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Industry Experts Interviews: Aaron Trocola on 3D Printing Fashion & Wearable Tech

Aaron Trocola is an Industrial designer and consultant specializing in product development using additive manufacturing processes, often leveraging 3D data for customization, and especially in the context of the human body. His early work in developing visualization systems for 3D display and surgical simulation tools has transferred well to product design, where additive manufacturing (3D printing) brings opportunities for efficient and cost effective development of products as well as creative freedom. He is a tech and fashion innovator who has a lot of great experience that he applies to various work he does currently within the field. He currently works as a 3D printing consultant to the Brooklyn Fashion Design Accelerator as well as independently on his Threeform Fashion which he has been doing for over eight years.

Tell me about your background.

I am an industrial designer. I come from a product design background. I specialized in 3D printing. In particular, I focused on organic 3D printing. I found a niche on wearable tech and 3d printing. The adaptation of wearable tech pieces was around 2009. I then started to work on body scanning stuff. I worked at a 3D display company back then. I then worked on some haptic devices. I was able to learn a lot about computer graphics and 3D printing. 2011 I worked on laser sintered nylon pieces. Shapeways made it possible back then. I was able to get a lot of those pieces and then was invited to see multiple fashion shows after that. A lot of those shows are really experimental. I work on experimental pieces to develop and validate the technology with geometric models. I focus on things that are not usable for consumers at the moment.

What is the barrier to future use?

What is the goal? We can not compete with cloth. 3D printing is the contact point between industrial made products and more organic items. We are able to gain a lot of control with 3D printing. For me I see the utility in making elegant packaging and assembly. I have a couple talks about the arrangement of wearables, technology, and apparel. Implants, things stuck to the surface of the skin, backpacks, belts, etc. There is the benefit in static layers. MRI data can help us gain amazing data for 3D design. One can now make patches and different items within clothes. We want to integrate tech and clothes seamlessly. It is not necessary to over do technology within clothing. Price is very important. We do have stretchable material, but they are not as durable. It is still important to focus on re-usability.

Volumetric Models of the Body

Who are people to pay attention to in 3D printed fashion?

Top names already have their rising star moment. It seems to be most people in the field are only doing one off projects. I think more organizations are doing the work. Most of these people have to link up with a research institution. A lot of the stuff that is done must be done with some company whom will work on IP protection.

Iris van Herpen is a Dutch designer to look into. She worked her way up in terms of making a bunch of pieces for a collection. In 2011 she worked with Materialise. She does not do modeling, but she has a bunch of skill in drawing and materials.

Why are dresses the focus in 3D printed fashion?

Social media. Fashion is such a huge industry. It is 4 trillion dollars. If you are to add fashion media it is immense. Anyone who has flipped through a fashion magazine is able to compare items and what we see in the magazine. Nothing is really made with real clothing. One can make a random scarf and make it look amazing. One can use a refined piece within 3D printing. This allows for some pieces I have made to be used. Heidi Lee is able to put a lot of stuff on social media for example of my work. We should not really focus on 100% 3D printed things such as a full dress. We shouldn’t think of replacing fibers made through plants. We are going to have to wait for more molecular modeling.

I think synthetic biology is the future for materials within 3D printing and fashion. What do you think?

I agree. It is important to mimic biology. With 3D printed scaffolds that is a great direction to go. Being able to manipulate structure is highly important. I would like to see what people do with bio-printing and other interesting proteins that could help bind and cross linked molecules. There is a lot of potential. Current textiles are focused on biological processes. I think what we will see continual development that starts with mechanical assembly of traditional styles. Next steps focus on mechanical assembly of garments. Most of the impact will be in shapes that are made differently. Fast fashion will be a big play for this. 3D printing will be able to break into that particular field. Fast fashion electronics are such a huge thing as well.

Designs by Aaron

What are some things that are important for the field?

We need to digitize the body. Everyone should have a 3D scan done. This will allow us to be able to have info that can be a volumetric image of our body. This allows us to have custom fashion.

Interview with Patrizio Carlucci of Innovation Lab ECCO on 3D Printing Shoes

Patrizio Carlucci

Patrizio Carlucci is the Head of Innovation Lab ECCO a subsidiary of Danish shoemaker ECCO. The Innovation Lab is ECCO’s independent cross-disciplinary design studio. They explore, create, and deliver projects embracing alternative production methods, various materials, new technologies and experiential solutions. This lab has a big project called QUANT-U. It is a footwear customisation project by Innovation Lab ECCO. Built on half a century of industry experience and footwear research in dynamics and fit: QUANT-U combines future technologies to create 3D printed customised comfort, quantified by you. So for more info on innovation and 3D printing within the footwear industry pay attention to this interview!

Tell me a little bit about your background and how you are at this point of your life and your career.

I am an industrial designer by trade with a keen passion towards computer aided design and 3D printing. Fortunate enough in my career to be involved in innovative projects, not only from a designer’s perspective, I have been driven to challenge my own skills and knowledge base on a regular basis. Having been an early adopter of innovative digital tools has helped me in roles were transformation and change management was paramount for businesses, especially from a product strategy perspective.

What are some of the most important aspects of your career that have followed you through various roles?

A common thread for me has been the application of digital agile processes between concepts and products. Being agile in product design and development means more opportunities to identify at an early stage a breakthrough design direction or to refine to perfection existing ones. Furthermore, I have never understood how design and styling, in terms of creative moments, could be isolated from the physical creation of a product, particularly when ultimate product performance is paramount. Designers often delegate 3D work to a modeler, and this is often cause for delays and misinterpretation. For this, from 3D modeling passing by FEA simulation to 3D renders used for marketing purposes, I have personally experienced almost any phase of advanced product development. This helped me further down the line with a decent understanding of advantages and shortcomings of innovative technologies during innovation tasks for the entire product life cycle management.

