Visual Analysis and critical reflection - Essay Example

? 3D Final Paper 3D Final Paper 3D printing has changed the game of industries, products and buildings since the last 20 years. Students today are aware of the techniques through which 3D printing can be used. The methods, techniques, materials and designs used are all upgraded and modernized using the best of technologies. As a student of 3D designing and printing I finally chose 3D architecture as the major field. This is because of the unique methods and techniques that it uses and ends up creating an absolutely amazing building that no one could think of. It is a blend of creativity and technique which gives the architect to freely think of the most unusual look for a building. These fascinating ideas inspire me and attract me towards the 3D architecture. 3D architecture uses the process of tessellation in which many geometrical shapes whether regular or irregular are tied together without any gaps. This technique is being recently used to create real life structures and buildings in a creative way. I believe with the advancement in the 3D architecture, the world can see amazing new buildings for which a bunch of creative and imaginative architects are responsible. The idea of 3D designing and printing in jewelry, arts and other industrial objects has also been fascinating as I study more about it. 3D designing in jewelry making is also a unique way of presenting creative ideas. Many famous jewelry designers have adopted this technique by using their great ideas, putting them through digital technology and implying it on the materials. The 3D printing is done through digital technology and thus it is easier for the students to learn it (Kuneinen, 2012). Anyone who wants to be a 3D printing expert needs practice and creative ideas to create unusual objects. The best part about the 3D designing is that it is present in every manufacturing or constructing industry for example automotive, aerospace, jewelry, architecture, arts, medical, and electronics and so on. The diverse areas where the 3D printing can be applied attract many students to apply it in their fields. The most important part about the 3D designing and architecture is the materials that have to be used. The 3D designing in architecture needs a variety of materials that are involved in the process. The architectural model and structure is made out of a large number of materials and lesser volume since tessellation ties it together without gaps. The 3D model is made at first which uses plastic as the core material. The 3D model allows the architects to get a picture of how the structure would look like, and also its balance can be judged. The material used for the buildings would usually be steel and glass. The tessellation involves many geometrical shapes to be tied together on a plain. These shapes are made from glass or steel at the facade of the building to give an attractive look for instance the Federation Square in Australia. 3D printing and designing has become a technology which is widely used in many fields and industries around the world. The 3D technologies give a promising and bright future so many people are attracted towards it. These technologies are complicated thus skilled people are needed in every field to operate these machines. 3D printers today are used for rapid product prototyping. The 3D printing enables the engineers to fit the parts of the object long before that are sending for production. The 3D models also enable the architects to create detailed models and show them to the clients at low-cost (The Economist Newspaper Limited, 2013). The range of uses of 3D printing is constantly increasing and the technology is catching the attention of many upcoming students. As with the 3D architecture, the study about the technology also increases the opportunities for students in the future since the future of this 3D technology is extremely bright. Currently the 3D printing is used to make the pre-production mould but in the near future the technology can be used to make end-use products. Imagine a future where a computer attached device can actually print a solid object (www.3ders.org, 2013). To experience such a future I have chosen 3D designing in architecture. Today the 3D printers are capable enough to work with a range of materials not only to produce production grade products but also to make final products. 20% of the total production today is final products and predictions are that it will rise to 50% in 2020. The use of 3D printers in the industry as a production tool is known as additive manufacturing. The importance of 3D printing and designing is evident as it uses lesser raw material and the software installed allows the items to be made differently without the need of costly retooling. These printers also have the capability to manufacture ready-made objects and that would also require less material. It is important for every student of this era to know about the 3D technology as the future lies within its use. Using it in various manufacturing industries allows lower risks and costs associated. In today’s world the producer does not have to produce thousands of identical items to cover up the fixed costs, in fact 3D printing allows the producer a great deal for customization. The use of 3D printing has become so important that in the future it is predicted that consumers will simply download the products and print them at their own homes like digital music or pictures. This is the new industrial revolution which is about to come. A computer aided design is created and sent to the 3D printer just like a normal picture or document is sent to the ink jet printer. The only difference is that the ink jet printer consists of a paper while the 3D printer consists of material that is placed in layers. Each layer is entered in the printer and defined through digital design. 