STEAM Careers: The San Diego Zoo's Making of Rex

Jan 5, 2019 | La Jolla

The San Diego Zoo recently release a video titled “The Making of Rex”. The 15 minute video sagas the construction of Rex, a bronze lion statue new to the Zoo entrance. The video showcases several STEAM careers which contributed to the statue’s creation.

 

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. STEAM jobs make up for 8.6 million careers in the United States.

 

Watch the video and check out the list of careers below!

 

 

 

Let’s recap the awesome STEAM careers we were just introduced to:

 

 

Sculptor

Arts

Jim Burton, the sculptor, received a drawing of a lion on one foot. He took the 2D idea and created a 3D clay sculpture of the lion, using wire to build the framework. Burton had to account for the anatomy of a lion to make the statue lifelike and convey strength. Once he was confident in his design, a large foam sculpture was milled at a 25% scale for Burton and other sculptors to refine.

 

Foundry Owner

Arts and Mathematics

Piero Mussi, the owner of Artworks Foundry, took the mock up of Rex, shown in scale compared to people, along with the angle at which the statue what positioned, to calculate if making such a large, heavy statue balance on one paw was even possible. Since the statue would carry so much weight in the hind side of the lion, the statue was at risk of toppling over if it wasn’t correctly built and weighted on its front paw.

 

 

Structural Engineer

Engineering

Steve, the structural engineer, created a skeleton for Rex’s statue out of stainless steel. The statue was cast out of bronze. So it required a stronger metal to ensure Rex could withstand the San Diego elements, like wind or an earthquake. Steve had to create a custom piece of stainless steel to accommodate Rex’s narrow ankle and sharp angle of the paw.

 

 

Welder

Arts

The team of welders at Artworks Foundry merged 4 custom pieces of stainless steel to build Rex’s “skeleton”. As well as, put the 250 separate bronze pieces that make up Rex’s body together like a 3D puzzle.

 

 

Driver

Doug Benson, the truck driver, had a lot to consider to make sure it would be safe to transport Rex to the San Diego Zoo. Before hitting the road, Benson had to measure the height, width, and length of the “load”, calculate a route from Richmond, California to the San Diego Zoo, take into account the height of bridges and wind, and schedule California Highway Patrol escorts and front and back pilots.

 

 

 

Design Manager

Mathematics

Kambiz Mehrafshani, the design manager, made sure Rex was transported to the front of the San Diego Zoo without getting damaged. He arranged for two cranes to set Rex into his final position. Rex does not have a center balance point so two cranes were used to get Rex into place; 1 crane to levitated Rex and 1 crane got him into position for the 12 bolt pattern he would be set on.

 

All of these awesome STEAM careers and so many more worked together to make the iconic statue that is Rex. You and your family can see Rex at the entrance of of the San Diego Zoo.


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