Quant-U

What skills are the most useful to have at the intersection of 3D Printing and footwear in particular?

It might be trivial but 3D modeling and developing a shoe is a challenging feat compared to other types of products. To mention just a few reasons for this: the lack of lines’ symmetry between the medial and lateral sides of the shoe, the criticality of observing the right fit requisites for a wide range of wearers and the relatively low-tech manufacturing processes that causes inconsistencies between the 3D models and the final shape of the shoe. This is mainly due to components that can’t be molded, cemented or stitched in their final shape if not developed in a flattened form. Additionally, a shoe is a soft and hard good at the same time, requiring distinct processes for uppers and soles. 3D printing an outsole creates a decent representation of the final product but 3D printing a soft upper that feels like the final product is close to impossible.

The team at Ecco has had some interesting projects coming recently. Can you go into more depth about what Ecco is doing in particular when it comes to 3D Printing and footwear?

Dassault Systemes

We are focusing heavily on the wearable data capturing process, both in terms of next generation hardware development and for the advanced interpretation of motion data related to FEA processes with our project partners Dassault Systemes. With DOW Chemical, another project partner, we continuously explore further properties of 3D printed silicone we use for our Quant-U project. There is a lot of hyped and misunderstood activity around 3D printed footwear without a solid solution for true mass production and customization. AM offers the chance to create bespoke parts in series, but this is rarely translated in a consumer product; most likely due to the complexity of the 3D models and a lack of measuring data to begin with. To solve this, we invested heavily on the digital capture and interpretation of motion and orthotic data and the related AI and automated processes for the creation of 3D models without human intervention. With our Quant-U project we are showcasing these abilities on the market already and we look forward to extending its reach to more customers soon.

Which countries around the world are the most innovative in terms of integrating fashion and technology? Where should we be paying attention to in terms of 3D Printing and fashion?

Well, if you consider how thin the separation line between fashion and sportswear is today, and if you consider that technology in wearable goods is usually seen in sportswear, I would put the USA and Germany on the top list. France is seeing a lot of activity related to technology in the luxury brands arena, although still at an experimental level. In Italy, the motherland of luxury goods manufacturing, there is some use of AM processes in the product development phase that might find their way in final products. In the Netherlands, a country often ahead of the curve, there is a vibrant movement dedicated to 3D printed shoes that has been inspiring for a lot of young designers, although not commercially exploited yet. For us at ECCO, a Danish company, we believe to express digital maturity in fashion with our latest project and we hope to engage more and more with consumers from this point of view.

I believe that the next technological innovations in fashion will be represented by new bio/growth materials with a strong focus on sustainability and smart materials that have augmented functionality. The commercial application of 3D printing processes for fashion in general is, and will still be, for few players that have the necessary resources to sustain processes that are still slow in terms of output and expensive in terms of investments. Until a 3D printed product is either fully circular and sustainable or performs substantially better than a standard one, I doubt it will ever surpass the scope of a hyped experiment.

For this, at ECCO with Quant-U, we invested into an approach were a fundamental component of a shoe could be customized and 3D printed using a material and a process that truly augments the product’s performance while keeping the manufacturing aspect intact.

Ganit Goldstein Collaborated with Stratasys on New Fashion Collection of 3D Printed Jewelry and Shoes

Ganit Goldstein, a fashion design graduate from Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, is one of many innovative fashion designers using 3D printing to create their designs. Recently, she premiered a new experimental collection at Milan Design Week called Shifted Craft. The project was supported by Stratasys and consists of seven pieces of 3D printed jewelry (combined with Swarovski crystals) and two 3D printed pairs of shoes – in an industry first, the multi-colored shoes were 3D printed directly onto leather.

Together with 15 other designers, Goldstein was chosen to publicly display her collection as part of the event’s Israeli Pavilion. Her inspiration for the project, as with some of her prior collections, is the time she spent in Japan learning the traditional ‘ikat’ technique for dying fabrics and yarns at the Tokyo University of the Arts. Goldstein’s vision for Shifted Craft was to use both the traditional ikat and modern 3D printing to, as Stratasys put it, “explore the relationship between body, form and technology.”

Goldstein believes in an interdisciplinary approach to design, and received support from Stratasys over the last two years for her boundary-pushing research project, which was centered around using the company’s multi-material PolyJet technology to amalgamate concepts of fashion. She used the company’s J750 3D printer to complete high-quality tests with complex shapes, including scaled parts that were as small as a single millimeter in thickness.

“Stratasys’ advanced 3D printing technology provides me with the unrestricted ability to print my designs in any color, form, and complexity. This collection was designed to shatter traditional limitations, by using the unique capabilities of 3D printing to innovate fashion design as we know it,” Goldstein explained.

“I wanted to make the entire collection accessible and ‘ready-to-wear’, in order to show the real potential of 3D printing. Certainly, with regards to the two pairs of shoes in the collection, we are breaking new ground for using such methods to create wearable shoes. I was able to print directly onto leather – an entirely new feature for 3D printing technology.”

We’ve seen 3D printed fashion pieces that include leather, printed sheets of material that closely resemble leather, and hybrid 3D printers that allow you to engrave leather, but not actually print leather itself, until now.

“Ganit lawfully and rigorously seeks to analyze and express the specific dimensions and qualities of the Japanese Ikat craft with use of parametric design, the containment within the borders of 2.5 dimension, while the technology enables full 3D modeling is an interesting one,” said Naomi Kaempfer, the Creative Director of Art, Design and Fashion at Stratasys. “Stratasys is focused on promoting and researching the extents of 3D textile design and applications. With new advances made in printing directly onto textiles, we are entering a new era of fashion design. We are committed to exploring innovations with our collaborators.”