3D printers are digital and thus they can perform the manufacturing tasks without faults or errors. They are important for the industries not only to produce products efficiently and cost effectively, but also to cope up with the newly formed designing and printing methods (www.3ders.org, 2013). 3D designing in architecture is important for students to study because there are many general implications about the 3D technology that forms a basis of how it works. The students need to learn the basics about 3D printing and designing before entering into 3D architecture. It is very important to study the basic methods and techniques of how 3D designing is done before any student can enter in the architecture or arts side. Studying the materials, the tools, techniques, methods and implications is necessary to proceed with the detailed model making. However as there is so much to learn and know about 3D technology, it has attracted me and inspired me to take 3D architecture as my final project. There is still a lot to learn and know about this field before entering in the professional world. 3D designing comes with various types of tools, techniques, methods and technicalities that need to be studies. At this point all the uses of 3D printing and designing seem to be very interesting and attracting but 3D architecture is a field which tends to have a sustainable future (Speakman, 2000). 3D printing has many applications in which 3D street art and 3D jewelry designs are included. Many artists have used the 3D technology to create masterpieces that are pleasing to the eye and attractive to use. The 3D printing in any field first needs a 3D model through digital technology. The 3D model is made through the CAD software and saved in STL format after which it is sent to the 3D printer. The 3D printing is applied largely in the medical industry and it is seen as one of the most important applications of 3D technology. The paper will analyze the ways different 3D implications come into effect and how they were before the 3D printing was discovered. The picture below shows 3D street art by Edgar Mueller. He is a 3D street painter who creates a 3D model through the software on computers and then paints it on streets with accuracy. He experiments new ideas and techniques such as chalks, paints and others to produce the 3D art, which eventually washes away if rain pours. Such a painting may take days to complete as it is entirely different than the traditional paintings on street walls that were done with sprays, chalks or markers. 3D street painting by Edgar Mueller. 3D printing has also entered the aviation industry where it prints certain parts of the aircraft and lightens its weight. The lightness of an aircraft when building it is important to consider as the reduction in the weight by 1kg would help the aircraft to consume about $3,000 worth fuel every year and also cut the carbon-dioxide emissions. Engineers using the 3D technology for aircrafts can thus create greener aircrafts by printing all the titanium parts. At the moment the parts that can be printed by 3D printers are limited but the engineers and manufacturers are working on producing larger systems for such needs (Sheil, 2012). It is easy to say that the 3D printing can create anything and there are many examples discussed earlier, but the interesting part is how it is done and what was the traditional method that has been left behind giving the manufacturers and designers a new approach to work upon. There is also a range of new materials that have been invented and have allowed the industries to use the Direct Digital Manufacturing technique (Inaccessory, 2013). The most interesting and exciting area where the 3D technology has accelerated is that of the medical industry as it has not only given an ease to the doctors and patients but also proved how the technology can be assistive in any field. A 3D dental scan (3D Digital Corp, 2013). The picture shows the use of 3D technology by dentists to produce dental scans immediately. The dentists have started using this technology to overcome the traditional methods of making moulds of the patient’s mouth that were handmade. The dentists use the 3D printing technology to take the mould of the patient’s mouth and make a digital file. The mould is taken immediately and is converted in the CAD file which is ready in a single day. 3D prostheses (Gawker Media, 2013). Bespoke Innovations is a company in San Francisco that is working to make prostheses through 3D printing. Before the 3D technology had been created, the prostheses were made by taking a lot of measurements and extensions. Every leg may have a separate weight bearing characteristic and angles according to the body movement requirements. With the use of 3D technology the company takes the information about the patient’s body and created a CAD file in the computer and from that they can simply print the limb for the customer. This is the most exciting part about the use of 3D printing in the medical industry as it gives the patient a customized product that would fit their body and specified needs (3D Digital Corp, 2013). The picture above shows how a man got his face back with the help of 3D printing. The 3D technology has brought a lot of ease in the manufacturing industry by developing laser scanners. With this technology the laser can point any object and create a CAD file of the same object and then it can be printed out. It is important to note that the technique and method behind the 3D printing is what makes it uncomplicated. The 3D arts, architecture, jewelry making etc is all an uncomplicated process which has to be operated