itself around the curved shapes of the mold.

The explosive is fired at one side of the steel sheet. The supersonic shock waves of the explosive drive the sheet towards the mold placed on the ther side. Quite often the whole setup is placed underwater as these shock waves are very much stronger in water than in air.

[oddist]

Check this (http://www.evelynrosenberg.com/process.html) out.....

[Merlion]

Oh yes, explosives can be in sheet form. So it can conveniently be placed next to the sheet metal. The final arrangement is like a sandwich: sheet explosive, sheet metal, relief mold.

There is no need to place them underwater. Another advantage is that the mold can be in a number of pieces laid out on a flat surface.

[JAZ]

Check this (http://www.evelynrosenberg.com/process.html) out.....

Interesting technique. Too bad the images of the art aren't bigger. It would be good to see the complexity of the designs more clearly. They look interesting.
You are definitely a good web surfer, oddist.
JAZ

[oddist]

Thanks JAZ..but it was only surfing that let me find something I've known about for years...

I understand Evelyn has been able to get the imprint of a "tree leaf" on steel.

I think her "Frozen Fountain" (http://www.evelynrosenberg.com/fountain.html) shows some leaves in the detail inset. I don't know if these were real to begin with though...

Just found this (http://www.toknowart.com/detonographics/resume.pdf) that has some really got photos of her work. Be patient...it's a 12 page PDF.

[Bill Harsey]

This has been a topic that has long interested me because of the possible shapes (in steel) that could be generated. I've spent much time loading and shooting explosives as my paid job.
I have a very good friend who owns a company that shoots the largest amount of high explosives (licensed, commercially) in the western United States. My other friends load and shoot this stuff on behalf of our nation in tactical situations.
Here is my point,
Be sure and have all your license and permit issues in a row before you do the work.
This is to save much difficult paper work later.

[rob22]

Silvana Cenci, originally from Florence, Italy, developed her process working with stainless steel and plastic explosives in 1963. I've been building a web site about her and some of her work can be seen there. www.silvanacenci.com

[Merlion]

Thanks for showing us these works. They are good and interesting.

But the website needs to be corrected. Her artworks are shown in the 'studio' link. While here studio shots are shown in the 'work' link.

[rob22]

Thanks for taking a look.
But I don't feel a need for correction. It's just a matter of how one uses the word "studio." I could have used the term "gallery," but she didn't use that word very much. The section called "work" is meant to illustrate her ideas behind the work, and the process, not necessarily examples of the work.
But it doesn't matter. The site is temporary. I am in the process of conceiving a redesign. I have hundreds of clippings and photos dating from the 1950s that I have to go through.

[oddist]

Rob22,

This is wonderful!

I never knew of Silvana and am glad to have been introduced.

You honor her beautifully.

[Arrow]

Some more pics.
http://www.exploform.com/products.html

Besides the time and cost of explosives training, I wonder what Detonation Cord costs per foot and/or per pound. Or how much it would cost to hire a trained expert?

[upsidedownpi]

Cheers all,

There's always innovation... And I would leave the explosives to the experts.
That does NOT mean I would be anywhere else when the detonation occurs!!

I need these fingers...

[Daniel]

A sculpture on the campus of my old school, California State University at Long Beach, was made this way with explosives underwater. I'll try to find some pics.