In order to digitally manipulate the physical properties of the fabric, Goldstein used digitally-created materials for the two pairs of 3D printed shoes in her new collection. Thanks to the full-color capabilities of the J750, Goldstein is able to rapidly 3D print on fabric without relying on the molds or tools usually required for more traditional methods of textile fabrication. Her materials also make it possible for her to have total control over her pieces’ customization, design, and geometry.

Goldstein used 3D scanning and programming to design the shapes for her seven beautiful pieces of jewelry in a parametric software program, which were then 3D printed in all their multi-material and full-color glory on the Stratasys J750. To top it all off, Swarovski crystals were added to really make the jewelry and shoes shine.

What do you think of this new 3D printed fashion collection? Discuss this story and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the Facebook comments below.

[Images provided by Ganit Goldstein]

Designer Julia Daviy Introduces Her Digitally Customizable 3D Printed Skirt

3D printing is moving ever closer to gaining a true home in mainstream commercial applications, thanks to the impact the technology is having on consumer fashion products such as jewelry, footwear, and clothing. While 3D printed fashion was still considered to be more of a novelty a few years ago, efforts have been increasing to make it more common – even in the classroom. Additionally, the technology is helping to usher in a more sustainable and eco-friendly way of manufacturing garments…and designer Julia Daviy is helping to lead the charge.

In addition to designing clothes, Daviy is also an ecologist and clean technology industry manager, and uses 3D printing to make cruelty-free, zero-waste clothing. She believes that the technology will change how the world produces clothing, especially when it comes to some of the more problematic issues of garment manufacturing, such as animal exploitation, chemical pollution, energy consumption, and material waste.

“Our goal was never to demonstrate the viability of 3D printed clothing and leave things at that. We’ll have succeeded when beautiful, comfortable, ethically manufactured and environmentally friendly clothes are the standard,” Daviy stated. “The innovations we’ve made on the production and marketing side of the equation are just as important as the technological breakthroughs that have gotten us this far.”

Concerned with the economically and environmentally irresponsible ways most clothes are made, she created an activewear line made with organic fabrics, and went on to study 3D printing at the University of Illinois in an attempt to find a better, “more complete alternative.” Daviy created her first wearable, 3D printed piece in 2017, and continued working to grow her knowledge base. She experimented with multiple 3D printing techniques, like FDM and SLA, and spent time working with manufacturers on various filament specifications.

At New York Fashion Week in September, Daviy released the first 3D printed, functional, women’s fashion collection in the US that uses large-format 3D printing. While I wouldn’t have called most of the pieces in that collection appropriate for everyday use, all of them, like the Pure Nature Suit, definitely looked wearable. But now the pioneering designer has come out with something that I would definitely classify as a functional garment: what she’s calling the first digitally customizable, widely available 3D printed skirt.

The skirt is environmentally friendly, made with ethical manufacturing, and can be custom designed and purchased on Daviy’s website so it fits the size and personality of the customer. The 3D printed, digitally customizable skirt meets, according to the website, “your highest sustainable and technological expectations.”

“This is a truly sustainable, zero-waste skirt that was designed and produced in the USA using groundbreaking technology invented and patented by Julia Daviy. This method allows Daviy to 3D print clothing with less than 1% of waste in the clothing production process,” the website reads.

“The skirt is produced by combining innovative 3D printing practices with fabric linings and luxury trimmings that meet the highest environmental and ethical standards.”

Customers can choose almost everything about the skirt, from its color and style down to the waistline. Then, Daviy and her team create a digital model of the skirt using this information, and fabricate it on a large-scale 3D printer, using Daviy’s patented, zero-waste process, out of recyclable TPE material; the organic, stretchable lining is 5% Lycra and 95% silk.

I went to the website to design my own skirt, which is typically delivered in ten days’ time, though you can choose faster delivery options. The only pattern choice is organic, but there are three styles to choose from: mini, A-line, and pencil. You can select a high or short waist wrap, or none at all, and you can also choose to add pockets (yes, pockets! Pause for a moment of celebration!). Color choices are black, blue, white, nude, and yellow, and the lining can be black, white, or nude.

“You are unique,” the website states. “Wear a garment that reflects your identity.”

The skirt is designed for a slightly loose fit, and should be hand washed separately in cold water and dried flat; it should not be ironed.

Based on looks alone, I would wear multiple versions of this cute skirt anywhere. But, as to be expected with customizable products, the more things you add on, the higher the price tag goes. A mini skirt with no waist wrap and no pockets is already breaking the bank for me at $780, and when I designed an A-line skirt with a short waist wrap and pockets, the price shot up to $1,350. But again, customized garments anywhere don’t come cheap, and at least you can sleep tight knowing that Daviy’s zero-waste pieces are more eco-friendly.

“I started to experiment with 3D printing because I believe that in an age of radical change and global challenges, people need absolutely new clothing. The first stage is to simplify digital customization and 3D printing of flexible and wearable clothing. We’ve accomplished that, and I think that consumers will respond,” Daviy said. “Once we’ve brought this technology into the mainstream, we plan to use 3D printing to make smart clothing that integrates technology even further into the design and function of our collection.”

Discuss this story and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the Facebook comments below.

[Images: Julia Daviy]

Why 3D Printing Needs to be in the Modern Fashion Designer’s Skillset

The world of 3D printing is constantly evolving. Historically its primary use has been in engineering, but it is now poised to revolutionise the fashion industry, changing how we produce anything and everything wearable such as shoes, dresses and accessories. While 3D printing isn’t ubiquitous in high street stores just yet, the inclusion of it in recent runway shows is proving its worth for designers and its exciting potential in fashion.

