matanuki

The School of Visual Arts at NIU recently acquired a 3D printer, which creates basic prototypes of digital models.  There are a number of different technologies that achieve this; our machine uses a special powder that is applied one very thin layer at a time.  A printer head moves across the powder, dispensing a glue binder in a cross-section of the model.  This way, the 3D structure is gradually built out of slices of bound powder.

Last semester, I designed this figure for an animation course.  After posing it against a wall for support, we exported the model as an STL file and sent it to the printer.  About 4-5 hours later, the print was complete and ready for excavation.  I’m really happy with how this turned out, it’s a kick to see something that once existed only in a computer turned into a real, tangible form.