Evolution of the Windcheetah

I am a big fan of Mike Burrows, and have mentioned his work quite a few times over the years at Bicycle Design. In 2012, lifelong "cycling fanatic" and engineer Karl Sparenberg of Advanced Velo Design took over production of Burrows' Windcheetah recumbent trike, and has been working on improving the materials and manufacturability of the original design. I think it's a pretty interesting story, so I am letting Karl tell it to you directly in the guest post below.

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Having taken over the production of Windcheetah a couple of years ago, the design and manufacturing has taken a different tack. Many people are already aware of Windcheetah, "the ultimate recumbent tricycle", so I've decided not to rattle on with all the historic detail… but it goes without saying that Mike Burrows did a pretty good job 30 or so years ago when he designed it!

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The modern iteration of Windcheetah is now a more cutting edge speed machine, incorporating advanced materials including Carbon composites and Titanium that were still prohibitively expensive in years gone by and with that, we have to move with the times and produce a 'better' machine.

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When I took over the manufacture of Windcheetah, to my alarm there was an Achilles heel, not with the design but the castings. These are the components that make up the frame, by bonding the aluminum and carbon tubes together onto spigots, these sand cast aluminum components could come from the foundry with flaws or voids in them.

If you could imagine ordering a 'set' of castings to make a Windcheetah frame and then having to go through the whole long winded process of post casting heat treatment, machining, drilling, tapping, powder coating and then the final finishing to only then proceed onto the bonded assembly with the tubing.

At any stage in this manufacturing process, from the rough sand castings to the finished component, the dreaded 'flaws' or 'voids' be discovered. Even worse, if the frame has been fully assembled and the sand casted part fails during testing, not only would the whole frame have to be scrapped, but it would also take out any of the other perfectly good components and tubing to the scrap bin with it. A very expensive and time consuming process as I'm sure you could imagine…there had to be a better way to manufacture these components!?

You may be interested to know, why the sand castings were failing at such an unacceptably high rate. Well, a few things really, but predominantly the foundries in the UK had to compete with the far east for business. As a consequence, many of them had to shut down, leaving in short, foundries that were not tooled up for small production runs or with the necessary skills to cast such intricate shapes as you find on a Windcheetah. The foundry would simply credit the customer if any of the components failed. But this gesture didn't really help, when what is required is a full set of components to build a machine, not the hassle and cost implication of trying to manage the ongoing balance of the failure in certain components, while the 'perfect' odd parts sat on the shelf.

The solution became apparent after considerable research into an alternative method of manufacturing and with massive investment into the tooling for a process known as 'lost wax' or 'investment casting'—the two terms are interchangeable but in essence the same thing.

CAD model screenshot and a 3d printed part (used to produce the soft mold needed for wax production).

What you see below is the result of numerous hours of redesign and CAD drawing to be able to 3D print the parts ready for soft mould production that manufacture the waxes. Now that we can produce waxes, this opens up the possibilities of alternative materials to aluminum. Soon we will be bringing to market a magnesium version as soon as beta testing is completed. The advantages of magnesium or aluminum are instantly a weight saving of a third the weight.

Wax parts for aluminum investment casting

So watch this space for an even quicker, lighter and more performance orientated Windcheetah. For further detail contact me directly karl@windcheetah.co.uk

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This post originally appeared on Bicycle Design.

Better, More Flexible Eyeglasses Through Materials Science and Digital Fabrication

According to statistics, more than half of you are reading this with eyeglasses on the front of your face. Let's talk about how they're made.

Eyeglasses frames are typically either metal, with titanium being the trendiest these days, or plastic. Of the plastic frames, injection molded are the cheapest (and cheapest-looking), using nylon-based plastics that can grow brittle with age; most fashion-conscious brands these days eschew injection molding and make their frames from sheets of cellulose acetate, which are laminated into blocks, then milled or stamped into shape.

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Cellulose acetate is fairly flexible stuff and can be colored, which is why it's become the go-to material. But now a new brand calledAspire Eyewear, launched just this year, has concocted a proprietary nylon blend that they reckon is better. Called SDN-4, the stuff is milled like acetate is—in Aspire's case, CNC-milled—but can be made lighter and thinner.

Here's how flexible the stuff is:

Obviously the super-twisty shots aren't practical, as if there were lenses in those shots they'd break, but you get the idea. "SDN-4 is extremely lightweight, pliable, strong, and resistant to heat and UV exposure," the company writes. Acetate, in contrast, is susceptible to heat; when I first started wearing eyeglasses as an adult, a friend who was a lifelong spec-cy advised me not to leave acetate glasses in a hot car, warning that they would deform.