The fashion industry has historically been slow to adopt the latest technology, but recent years have been characterised by a digital revolution. From e-commerce stores to IoT and wearables, the use of technology in fashion is widespread, and will only increase with time. Just as those emerging technologies have started to change the industry, 3D printing is poised to do the same.

Why 3D fashion?

3D printing is starting to broaden the traditional boundaries of design and allow designers to quickly turn some of their most testing design concepts into reality. It allows designers to create completely new designs that were simply too complex, challenging or time consuming using traditional techniques. Now that 3D printing is easily accessible, we’re starting to see more original 3D designs infiltrate the runway.

For example, Iris Van Herpen incorporated 3D printed ‘face jewellery’ into her catwalk look at the 2019 Paris Fashion Week. This original, customisable content is something that 3D printing allows to be easily designed and created not just only on a small scale, but also en-masse. This level of originality is unprecedented and is one that a designer would struggle to achieve without 3D printing technology, enabling Van Herpen to design the jewellery that was truly unique to the wearer and customised to fit their face perfectly.

“Cellchemy” facemask by Iris Van Herpen.

Van Herpen has also used 3D printing in a lot of her high-profile fashion pieces, to bring her couture visions to life. Her first 3D printed design featured in 2010 and since then she has taken the fashion world by storm with her bespoke, original designs. In 2017, Cara Delevingne wore a stunning bespoke 3D printed dress to the premier of Valerian and the city of a Thousand Planets. Continuing her star-studded client list, she also designed a dramatic 3D printed dress for Beyoncé in her music video ‘Mine’.

Fashion has also dominated the runway at New York Fashion Week on numerous occasions but notably in 2016. threeASFOUR and Travis Fitch worked harmoniously to produce two breakthrough, truly unique dresses, highlighting the originality that 3D printing can help a designer achieve. Following the walk, Gabi Asfour from threeASFOUR credited the functionality that 3D printing provided to enable them to design and make a new textile that didn’t already exist to work with all the desired features of the dress. Something that may not have been possible within the original boundaries of design.

3D printed Harmonograph Dress [Image: Matt Carasella]

3D printing in mass fashion

While 3D printing is helping high push the boundaries of design in end fashion, everyday garments are starting to be feel its influence. Consumers today are always looking for the latest technologies and design techniques in their clothes, and brands are beginning to respond.

The footwear giants, Adidas and Nike have both in recent years incorporated 3D printing into their trainers and demonstrated that 3D printing can offer consumers improved customisation and more sustainable products.

Eliud Kipchoge winning the 2018 London Marathon wearing 3D printed Nike trainers.

3D printing has firmly found its place in marathon running by being the 2018 winning shoe of runner Eliud Kipchoge. Following a disaster in 2017 where his shoes became wet and heavy, Nike turned to 3D printing to reduce the weight of his trainers and personalise them bespoke for his needs. This was not the first time Nike has used 3D printing to provide personalised trainers for elite long-distance runners, created differently to suit their specific needs. This level of personalisation is on a case-by-case basis, but Adidas has found a way of bringing 3D printing to the mass market.

Quick customisation whilst maintaining originality are two more huge opportunities for 3D printing. Garments can be created to perfectly fit the size of each individual body, opening the door for true personalisation. Adidas has implemented the use of customisation into their Futurecraft designs by making a 4D trainer with a 3D printed midsole, this allows a high level of customisation to reach the mass market easily.

As this is a relatively new field, the fashion industry as a whole needs to challenge what they already know and visualise a future with 3D printing in order to see its true value. The incorporation of 3D technology into these designs make them truly original and gives the consumer the high-quality item they desire.

Although the cost of the production may be initially higher, shipping, transport and packaging costs are drastically reduced as a customer can be sent the design and can then print the product themselves.

Education

3D Printing is the future of fashion, enabling enhanced originality to be implemented into all aspiring designer’s skillset. Education and technological advancements are making it cheaper, easier and more beneficial for designers to use 3D fashion in their designs and in turn, produce more quality fashion and make it accessible to all.

As a result, many fashion academies are incorporating 3D printing into their education programmes. Manchester Met University has integrated 3D printing into their education programmes and have successfully produced a 3D knitted structure that is high in both stretch and elasticity. By integrating 3D printing into their education programme, it can be at the forefront of a modern designer’s mind when they are working professionally.

While educating a new generation of designers on 3D printing will be a gradual process, it paves the way for this technology to become part of the mainstream and increase its uptake and use across the industry.

The future of 3D printing in fashion is one that is certainly bright and optimistic, with smaller, user-friendly 3D printers such as the da Vinci nano available to all, the opportunity to learn about the technology isn’t limited to engineers or more technical professions. By allowing even the smallest fashion houses to try this technology, we’ll see more and more 3D printed fashion coming to our stores – and I look forward to seeing how it benefits us all.

3D Printing News Briefs: March 16, 2019

We’re starting with 3D software and medical 3D printing in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, and then moving on to stories about some cool 3D printed projects. Sinterit has updated the software for its SLS 3D printers, and Deutsche Bahn is increasing efficiency with software solutions by 3YOURMIND. Medical 3D printing is on the rise in Sri Lanka. A designer whose work we’ve previously covered used Carbon technology to 3D print a unique pair of heeled shoes, and an Indian company used 3D printing to reduce the production time for a 6 ft superhero.

Sinterit Releases New Software Update

Desktop SLS 3D printer manufacturer Sinterit just released a new update for its Studio software, which all Lisa and Lisa Pro 3D printer users will now be able to access for a better consumer experience. The update gives these users a lot of positive changes, including more detailed and precise 3D printing with its PA11 Onyx and TPU Flexa materials and optimized slicing, which makes it easier and faster to manipulate models, while also using less RAM.

