Week 4 Readings

I found the article about 3D printing a very informative overview of the printing capabilities that are available today. The definitions of the common terms for the processes and different types of 3D printing systems were also helpful, especially since many of the internships that I have investigated were interested in things such as rapid prototyping, “the rapid creation of a part that may not have the accuracy or durability necessary in final applications” (pg. 317). This article also brought to my attention that there were other forms of printing other than just 3-D Printing.

Josephine Minutillo’s article provided some interesting information on CNC machines that I was not aware of such as being “originally developed for the aerospace industry” (pg. 1). The investigation into Belzberg’s “tornado” was also a great case study considering that it relates very closely to what I researching for my thesis. The panels that are intumescent painted plywood, which is used as an acoustic element that also lures visitors up a stairwell to a dance floor where the panels morph into a flower shape.

Doscher’s article discusses the other uses of 3D printers, creating models. It shows that it isn’t as easy as sending information to the printer; the models require other work after their printing, “20 percent of out models need touching up” (pg. 2). But much of the finishing of models is dependent upon ones preference, whether it is primed in epoxy or plated in a copper or nickel bath.

Much of what Minutillo and Doscher speak of in their articles is presented for being used for interior architecture. The use of CNC in the installation of the “tornado” shows the direct application of the uses of types of printing machines. Also, in terms of model making, it is evident that these systems are extremely beneficial in both visual conception and saving time for the design process. The attention to detail that is required to accurately provide information to these machines is also important; “It takes us about a day to prepare a digital model for printing breaking it into appropriate pieces, carving voids into solids to save material, and subtracting parts that will be built manually” (pg.1).

I found much of this information useful in understanding the field of 3D printing in product design and architecture. With the different systems that are available to the industry for product creation it enables the designer to have the ability to see design flaws in post production, which makes the design stronger. Spalter states: “many 3D input devices are not yet available commercially, but this situation will surely change” (pg. 321). In the future I believe that these systems will be more widely used in the creation of art, architecture and product development. The more widely available these types of systems become, the demand for their use will be greater. Therefore the time that was used to create models can instead be spent on designing a better product. Spalter also suggests that the advancements in 3D printing may not only move us past the information age, but into a new age for humankind. Here ideas of manipulating matter, things that are seen in syfi movies, move into possible reality of the future.

On 3D printing: Excerpt from "3D Input and Output" from The Computer in The Visual Arts by Anne Spalter, Addison Wesley Longman Inc. 1999, pp 317-321.

“When the Whole Is Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts” By Josephine Minutillohttp://continuingeducation.construction.com/article.php?L=5&C=588&P=1

“Morphosis Prints Models” by Martin Doscherhttp://www.architectureweek.com/2004/0915/tools_2-1.html