Precious metal 3D printing with materials like Sterling Silver takes design and production to the next level, allowing for smoother surfaces and options like additional polishing. Professional finishes are available to showcase intricate details. Sterling Silver for 3D printing is softer and becomes even more malleable for 3D printing designs with thinner structures, like rings.

3D Print Silver with Wax Casting

Wax casting has been in use since ancient times. Known by several different names such as Lost Wax Casting, Investment Casting, and Precision Casting, this technique requires expertise, sophisticated tools, and high-quality materials. 

At Shapeways, Wax Casting is accompanied by 3D printing to make patterns for building molds. Sprues are added so precious metals like Sterling Silver can flow through. Simultaneously, the wax melts and drains, and the metal structure inside the mold solidifies for easy removal. The benefits of Wax Casting include:

• The ability to make innovative products, impossible via conventional manufacturing.
• The ability to make complex shapes with built-in intricacies like interlocking parts.
• Availability of superior choices for finishing.

Use Case – Sterling Silver Bracelets

Designers experience vast opportunities for customization at Shapeways, especially in using metal additive manufacturing and Wax Casting. Shapeways customers use a variety of materials for designing jewelry, and they may perform rapid prototyping and end-use manufacturing with the same materials. Other customers may enjoy all the benefits of one material for a line of products and then move on to a precious metal like Sterling Silver when developing luxury jewelry. This was the case for longtime Shapeways designers Groen and Boothman, an industrial design duo who continue to innovate and try new 3D printing materials and technology. 

For their Elements series, Groen and Boothman turned to cast silver for the Water and Cosmic bangle bracelet series, featuring a clasp mechanism and hinge (developed into two segments for simplicity in manufacturing and assembly).

“With 3D printing, you can engineer things so precisely that you can integrate a near-invisible, complex hinge mechanism, also under an angle, with an unprecedented level of sophistication,” said Hanno Groen.

Groen and Boothman added a handcrafted, ultra-polished touch, lending to the exclusivity of the jewelry which they described as offering ‘effects in silver that sparkle and captivate like precious stones.’ Download the case study to find out more about 3D printing with silver.

Finishes and Design Guidelines for 3D Printed Sterling Silver

Shapeways Sterling Silver (92.5% silver) 3D printing material is a high quality silver alloy commonly used in jewelry and other skin-safe applications. 3D printed Silver is skin-friendly, heat-proof up to 850°C/1562°F, and offers good electrical conductivity. 

Sterling Silver finishes include:

Natural Finish

3D print Silver with light polishing for a somewhat rough surface with a matte finish.

Polished Finish

3D print Silver for a hand-polished finish, and a smooth, shiny surface.

Fine-Detail Polished Finish

Extensive polishing of 3D printed Silver extends to intricate details, resulting in a very shiny surface. Note that extra polishing will remove more material, so some details could be lost in the process.

Antique Finish

Recessed details are blackened for a unique, antique look.

Bounding Box Requirements

The bounding box is a 3D imaginary outline of a box that encloses the smallest area occupied by your model. Your model must be within the minimum and maximum bounding box sizes. If the size of the model is close to the maximum bounding box, then the printing orientation will be restricted.

• Bounding Box Minimum
  • 2.4 x 2.4 x 0.6 mm
• Bounding Box Maximum
  • 89 x 89 x 100 mm
  • 75 x 75 x 40 mm (for interlocking parts)

About Shapeways

Enjoy the benefits of this advanced technology and a wide range of materials from Shapeways for 3D printing your creations with accuracy, complex detail, and no minimum or limits in terms of mass customization or single part orders. Shapeways has worked with over 1 million customers in 160 countries to 3D print over 21 million parts! Read about case studies, find out more about Shapeways additive manufacturing solutions, and get instant quotes here.

The post 3D Printing Materials Spotlight: Sterling Silver appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Beginning in the 1980s but greatly lauded in more recent years thanks to a patent filed by Chuck Hull (the founder of 3D Systems) in 1986, 3D printing began as a rapid prototyping tool, relying on stereolithography for printing nearly any object layer by layer, and curing it with UV light. Despite many new techniques created throughout the years—accompanied by a stunning and highly commercialized array of hardware, software, and materials—SLA has continued to be popular with savvy users due to its accuracy and potential for use with advanced materials. Fused deposition modeling (FDM) has become most ubiquitous, although many users rely on other forms of 3D printing like selective laser sintering (SLS), digital light processing (DLP), metal binder jetting, and more.