Sinterit has also made it possible to stream video via WiFi from its 3D printers’ cameras, so users can keep an eye on their prints remotely. In addition, the 3D printers now have an easier step-by-step guide on the screen to make the startup procedure smoother, and a new “About” button on the menu is helpful for optimized model preparation inside Sinterit Studio.

Deutsche Bahn Using 3YOURMIND Software Solutions

German railway company Deutsche Bahn (DB) has been working hard over the last five years to continue developing its 3D printing division. Now, DB has joined industrial 3D printing software solutions provider 3YOURMIND in a strategic partnership in order to increase the efficiency of its 3D printing processes, and also determine possible 3D printing applications from around its company in order to assemble a digital spare parts warehouse. The Berlin-based company’s software platforms allow customers to exploit 3D printing potential with digital workflows, and 3YOURMIND supports DB’s ambition to expand its own additive manufacturing reach.

3YOURMIND’s software will give DB employees access to a simple digital interface so they’re able to quickly submit new ideas for 3D printable parts based on applications they encounter every day. Then, the platform provides an analysis and identifies uses cases with the highest production potential, before DB experts shine a spotlight on the employees and choose the best projects to send into production.

Medical 3D Printing in Sri Lanka

According to Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, the Health Minister for the South Asian island of Sri Lanka, 3D printing for health applications will now be available for the first time in the country beginning this month at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL). Minister Senaratne made this announcement in Colombo – the country’s largest city – at the 26th Annual Scientific sessions of the College of Medical Administrators, stating that doctors can provide more personalized care by using modern technology like 3D printing.

In conjunction with this announcement, RCS2 Technologies, the country’s sole 3D printer manufacturer with its Thrimána line, will be working with the country’s Ministry of Health to start up a 3D printed prosthetic manufacturing project.

3D Printed Generative Heels

Talented designer Masaharu Ono, currently working for Japan’s DiGITAL ARTISAN.inc, is well-known for his creative 3D printed projects in both the fashion and technology worlds. Now he’s back in the fashion world with a 3D printed pair of high heels that you’ve got to see to believe. On the artisanal project “Generative Heel – Formless” for DiGITAL ARTISAN, Ono worked with casting company Castem, chemical manufacturer JSR, and 3D printing company Carbon to create the sky-high heels.

“This is concept model for mass customization, but I just getting ready, I will sell it as soon as possible,” Ono told 3DPrint.com.

3D Printed Window Spiderman

An Indian manufacturing company by the name of STPL3D received an unusual order from a traditional fine arts manufacturer: an extremely detailed, 6-foot Spiderman sculpture for the opening of a new entertainment store. Typically, a project like this would take closer to two months, but STPL3D’s given deadline was just one week away. Using 3D printing, the company was able to complete it in just four days, which helped lower the cost and weight of the sculpture as well. Digital sculpting was used to modify an open source file to better fit the client’s needs.

“Our production team wanted to take full advantage of our array of 15 FDM machines so we could finish the project before the timeline, so we divided the 6 ft* 4 ft sculpture into 20 parts, then our post-processing team assembled the spiderman in 6-7 hours with plastic welding and glue to bring it in real shape that was required by the client,” Hardik Prajapati of STPL3D told 3DPrint.com.

“Post processing is always fun and all about teamwork. Our artistic and post-processing team played a major role in finishing the project that had matched our client’s expectation.”

Discuss these stories and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com or share your thoughts in the Facebook comments below.

TextileLab and Fabricademy: Interview with Anastasia Pistofidou on Sustainably 3D Printing Fashion.

Fashion and sustainability are two words that feel as antonyms nowadays. The mass production of clothing and ethically doubtful methods of manufacture give one of the biggest economic forces one of the top rankings of the most polluting sectors. This creates a negative social influence and climatic impact that makes obvious the need for a change to make fashion great again. This issue is not new and many people are working towards a better future. And although the changes come slowly, the mentality and so with it the industry is moving towards a healthier direction.

Picture of a 3D printer printing a sample

3D printing on textiles, one of the innovative methods in fashion industry. 3D printer at Fabricademy. Credit: Anastasia Pistofidou

One of those people who believe in the need for a change in fashion is Anastasia Pistofidou. She is a Greek architect specialized in digital fabrication technologies. Based in Barcelona, currently works as director of the FabTextile research lab and Fabricademy, a new textile and technology academy. The FabTextile project offers an “Open sourcing fashion production for a global innovation ecosystem.”. It is a research platform that seeks a new approach in the fashion industry through the use of technologies as 3D printing or CNC milling.

Taken for FabTextile website:

In Fab Textiles we are developing and implementing a new approach on to how create, produce and distribute fashion elements, by using distributed manufacturing infrastructures and knowledge networks. Fab Textiles offers a cross-disciplinary education and research platform, where production and culture through advanced technologies are making impact in the way we think and act towards the fashion industry.

3D printed top. Credit: Anastasia Pistofidou

As we have mentioned in other posts, the use of 3D printing in the textile sector is opening a new scope that is oriented towards improving the present landscape of fashion. Although we are still making baby steps before we graduate to major achievements, there are some interesting ways that 3D printing can add to fashion. Some of the positive things 3D printing could bring this field is the possibility of creating tailored garments that waste less material. The capacity to produce locally and improve distribution systems, saving transportation costs and pollution are other benefits. Also, the idea of open source fashion is quite interesting and could shift the way we design clothes, enhancing the customization of pieces to fit personal needs while making fashion more of a collective endeavor.

