3D Printing Inspired by Lifeby David Gann

© David Gann 2015

Content

1. Definitions, Inspirations and Background

2. Voronoi-Voronoi Monome, 3D Voronoi with Blender ‘Cell Fracture’ and Meshlab

3. Spiral -Parametric Geometry Methods with VVVV spreads and geometry shader

4. Tessellation and Displacement- Voronoi and Honeycomb Texture Displacement

Content

5. Methods for sampling and creating Meshes- 3D Scanning - Exoskeleton Projekt

6. Growing Meshes-Plant Growth with IvySim-Coral Growth with Diffusion limited Aggregation

Description and Course MaterialsThis Workshop is intended to provide an overview of patterns in life which can be used as a method for creating 3D models for 3D printing.Examples of how those methods can be achieved are included, but are not the only way how to do it.Course participants are encouraged to use Blender, VVVV and Meshlab as we do in the examples. However the emphasis is more on concept creation and idea development, rather than the technology behind it.

Examples and help files to support the Workshop are available atwww.symbioticcube.com/Downloads/3DPrinting-DavidGann.zip

VVVV Version 33.3_x64 with addonpack, dx11 etcwww.symbioticcube.com/Downloads/vvvv_45beta33.3_x64_Emeshe.zip

1. Definitions

Why is it useful to get inspired by life in 3D printing?

Life on the planet has similar aims as we have when it comes to building things!

- Reduce material / cost / time per volume- Stability / amount of used material- Save time in the process of designing the 3D model- With parametrization of geometry we can evolve endless variations of

a thing- evolutionary modeling can help us select the right shape- recreate nature for functional purpose- recreate nature for aesthetic purpose

2. Voronoi PatternCommon pattern in nature

[1][2]

[3] [4]

2. Voronoi Pattern

-3D or 2D pattern

-Important structural meaning in many organisation forms of life

-High Volume/Cost/Stability Ratio

-Derived from a set of center points and defined equal division of space according to the points(eg random distribution of points within a plane or volume)

[2_1]

[2_2]

2. Voronoi PatternTheory

-In computer graphics Voronoi Interpolationis derived from the Delaunay Triangulationof a set of points. The Voronoi linesare standing orthogonal on the lines of the delaunay triangulation and the intersectionsare the new points for the voronoi edges.

[2_3]

[2_4]

2. Voronoi PatternExample: Voronoi Monome with Blender ‘Cell Fracture’

Task is to create a case for aelectronic device

Step 1: create the rough designwith the exact measurements by hand.

2. Voronoi PatternExample: Voronoi Monome with Blender ‘Cell Fracture’

Note:

Cell Fracture needs to be

activated as a plugin

in the Blender settings

Step 2: UseCell Fractureand experimentwith parameters.Eg: Margin, Mass,Noise, Random etc

2. Voronoi PatternExample: Voronoi Monome with Blender ‘Cell Fracture’

Step 3: Apply boolean operation (-> modifieres -> add -> boolean-> subtract )

The fractured model is subtracted from the base model!

Export as .STLfile

2. Voronoi PatternExample: Voronoi Monome with Blender ‘Cell Fracture’

Step 4: Remeshing and smoothing in Meshlab. Eventually before you can do this you need to use a model repair tool (eg Netfabb online service is recommended, alternative would be Meshmixer or Meshlab itself)

Meshlab -> Filter -> Remeshing, Simplification …

-> Surface Reconstruction: Poisson

Meshlab -> Filter -> Remeshing, Simplification …

-> Subdivision Surfaces: Loop

2. Voronoi PatternExample: Voronoi Monome with Blender ‘Cell Fracture’

R

Result: A Voronoi case for the Monome. Print time: 23 hours with Orcabot 0.34

Very lightweight and robust!

© David Gann 2015

© David Gann 2015

3. SpiralIncreaseSurface/Volumeor Surface/LengthRatio. One of the most stablestructure in macroand micro world!

[3_2]

[3_1]

[3_3]

3. SpiralExample 1: ‘Generative 3D Mesh’

Points of the vertices are generated by using

a 2D circular points distribution and

translating it in z-direction in a linear way

so that we come out with a 3D spiral.

The spiral points are used 3 times slightly translated

to form the three edges of the spiral.

Indices of which points to connect as polygon surface

are generated automatically, too

(see example folder ‘Generative3dRing’)

3. SpiralExample 2: ‘Rotation in geometry shader’

In a DirectX11 geometry shader we are able

to morph an existing 3D model around the three

world axis.

Picture shows a torus (round ring) morphed

around one of the axis.

(see example folder ‘GeometryMorph’)

(Shader Code by vvvv users Unc, everyoneishappy)

3. Spiral

Geometry ShaderExample ‘CofeeCup’

CoffeeCup was previouslyextruded with Perlin Noisetexture in Meshlab

And is then twisted in the VVVV geometry shader

Export as .STL

4. Tesselation and Displacement

Pollum under electron microscope.

[4_1]

4. Tesselation and DisplacementTheory

8x8 Grid Tesselation factor = 4

4. Tesselation and DisplacementTheory

Texture

Texture controls Displacementin direction of Normals

4. Tesselation and DisplacementTheory

Tesselation factor = 64

Texture is a real-life Image

Generative Texture can be used for shaping Meshes!

4. Tesselation and Displacement

-Tesselation-Displacement with Voronoi texture-Morph around axis (See example ‘GeometryMorph’)

4. Tesselation and Displacement

Hexagon texture is used to displace the torus mesh

(See example ‘GeometryMorph’)

5. Methods for sampling and creating Meshes - 3D Scanning

3D Scanning can be used toshape base meshes that fit for the purpose you want.

Video Tutorial:https://vimeo.com/69298048

5. Methods for sampling and creating Meshes - Exoskeleton

The negative shape of the 3D scan is used to print a 100% body shapedexoskeleton. Wireless microcontroller and sensors are attached.

© David Gann 2015 © David Gann 2015

5. Methods for sampling and creating MeshesJoining SubsetsMesh can be created byjoining multiple subset primitives(eg boxes or spheres)into one mesh.

Remeshing (Poisson) and Subdividing (Loop) in Meshlabrequired to gain a clean meshfrom it!

(See example ‘Join Subsets’)

6. Growing Meshes

Simulated Plant Growth IvyGenerator (http://graphics.uni-konstanz.de/~luft/ivy_generator/)

6. Growing Meshes

Diffusion Limited Aggregation Processing Implementation (http://toxiclibs.org/2010/02/new-package-simutils/)

[6_1]

Picture References

[1] http://thegeneralist.me/2013/04/08/interest-home-microscope/

[2] Unknow Source

[3] Unknow Source

[2_1] http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fl%C3%BCgel_%28Insekt%29

2_2] © Barrett Klein www.pupating.org

[2_3] http://www-cs-students.stanford.edu/~amitp/game-programming/polygon-map-generation/voronoi-and-delaunay.png

[2_4] http://math.lbl.gov/voro++/obliquevoro.png

[3_1] http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desoxyribonukleins%C3%A4ure

[3_2] http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/pictures/biology/plantspiral.html

[3_3] Unknow Source

[4_1] http://pixabay.com/de/pollen-mikroskop-elektronenmikroskop-543490/

[6_1] http://toxiclibs.org/2010/02/new-package-simutils/