– By Oliver Witte –
The latest digital gadget to catch the attention of designers and builders is a printer that can produce an object in three dimensions. Unlike 2D printers that can only simulate depth on a flat surface such as paper, a 3D printer can produce actual objects that can be held in the hand, studied from various perspectives and assembled to illustrate a subdivision, a building, or some component such as furniture, appliances, windows or anything that can be built.
The object can be printed in a wide variety of materials such as plastic, ceramics, metal — even chocolate — in an unlimited range of colors. If the output fails to satisfy in some detail, the design can be tweaked and reprinted repeatedly until the designer or the client is satisfied. This is the stuff of “what-if” studies.
3D printers are not new. They have been around for more than two decades, but they were awkward and poorly integrated with software.
Southern Illinois University students observing a test print for a sophomore fabrication project. Photo by Joshua Fowler.
Then, just a few years ago, they jumped from a curiosity to an important design tool. Stratasys of Eden Prairie, Minn., said it has sold 44,000 printers with 3D capabilities. Sensing a huge market, dozens of competitors have cropped up, such as 3D Systems of Rock Hill, S.D. Both are public companies listed on major stock exchanges. Hewlett-Packard, the biggest name in printers, is expected to introduce a line of 3D printers later this year.
The process of 3D printing is not difficult. The first step is to design an object or a building in a 3D software such as Autodesk Revit or SketchUp. Then convert the digital file to stereolithograpy (STL) and convert it into a 3D printer.
Most printers work by accretion, using an additive process, which means that it lays down successive layers representing the solid parts of the object and skipping the parts intended to be voids. The solid parts are extruded through a nozzle that functions much like an inkjet printer. Printers that work with metal use lasers to build the object.
If the project is to build an ordinary object or building such as a warehouse, it might be quicker to copy a standard plan. Dozens of prototypes are available at https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/. They also serve as a library to show off the printer’s capabilities.
Forward-looking schools are beginning to use 3D printers. Southern Illinois University in Carbondale has had a 3D printer for two years.
“Students use the printers to carry out 3D form studies,” said Walter V. Wendler, the school director.
Architect Leonard Kady of New York specializes in 3D technology.
“One of the greatest advantages of 3D is its customizable approach to design,” Kady said. “A designer is now able to explore more variations quickly and the customer has the advantage of individuality and personalization of the project. I can picture a world in which 3D printers are ubiquitous.”
Designers and builders can use the models from their 3D printers in marketing. Owners are notoriously deficient in reading floor plans and grasping the concept of how a finished project will work. The 3D printers make it easy to visualize the object when scaled up to full size.
Limitations of 3D printers include cost and speed. Manufacturers are addressing both issues. Typical costs for current 3D printers range from $15,000 to $300,000. Time required ranges from 15 minutes for a bracelet to 20 hours for a moderately complex building.
Prices are based mainly on the size of the unit. MakerBot, for example, a division of Stratasys, is already on its fifth generation of 3D printers. Its largest 3D printer measures 60 by 20 by 20 inches. Its least expensive model as of last spring was 76 cubic inches in size and was priced at $1,374.
Prices for the medium that is used to build the model also vary widely. Roger Chang, the chief executive officer for Pirate 3D based in Singapore, estimated that $20 would cover the cost of the plastic used to print three coffee mugs. Pirate 3D printers are designed with the consumer in mind. For example, its Buccaneer model will be priced at less than $900, and it will come ready to do business, right out of the box, requiring neither assembly nor calibration, Chang said.
3D printing is generating considerable interest. Everyone interviewed for this story expressed enthusiasm for the technology. Chad Schwartz, an assistant professor of architecture at Southern Illinois University, described the process as “incredibly easy to use” and “very user-friendly.”
If the cost of a 3D printer exceeds your budget, service bureaus are starting to acquire 3D printers to be used much the same as blueprint services. For example, Conestoga Builders of New Holland, Pa., can, if desired, make use of 3D printing services provided by Print-O-Stat of Lancaster, Pa.
Forward-looking manufacturers like National Hardware were among the first power users of 3D designs to help its customers visualize some component.
“One of the parts we make is verticals for sliding glass doors,” said James Harris, a product manager for National Hardware. “We do multiple tests in order to find the best physical sample.”
Harris uses five 3D printers to get maximum material flexibility.
Short of physically building a full-size model, 3D printing offers a designer the most complete understanding of how a building or a component will work through viewing, orienting, scaling, coloring and labeling it in detail or as a composite.
Oliver Witte was the founding editor of Architectural Technology magazine. Questions or comments can be directed to him at owitte@siu.edu or sharon.thatcher@fwcommunity.com.