Ever since my own failed attempt to build a 3D printer I’ve been fascinated by the rapid progress that has been made in this field. In under a decade 3D printing has gone from a niche hobby, one that required numerous hours to get working, to a commodity service. The engineering work has then been translated to different fields and numerous materials beyond simple plastic. However every so often someone manages to do 3D printing in a way that I had honestly never thought of, like this project where they 3D print a sculpture using rocks and string:
Whilst it might not be the most automated or practical way to create sculptures it is by far one of the most novel. Like a traditional selective laser sinter printer each new layer is formed by piling a layer of material over the previous. This is then secured by placing string on top of it, forming the eventual shape of the sculpture. They call this material reversible concrete which is partly true, the aggregate they appear to be using looks like the stuff you’d use in concrete, however I doubt the structural properties match that of its more permanent brethren. Still though it’s an interesting idea that could have some wider applications outside the arts space.
