Sparkling

Computational ripple geometry translated into robotic toolpaths.

Sparkling, also known as 波光粼粼, was developed by the Robotic Solution team as a robotic additive-manufacturing project. My role was as a participant in the fabrication workflow, helping move the surface study from digital geometry into printed modules.

Once installed, the modules were evaluated through light, reflection, and water movement. The technical goal was to make robotic toolpaths, material translucency, and environmental reflection work as one system.

Before fabrication, the team checked the relationship between the tool head, arm reach, and curved print surface. The simulation frames make the project less about a final object and more about translating form into a reachable robotic process.

The rippled surface came from stacked extrusion passes. Tool speed, material flow, cooling, and layer height all affected whether the print stayed clean while preserving the reflective line texture.

The printed module had to work as a physical component, not only a surface sample. Supports, edge thickness, curvature, and handling all mattered because the piece would later sit in a water installation.

The visible print lines are part of the fabrication logic. They show the robot's passes and become the optical behavior of the final piece, catching reflections instead of hiding the manufacturing process.