Free-form “Architectural” scale Computer assisted 3D printing for use in
architecture and sculpture
The invention of 3D printing has opened up a new world of manufacturing of small, complicated,
intricate 3D objects.
Applications have been found in medical applications, architectural and models, and models of
sculptures, jewellery and machine parts.
Sculpture made by RP
Modeling of conjoined sculls
Architectural model
Jewellery made by rapid prototyping
Rapid Prototyped machine parts
Materials
Materials used in these processes are variously extruded polymers, infra red solidified liquid polymers,
fused/ sintered ceramics, and, at the University of Missouri and at McGill, water.
3D Ice Twisted Koch fractal fabricated at McGill University
Scaling up
Expanding the layer by layer printing method to a larger scale is difficult for several reasons. The small
scale manufacturing is easily executed indoors, in controlled environments, while large scale production
has often to be done outdoors, and thus under variable conditions. Another problem is that the robotic
machinery to be used for larger scale operations is not readily available.
One company, D-Shape has started work on ‘architectural scale layered deposition manufacturing’, by
applying a binder through a computer controlled nozzle to thin layers of sand, laid down one after
another.
The set-up that is used by Dini is essentially an enlarged Fab@Home printer; gantry models like this are
available ‘off the rack’
The surface finish that this method allows is quite smooth (after a bit of sanding!)
A large amount of ‘scaffolding sand’ will have to be removed, depending on the shape of the structure.
This method would lend itself well to the construction of a snow/ice building. By manually laying down
layers of say 1” of snow, covering that layer with a computer generated- computer-cut schablone and
spraying the exposed snow with water, and repeating this layer after layer. Removing the outside form
and the not iced-up snow should reveal the intended structure (which would need some minor sanding
to smooth the contours.)
Here is a picture of what a snow/ice object might look like (the sculpture in the picture is in reality
carved from a solid mass of snow)
Another way towards architectural scale is by the pick and place method used by Gramazio and Kohler
at the ETH in Zurich:
FREEFORM before robots
The applicant of this grant has worked in free form for many years:
Nylon reinforced thin shell ice, McGill University 1973
Catenary Ice arch 1987, McGill University
30’ Hyperbolic Paraboloid nylon-reinforced ice structure with scaffold-steel pipe edges.
McGill University 1986
34’ span 1/5 scale model of the Roman Pantheon constructed at McGill University 1996 exterior
Interior of the Ice Pantheon
From the laboratory to the real world 1973-1975
3D in Ferro-cement
Design for a double-curved thin shell ferro cement play structure 1974
Rebar and mesh assembly in the McGill University Engineering Laboratory
Electro-biological Accretion of Seawater minerals 1989 Barbados:
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