EUE Proposal FY2018. Project Director ID Number Telephone James Wulfsong

Transcription

1 EUE Proposal FY2018 Project ID# Project Title Computer Numerical Control in the modern scenic studio Project Director ID Number Telephone James Wulfsong Department Campus Box School College Theater and Dance 1777 CAS Course or Program Theater and Dance Project Co-Director ID Department Student Impact: 20- Oct Multiple Submission Priority: Summary: Computer Numerical Control for scenery manufacture is rapidly being adopted by production houses and University Theater programs. The advent of low cost 3d printing has helped drive this trend, small machines can be found below $2k and a full-size CNC like the one in this project well under $20k. A decade ago computer controlled 2d and 3d machining would require a $100,000 investment in equipment and experienced machinists to operate putting it well out of all but Hollywood and the very largest shops. We will build and install a 5 x10 bed CNC machine which we will use in our construction and design course series to produce scenery as well as other tools and jigs for our studio. This machine allows precision manufacture and repeatability of scenic units by milling material from sheet stock in plywood, foam, aluminum and composite materials. As mandated by our accreditation agency NAST our classes are small, each course maxing out at 15 students, however it will be used across our whole design/construction series: From the introductory design and construction course (150) class to Computer Drafting and Rendering (340B), and our advanced classes in Design (350) and Construction (399). We will also develop a course focused on advanced manufacturing techniques for scenery and props using this machine combined with the 3d printer the department purchased, and a vacuform machine we will build with this CNC once it is installed. It may be possible to develop a

2 certification program for CAD and CNC manufacturing through this or other classes this equipment can make possible. Students trained in CAD drafting and CNC manufacture will be not only at the top of the competition for theater construction but these skills are easily transferred to Film production houses and manufacturing in many industrial settings. Project Budget Salary Wages Travel Equip. Comm CServ Auto Tele Awards Total Cost-Sharing Salary Wages Travel Equip. Comm CServ Auto Tele Awards Total

3 Computer Numerical Control in the Modern Scenic Studio Our department has tried to stay abreast of developments in Theater and the Performing arts industries. We purchased a 3d printer 6 years ago and led many of our competitors in adopting this technology into our design classes. Now 3d printers can be found in scenic studios, art & design classrooms and professional scenic houses across the country. One of our Alumni was a co-founder of Griffin 3d a St. Louis based company that manufactures 3d printers and does professional prints for other companies in a variety of materials. The next big leap we must take in serving our students beyond construction techniques that were in use since the 18 th century is in mechanization and computerization of the construction process. Computer Numerical Control for scenery manufacture is rapidly being adopted by production houses and some University Theater programs. The advent of low cost 3d printing, as noted above, has helped drive this trend, small CNC machines can be found below $2k and a full-size CNC like the one in this project well for under $15k. A decade ago computer controlled 2d and 3d machining would require a $100,000 investment in equipment and experienced machinists to operate and maintain them, putting it well out of all but Hollywood and the very largest shops. Weta Workshop, a scenic studio building some of the biggest movies today now has a division devoted to CNC manufacture. This division was founded by a young man who had built a hobbyist CNC for himself. When working in New Zealand last spring I spoke with Weta they underlined the need to have individuals able to understand and work on this equipment that also have the theater background that allows them to understand the art that is being produced rather than those coming from an industrial manufacturing machinist, background. We will build and install a 5 x10 bed CNC machine which we will use in our construction and design course series to produce scenery as well as other tools and jigs for our studio. These machines allow precision manufacture and repeatability of scenic units by milling material from sheet stock in plywood, foam, aluminum and composite materials. It can be used to produce initiate fretwork, large sculptural pieces, Bas relief panels, or light weight composite wooden girders and beams designed in our Structural design for the stage class. Another huge advantage of 3d printing and CNC machines is the ability to produce other machines. While far from the Von Neumann machines of apocalyptic fiction, they do allow us to begin to upscale our entire construction operation. We can, and will, use this CNC to build components for a vacuform Machine, for a foam cutter, for lightweight but sturdy work tables, and to construct drafting tables for our design lab, that our students could have the option of reproducing and taking with them after graduation. As mandated by our accreditation agency NAST our classes are small, each course maxing out at 15 students, however it will be used across our whole design/construction series From the introductory design and construction course (150) class to Computer Drafting and Rendering (340B), and our advanced classes in Design (350) and Construction (399). We foresee this also being used cross disciplinarily with Art & Design. Just like 3d printing has taken artistic expression in directions extremely difficult or impossible to produce Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM) with a CNC is allowing artists to explore ways to take a computer model into 3d reality on a grand scale.

