Exploring digital manufacturing in an Industrial Kitchen

Auxiliary Tools is an investigation into idling technology and explores this through opportunities for design in context using 3D printing. Idling technology is defined as technology that lies unused for the majority of its time.

 

Auxiliary tools works on two fronts. One its explores the possibilities of kitchen goods being more sustainable by sharing components. Secondly it explores the use of digital manufacturing within a kitchen. In this scenario a designer works with a chef to creat new tools by using a 3d printer as a main tool.
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The hand tool is the core power tool to all the objects. By having the power supplied by one object it limits having idling technology in the kitchen. Idling technology is defined as technology that sits around doing very little for most of its life. In Rachel Botsman's book 'Collaborative Consumption' they point out that average drill have a lifespan of only 13 minutes per year.

The objects created were created by insights gathered from shadowing a chef. The tools which include a vegetable lathe, an aerator, an egg spinner, a potato lathe and a surface spinner. The objects are formed by soft tooling methods including metal forming and include 3D printed parts.

Exploring the possibilties of 3D printing in context is at the heart of the project. The parts were tested for strength as longevity and are adapted for efficient 3D printing.

Images show the hand tool at early prototype tools and in assembly.

Home experiments with vegetable lathe and surface spinner. A cordless screwdriver and dremel drill provide power to the units

Egg spinning using dremel and 3D printed cage