We asked Anastasia some questions in order to learn more.

Which 3D printers do you use?

We use various 3D printers using FDM technology, mainly BCN and Prusa.

What materials can you print?

We can print in TPU, PLA, Filaflex, nylon.

How would I work with you if I was a fashion designer?

You can make your sketches and patterns in paper and we can 3D model and 3D print them.

Why is what you do important?

Because it is a completely new production process and it used 3D models that are digital and not physical patterns on paper. you can also design directly in 3D, not necessarily in a flat pattern. You can send your 3D file anywhere to be printed, without having to ship garments

What is the added value?

Distributed production, collaborative production, self making, self sustenance.

What are you adding to the 3d printing & fashion world?

Techniques, tutorials, educational material, methodologies, products as showcase, artistic pieces.

Can you actually wear the garments?

Yes, you can.

Can you clean it in a washing machine?

Washing machines may change as well, imagine cleaning your garments as you are cleaning a table, it will be different cleaning method.

3D printed top. Credit: Anastasia Pistofidou

A Look Into Some Movies That Have Used 3D Printed Props

Since the 1990’s 3D technology has gone hand in hand with the film spurned by the with the growth of special effects. CGI has become commonplace in movies and is used to create designs of characters, creatures, objects, explosions, planets, entire universes even. But movies are not just CGI. Props are an important part of filmmaking which help sets and even characters come to life. There is no doubt that the use of 3D printers in the film industry is becoming more promising: producers, filmmakers, propmakers and costume designers are lately utilizing 3D printers to save time and money while creating astonishing effects for us to enjoy.

Mixing real objects, accessories, and costumes with CGI is essential to get optimum results, but it means that studios and investors need more and more money, and making films has become very expensive. 3D printing can in these cases be used both to augment special effects, create inexpensive props, be used for stop motion and generally can be used to save costs.

During the last couple of years 3D printed props, models and costumes made their appearance in movies. One of these movies even won an Oscar last weekend for Best Costume Design while another won an Oscar for best special effects. Here are some of the most interesting uses of 3D printin in the movies:

First Man (2018)

Image provided by BigRep

First Man is a biographical drama film directed by Damien Chazelle and written by Josh Singer. The film is based on the book “First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong” by James R. Hansen. The film follows the years leading up to the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon in 1969, and to bring this to life, 3D printers were used.

First Man’s production designer Nathan Crowley came across a BigRep 3D printer printing a chair while strolling through the Brooklyn Navy Yard during the shoot for The Greatest Showman in the fall of 2016. He did not get to use a 3D printer for said movie, but he was sure he wanted to for his next movie.

Image provided by BigRep

For First Man, Crowley rented two BigRep One 3D printers to create an accurate scale replica of the Apollo 11 capsule and Saturn V rocket, along with other crucial props, in less than six months. Although the crew already had some experience with 3D printing, BigRep One was nothing compared to what they have used before, thus BigRep’s senior 3D printing specialist Michael David helped the crew with the installation and training. You can read more about it here.

Black Panther (2018)

Black Panther is a superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it tells the story about T’Challa who is crowned king of Wakanda following his father’s death, but his sovereignty is challenged by an adversary who plans to abandon the country’s isolationist policies and begin a global revolution. Black Panther has recently won an Oscar for Best Costume Design for Ruth Carter’s amazing work.

Photo: Kwaku Alston

The movie takes place in a technologically advanced environment with several futuristic gadgets, therefore, it was important that costumes reflected that aesthetic. Carter, in charge of the movie’s costume design, created a series of sketches, illustrations, and digital patterns. To bring them to life, Julia Koerner, an inter-disciplinary designer specialized in 3D printed wearables helped Carter. Koerner collaborated with Materialise, a Belgian 3D printing company, on creating a collection of cutting-edge accessories fit for Queen Ramonda played by actress Angela Bassett.

Jurassic World (2015)

From the classic Jurassic Park film series, Jurassic World is a science fiction adventure film directed by Colin Trevorrow and written by Derek Connolly. The movie takes place 22 years after the events of Jurassic Park, in the fictional Central American island of Isla Nublar, where a theme park of cloned dinosaurs has operated for nearly a decade.

Jurassic World got closer to reality thanks to 3D printing. The team used 3D scanning and 3D printing to create replicas of prehistoric artifacts by 3D scanning original bones and fossils and to help them create 3D printable models.

Source: 3D World Magazine Issue #182

Thanks to 3D printers, the team had the chance to print dinosaur skeletons. By doing some modification on their 3D files, they were able to create males, females, and adolescents. Additive manufacturing gave them a lot of freedom to adjust the design of dinosaurs to make them look as realistic as possible.

Chase Me (2015)

Chase Me is a 3D printed film created by the French digital artist Gilles-Alexandre Deschaud. The short film was entirely made from 3D printed parts. The story begins with a girl playing the ukulele as she walks through a magical forest. As she walks, her shadow evolves into a monster that chases her through the woods. Every frame of the film was first designed by the artist in CG and later processed into 3D prints.

This short animated film took a total of two years to make, ten months of nonstop 3D printing, four months of CG animation, and 2,500 3D printed pieces. The set and characters were printed in 100 micron resolution, and bigger pieces, like the tree in the forest, were printed in 22 individual parts and later assembled.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a space opera film produced, co-written and directed by J. J. Abrams. The Force Awakens is set 30 years after Return of the Jedi, the film follows Rey, Finn, and Poe Dameron’s search for Luke Skywalker and their fight alongside the Resistance, led by General Leia Organa and veterans of the Rebel Alliance, against Kylo Ren and the First Order, a successor to the Galactic Empire.

