3D
3d Printing In Ceramic!
I’m looking forward to working with Solheim Rapid Prototyping/ Rapid Manufacturing Lab at the University of Washington’s Mechanical Engineering Department, collaborating and certainly want to add their process to the new book that I intend to write, my articles and a lecture. I love seeing video and am certainly glad that this was created. I will be trying to contact them on their process and new technology and will be sure to let you know what comes from that.
I’m A Genius! 3D Printing Of The Human Organs?
I’m a genius, or maybe my brain just thinks such radical thoughts that now and again I think like a genius. For those of you who don’t know, my graduate study at Goddard College consists of research that bridges the gap between the traditional studio and new technology. For a sculptor, such as myself, this technology is based on something that I call tradigi sculpting which utilizes both traditional and digital means to create artwork. My research is evaluating digital milling. Digital milling is taking my artwork, scanning it and then enlarging or reducing it to be milled out in foam, wood or stone. Digital printing is another resource and a technology that is quickly growing and changing. It is when a computer and a digital printing machine slowly prints, layer by layer, in 3d. What you end up with is a physical object. Yes, I know it sounds like the replicating machines on Star Trek, but this is not science fiction.
Recently I uncovered the work of both Sebastien Dion from the Center for Applied Technology at Bowling Green University in Ohio and Solheim Rapid Manufacturing Laboratory at the University of Washington in Seattle. Both have been researching and printing in ceramic. Solheim has even printed their ceramic “recipe” in the Ceramic Arts Daily, February 1, 2009, article “The Printed Pot.”
As my research continues, I thought, “It appears that 3D digital printing is all about having the right “recipe”. It is just coming up with the correct binder and the correct material to fuse.” This is where my brain started to go into genius mode and my research landed on what I’m about to share. I know that Science is using 3D printing to help them visualize scientific data. For example space physics simulations or molecular models that help scientists visualize proteins. This allows scientists a way to examine information in a physical way that has never been available to them prior to 3D printing.
Science is also using 3D printing to print a medical implant that fits perfectly with a patient. The reason is that it is created from MRI scan data of a patient. ) Surgeons can also use 3D printing to help them with their surgeries. By having the physical replica of a patient they can practice surgery or see complications. 3D prints are also used in education. How about printing skin in a 3D digital printer? Just think what this would mean to a burn victim. Or how about replicating a bone with 3d printing? And doing so out of bone material to replace a patient’s own shattered bone? Because our bodies are symmetrical a left arm bone could be recreated by using images of the right arm.
If all of this technology and 3D printing is not fascinating enough, I thought, “If it takes just the right binder and recipe, is it possible to print organs?” I was afraid to even say it out loud to my husband, a medical illustrator, who I knew would at least hear my crazy idea and not laugh too hard. But with further research, I turned out not to be so mad after all. Indeed 3D organ printing is happening or at least being studied. Here are some journal articles and videos to prove it. This is absolutely fascinating! Just check out the video with Dr. Gabor Forgacs, University of Missouri-Columbia. He talks about how the bio printer prints out living cell clusters drop by drop that fuse together to create tissue structures. Have a damaged organ? One day they will be able print out the organ needed and do it using your cells! Perhaps the printer will print within your own body cavity. Yes, there is still some headway to be made with this technology, but the technology is here and on it’s way. My crazy thinking is actually genius!
by Bridgette Mongeon
https://creativesculpture.com
At and Technology Podcasts coming April/May 2010
If you would like to use this article on your website you may. Please include the authors name and URL.
3d Printing In Sand And Metal!
I was invited by Bob wood to the proMetal shop here in Houston. We have another engagement for Bob to come to the studio as soon as my schedule frees up a bit.
I was thrilled to be able to see the process of printing in sand. Yes, there you have it… 3D printing in sand! As usual this technology was first developed for manufacturing as you see by this casting of this fly wheel thing.
I’m also putting some pictures up of their 3D digital printing in metal. This is another part of of the company. The skull was created that way. Yes, they say they can print in bronze or gold! I’ll be describing this process in an up and coming book.
The sand is like the investment cast on the mold. and it is printed in this huge machine that Bob Wood and I are standing in front of. If this process can be perfected to get smooth surfaces it can really take over the investment casting of bronze casting. The lost wax method would literally be history, and there would be no more storing all of those molds! YEAH TO THAT! plus once the art is computerized it could be made to fit piece to piece. In other words, the seams would be put together like a puzzle. in the computer aiding in the welding together. So cool. The possibilities of this are incredible.
I have to get through the Mudbox book first. But am chomping at the bit about starting this other book. It will cover all of the new technology of output from the computer, as well as getting items into the computer— Digital scanning. So excited!
Working On Another 3D Presentation
I have not received permission to blog about this little boy, I will say this. I am trying to create a 3D model and work with some sketches of a little boy. He is so adorable. This project is different from Jenna in that the child may not be created life size, but instead we are considering smaller child and as part of his headstone. If I am given permission to post I will. Please remember that working on a 3D model is new to me and I am just learning.
Finding a boy the correct size. This young boy is about 2 1/2. Bigger than my baby and not quite a little boy. That means I take either the baby and scale it up, or the little boy and scale it down. As we all know you cannot take a 6 year old and reduce them by a certain percentage and get a 2 1/2 year old. So either using the baby or the little boy I will be looking at the body parts and modeling them a bit differently to accommodate for a 2 1/2 year old child.
If you remember I am working from created models. I thought you might like to see what is available.For Jenna I used millennium baby from Daz 3D. I had ordered Baby moves, for Jenna, which has different poses. Once again it is much easier to take a pose and modify it to be what you want than to pose each limb and joint. I have opted for modifying the millennium baby instead of using a older 6 year old. I had also ordered moonbaby giving me options of clothes.
I feel like I am fumbling around in the computer trying to do this. But knowing how much it helped with Jenna I am determined.