Machines Drawing at Supercon 2024: Artistic Expressions Through Mechanization
In a fascination-stirring presentation at the 2024 Supercon, Blair Subbaraman emphasized the creativity that can be unleashed when working beyond conventional parameters in digital fabrication. Instead of focusing on honing machines to produce perfect, consistent results, Subbaraman discussed the allure of "sketching with machines."
He began by showcasing unique, digitally-crafted objects, created not through conventional Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software, but by manipulating toolpaths directly. This included a meticulously carved vase, where the design was influenced significantly by the marks left by the endmill in the wood. According to Subbaraman, the design is not specified in the geometry file but can be achieved through experimentation with various settings until the desired aesthetic is achieved.
Drawing a parallel with modern uses of the terms "sketch" in contexts like Arduino programming or the Processing framework, Subbaraman posed the question, "What might it look like to sketch with a 3D printer?"
To demonstrate, he presented a distinctively unique 3D-printed vase. Unlike traditionally manufactured vases, this one was not created by generating a CAD model, slicing it, and feeding the resulting G-code to the printer. Instead, the printer's extruder was controlled directly. The extruder was instructed to create a hot blob of plastic, which the gantry then gently pulled away from, creating a string to the next stack of blobs, and the process repeated. The result was a more delicate, complex structure with fine strings connecting towers of delicately melted plastic.
Subbaraman explained that this method involved precise control over the extruder and motion platform, with the G-code carefully fine-tuned to create blobs of plastic that were just the right size and the motion platform moving at the right speed to create a continuous, molten string without breakdown or sagging.
To facilitate this unconventional approach, Subbaraman developed the p5.fab JavaScript library. This library offers simple commands for controlling various operations of a 3D printer, allowing for the creation of objects in a way that diverges from the usual CAD-specific geometry definition. According to Subbaraman, these simple commands can be used to swiftly construct more complex objects, enabling users to print fascinating items that might be difficult or inconvenient to create using standard CAD and slicer tools.
One fascinating example provided by Subbaraman was a handle attached to the side of a disposable coffee cup. While this might be considered a gimmick, it highlight the possibilities opened up by this method.
Subbaraman's inspiration to work directly with toolpaths offers several benefits. He noted that while slicers and CAD software are invaluable for producing standard 3D prints, using more direct control over the machinery can lead to extraordinary and unconventional results.
Subbaraman's presentation concluded with a few intriguing ideas. One such concept was utilizing a MIDI controller with knobs and sliders to control a 3D printer. Imagining the ability to adjust print settings like movement speed or extrusion rate dynamically during the printing process, Subbaraman demonstrated how it allowed him to discover novel ways to print neatly stacked coils in TPU.
Overall, Subbaraman's presentation encouraged attendees to explore new dimensions in digital fabrication and 3D printing by taking a more direct, hands-on approach to machine control. While slicers and CAD software remain essential tools, the opportunities presented by sketching with machines are certainly worth investigating.
In the realm of digital fabrication, Blair Subbaraman demonstrates that 3D printing can be more than just generating CAD models and feeding the resulting G-code to the printer. By controling the extruder and motion platform directly, he can sketch with a 3D printer, creating intricate and unconventional objects, pushing the boundaries of what is achievable in home-and-garden, technology, and even lifestyle, as seen in his unique handle attached to a coffee cup. This unconventional approach is facilitated by the p5.fab JavaScript library, a tool that allows for the creation of complex objects that may be difficult to produce using conventional CAD and slicer tools.
Subbaraman's work with toolpaths not only offers opportunities in 3D printing, but also ties in with the concept of "sketching" in other technologies, such as Arduino programming or data-and-cloud computing, where iterative experimentation leads to creativity and innovation.
