Twisting Growth: An Experimental Rope Fabrication Machine for Bio-Derived Materials

By Moein Shashaei, Weichu Cheng, and Kavya Gunasekar

"This project explores how emerging bio-derived materials can be transformed into structural systems through experimental fabrication. The research focuses on SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast), a living biomaterial cultivated through fermentation that can develop into flexible sheets and fibrous structures. Through material experimentation, the project investigates SCOBY’s potential as a biodegradable alternative to conventional materials such as plastic, paper, and leather.

To explore how these soft and unconventional materials might be processed into larger assemblies, the project develops an experimental rope fabrication machine. The device employs a dual rotational mechanism in which multiple strands rotate around their own axes while simultaneously orbiting a central axis, allowing thin strands to be continuously twisted into stable rope structures.

Designed through iterative prototyping—including digital modeling, custom 3D-printed components, and mechanical testing—the machine functions as a research tool for studying how biological growth and mechanical fabrication can intersect. By translating flexible strands into continuous rope elements, the project proposes a workflow that moves from cultivation to fabrication, connecting living material processes with experimental production techniques.

Together, these investigations present a series of material experiments that bridge biology, design, and mechanical systems, exploring alternative approaches to sustainable material fabrication."