3D printing is extremely impressive in its versatility, allowing for significant impacts to be made in nearly any area of production, but especially the industrial realm. Here, we are going to examine some of the most critical areas, along with a couple that may surprise you:

Aerospace – Metal 3D printing has begun to dominate digital fabrication within the aerospace industry, as functional parts are being made with a variety of different strong and durable metals (and metal alloys) that result in substantial yet lightweight components. Companies such as Boeing have included hundreds of 3D printed parts in aircraft over the past few years, while NASA continues to use metal for engine parts. Evidence of the faith entrusted in this relatively new technology is inspiring as safety and strength are obvious top priorities in such applications, especially when human lives are involved.

Even more interesting, 3D printing is continually highlighted for new concepts for building space habitats using regolith (space dirt, whether from the Moon or perhaps Mars) and complex robots, as well as being used for designing astronaut suits and gear and other helpful tools. Bioprinting in space has even made headlines as research is performed in zero and microgravity, and methods may become available for astronauts to perform complex first aid on their own, including basic forms of tissue engineering.

Transportation – while the automotive industry has predominantly been a proponent of 3D printing, other industries like railways are beginning to grasp the power of a technology that allows them to 3D scan parts that may be obsolete but can be printed within hours and used in older trains as well as allowing for refinements that may now be necessary, and possible. This saves hours—or even exorbitant amounts of time—that may have previously been necessary for tracking down parts no longer in production and rarely sold anymore.  Engineers designing components for automotive and railways, while using a variety of different polymers for interior parts, tend to lean toward metal 3D printing.

Medical – this is one of the industries where you will see the greatest versatility in uses for 3D printing. Beginning with the use of 3D printed medical models—made from a wide variety of materials, to include brittle textures like sandstone—doctors are able to diagnose what may be complex conditions. For example, a surgeon may be able to explore a brain tumor in much more comprehensive detail, as well as coming up with a patient-specific treatment plan to include surgery.

In some cases, doctors may be performing surgeries that are rare or have never been done before. These models can be used as training devices, as well as guides in the operating room. Beyond that, 3D printed models can offer improved education for patients as well as their families. Medical students are also provided with much greater availability for training, rather than having to wait for cadavers or other materials.

Fashion – for the world of art and design, technology like 3D printing gives users access to a treasure trove full of options. From haute couture to everyday wear—and from high heels to comfortable flats or running shoes, 3D printing has played an interesting role in clothing and footwear. Jewelry makers have received an incredible boon as well, especially in working with polymers, resin, metal, and wax casting. Consumers are able to buy incredibly unique pieces today—even including valuables like wedding rings.

Orthotics and prosthetics – while technically, these types of devices would be considered part of the medical industry, the development of orthotics and especially prosthetics has taken on a life of their own, brining true joy to countless individuals who previously dealt with ongoing pain and continued hassle in finding the right fit for better mobility. 3D printed orthotics allow for customized devices that improve foot health, comfort, and walking. With the ability to create them in just hours, patients now have both access and affordability to patient-specific devices.

In terms of prosthetics, this can be incredibly valuable to patients, and especially children. Even though prosthetics can improve patients’ quality of life substantially, it can often be challenging to convince patients to wear such devices. Children in particular may be susceptible to worrying about what their peers will say. The use of 3D printing technology enables a wide range of customization features that can be tailored to the preferences of each patient. With a variety of colors and styles available these days, a replacement limb can be made with individual flair (think superhero designs for children or even adults) for added appeal. Most importantly, they can be produced quickly and at a fraction of the price companies charge for conventional devices.

If you are currently working in an industry that is beginning to use 3D printing, or has been enjoying the advantages for years already, find out more about the materials and services available to you through Shapeways whether you are creating prototypes or functional parts. We can help you find the right materials and manufacturing method for your latest project, along with offering instant quotes.

The post From Rockets to Running Shoes: 3D Printing Impacts Nearly Every Industry appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

What is 3D Knitting?

