Product Description
Prototype to Product - 3D Printing Contest
As an architectural student, our time to work on a design was often limited. For the final presentation we always needed to make a scaled model. Time to work on the model was scarce, so was the design’s complexity. As a result, the architectural creations we made, were often quite simple in form. The moment I discovered Shapeways, a new world opened. Designing complex structures became more appealing than ever. From that moment 3d printed models became part of the design process.
But sometimes after seeing the printed models, new ideas for changes reached the surface. With the high-resolution Form 1 printer, designing and printing could become a synchronous process. Physical scale models could be studied, improved and adapted. That’s how I could use this high-resolution Form 1 printer in my work as a designer and architect. Shapeways could then, afterwards, provide the final full-scale model.
At this time I’m studying an additional master in engineering. Next year I’m doing a thesis about the usability of additive manufacturing in the civil engineering industry and the connection with finite element analysis (FEA) software. With the high-resolution Form 1 printer my research in this matter would be much more efficient and vigorous! And the tests would become real and alive resulting in faster and more inspiring solutions!!
Many thanks,
Gieljan
Product description:
Nature vs Math
The basic shape of this model is inspired by math: a dodecahedron is a platonic solid, composed of 12 regular pentagonal faces.
On the contrary, the structure of the model is nature inspired. A cactus skeleton is a very beautiful, strong & efficient kind of structure.