TThis project proposes an alternative method of digital fabrication based on the dissolution of materials using abrasive liquids. While identifying suitable, low-impact, and non-toxic materials is a critical and extensive research topic on its own—and essential for validating the project's long-term feasibility and environmental relevance—this initial stage will focus primarily on developing the mechanical and electronic aspects of the system. The aim is to explore and understand the operational boundaries and potential of a liquid-based subtractive machine, investigating how controlled fluid dynamics can serve as a precise and programmable tool for material removal. This approach shifts the paradigm of fabrication away from traditional mechanical or thermal methods, opening a new experimental path that merges chemistry, engineering, and digital design.
Further development stages will include material testing and environmental evaluation, but for now, the priority is to build a working prototype that allows for iterative testing, learning, and refinement of the core subtractive process.
It is difficult to find projects that are very close to the one I am proposing, or even ones that yield similar results. What I appreciate is that it fits within a current of non-productive fabrication—it feels defiant and resistant. However, as part of the exploration, it is important to build bridges with examples that engage in more iterative and less clearly defined acts of subtraction. Among them, Michael Hansmeyer stands out. His projects speculate on voids reminiscent of caverns and surfaces shaped by time. Likewise, there are technical precedents such as acid etching used for sculpting metallic plates, which operate through gradual, subtractive processes.
TThe first mechanical concept of the project embraces lightness as a core design principle, replacing the traditional Y-axis with a wheel-based system that allows the machine to move endlessly across the chosen material. More than a functional gesture, this setup creates a playful tension between mechanization as an act of precision and a more spontaneous, ludic approach. The wheels support a gantry structure through which the X-axis moves, and mounted on this bridge is the toolhead, responsible for ejecting the abrasive liquid. Initially conceived as a self-contained autonomous machine, it could eventually evolve into a battery-powered mobile system. For mechanical motion, a key reference is the Creality CR-30 3D printer, whose conveyor belt-style print bed enables theoretically infinite movement along one axis. For liquid ejection, the design takes inspiration from micropipettes used in medical laboratories, which deliver precise quantities of liquid to targeted points with high accuracy.