3D knitting overall has different definitions. The most broad would be that it is digitized knitting. You send a file into a program, and the machine knits the information. It’s the computerized version of punch cards used on manual knitting machines. The result of digitization is that you can easily create complex designs with different yarns simultaneously. What many have found to be the biggest advantage of 3D knitting is that it lowers the cost of creating individualized knits. This technique also enables people to use 3D scans of their bodies to create clothing that is individually tailored.

There are a few industrial knitting machines out there specifically designed for 3D knitting. Shima Seiki’s Wholegarment machine, which has four needle beds, is capable of knitting entire garments without any seams or need for finishing. Not only does that technology save the time and labor cost needed to sew the seam, it also improves comfort and wearability–all because of 3D knitting. Take a look at the finished product, sold by Ministry of Supply.

Courtesy Ministry of Supply

3D Knitting Uses and Applications

3D knitting is commonly used for running shoes, and has been popularized particularly by Nike’s Flyknit sneakers. The entire knit body of the shoe is manufactured in one piece and being a fully knit textile, there is no need for traditional eyelet hardware.

Photo: IKEA PS 2017

3D knitting is also being used by IKEA to create more durable furniture with a variety of textures such as wool, linens, cottons, and more.

An OpenKnit project at work

3D printing and 3D knitting can come together in many interesting ways too; in fact, you can actually 3D print your own knitting machine–how about that for advancing 3D knitting! OpenKnit was a project started in 2014 to create an open source knitting machine that allows anyone to 3D print and assemble their own knitting machine, powered by a software interface. Making your own machine from scratch means you can customize it for whatever material you want, allowing more freedom in experimenting with wearable technology. The team behind OpenKnit has now moved on to create Kniterate, a commercial digital knitting machine.

Via Unmade

Unmade is a platform enabling users and e-commerce brands to design their own one-of-a-kind knitwear. By partnering up with factories, they allow both consumers and producers to take advantage of the customization made possible by an industrial digital knitting machine. On-demand manufacturing also reduces the waste of creating multiples of a product that may never be sold out, and that would not fit anyone perfectly. Recently they have been featured at MoMA’s exhibit, Items: Is Fashion Modern?

How 3D Printing and 3D Knitting Come Together

The world of digital 3D knitting is rapidly replacing the old world of manual knitting machines and traditional manufacturing. What do you think? Will traditional looms go the way of the steam engine, or is there a happy medium between handcrafting and digital 3D production? Let us know your thoughts on 3D knitting. Tag us on social media!!

The post 3D Knitting the Future of Customizable, Sustainable Textiles appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

We’ve also included examples of existing products from Shapeways designers below!Silver reigns supreme:

We saw lots and lots of silver accessories on the runway this season– something to keep in mind when determining which materials you want to offer designs in.

Statement necklaces:

Oversized chokers and large necklaces were prevalent at shows including Balenciaga, Valentino, Loewe, Chanel, and Balmain. This was a fun opportunity to play with larger geometric designs, crazy pendants– great inspiration for designers looking to create some more unusual signature pieces.

Dodeca Horizontal Pendant by Studio Noesis

Earnestly large statements:

From Sachin and Babi to Creatures of the Wind to Altuzarra to Tory Burch, big earrings were everywhere. Large hoop earrings to geometric shapes, we’re excited to see that loads of our designers’ products seem to be similarly inspired.

Star Coral Earrings by Coraline Jewels

Ear cuffs:

Rodarte’s models wore extremely intricate ear cuffs which seemed floral-inspired (one even featured an insect). We’ve seen a number of ear cuffs in our marketplace, so it’s definitely an accessory ripe for design experimentation.

Brass Triangles Earcuff by 3Different

Interlocking Circles:

Hellessy sent models down the runway with some beautiful earrings which were made up of metal interlocking circles. This is a perfect trend to pull inspiration from, especially since Shapeways is the only company to offer interlocking metals!

Twisted Square Earrings by ByNatalia

Off-balance:

Lots of designers (Isabel Marant, Christian Dior and Sonia Rykiel) were sending their models down the runway with asymmetrical earrings– allowing for some great variation. Other designers like Mugler, Anthony Vaccarello and Philosophy di Lorenzo Serafini, opted for the one-earring look. At Shapeways you’re able to order one earring, making it totally unnecessary to purchase a complete pair for this look.