4 We will develop a course focused on advanced manufacturing techniques for scenery and props using this machine combined with the 3d printer the department purchased, and a vacuform machine we will build with this CNC once it is installed. It may be possible to develop a certification program for CAD and CNC manufacturing through this or other classes this equipment can make possible. Students trained in CAD drafting and CNC manufacture will be not only at the top of the competition for theater construction but these skills are easily transferred to Film production houses and manufacturing in many industrial settings. In evaluation of the impact this will make on our program we will look at several factors. A rise in enrolment and recruitment for our design specialization. When we purchased and exhibited the 3d printer at theater festivals it had a direct impact on the attention our program and University saw from potential students. We had a bump in enrolment from tech savvy students that wanted a progressive school that was leading the industry rather than stuck in the past. We should also be easily able to evaluate how the precision and ability to build things that were beyond our ability will impact us. As an example, we spent the best part of a week cutting a silhouette of an old wooden rollercoaster. With the design parameters requested we could have milled it on this machine in a couple of hours, and it would have been produced by a student. We ve not had the ability to repeat sculptural elements either - a medallion boss for a door shaped like a lion head could be sculpted by hand once, but we had no way to make 6 that all matched for a production. The CNC will simply grow our abilities to envision faculty and student designs by an orders of magnitude. If we are able to develop a certification program for CNC, 2d and 3d design and manufacturing this will also be easily quantifiable and could provide an additional income stream to the University. Also worth mentioning, is the possibility of using the machine in our production downtime to contract out manufacture to local industry and other theaters from architects and designers to artists.

5 Budget Breakdown: PRO ' x 10' CNC Router Kit Auto Z and Corner Finding Touch Plate Version: Nema 34 1/2" Shaft Compatible Z-Axis Travel / Gantry Height: 12" / 12" Gantry Width: Standard $6,375 Plug and Play NEMA 34 CNC Control System Additional Motor Drive: +1 [5th- Drive Upgrade] Cable configuration: (1) 20' and (3) 28' cables [recommended for 4'x8' or 5'x10' machines] $2,840 $6,375 Tramming GMT Spindle Mount $105 ER20 Collet and Nut Set, 1/8", 1/4", 3/8" 2.2 kw Plug and Play Spindle / VFD System Compatibility Option: CRP800 (Standard) $79 CNC Router Bit Set $1.695 Leg Kit (PRO CNC) Size: 5' x 10' $849 $231 CNC Aluminum Cutting End Mill Set Pepperl + Fuchs Proximity Sensor Kit Sensor Configuration: Homing/Limit 6 Sensor Kit (machines larger than 4'x4') $126 $129.75

6 Mach3 CNC Control Software Aspire CAM Software $175 + $1,995 = $2,1706

7 217 Commercial St. James Wulfsong Edwardsvile, IL (618) Professional Work and Teaching Experience Chair, Department of Theater and Dance Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL 2012-Present Manage a department of 15 professors and professional staff with budget of over US$1 million Produce a season of 12+ productions annually and an additional 4 during summer stock season, bringing over 10,000 audience members to campus each year Produce annual budgets and future budget projections Ensure all health and safety codes followed and staff are properly trained Travel to recruit students and promote the program Continue duties listed below under Director of Design and Theater Technology Technical Lead for Venues and Events Whanganui District Council, Whanganui Feb. Aug 2017 Supervise pack in/out for all events in the Royal Wanganui Opera House, War Memorial Centre and Cooks Gardens, Maintain equipment in working condition. Work alongside events coordinators to ensure stakeholders have a first class experience in our facilities. In house designer for over a dozen productions. Director of Design and Theater Technology, Department of Theater and Dance Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL Supervise 6 professors and professional staff Produce production budgets for 8-12 shows/year oversee safety and rigging, and maintain equipment in theaters and construction shops Advise and mentor majors with tech/design focus Design in one or more areas: scenery, lighting, sound and projection or technical direction for 4-8 productions each year including dance concerts and musicals Teach: Structural design for the stage - CAD drafting and drawing in 2d & 3d - basic and advanced design classes in scenery, lighting, projection, and sound - senior seminar - stage makeup Computer in Theater - various general education classes including introduction to theater Technical Director and Lighting Designer- Xfest Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Edwardsville, IL 2010-present Xfest is an experimental and alternative theater festival bringing professional dance and alternative theater companies for a week of performance, seminars and workshops Supervise load in and out, technical aspects, safety, and design lighting as needed for groups including: Diavolo, Chicago Dance Crash, The Wonderheads, Theater Simple, Louis Tentindo puppet theater, UMO ensemble, Manual Cinema, and The Seldoms Technical Director/ Shop Manager Bradley University, Peoria, IL Maintain scene shop, lighting, and sound equipment for two theaters Hire, teach, and supervise paid and volunteer students in constructing 4 main stage productions Draft construction drawings Budget and order materials Teach selected sections of introductory technical courses Lecture on scenic construction

