3D Printing

Spalter's article was a beneficial introduction to the types of automatic fabrication technology currently available. She begins with the distinction between rapid prototyping (RP) and computer-numerical-control (CNC) machines. CNC machines take existing materials such as metal and plastic, and sculpt objects. These machines require constant supervision and require that objects are designed in keeping with a specific material's capabilities. RP machines use additive technology to layer materials such as powder or resin to create 3d objects. The types of automated fabrication covered in her article are stereolithography, robotically guided extrusion, laser sintering and droplet deposition on powder.

Morphosis, an architecture firm in Santa Monica, CA, uses the droplet deposition on powder to create 3d prints of their digital models. These models are then used as discussion pieces to help refine the design. "Being able to see two versions side by side is sometimes more informative than viewing two renderings." (Morphosis p.2)

I was aware of 3D printing and rapid prototyping on a theoretical level. I knew it existed and I knew people used it, but I was not aware of the many types of fabrication machines available. Spalter's article and MIT's Digital Design Fabrication site were helpful in understanding these different types and grasping what they do. I was shocked by the claim that these machines were now affordable. It's a claim reminiscent of early computers that only large firms could afford. It seems there is quite a ways to go, before every office has a desktop 3-D printer.

It is obviously a beneficial tool for designers to have, given they have embraced the digital 3-D model way of exploring their design. 3-D printing allows designers to observe their design in real space and it has the tactile qualities of a handmade model without the time investment. I think more interesting for designers, is the ability to design forms, objects, and building components that can be directly manufactured from the computer. The possibilities for construction become endless and the quality of work will be as good as your CAM.