Septum Rings:

While septum rings had a big moment last year, some made an appearance on the runway during the Monse show this NYFW. Shapeways designers have created a number of faux septum rings– a good option for people looking to try the look without committing to the actual piercing.

Septum Ring by PrimalCrafts

If you’re interested in more in-depth looks at these trends, we recommend checking out this Vogue roundup and this piece from Justine Carreon at Elle for coverage of this year’s trends.

The post 6 Fashion Trends to Design for in 2016 appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

However, the fabrics and design processes themselves have more or less stayed the same for hundreds of years. Though men no longer wear bloomers and women now don jeans and t-shirts, the fashion industry still used the antiquated practices of sketching on paper and producing with traditional fabrics from the days of petticoats– until now. Now, we are at the precipice of the “Fourth Industrial Revolution,” a period characterized by rapid change in industry as a result of new physical, digital, and biological technology.

In this new era, even fashion is keeping up with futuristic methods of manufacturing and materials, leveraging 3D-printing technology to bring innovative designs and production processes to the fashion industry. Here at Shapeways, many of our education grant recipients have created “fashion of the future” and helped to revolutionize the industry as a whole.

Alexis Walsh, an education grant recipient from our inaugural class in 2014, was able make her ground-breaking designs a reality with the help of Shapeways’ funding and technology. Walsh used Shapeways 3D printing to create her LYSIS collection, a clothing line she designed for her senior thesis at Parsons The New School for Design. She 3D printed elements of her pieces– like the neckpiece featured below– in white nylon, then sanded, dyed, and finished the piece by hand. Her work demonstrates not only the capabilities of 3D-printing in fashion during 3D production itself, but also how this art can evolve in post-production and combine with traditional materials.

Since the beginning of the Shapeways education grant program in 2014, many more of our grant recipients have gone on to create innovative fashion designs that would not be possible without 3D-printing. In Spring of 2016, a team of grant recipients from Carnegie Mellon University, designed a clothing collection incorporating 3D parametric and geometric shapes, requiring Shapeways’ additive 3D printing technology. They manipulated our nylon materials in unique ways to create a fabric-like material for some pieces, and maintained the angular nature of the nylon for others.

3D printing isn’t just changing high couture, but also the clothing we wear every day. Matthew Flail and Timothy Ganter of Philadelphia University, grant recipients from Spring of 2015, have developed a way to make customizable athletic sneaker insoles using elastomeric filaments and 3D printing. After starting to create their products on desktop 3D-printers, they realized they needed Shapeways’ industrial-sized printers to scale up their business. Once they have perfected their custom insoles for mass production, they intend to use Shapeways 3D-printing to create fully customizable sneakers from heel to toe.

These Shapeways projects are just the beginning for the future of fashion in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Universities all over the world are beginning to expand design curriculum with a focus on “Computational Fashion,” like MIT’s new minor in design, which includes lectures from Jessica Rosenkrantz, half of the duo Nervous System and designed the Kinematics Dress.

3D printing isn’t the only way the fashion industry is adapting to the future. With more research being put into biomaterials and wearable technology as a whole, from the FitBit bracelet to fabrics that can detect emotions, as well as advances in artificial intelligence, the fashion industry is sure to take the world by a storm, bringing Shapeways along for the ride.

Are you an undergraduate or grad student pushing the boundaries of 3D-printing technology? You could receive up to $1000 in Shapeways credit to realize the designs of your dreams through the Shapeways Education Grant program. Learn more about the Shapeways Education Grant and apply at https://www.shapeways.com/education.

The post Get Schooled: Featured Student Grant Recipients – Fashion appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

As the masterminds behind Shapeways shop somersault1824, Belgium designers Idoya and Luk make science look sleek. Their minimalist necklaces are perfect for channeling your inner lab geek and make for surprising, sweet gifts.

Phi pendant from somersault1824

There is more than meets the eye with Phi! This letter is the basis for the Golden Ratio, a principle frequently found math and science which can be dated back to sacred architecture and art.  Another important fact to know: Products from somersault1824  support science education. For every pendant sold, the designers invest $5 of the profit in educational resources for scientists, students and teachers with the aim to make these resources available to everyone. Read more about the cause here.

