Cladding Fabrication sequencer

Improving fabrication coordination through interactive 3D visualization

Project Overview

At Intelligent City, I developed an interactive cladding fabrication sequencing tool to support the operations and cladding assembly teams during the production of building envelope panels.

Built within Rhino Grasshopper using the Human UI plugin, the tool provided a step-by-step 3D visualization of the fabrication sequence for each cladding component, allowing production teams to better understand assembly order, component relationships, and installation requirements before fabrication.

The tool created a direct connection between digital models and shop-floor execution, improving communication and reducing ambiguity during the assembly process.

The Challenge

Cladding envelope panels consist of multiple components assembled in a specific sequence. Communicating this sequence through traditional drawings and static documentation could be challenging, especially when dealing with complex geometries and numerous component variations.

The challenge was to create a more intuitive way for operations and assembly teams to visualize:

  • The order of fabrication steps

  • Component relationships within the panel assembly

  • The progression from individual parts to completed panels

  • Assembly requirements directly from the digital model

My Contribution

Interactive 3D Fabrication Sequencing Tool

Developed a custom visualization tool in Rhino Grasshopper using the Human UI plugin that allowed users to interactively explore the fabrication sequence of each cladding panel.

Key features included:

  • Step-by-step visualization of fabrication and assembly stages

  • Interactive controls for navigating through sequencing steps

  • 3D visualization of individual components and their relationships

  • Ability to review fabrication logic directly within the model environment

  • Improved communication between digital design information and production teams

Technologies

  • Rhino

  • Grasshopper