(Scroll down for results & settings used)
Abstract
By making the layer lines inherent to the (FDM) 3D printing process a central aesthetic feature of the printed product’s design we can for 3D printed objects create objects have value because of the fact that they are 3D printed. This alternative aesthetic which works with the layer lines could be said to be a more honest representation of 3D printing.
This is a starkly different characterisation of 3D printing’s value to that which would have 3D printed objects be as perfect a representation of the 3D model as possible, making visible layers a negative feature of the process. This can be argued to be a result of 3D printing’s possible applications being viewed through the perspective of its potential for commodification. 3D printer manufacturers and 3D print services market their products based on their ability to reliably produce as exact as possible a meterialisation of the 3D model as possible. In this view, 3D printing should be developed towards it being a profitable process for industrial scale production. Even production services such as Shapeways, who provide a printing service for customers to upload and have their designs printed, rely on these qualities to make a profit and thus contribute to demand for manufacturers and . I say this focus neglects the opportunities for 3D printing to be a tool for artistic expression as well as some of its uses in a very small or single run production scale.
I am creating some guidelines and examples here for how to create some of these layer effects. Of course there are infinite possibilities and each can be tweaked to achieve different results, this is meant to be a starting point for others to begin making with and expand on. And maybe thinking about what we consider to be the good qualities of 3D printing differently.
Test Setup
Tests, Results and Settings Used:
To be added later