Neuron pendant from somersault1824

DNA pendant from somersault1824

If you like this double helix, you may want to experiment with spirals from other Shapeways shops.  Just don’t get it twisted!  Instead, wear the Twisted Pendant by Jaacov Molcho, one of our featured designers in Sparks Across the Globe.

We also love the pendants Antonios Bliss of Athens, Greece created. His designs reflect a modern adaptation of symbols rooted in native New Mexico.

Native America Zia Sun Symbol Jewelry Pendant from Symbolica.

Any idea what the four parts of this pendant might represent?  Here’s a hint: up to twenty different meanings can be found in total. Read more about the multifaceted design here and discover other fascinating symbols in Symbolica.

Be sure to check out other jewelry designers on Shapeways to find the symbol that suits you and explore all the beautiful options for everyday wear.

The post Symbols + Science = Jewelry Styles for All appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Whether or not you’re from Bahston Boston, these wickedly amazing cityscape rings by Shekhtwoman let you wear your city around your finger. And if you’re a transplant from another city, her collection includes major metropolitan areas around the world such as NYC, Amsterdam, Los Angeles and MORE.

Maybe your fingers can’t hold anymore bling because you’ve totally stocked up on rings that show off who YOU are. If the Rock N’ Roll hall of fame or Orioles get you excited, 3by3D has an excellent way to let you subtly show off your favorite city.

We also love her whimsical jewelry stands and wall art.  Five Bikes: Wire Wall Art is a great gift for any bike lover and also makes for an easy fix if your walls need a little sprucing up, especially if you live in Amsterdam :).

What’s your favorite city?

More by 3by3D

More by Shekhtwoman

The post America’s Most Beloved Cities, Wrapped Around Your Finger appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

1. Stock up on popular models. The best part about being a designer is the design process; it’s the ideation, the sketching, and the execution of that new piece of jewelry, getting to bring it into the physical world. That experience is especially fruitful when your design is recognized and wanted by others. However, it can become time-consuming to recreate that same piece over and over again to meet your customers’ needs.

With 3D printing, this process can be made much easier. Now, it’s possible for designers to order the base design of their jewelry pieces, only needing to apply their fine-touch stone setting or polishing techniques in post production. This saves time, and ultimately allows for more space for a designer to explore their creativity and start imagining their next pieces.

2. It requires less studio space. We’ve all been there. You graduate college, or move to a new town, and all of a sudden lose access to the tools and studio space required to keep creating. Or as a new designer you can’t afford to rent space. With 3D printing all you need to get started designing is a computer, software, and (occasionally) an internet connection. Looking for the right software to get started with? We’ve got you covered.

3. Proof of concept for complex prototypes. We all have that one idea that requires ALL the things. Maybe it requires a number of jump rings, chains and highly ornamental pendants. But it’s just a concept, and you’re not totally sure if it would work in real life. Making it in finished materials would not only be expensive, but incredibly time consuming.

Using our innovative prototyping materials, such as strong and flexible plastic, you can create interlocking, chain-like pieces with intricate details and have it 3D printed at a fraction of the cost. This also lets you vett out your designs, understanding all the small tweaks and changes you’d like to make before taking the plunge and investing in the final materials for the piece.

These are just a few ways to start thinking about using 3D printing within your handmade craft. But the ways of utilizing the tools of digital manufacturing are endless, and we can’t wait to see what you come up with next.

The post Three Ways Handmade Jewelry Designers can use 3D Printing appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Spire Dress, Designed by Alexis Walsh and Ross Leonardy

Alexis Walsh is a New York tri-state native that studied at Parsons the New School for Design until 2014. During her time at Parson’s, Walsh took a combination of fashion and product design courses. As her primary focus was in fashion, she became interested in exploring ideas about wearable sculptures, and utilizing non-traditional materials and techniques to create fashion items.