8 Technical Manager/Designer Orpheum Theatre/Prairie Players, Galesburg, IL Maintain stage house and all equipment for the Orpheum Theatre, a 1000-seat restored vaudeville house Oversee safety for both in house and touring productions Resident Scenic, Lighting and Sound designer Train, coordinate and recruit paid and volunteer technical staff Prepare and present monthly and annual budget reports to Board of Directors Assist in grant proposal submissions Professional Design and Construction (selections) Young Liars Theater Company, St. Louis, MO Lighting Design and environmental elements for Burrow (2016) and Blood and Gore Effects for Titus Androgynous: A comic Spectacle for Poets and Sadists, presented at the Centene Center for the Arts, downtown St. Louis. Insight Theater Company, St. Louis, MO 2016 Projection Design for John and Jen, presented at the Heagney Theater, Webster Groves Mo. Hot City Theater, St. Louis, MO 2011 & 13 Lighting and Projection design for Whammy 7 Secrets to a Sane Self, presented at the Kranzberg Center in downtown St. Louis and New York Fringe Festival in New York City Muddy Waters Theater, St. Louis, MO 2011 Lighting Design for How I learned to Drive, presented at the Kranzberg Center in downtown St Louis Hothouse Theater, St. Louis, MO Scenery and Lighting Design and construction for shows in season, presented at the Art Loft theater in downtown St. Louis. Vee Production Services, Roseville, MN Carpenter for Disney s Lion King (prior to its move to Broadway), Sesame Street Live productions: 1-2-3, Imagine (1996), Let s Be Friends (1996), Elmo s Coloring Book (1997), and various other productions touring in Worldwide Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis, MN 1995 Carpenter Babes in Arms, Christmas Carol Skills Possessed CAD drafting and design -2d and 2d Visualizations Budget analysis and cost projection (including budgeting for labor and space considerations) OSX and Windows Microsoft Office AutoCAD Vectorworks Photoshop Qlab (Projection and sound software) Web design Welding and metal work in steel and aluminum (MIG, stick and gas) Familiarity with structural design and mechanical stress analysis Skilled in use and repair of common woodworking and metalworking tools Carpentry and construction in wood and metal Fine woodworking, and furniture construction and cabinetry Lighting console programing: ETC, Strand, GrandMa Academic Degrees Master of Fine Arts 1998, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN Theater Design/Technology Scenic and Lighting Design, and Technical Direction Bachelor of Science - Cum Laude 1994, Bradley University, Peoria IL Major: Theatre Production - Undeclared Minor: History

9 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Interoffice Communication MEMORANDUM DATE: 1/18/18 TO: FROM: SUBJECT: Wayne Nelson, EUE Project Coordinator Chuck Harper, Chair, Theater and Dance EUE Proposal Project Director James Wulfsong Associate Professor James Wulfsong has submitted an EUE proposal titled Computer Numerical Control (CNC) in the Modern Scenic Studio. I wish to state my strong support for this proposal. The equipment requested will be utilized in both department scenic design/construction classes (THEA150 Scene Design and Construction, 340b Theater Graphics, and 350 Advanced Scene Design) and also in support of the department s production season, both academic year and summer. The effect on both would be significant. The Department of Theater and Dance is committed to providing the $2,170 that Professor Wulfsong cites in his proposal. Digital technology continues to dramatically improve precision and capacity/output in every area of theatre. Digitally controlled lighting is firmly established as the industry standard and scenic construction/manufacture is close behind. Many professional Scenic and Property shops employ this technology. SIUE Theater and Dance students who are trained and have experience with these tools will enter the work place with a competitive advantage. Our students currently have exposure to this equipment only through demonstration/workshops at the USITT (United States Institute of Technical Theater) convention that the department attends each year. They see the technology and its potential. Having this technology on campus will allow students to gain much deeper and more thorough understanding and mastery; they will not only utilize it via in-class projects, but will also put these skills to practical use as they work side by side with faculty on the department production season. This equipment will not only provide excellent student learning opportunities but will also dramatically affect the program as a whole. It will allow the department to create things on stage that we could not have previously created. The precision and repeatability allowed by this technology will provide both faculty and student designers a much broader range of choices when designing department stage productions. The overall look and aesthetic of department productions will be dramatically enhanced. Given that a majority of our audience is current SIUE students (app per year), many enrolled in THEA111: Introduction to Theater, this enhancement represents an admittedly less impactful but nevertheless important type of indirect learning. Finally, having this equipment on campus would allow faculty to develop courses and programs not currently offered. The department would almost certainly add a new course focused on advanced manufacturing techniques that utilizes both our current 3D printing capacity and the new CNC equipment. We would also begin exploring the possibility of a certification program that focuses on Computer Aided Design and and Computer Numerical Control manufacturing.

10 COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES, OFFICE OF THE DEAN To: Excellence in Undergraduate Education From: Subject: Greg Budzban, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Dean s Memo of Support Date: 23 January, 2018 The College of Arts and Sciences supports the application of Professor Wulfsong for an EUE grant to support the mechanization and computerization of the scenery construction process. Not only will adopting Computer Numerical Control for scenery manufacture keep the department current, but it will also enable them to develop a course focused on advanced manufacturing techniques for scenery and props. The project supports the focus of SIUE and the College of Arts and Sciences on increasing enrollments and preparing students for 21 st century careers. Campus Box 1608 Tel: 5047 Fax: 5050