A lot of props and costumes have been 3D printed for this Star Wars movie and all of them were created under the supervision of practical special effects and costume design Michael Kaplan. The famous Stormtroopers helmet, large portions of the shiny chrome Stormtrooper armor, Kylo Ren’s red lightsaber, and some parts of C3PO have been manufactured using 3D printers. The main advantage of using 3D printers was that this manufacturing technique allowed the movie to get props quite quickly and with great accuracy.

ParaNorman (2012)

ParaNorman is a stop-motion animated comedy horror film produced by Laika and Directed by Sam Fell and Chris Butler. It is the first stop-motion film to use a 3D color printer to create character faces, and only the second to be shot in 3D. The film tells the story about Norman, a young boy who can communicate with ghosts, is given the task of ending a 300 year-old witch’s curse on his Massachusetts town.

The team that worked on this movie wanted to create various facial emotions for the same character. To do this, they used 3D printers to create all the faces with different facial emotions. Norman was then capable of 1.5 million expressions. For the 27 characters with 3D printed faces, the rapid-prototyping department output 31,000 parts, which they were stored and cataloged in a face library. One 27-second shot required 250 different faces for a single character, so each face was marked by tiny fissures where the components fit together. Later on, a “seam team” removes the fine lines in postproduction.

[Sources: ChaseMeFilm, Variety, PopularMechanics]

The Future of 3D Printing and Fashion Design Through the Eyes of LabeledBy

LabeledBy is a design studio based in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. They work in fashion and their area of expertise is research and technology development. Their products range goes from technological textiles to innovative couture. As engineers with master degrees from the Technical University of Eindhoven, they are able to explore the future of fashion and adapt innovative methods to fashion design that bring the craft of clothing forward.

Jessica Joosse, co-owner of LabeledBy

In their own words, here is their mission:

We strive for a personalised, localised and sustainable fashion industry. Therefore it is our mission is to transform the fashion industry through innovation and technology. We develop new textiles that are relevant for a diverse range of applications, and research alternative digital manufacturing systems for textiles and garments. These systems have the ability to automate labor intensive and dangerous processes, improving worker safety and wellbeing. Next to that, these digital manufacturing systems encourage on demand and personalised production of garments, resulting in less waste and more value for the customer.

Picture of a detail of a 3D printed pattern

Detail of a 3D printed pattern on textile

The use of 3D printing in fashion is creating an optimistic path towards the future of textile and clothing. What is presented nowadays as exclusive showpieces could be a possibility at hand for everybody in the future. As one of the most important features of 3D printing, the possibility of have a personalised garment that fits each body perfectly by being unique makes us impatient to see the future of fashion design.

LabeledBy is a studio that has placed its bet in this direction. They offer a future-oriented service of trend research, textile development as well as the making of exclusive showpieces. With an in-house production, they have the possibility of personalise each project and develop it in terms of manufacturing techniques and material. They work with a 3D printer that prints directly on textile, being able to create form small samples to big garments. Starting with an Ultimaker that they then modified the team is now continuing to develop their own print methods.

Garment made by LabeledBy

Picture of a detail sample mady by labeledby

Detail of textile. Image by Jessica Joosse.

I reached out to LabeledBy to interview Fabienne van der Weiden and Jessica Joosse on their chosen craft.

How does your 3D printer work?

The principle of the 3D printer is comparable with an FDM printer, however, it is redesigned and optimised for 3D printing garments and textiles.

What materials can it print?

The printer prints all the materials (filaments) currently available on the market. We are constantly tweaking the machine so it can also print with more experimental and biodegradable materials.

How would I work with you if I was a fashion designer?

With our manufacturing technique, the sky’s the limit in terms of design and materials! Fashion designers can make use of our pre-developed textiles or can collaborate with us to develop new textiles which will be implemented in the final design that can be printed on our 3D printer.

Why is what you do important?

FashionTech is there to explore and form the future, in anticipation of current society and its culture. By implementing technology in fashion we can make clothes on the edge of the existing framework and approach the state of the art from unknown perspectives. By doing this, we are able to create a culture in which society is encouraged to discuss the future of the fashion industry.

What is the added value of what you do?

We believe that fashion is not only perceived as functional, it also has the ability to show someone’s identity. Therefore garments could become much more personal, both in fit as in expression. Using technology during the process of creating a garment gives us the possibility of making the garment more personal and unique.

What are you adding to the 3D printing & fashion world?

The combination of digital generated personalized patterns (through for example AI) and digital manufacturing techniques gives us the possibility of easily changing the design of each garment without additional costs or long setup time. This gives fashion designers and fashion brands the possibility to efficiently adapt and personalize their garments to the fast-changing needs of their customers. We actually believe that this can give the fashion industry a lot of freedom and benefits when applied correctly!

What do you think about the future of 3Dprinting & fashion?

We believe strongly that consumers’ search for unique and sustainable consumption experiences will gradually drive the emergence of a different paradigm. Such a paradigm will require new technologies for consumer-driven design, new production methods for flexible, efficient and local on-demand production down to lot size one. And of course a seamless network of designers with different fields of expertise, working with these new technologies in an open-source community. We are excited for the future of fashion!

Can you actually wear the garments? Can you clean them in a washing machine?

Absolutely! Check our Instagram. Currently, our garments are worn by performers and artists. Yes, that’s not a problem! We use materials that are suitable to wash in a regular washing machine.

Personally, I do believe that 3D printing has a lot to offer the fashion world. Given my experience with developing 3D printing filaments as an engineer, I’m skeptical about the real-life wear and washability of 3D printed garments today. But, I’m sure that motivated people like Fabienne & Jessica will get us there in the end. We are at the beginning of a long path whose end requires a creative mind to foresee. The difficulties are in imagining a future of 3D printing in fashion which itself creates new aesthetics that still feel futuristic to us. As a designer, this idea of new aesthetic tinkles my mind. I’m excited to see the work of studios like LabeledBy which help us to envision the future of 3D printing and fashion through their dedication.