efficiently in order to bring out a masterpiece in 3D. The software, printers, tools and techniques are the factors that make the 3D printing and designing accessible and reasonable (Inaccessory, 2013). The following image shows a latest 3D printing model. A 3D printing model (TechWench.com, 2013). About a decade ago the machines for 3D printing were about a $100,000 but today the cheapest 3D printer is worth $1,299 launched at Consumer Electronics Show. With the reasonable price and easily usable printers, the day is not far when people will have 3D printers at their homes to make the things they need such as toys or curtain rings. Moreover, even the teachers in high schools and universities prefer this technique in helping the children study through a real life experience (Evans, 2013). Much of the 3D printing work done in the jewelry sector by designers such as Dario Scapitta are technical and require sophisticated processes, the materials that have to be casted and the direct jewelry printing. The manufacturing processes of jewelry items have always been the work requiring high expertise and knowledge which involve fabrication, casting, making moulds, forging, electroplating, gold or silver smiths, engraving, stone cutting and polishing. This process is a traditional method which is evolving since many years and requires workers of high tech knowledge. This process of jewelry making was not only time taking but also highly technical. However, all these methods have been eliminated since the 3D printing technology has developed (Inaccessory, 2013). A Blackrose Armband designed by Dario Scapitta. The above image shows a jewelry piece made through applying the 3D printing technology. The same design can be created by manual labor, but what makes it important is the process from which it has been made. The traditional jewelry making methods have been replaced by the 3D printers that overtook the jewelry making industry. Even though most jewelry is still made in the traditional way, the 3D printing method tends to take over in the near future. The 3D printing method includes the prototyping and tooling. The 3D printers create the model or the wax pattern which is then used to make the mould of rubber or silicon. The 3D designers have to input their choice of design in the 3D software and print it on the materials using wax moulds and materials. These designers can experiment through these machines since material is not wasted and the procedure is time and cost effective (Kuneinen, 2012). A 3D building model (Secondlifeupdate.com, 2010) The image shows a building which is made through 3D designing technology and the tessellation method. There is a detailed process which is used by the architects to design a building using the 3D technology. The design is processed in a linear manner where it is structured in phases. The first phase in the designing process is to conceptualize the design as per the ideas and choices of the clients. The abstracts are formed, developed and approved by the clients who may want some changes. The drawing, sketches and the most important CAD design is prepared which helps to evaluate ideas and get a picture of how the building would actually look. Through the evaluation of the model, the final adjustments and changes are done (BluEnt, 2013). The drafting and detailing is also done along with the conceptualizing phase. The details of the construction and maintenance are also an important phase to be included in the early designing of the building. The next phase is the elements such as built-in stairs, cabinets, fireplace, furniture etc. to be included in the design. The CAD design prepares all the technical details needed for the design and the plan is then forwarded to the next phase of developing architectural details. The next phase is the interior and exterior of the building including color, material, shape and texture to be used (BluEnt, 2013). 3D architectural view (Wallcoo.com, 2010). The 3D architectural view of the building tends to enable the clients to review and verify the characteristics of the structure as they have been drafted. The 3D architectural view has enabled the clients to view a three-dimensional image of their building including the front view, side view, and the plan view. Previously the hand-made sketches and drawings were made to present the designs. As discussed earlier, tessellation is a method of designing the buildings through 3D designing and is used on the facade of the building. It is not necessary that buildings with unusual shapes or looks are the ones that use 3D designing techniques but every modern building uses a detailed process with 3D technology for the initial models and structures (BluEnt, 2013). Another word for tessellation is tiling which can be used in architecture when the building is constructed using layers of bricks or while making the flooring. Tessellations can be seen everywhere around us. There are different shapes that tessellate to form patterns. In 3D architecture, this technique is used to form different patterns in a building. Triangles, rectangles and polygons tessellate to form regular and irregular patterns. The patterns are used to make 3D designs that later form structures such as robots. Tessellations are also used to make decorative exteriors for the buildings that also have special characteristics such as being water resistant and durable. Tessellations also form colorful patterns that are artistic and are used for cultural buildings. An important aspect to cover when talking about a technology that has become so popular is the pros and cons. The researchers also tend to evaluate the social, cultural, ethnic and political implications of the technology. Since the 3D printing technique is an automated