Search
Menu
Gentec Electro-Optics Inc   - Measure With Gentec Accuracy LB

The devil wears … 3-D printed plastic?

Facebook X LinkedIn Email
Sarina Tracy, [email protected]

Bill Cunningham, longtime fashion photographer for The New York Times, defines fashion as “the armor to survive the reality of everyday life.” And that mighty armor can now be made out of 3-D printed plastic, as seen on a few catwalks in London, Paris and New York.

Using laser sintering and additive manufacturing, artist and sculptor Joshua Harker has created an intricate wearable sculpture called “Quixotic Divinity” using a variety of interwoven and suspended 3-D printed plastic components.


Photo courtesy of 3D Printshow.


Sintered on an EOSINT P 760 additive manufacturing system by Electro Optical Systems (EOS) of Germany, the striking all-plastic headdress took almost 200 hours to design, but only 26 hours to print. The piece was built on EOS’ largest-format SLS printer in polyamide, filling its build envelope to full dimensional capacity.

“I have used EOS’ technology considerably in my pieces because I have to,” Harker said. “It’s one of the very few that allows me to produce my creations without problematic issues of cleanup, rigid support and other technicalities after the build is finished. It helps me do what I do without being burdened by manufacturing considerations.”

Meadowlark Optics - Building system MR 7/23

Unveiled at the 3D Printshow’s Fashion Experience in London’s Islington borough as well as at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, the headdress recently made its American debut at the 3D Printshow in New York. The headgear pays homage to traditional ceremonial headdresses of Native American and African tribes, Harker said.

“3-D printing is a process that allows you to create things that can’t be done any other way. Whether it’s fashion or art or anything, really, when you’re imagining things and the constraints of what you can make are gone, it changes a lot of things,” he said. “Designers are really going to have a lot of powerful new avenues to explore with this technology.”

And it’s only beginning. You might even be able to spot a practical 3-D printed piece on someone’s neck or earlobe as you walk down the sidewalk.

“I think there is no doubt we’ll be seeing 3-D printed fashion on the street. It’s already starting with more affordable items like jewelry and accessories,” he said.

In an industry where trends come and go, Harker believes that this one, uniting fashion and science, is here to stay for the masses. “As costs come down and processes become more efficient, [3-D printing] will be increasingly incorporated into textiles, shoes and large pieces.”

Published: April 2014
Glossary
additive manufacturing
Additive manufacturing (AM), also known as 3D printing, is a manufacturing process that involves creating three-dimensional objects by adding material layer by layer. This is in contrast to traditional manufacturing methods, which often involve subtracting or forming materials to achieve the desired shape. In additive manufacturing, a digital model of the object is created using computer-aided design (CAD) software, and this digital model is then sliced into thin cross-sectional layers. The...
component
1. A constituent part. It may consist of two or more parts cemented together, or with near and approximately matching surfaces. 2. The projection of a vector on a certain coordinate axis or along a particular direction. 3. In a lens system, one or more elements treated as a unit. 4. An optical element within a system.
laser sintering
Laser sintering is an additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing technology that involves using a laser to selectively fuse powdered materials, typically polymers or metals, layer by layer, to create three-dimensional objects. The process is often referred to as Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and is commonly used in the production of functional prototypes, end-use parts, and complex geometries. Key features of laser sintering include: Powder bed: The process starts with a thin layer of...
machine vision
Machine vision, also known as computer vision or computer sight, refers to the technology that enables machines, typically computers, to interpret and understand visual information from the world, much like the human visual system. It involves the development and application of algorithms and systems that allow machines to acquire, process, analyze, and make decisions based on visual data. Key aspects of machine vision include: Image acquisition: Machine vision systems use various...
envelope
Also referred to as a bulb. The glass housing that encloses an incandescent source, or the glass or metal housing that encloses an electron tube.
3-Daccessoriesadditive manufacturingAmericasartartistcapacitycleanupcomponentConsumerdesigndesignersEOSEuropefashionGermanyImaginglaser sinteringLighter SideLondonLouvremachine visionmanufacturingMaterialsNew YorkOpticsParisplasticprintprintedResearch & TechnologyrigidscienceSLSsupporttextilesshoesconstraintsculptorsculptureJoshua HarkerJosh HarkerwearableQuixotic DivinityinterwovensuspendedEOSINT P 760Electro Optical Systemsheaddresspolyamidebuildenvelopedimensional3-D PrintshowFashion ExperienceIslingtonCarrousel de LouvrejewelryLasers

We use cookies to improve user experience and analyze our website traffic as stated in our Privacy Policy. By using this website, you agree to the use of cookies unless you have disabled them.