Aspire sent me a pair of their glasses to try out (the "Powerful" model), and the first thing I did was squeeze them flat, emulating what would happen if they were tucked in a jacket pocket without any protective case:

They went flat without complaining. But while the company claims the material's memory will cause it to spring back into shape, the pair I tested didn't, at least not right away:

Still, I found it was simple enough to re-introduce the curve with my fingers, as below, and they then kept that shape.

Impressively, you'd swear by looking at them that the SDN-4, which is what the fronts of this model are made of, was the same stainless steel that the temples are made of:

Its only up close and in good light that you can tell the materials apart.

My biggest gripe with the two pairs of metal eyeglasses I own is that I must regularly dig out that tiny screwdriver and re-tighten the hinge screws. Aspire's glasses feature a screwless hinge design:

However, I'm not sure how to adjust them, or if there even is any possibility of user-adjustability. I've been testing them for just over a month, and I can't recall if they arrived like this or if this has recently developed, but the right hinge is looser than the left hinge for the first 10 degrees or so. This is not noticeable while wearing the glasses and doesn't have any performance drawback that I can see, but I was asked to review the glasses, hence the fine-toothed comb.

The nose pads appear to be molded directly into the frames. "Each nose pad has several prongs, or 'grippers' that are secured to the SDN-4 material using a proprietary process," the company says. I've observed that unlike the nose pads on the pair of Warby Parkers that I typically wear, Aspire's don't dig into my nose or leave furrows like the WP's do; when I take off the Aspires, you can't tell I was wearing them. (The nosepads on the Aspires also haven't fallen off as the left one on my Warbys occasionally does, but then I've only been testing these for a month.)

Something I noticed by switching back and forth between the Warby Parkers and the Aspires is how much lighter and more comfortable the Aspires are. It almost feels like you're not wearing glasses at all. What I mean by this, concretely, is that the stems of my Warbys exert a particular amount of pressure on my temples, yet despite that pressure will slide down my nose over time. In contrast the stems on the Aspires exert much less pressure on my temples, yet stay firmly in place, even when I'm in the shop and bending over stuff, standing on a ladder and looking straight up to adjust something on the ceiling, or looking directly down on items.

Which is to say, the Aspires have a noticeable performance advantage in that they never move on my face regardless of my head angle, yet they exert less pressure on both the temples and the sides of my nose. I couldn't figure out why this would be—it's paradoxical—but I'm pretty sure it has to do with weight. I threw both pairs on a kitchen scale to see:

The Warby Parkers

The Aspires

I'm no eyeglass expert, but it appears that the Aspire frame's lighter weight is what keeps them firmly fixed in place despite being more comfortable. And that's probably why the company is billing them as ideal for "active situations like running or boating or golfing" in addition to desk duty.

Alas, the Aspires are too wide for my face, aesthetically; my pupils are 59 millimeters on-center, and asymmetrical to boot, so I often have trouble finding glasses that fit me. But this is no fault of the company's, and if I had to recommend a pair of eyeglasses to a friend—even one that works in a shop environment, spends time in the gym or runs—with a more average pupillary distance, I'd recommend the Aspires over the Warbys, Prodesign Denmarks and Guccis I've previously owned.

Admittedly, I don't have experience with the brand that Aspire has in their sights:

"The only company that might be considered a competitor in performance right now is Lindberg," says the company. "That brand does not use a similar material, though," (I looked into it, Lindberg uses acetate)—"and is available at a much more expensive price point. Aspire is available in the affordable luxury price point of $240-$280."

I'm curious to hear from the eyeglass wearers among you, particularly those of you that work in shop environments: What brand do you wear, and what qualities do you prize? Also, do any of you have a pupillary distance of 59 millimeters, and if so, what the heck fits?

Kloof Road House in Bedfordview, Johannesburg

Nico van der Meulen Architects designed the Kloof Road House at the foot of a nature reserve in Bedfordview, Johannesburg, South Africa.

The team of Nico van der Meulen Architects recently completed the Kloof Road House, a luxurious and unconventional residence located at the foot of a nature reserve in Bedfordview, Johannesburg. The team was briefed to design a family home suitable for a variety of indoor and outdoor entertainment. Their answer is a 1100m² residence, which is based on a sculptural design with diverse oblique and edgy shapes. The sculptural structures were created with morphed steels. Glass, concrete, and steel have been largely used in the entire house. Their combination is the primary feature of the design.

M Square Lifestyle Design was commissioned to translated the architectural concept of Kloof Road House into the interior design. They used steel perforated panels and off-shutter concrete for diverse interior elements. The lighting design compliments the bold forms of the house. You can read more about this and other architectural projects by Nico van der Meulen Architects on their website.

The Kloof Road House was designed by Nico van der Meulen Architects.

The Kloof Road House offers an unconventional design caused by diverse oblique and edgy shapes.

