Paper by Erik D. Demaine

Reference:

Erik D. Demaine, Martin L. Demaine, Satyan L. Devadoss, Perla Myers, and Alfonso Parra Rubio, “2.5D signage from sheet material with orthogonal cuts and folds”, in Proceedings of the ASME 2023 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference (IDETC/CIE 2023), Boston, Massachusetts, August 20–23, 2023.

Abstract:

Motivated by making signs with depth from bendable but thick sheet material such as metal or plastic, we analyze 2.5D structures manufacturable from a rectangular sheet by orthogonal cuts and folds (parallel to the sheet's edges). We provide a practical universality algorithm for folding arbitrary pixelated 2.5D surfaces using many parallel cuts, which also supports subpixel features in one dimension. We develop two fonts that enable textual signs within this family of designs, and show real-world constructions from aluminum/polypropylene composite panels. We also study what is possible with just one cut, proving a necessary condition and developing a third font under this restriction.

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fonts/cutfold