Dutch college students realize the flexible object 3D printing with hard materials

Although the current 3D printing concept is gaining momentum in the fashion world, most of the 3D printing apparel looks or feels less suitable for wearing on the body. This is mainly because the materials they use are mostly hard plastics or even metals. So, can these hard materials be designed with a certain degree of flexibility? Recently, two students at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, Ben Kromhout and Lukas Lambrichts, came up with a new method in the TfCD class to print more flexible objects in 3D, especially worth mentioning. The two students achieved this effect with the low-cost consumer-grade 3D printer Ultimaker 2.

Dutch college students realize the flexible object 3D printing with hard materials

It is understood that the reason why the basic 3D printer can be used to create soft but sturdy materials, the students are inspired by a project on Instructables that describes how to create a hyperbolic wood. The project uses precise structure to optimize its materials. Therefore, the two students tried to create a 3D printed object by copying this material. To transform the wood structure described above into a 3D printable design, the development team used Illustrator and SolidWorks software to create several prototypes of flexible objects in different sizes.

Dutch college students realize the flexible object 3D printing with hard materials

According to Kromhout, each of these prototypes consists of two variables—the size of the basic structure pattern (or pattern) and the gap between the lines inside the pattern. The research team will adjust the two variables to measure their 3D printing. The impact of object flexibility. In addition, the thickness of the object remains the same. Thus, based on these two variables, four different models are combined: model 1 - small pattern size and small gap; model 2 - small pattern size large gap; model 3 - large pattern size small gap Model 4 - large pattern size large gap.

Dutch college students realize the flexible object 3D printing with hard materials

In addition, these prototypes were printed in a square of 95 mm x 95 mm and 1 mm thick.

It is understood that when 3D prints Model 1 and Model 3, the students have encountered some problems because they use smaller gaps, and the resolution of the 3D printer is limited, and it is impossible to completely separate the closely spaced lines. In the end, Kromhout and Lambrichts found that Model 4, the large pattern of large voids, was the softest. The students said that when they felt the prototype, there was almost a feeling of textiles.

This 3D printing experiment yielded some interesting results, but because of the small number of models printed, the adequacy of the conclusions is not enough. Despite this, the two students have managed to prove that a cheap 3D printer and a rigid PLA material can print soft objects, although there is no clear conclusion about the exact quantitative relationship. Students hope that others can further research on this basis to broaden the application possibilities of 3D printing technology .

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