process which builds objects that are three-dimensional through a digital model, there are many reasons to evaluate its role in all the societies rather than focusing on only the ones that are already implementing it. With all the new technologies come advantages and disadvantages (Sheil, 2012). The advantages of the 3D printing have been mentioned several times throughout the paper. However, an overview of the advantages is given to summarize the pros of 3D printing seen currently and expected in the future. The major advantage is that the manufacturing options include a wide range of products. These products are unique and different than the ordinary market products because they consist of personalized designs and customized products that an individual can print according to their choice. The printing applies rapid prototyping which means that the design is converted to a prototype in a quicker manner and production takes place faster. Even if there are a large number of products, the manufacturing takes place faster than the traditional methods of production (3ders, 2013). With the increased speed come the reduced costs. The initial cost to set up the 3D printing system may be higher even though the cost of these printers have fallen greatly in the last couple of years. Nowadays the cost of 3D printing techniques has become lower than the cost of cheap labor. These costs are still decreasing ad the 3D printing is becoming more popular. In the traditional methods of manufacturing products, the products were produced at a large scale and stored in warehouses. With the 3D printing the products that are needed by the customers are the only ones produced thus no additional cost and storage for the products is needed. Another major advantage is that there are more jobs for the engineers, technicians, designers and artists with the increase in 3D printing since the work is totally technical and machines need maintenance. As discussed earlier one of the major advantages has been to the medical industry where the 3D printing has emerged as an immensely useful technology (GuestAcct, 2013). The disadvantages of 3D printing should also be kept in mind and considered before increasing the use. The major disadvantage is the jobs of the labor working in manufacturing factories that will be lost. A large number of employees depend on labor work all over the globe to earn their living especially in the third world countries. Moreover the people needed to operate the 3D systems must be highly skilled technicians and engineers which means that the third world countries will face a bigger problem in utilizing this technology because of the low literacy rate (Kurman, 2013). The 3D printing machines allow limited materials on which they can manufacture their products. The 3D world has to develop in producing mixed materials products such as circuit boards. The issues of intellectual property and copyrights can also create problems for the people using 3D printing to produce products and replicating other products. Some of the items that are used in the 3D printing technique are dangerous and need to be handles under professional supervision. Another disadvantage that is greatly seen is that the 3D printing will enable engineers to experiment and this make more useless stuff which may be bad for the environment. Unless these useless products are recycled, they can affect the environment, industries and society. Size is also a limitation with the 3D printing as currently it does not tend to create very large items because the products’ size that can be produced by these printers is limited (GuestAcct, 2013). It is important for the researchers to understand what that the social, ethnic and political implications of this technology would be. In many parts of the world this technology is still not implemented either because of the lower literacy rate or the lack of awareness. On the other hands the other developed countries of the world have already understood and implemented this technology and in the coming years they are going to take it to the next level. The researchers and engineers should spread the awareness and ensure that the technology is used around the world despite social, ethnic, political or national boundaries. However, 3D printing has been beneficial and useful for many industries in the present and is predicted to conquer the future as well. The technology is implemented through various different ways whether it is architecture, jewelry making, arts or the medical industry. The limitations and disadvantages of the technology should not be ignored if a bright future is needed. References Evans, Hugh. 3D Printing: The Game Changer. T. Rowe Price Investment Services, Inc., 2013. Print. The Economist. “3D Printing: The Printed World”. The Economist Newspaper Limited, 2013. Print. Kuneinen, Eetu. The Jewelry Sector and 3D Printing. 3D Printing Industry, 2012. Print. 3eders. What is 3D printing? 2013. Web. 25th May 2013 BluEnt. Architectural Design, Process and its Phases. 2013. Web. 25th May 2013 Inaccessory Designer Spotlight: Dario Scapitta. 2013. Web. 25th May 2013 GuestAcct. The Pros and Cons of 3D Printing. 2013. Web. 25th May 2013 Gawker Media. How 3D printing Gave This Man His Life (and Face) Back. 2013. Web. 25th May 2013. 3D Digital Corp. 3D Dental Scanner. 2013. Web. 25th May 2013. 3D Architecture Buildings Virtual Architectural Rendering Free Software in Second Life. Secondlifeupdate.com, 2010. Web. 25th May 2013. Speakman, Stuart. 3D Printing and forming of structures. (USA: Google Patents, 2000), p. 43 Kurman, Melba. Fabricated: The New World of 3D Printing. (NY: John Wiley & Sons, 2013) Sheil, Bob. Manufacturing the Bespoke: Making and Prototyping Architecture. (UK: John Wiley & Sons, 2012) Read More