Poster

The "Drop Fin" Method for Strengthening and Shaping Sheet Steel

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Abstract

The "Drop Fin" method is an approach for giving form and structural strength to sheet steel by strategically cutting, folding, and manipulating a single sheet of material without adding additional material. This method uses a series of repeated cuts and folds to create sectional depth and stiffness in thin steel sheets, enabling them to act as self-supporting elements. The method utilizes CNC plasma or laser cutting to produce structural and architectural elements, from light-duty columns to demountable structures, benches, sculptural seating, stairs, chairs, and lightweight building enclosures. This research demonstrates that, through this specific fabrication process, manipulated sheet steel creates robust and flexible elements at various scales using limited design details, reducing the complexity of traditional multi-step, multi-component construction methods.

Keywords: Drop Fin, sheet steel, CNC plasma cutting, laser cutting, structural design, low-waste fabrication, demountable structures, architectural elements, modular construction, lightweight design

How to Cite:

Lee, B. K., (2025) “The "Drop Fin" Method for Strengthening and Shaping Sheet Steel”, Building Technology Educators’ Society 2025(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.7275/btes.3356