New Textiles 2012

For the 3D textile assignment I wanted to use the new MakerBot Replicator 3D printer that we just got for our research group. This machine can print with two colors so there is great potential of printing patterns with colors. The challenge is to design a 3D printed textile without support material (actually there is an option to use support material instead of one of the colors but then you can print with only one color and it is less interesting). I was trying to get the printer print “on air” and have the extruded plastic suspended between two points. Unfortunately, the machine is not working perfectly and I had a lot of trouble getting the first layer of plastic to stick to the heated platform.
This is a pattern that I was able to get from the printer:

After I gave up on the replicator I made another design for 3D printed fabric. This time I designed it for the Dimension 3D printer in the CBA shop.I designed a pattern with support material.
The concept is small balls that can be printed in different dressmaking patterns. The balls are closed and integrated inside each other but the ball on the edge have a small gap. This gap can be used to connect another sheet of printed fabric and construct a garment. Instead of sewing, you can create your shirt by clicking pieces of printed fabric.