Modulated extrusion for textured 3D printing

O'Dowd, Paul; Hoskins, Stephen; Geisow, Adrian; Walters, Peter

Abstract

This research utilises a Fused Deposition Modelling 3D Printer to investigate the aesthetics of 3D printing and it's broader applications. The presented research re-evaluates the 3D printer as a tool to manipulate materials, as opposed to a machine that discretely reproduces digital models at a fine resolution. The research questions the utility of automation, and attempts to find a level that permits materially expressive modes of fabrication. The exploration of aesthetics has uncovered a variety of unexpected textures and interesting material properties that may have wider use. For instance, rigid plastic has been extruded and manipulated finer than the extrusion nozzle diameter, which confers flexibility and fabric like qualities to the printed object. The discovered techniques for 3D printed aesthetics are reproducibly reliable and can be incorporated back into orthodox digital-model driven fabrication.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2015
• Deposit Date: Oct 28, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 3, 2016
• Journal: NIP & Digital Fabrication Conference
• Print ISSN: 2169-4451
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 2015
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 173 -178
• Book Title: Proceeds of the Digital Fabrication and Digital Printing Conference
• Keywords: fused deposition modelling, 3D print
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/840278
• Publisher URL: http://ist.publisher.ingentaconnect.com/content/ist/nipdf/2015/00002015/00000001/art00038
• Additional Information: Additional Information : Reprinted with permission of IS&T: The Society for Imaging Science and Technology sole copyright owners of NIP31: International Conference on Digital Printing Technologies and Digital Fabrication 2015.
• Contract Date: Jun 3, 2016