ULTRAPERFORMING Beams/ Columns Doors ... - fen-om data

crowned, beveled, polished, water jet cut, bent, etc. The typical panel size is 4’ x 8’, but custom
sizes can be made up to 5’ x 10’. Panel thickness ranges between .030” and 1”.
www.lumicor.com/index.asp
PepCore (CoreTough)
PepCore is a honeycombed truss-wing-formed composite wall sandwiched between a seamless,
one-piece, thick outer facing and a thinner inner facing with no rivets required. The PepCore
power structure starts with plastic sheet material like polyethylene, ABS, Surlyn, Polystyrene,
or Polycarbonate. The core material is then formed with Phelps Engineered Plastics proprietary
PepCore process which, through heat and convection, the core sheet is expanded to the desired
honeycomb thickness and geometry. When mated with the specified facing, it becomes a material
with a high degree of rigidity. PepCore is “pound for pound, lighter than aluminum and stronger
than steel,” and solves the four problems traditionally experienced with traditional aluminum
sheet and post body construction: leakage, rust and corrosion, dents and dings, and weight
management. The lampshade shown above at the far right was designed by Jun Takagi and
manufactured with PepCore material.
www.tss-llc.com/coretoughALpanel.asp
Pervious Concrete
Pervious pavement is a cement-based concrete product that has a porous structure which allows
rainwater to pass directly through the pavement and into the soil naturally. This porosity is
achieved without compromising the strength, durability, or integrity of the concrete structure
itself. The pavement is comprised of a special blend of Portland Cement, coarse aggregate rock,
and water. Once dried, the pavement has a porous texture that allows water to drain through
it at the rate of 8 to 12 gallons per minute per square foot. For reference, tests conclude that
a square foot of bahia sod drains at the rate of 2 1/2 to 3 gallons per minute. According to
the manufacturer, this rapid flow-through ratio inspired the phrase “the pavement that drinks
water.”
www.centralconcrete.com/pervious_concrete.html
Self-Structured Sliding Doors
Traditional Japanese shoji are sliding doors made of washi paper supported by wood crosspieces.
The paper offers privacy and protection from wind but requires the lattice structure for support.
For the Takeo Corporation’s Haptic exhibition, Japanese architect and materials researcher
Hiroshi Ota set out to rethink the traditional Japanese architectural feature. After researching
the Japanese papermaking technique called kami-suki (paper-scooping), Ota hypothesized that
it would be possible to make self-supporting paper screens. Ota formed a stainless-steel screen
with a dimensional basket weave–type pattern using a rolling press. He molded two sheets of
paper with this screen and attached them together after allowing them to dry. Once paired in this
way, the paper sheets formed a truss capable of supporting its own weight and functioning as
furniture. Although Japanese washi is typically appreciated for its lightness and delicacy, here Ota
has used the paper to create stability and strength in a new sliding door.
http://csur.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Super-black
British scientists have invented the darkest material on Earth. The super-black coating was
developed by researchers at the National Physical Laboratory in London. It could revolutionize
optical instruments because it reflects 10 to 20 times less light than the black paint currently
used to reduce unwanted reflections. The key to the nickel and phosphorous coating’s blackness
is that its surface is pitted with microscopic craters. “Super-black” is especially effective at
absorbing light which hits it at an angle. With the light source at right angles, the coating reflects
less than 0.35%. Black paint reflects about 2.5% - seven times more. One of the early applications
might be on startrackers, navigational aids which help spacecraft stay on course by fixing on
pinpricks of light in the heavens. The material could also be used in works of art. NPL says several
artists have shown an interest. Nigel Fox, who heads the optics group at NPL, said: “When you
look at the black, it is an incredibly beautiful surface. It’s like black velvet.”
www.npl.co.uk/optical_radiation/superblack.html
Topo Table
TOPO is a series of Corian tables with built-in reconfigurable landscapes. Plastic inserts drop
into the table to create functional topographies. TOPO uses rapid-prototyping technology in a
way that enables each table to be different, and customers color in the areas where they want