“Throughout my academic career, I’ve been interested in the idea of wearable sculpture. I’ve explored using materials like metal and plastic to create garments, even welding a dress out of steel rods and making a corset out of aluminum paneling. All of this was very rooted in the notion of handcraft. After doing some research and discovering that 3D printing allowed for the creation of incredibly complex forms, I decided to pursue it for fashion design. With additive manufacturing, you are enabled to create structures that would be impossible to produce through any other medium, and this seemed like the perfect vehicle to experiment with fashion design.” – Alexis Walsh, 2016

It was around this time that Walsh began to conceptualize The Spire Dress, which was one of the first 3D printed projects that Alexis worked on. The dress was printed at Shapeways in our White Strong and Flexible material, constructed out of 400+ individual tiles that were assembled by hand using metal ring connectors. While this is quite an ambitious project for anyone just getting started in 3D modeling, we asked Alexis about her experience teaching herself the tools of the trade.

“The idea of learning CAD modeling from scratch was definitely intimidating. There are so many programs, and there’s a pretty steep learning curve when first attempting to 3D model. It took countless hours of YouTube video tutorials, trial and error, and reading online troubleshooting forums before feeling comfortable with Rhino and Grasshopper. But once you get a handle on it, you can begin to learn everything fairly quick. You need to simultaneously be concerned with creating a model and with how the model will function as a physical printed object. 3D printing generally involves plastic, which takes some creativity to work into a wearable piece.” – Alexis Walsh, 2016

Realizing the tactile limitations of using only 3D printed plastic, Walsh set out to create her next fashion line, the LYSIS collection. The LYSIS collection features handmade garments that are combined with 3D printed components to give structure to each of the pieces. These works were able to come to life after she received the Shapeways Education Grant in Fall 2014.

Piece from the LYSIS Collection, 2016

Alexis is certainly not afraid of pushing the limits when it comes to combining materials and techniques to create fashion items. The LYSIS collection was created using a combination of software and hand-touch techniques to apply the fabric and leather. Alexis even went to far as to use the 3Doodler 3D printing pen to apply details to her smaller accessories, such as belts and chokers.

LYSIS Collection, Alexis Walsh

Alexis is one of the few designers that we’ve seen successfully created an entire collection of fashion items using 3D Printing, and we wanted to hear about her projections for the future of this budding industry are. How will this technology evolve, and what are her hopes for the future?

“3D printing for fashion is undeniably in its early stages. There has already been so much innovation happening within the past couple of years, and this will only further continue into the future. I’m very excited to see how the capabilities of printing textiles will progress, specifically softer and elasticized textiles that behave like fabric. There are enormous possibilities for 3D printing within the performance and athletic-wear industries. It’s been great to see iconic brands like CHANEL embracing 3D printing in their runway shows, and I’m looking forward to seeing more 3D printing in high fashion.” – Alexis Walsh, 2016

And finally, as we mentioned in last week’s blog post, we posed the question to Alexis about her thoughts on the viability for 3D printing as form for fashion manufacturing.

“There’s potential for 3D printing to be a viable method of fashion manufacturing, but I don’t think that the current technology is there yet. There’s a huge market for 3D printed jewelry and accessories right now, and in that regard additive manufacturing is a great method of production. With the way the industry is evolving, fashion is sure to follow suit, as soon as more advanced printing capabilities can be developed.” Alexis Walsh, 2016

On that note, within our conversations with Alexis she teased a few of her upcoming projects that specifically focus on jewelry and accessories. We’re so excited to see what she comes up with next!

Stay tuned for our continuing series of blog posts as we continue to talk with designers about the future of Fashion, Tech + 3D Printing.

The post 3D Printing for Fashion: Interview with Alexis Walsh appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

Chester Dols, a graduate of the Shapeways & Eyebeam Computational Fashion Master Class, is a talented 3D modeler and designer that combines in Rhino, Grasshopper, Maya & python scripts to generate interwoven garments.

Chester Dols with his piece at Re-Making Patterns, 2015

Earlier this year, when Shapeways was approached by Ohne Titel + Microsoft with a pitch to create 3D printed garments for their AU16 runway show, we thought to ourselves; who would be a great 3D designer fit for this project? After looking at the initial sketches, we saw stylistic and aesthetic similarities to Chester’s work, and realized he would be perfect fit for the project.

Final 3D Printed Knit Dress, Photos Courtesy of Ohne Titel 

Within this blog post, we’ll learn about Chet’s journey from architecture to fashion, and what inspired him to take traditional architectural parametric design applications and re-conceptualize those approaches to design for the human body.