St. Catherine University: Researching Designers Work to 3D Print Fashions with Zero Waste

3D printing has allowed fashion designers all over the world to take their talents to new levels, whether in creating new 3D knitting processes, biodegradable clothing, maternity wear, and so much more. Now, St. Catherine University researchers Anupama Pasricha and Rachel Greeninger have published new findings regarding 3D printed fashion in ‘Exploration of 3D printing to create zero-waste sustainable fashion notions and jewelry.’

The research duo explored the sustainability of zero-waste application in 3D printing using a variety of different modeling tools, including Rhinoceros 5 and Tinkercad, 3D printing on a MakerBot Replicator 2. While most studies have focused on materials and hardware research, this data reflects a new concern in making efforts to reduce waste—and to further disrupt an already disruptive technology.

One of the main ways the researchers were able to reduce waste was in the obvious: cutting back on or eliminating the extra material found in rafts and support. The authors state that, according to the Zero-waste International Alliance, zero waste is a philosophy dependent on:

“… designing and managing products and processes to systematically avoid and eliminate the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them.”

In discussing the revolutionary aspects of 3D printing on the world and industry in particular, Pasricha and Greeninger see this technology as also having the potential to ‘redefine the ready-to-wear fashion industry,’ using bold designers like Iris van Herpen as an example. The study focuses mainly on whether 3D printed fashion is a sustainable ideal, minimizing waste while still fabricating customized, wearer-specific fashions.

They also state that Fair Trade plastic could play a part in such endeavors, especially via ethical filament standards created by material scientists like Joshua Pearce. And while many of the fashions—especially some of the more outrageous haute couture—may seem completely unrealistic, the medium continues to develop more for the average consumer, especially as designers begin to explore more 3D printing in connection with different types of conventional cloth, and even creating smart products. Fabrication of jewelry is a growing trend too, and many different companies are producing innovative rings, bracelets, and more in custom 3D printed jewelry lines.

Footwear manufacturers have targeted 3D printing heavily in recent years, with companies like Nike and Adidas exploring the epic customization techniques suddenly becoming available as they outfit athletes and the general public too. The researchers state—and of course, this is true for everyone except for the most tech savvy—learning to 3D print apparel and accessories with 3D printing is not easy and there is a steep learning curve. The ability to make rapid prototypes is a huge advantage for many designers, but especially those engaging in fashion—and prototyping offers potential for reducing waste as 3D printing allows for easy digital editing.

‘Zero waste’ is not a common topic, however. To shed more light on sustainability in fashion, the researchers (denoting themselves as Researcher A and Researcher B) each took a unique and creative approach, making both clothing and jewelry with minimized waste. Researcher A 3D printed Design 1 Ensemble made up of a cape and eight customized buttons. Researcher B made five necklace pendants and two pairs of earrings in Design 2 Ensemble.

“Their designs emerged from exploring design as well as 3D modelling software in creating unique shapes and structures ensuring durability and zero-waste and using minimum plastic,” states the research paper. “Respecting the principle of sustainability, the researchers abstained from buying new colors of materials utilizing those already available at their institution.”

The designers used PLA in white, clear, and blue, 3D printing on the MakerBot 2 with settings conducive to reducing waste in output.

“In their creative design as research method, the researchers hoped to develop a 3D process for building fashion notions and jewelry that yielded zero-waste. To that end, following a steep learning curve facilitated by Lynda.com tutorials, as well as several trial runs on the CAD-based tools, 3D modeling MakerBot software, and the 3D printer platform, the researchers developed expertise in design and design strategies,” states the research paper. “During the learning process, researchers were able to identify limitations and create desired shapes without waste.”

3D Printed buttons attached on a cape (white PLA filament)

In the cape design Researcher A used 95 percent of the fabric allowed for the project, sewing and piecing together material to eliminate waste.

“The front was adorned with customized zero-waste 3D printed buttons to complement the fabric design. Two fabric-covered snaps were applied to create the closure. The raw edges were finished with a 3/8th” fringe for the hem and collar and a blanket stitch for the placket using yarns extracted from the fabric.”

Designer 2 created jewelry designs in pendant form, finishing them with gold paint to imbue the pieces with a metallic sheen. The researchers point out that this work would have only been possible with the Rhinoceros 5 modeling tool (something we’re a bit sceptical about).

“Researcher B developed intermediate skills in designing and printing in 3D,” states the data. “These designs can also be refined in terms of sustainability by exploring layer height, printing speed and quality, infill, number of shells, and extruder temperature.”

a Jewelry pendant design 1(blue color PLA filament). b Jewelry pendant design 1 with earrings. c Zoomed view of jewelry pendant design 1

The project is inspiring due to the creativity in new fashion, but also because they were able to reduce waste significantly, and especially as they learned to fabricate without the use of rafts (also called brim, rafts and skirts). Recommendations for the future involve exploring materials other than PLA as it may not be able to hold up to the rigors of being washed.

The authors conclude by stating that ‘further strategies to develop critical viewpoint to expand the sustainability attribute and its application through divergent, 3D design thinking, including choice of philosophy, materials and equipment will shape new narratives of 3D printing and zero-waste, sustainable fashion.’

What do you think of this news? Let us know your thoughts! Join the discussion of this and other 3D printing topics at 3DPrintBoard.com.

[Source / Images: ‘Exploration of 3D printing to create zero-waste sustainable fashion notions and jewelry’]