Apr 5, 2018 | By David
Concrete 3D printing technology is something that is increasingly being used on construction sites to quickly put together buildings, and is being touted as a potential solution to various global housing crises. A less common but still increasingly popular use for concrete 3D printing is in the design field, for 3D printing furniture and other large-scale functional sculptures. A new exhibition to be shown at Milan Design Week 2018 sees designer Philipp Aduatz collaborate with 3D printing startup Incremental3d. They have produced a 3D printed concrete chair, which will be exhibited amongst other interesting pieces.
(credit: Incremental3d)
Vienna-based designer Aduatz is known in the design world for creating limited edition functional objects that are highly sculptural in nature, and for working with innovative materials and fabrication technologies such as 3D printing technology. Founded in September 2017 in Innsbruck, also in Austria, Incremental3d has pioneered the development of a unique concrete 3D printing approach that works similar to FFF 3D printing. The technique enables very fine and detailed freeform geometries to be printed, quickly, without any support structures.
(credit: Incremental3d)
The compatriots have collaborated to put together what is known as the ''Digital Chaiselongue'', a piece of concrete furniture. The innovative fabrication process for this piece involved a number of stages. Firstly, the a negative mould was 3D printed from concrete. This enabled a high level of detail and precision to be achieved in the structure, which was then set in place by extruding the concrete mixture on to the cast. After the mold was finished, the total printing time took less than an hour. Carbon fibers were also used to reinforce the concrete in certain areas, ensuring the stability and tensile strength of the unconventionally shaped structure in its more sensitive parts.
After the chair was printed, a UV-resistant polyurethane coating was added to finish. This last stage was done using good old-fashioned delicate handicraft, showing the potential of innovative design projects like this to bring together different forms of expertise, with manual creative labour and digital automation working in harmony.
This combination of different elements, contexts, and working methods extends to the other items in Aduatz’s exhibition. Another chair known as the ''gradient chair'' was made entirely of found construction items from the refurbishment of his studio. Like any good artist, he picked up things that were lying around and put them together to make something new. The chair’s base frame was made from wood, which was covered with a brick fabric and afterwards completely covered by plaster, reinforced with a glass fiber fabric. Another piece known as the ''cloud chair'' is made from wood, wire, polyurethane foam, epoxy and polyurethane resin, glass fiber and lacquer.
(source: DesignBoom)
Incremental3d also contributed some other striking sculptures to the exhibition, made using their impressive concrete 3D printing technique. A large vase, with a design resembling a large piece of heavy fabric pleated loosely at various points and gathering together at the top, will be on show. Its elaborate and intricate geometry shows off the high level of resolution that the company’s 3D printing technology is capable of.
Posted in 3D Printing Application
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