Close up render of Ohne Titel Dress, Photos Courtesy of Ohne Titel

Tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? What’s your background? Where/when did you get started 3D modeling?

I am an interdisciplinary designer currently based in Brooklyn, NY.  My background and education is in architecture where I used 3D modeling to sketch and communicate my ideas.

What inspired you to begin 3D modeling?

I’m not sure which came first, the practice or the inspiration to practice, but I know that 3d modeling has become a natural part of how I think, sketch, and formulate ideas.

At what point did you learn about computational fashion? How did you find out about it, and what did you find appealing about it?

While studying architecture in college, I had a strong interest in parametric, computational design.  Studio mainly focused on how computation applied to the scale of the building and the building envelop, but I was given the chance through an independent study to think about computation as it applied to the body.  I ended up creating a simple algorithm over a semester which allowed me to create “tailored” clothing based on a series of measured inputs.  The project, I realized later, was an exploration into the basic idea of graded patternmaking, a process used within the fashion industry to streamline sizing and clothing fit.

Parametric textile patterns made by Chet for our Computational Fashion Class

Now that you’ve worked in the “3D Printed Fashion” space for a bit, what are your opinions about field? E.g – What do you think are some of the biggest obstacles for fashion designers moving into the digital space and vice versa?

The process and methodology of fashion is so different to fields which rely heavily on 3d modeling to create and materialize their ideas.  In fashion, you work with fabric, paper, pencil, scissors, and draping tape to design and produce.  Furthermore, fabric isn’t like a nurb surface or polymesh, it has many physical and structural characteristics that affect its performance (ie. knits, wovens, jacquards, cotton, silk, polyester, polyblends, etc.).  I’m not sure if fashion designers or the the additive manufacturing industry has more obstacles.  It may be hard for a fashion designer to jump into a modeling space and create something that is printable, but I think it will be more difficult for 3d printed materials to reach the sophistication of the many different types of textiles already out there.  That being said, there is so many exciting things happening right now and sooner or later I believe these industries and technologies will all converge and create really beautiful things.  For me, designers and engineers experimenting with this kind of technology are the thinkers leading us into tomorrow.

How do you see this field growing in the future? Is there anything you’re looking forward to?

3d printing is still in its infancy and so is the concept of 3d printed textiles.  Like I mentioned before, I’m waiting for industries, technologies, and science to converge.  When we can successfully and seamlessly print with multiple materials, that is when things will get interesting.  Right now, there are printers which print with two materials; take for instance Shapeways’ frosted detail plastic, which prints a wax support material and a polymer resin at the same time.  But what if the second or third material isn’t a support material?  If we can get 3d printers working like a loom, weaving together many materials at once to create a “polyblend” print with complex graded materiality, that’s when a new fashion will emerge.

Do you have any advice for designers looking to dive into this space?

Take inspiration from everything, and look to culture and things that already exist to make new and innovative designs.  My designs look to architectural joints, knits, wovens, and chainmail and I take inspiration from both the natural and synthetic.  Think beyond the form of the body, and really think like a textile designer; consider the touch, the texture, and the performance of your textile and garment.

What are some brands, designers or artists that inspire you?

 Faustine Steinmetz (textile and fashion designer), Jaime Hayon (product designer),  New Territories (architecture), David Altmejd (artist), Walter Van Beirendonck (fashion designer), C-Fabriek (product design), Neri Oxman (architect and thinker), Raf Simons (fashion designer), Vetements (fashion), SuperStudio (architecture), Moebius (illustrator)   …. I could go on and on….

If there were zero limitations for this technology, what would you make?

Ok, so there is this scene in the 5th Element, directed by Luc Besson, where they 3d print Leeloo (Milla Jovovich) from a strand of her DNA taken from the remnants of her hand.   If our technology reaches that point, where we aren’t only printing an object with one material, but objects and subjects with unlimited elements, compounds, and materials, I would totally print a puppy or puppy-cat hybrid or something.  Not sure if I stand by that ethically, but you’re asking a hypothetical.  Crazy thing is, researchers are already doing something similar by printing with stem cells to print functional organs.

The post 3D Design & Printing for the Fashion Industry: Interview with Chester Dols appeared first on Shapeways Blog.