The technology behind 3D-printing is becoming more and more popular. Researchers at MIT and the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya in Israel are working together to improve how time-consuming 3D-printing customization is for beginners. CAD, or computer aided design, applications help first time users customize their product more easily and effectively. These CAD applications convert CAD files into visual models that users can use to design products simply by using the system's operations, and by moving virtual sliders in the application. In high school I used a CAD application called Autodesk that made customizing very simple. You would just draw your image and type in the dimensions, then all you would have to do is print it to the 3D printer. I was able to produce a plastic water bottle.
MIT Researchers and the IDC Herzliya are collaborating to create a CAD system designed for beginners who have no construction. Their goal is to create a system that allows beginners to customize any product using virtual design so they can 3D print it and use it. They named the system "Fab Forms". "Fab Forms" software allows users to design with many different shapes and lines that have a wide range of values for the dimensions of each shape. Then the software calculates the geometries of the design and stores them in a database for the 3D printer. To make sure the dimensions and geometries of the designers' product is correct, the system runs any test chosen by the designer and the new results are stored in the database. Even for an experienced user, the time and effort it takes to construct a product to a specific design could take hundreds of hours. "Fab Forms" cuts down the time it takes to design the product by distributing all the different tasks among the servers in the cloud of the system. Lastly, the system generates a user interface, where all the customization happens. The interface displays what the 3D model of your product looks like as you customize, and has sliders which show the different dimensions of the products design. It's crazy to think about how much programming and coding goes into developing a CAD system this advanced.
Here is video describing the process of the system "Fab Forms":
References:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVOVmIIbeTY
http://news.mit.edu/2015/customizing-3-d-printing-0903
http://www.3ders.org/articles/20150907-fab-forms-mit-researchers-develop-system-for-customizable-3d-printing-designs.html
This reminds me of something I heard the other day; apparently Space X is starting to play with making their rockets out of 3D printed materials so they can make quick repairs on the spot while in space if something goes wrong. Just thought that'd provide another cool application to the CAD systems and 3D printing.
ReplyDeleteMike
3D printing is such a good memory for me in high school. It feels like a magical stuff which can bring us a 3D image on a piece of paper. The idea is very similar with the 3D CGI technology, which can also bring the viewers a 3D sense by using computing algorithm to create special effects.
ReplyDeleteShuzhi
Hey Will!,
ReplyDeleteYour article was really interesting and what piqued my interest was what would happen if I were to simply type in the word "house" in a neural network that has been trained to recreate "house" while that network was attached to a 3D printer. It would create a new field or maybe a new option of 3D printing by simply typing in words!
You should check out my blog on neural networks. I think you would like it.