Fabricology
Technology Innovation
By Neri Oxman
2008-2010, Variable-property 3D printing
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Rapid prototyping technologies speed product design by facilitating visualization and testing of prototypes. However, such machines are limited to using one material at a time; even high-end 3D printers, which accommodate the deposition of multiple materials, must do so discretely and not in mixtures. This project aims to build a proof-of-concept of a 3D printer able to dynamically mix and vary the ratios of different materials in order to produce a continuous gradient of material properties with real-time correspondence to structural and environmental constraints. UROPS: Rachel Fong, Mindy Eng.