A covered patio at the pool is facing the front of the residence.

The covered patio is placed at the end of the pool.

The living area is charcterized by extravagant interio design and open transitions between inside and outside.

Modern and extravagant interio design.

Noble furnishings all over the house.

A modern and open kitchen design.

The master bedroom of the Kloof Road House by Nico van der Meulen Architects.

View of the nature reserve in Bedfordview, Johannesburg.

Lyonel Feininger – Artist Spotlight

Lyonel Charles Adrian Feininger was a German-American painter, graphic artist, and caricaturist who lived from July 17, 1871 – January 13, 1956. He was one of the most important representatives of the Expressionism.

Church of the Minorities II Lyonel Charles Adrian Feininger.

Before Lyonel Feininger started to work as a fine artist, he has worked as a caricaturist for countless German, French, and American magazines and newspapers. Influenced by his caricatures, Feininger quickly developed a distinctive style of painting, which was based on graphically abstracted and artistically exaggerated objects. This distinctive expressiveness in his paintings has inspired numerous contemporary artists. Today many of his paintings are collected in both public and private collections. You can read more about this major artist of the Expressionism on Wikipedia. Do not hesitate and check out our Art category to find more inspiring work. This section features artworks by both young contemporary talents and famous artists from various eras.

Gelmeroda, artwork from 1936 created by German/American painter and graphic artist, Lyonel Feininger.

Barfüßerkirche I, a painting from 1924 by artist Lyonel Feininger. This is one of his typical artwork based on graphically abstracted and artistically exaggerated objects.

Stiller Tag Am Meer – Artwork by Lyonel Feininger.

A beautiful painting by German-American artist Lyonel Charles Adrian Feininger.

I recommend you to visit our Art category to find more inspiring work. The featured artworks ranging from contemporary paintings to sculptures and large installations. Furthermore, we provide you with information on current and upcoming exhibitions.

Sony NEX-5R 16.1 MP Compact Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera

Amazing DSLR-quality in about half the size and weight. The NEX-5R Digital Camera is equipped with the latest technology to bring you incredible entertainment quality. The Sony NEX-5R is available in black and silver.

Buy the Sony NEX-5R Camera on Amazon.com

Sony NEX-5R Compact Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera

Sony NEX-5R Compact Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera

Sony NEX-5R Compact Interchangeable Lens Digital Camera

A selection of editorial illustrations from 2015 by Simon Prades.

German illustrator Simon Prades has recently published a couple of editorial illustrations, which were created in 2015 for magazines and newspapers such as The New York Times, Cicero Magazine, Der Spiegel, Southern Pacific Law Center, and the New Yorker. His illustrations portray a variety of topics ranging from the refugee crisis to local murder cases. You can find more of Simon Prades’ illustrative work on WE AND THE COLOR or have a look at his website to find more of his illustrations.

THE NEW YORK TIMES – editorial illustration by Simon Prades for an article about how Germany will deal with refugees.

CICERO MAGAZINE – skull illustration by Simon Prades for an article on potential developments in the middle east.

DER SPIEGEL – a series of drawings created for an article about a brutal murder case that happened in Vienna, Austria.

SOUTHERN PACIFIC LAW CENTER – cover artwork for an issue about violence against transgender women of color.

The New Yorker – portrait drawing by Simon Prades of Sam Waterston acting as the Prospero in Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

Feel free and check out our Illustration category to find more inspiring work created by some of the world’s best illustrators.

Zaha Hadid’s “Liquid Glacial” Furniture Mimics Rippling Water Frozen in Time

World-renowned architect Zaha Hadid has highlighted her other design talents with Liquid Glacial, a series of furniture that resembles water and ice formations. The collection of tables, chairs, and stools appear as if they’re frozen in time, with subtle ripples suspended through the polished acrylic. The translucent material produces dazzling projections onto adjacent surfaces, further echoing the visual effects of fluid forms. Despite these illusions, all of the pieces are completely functional, intended to push the boundaries of materiality and innovation without compromising their usage.

The designs in Liquid Glacial are a continuation of Hadid’s series, which began in 2012. They were both shown at London’s David Gill Gallery this past summer. Together, they showcase the rich collaborative relationship between Hadid and the exhibition space, who have been working together on creative projects since 2007.

Above photo credit: Martin Slivka

Photo credit: Matthew Farrand


Photo credit: Martin Slivka


Photo credit: Matthew Farrand


Photo credit: Martin Slivka

Photo credit: Martin Slivka


Photo credit: Jacopo Spilimbergo


Photo credit: Jacopo Spilimbergo


Photo credit: Jacopo Spilimbergo


Photo credit: Jacopo Spilimbergo


Photo credit: Martin Slivka


Photo credit: Martin Slivka