3D Scanning and Printing
Contrary to last week, this feels like home to me. The first time I learned about consumer-level 3D printing was a pivotal moment, marking my shift from a designer to a maker. I've been tinkering with 3D printers for almost a decade now. What began as an artistic endeavor has become a catalyst for me to delve into CAD, engineering, product design, hardware design, and many more.
Neil begins the class with a brief history of the origin of 3D printing technology, distinguishing between subtractive manufacturing — where material is removed to achieve desired shapes, as seen in processes like laser cutting or CNC milling — and additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, where material is added only where needed, resulting in a near-net shape. The latter offers numerous benefits, such as reduced waste, access to the interior of objects, and the ability to fabricate increasingly complex shapes without adding complexity to the process. However, there are also disadvantages, such as the potential for errors, limitations in available materials, higher costs, restricted feature sizes, and sometimes longer fabrication times compared to subtractive manufacturing.
In the class, we also delved into aspects of 3D printing that are unfortunately rarely discussed by others, such as the lifecycle of raw materials and the potential hazards they pose. These consumer-level machines are relatively new, and many entry-level models lack an enclosure. Despite the brevity of the discussion, it was highly informative, particularly for someone like me who tends to be relatively anxious!
While I've mainly used FDM printers and dabbled in resin printers, I stay updated on all news related to 3D printing. Nonetheless, this class provided me with a few valuable insights into novel ways of utilizing 3D printers, such as:
- Nervous System, which utilizes simulation to pack a 3D printed cloth to fit inside a build volume.
- 3D printed textile using a simple FDM printer that could span across a baseball field in a single print.
- Z-unlimited, involving the attachment of multiple 3D printers on a gantry to print massive objects.
We concluded the class with a discussion on 3D scanning, a topic I'm familiar with but have yet to explore due to time constraints or a lack of suitable use cases. Neil briefly covered various 3D scanning methods, their advantages, and disadvantages.
Assignments of The Week
Group Assignment
- Test the design rules for your 3D printer(s).
Individual Assignment
- Design and 3D print an object (small, few cm3, limited by printer time) that could not be made subtractively.
- 3D scan an object (and optionally print it).