Computational Couture¶
Research + Reflections¶
I've loved the previous weeks' material. I mean, despite working long hours at my job and many a sleepless nights to get the assignments done. But there's something about Computational Couture, while Julia Koerner was giving her lecture, that peaked my interest and fascinates me. I only have a notion of architecture but no actual practice in it. I've never worked extensively with pattern making and 3D printing combined. I've worked with 3D printers before but not in this capacitiy, like I said. It's so new to me - perhaps it excites me that I'm not coming in with any preconceived notions or ideas because I may be familiar with this work. In a way, it's more freeing.
Ladies and gentlemen, I feel more free.
Computational Couture is a reinterpretation of couture fashion and experimenting with fashion that involves design, parametric modeling, and 3D printing instead of (mostly) hand-sewing techniques.
This week I'd like to narrow my focus when combining architectural parametric modeling, textiles, and 3D printing. This is kind of allows me to rethink tessellations we had previously explored in week 3. It also makes me rethink in terms of accessibility. Couture is associated with "high-fashion", labor-intensity, unique design, high cost, and unavailable to the common person.
Computational Couture allows "high-fashion" to enter into the hearts and hands of those who previously would have anticipated only learning how to do this in school and/or coming from wealth to own such a piece of couture.
I loved this piece Julia designed and showcased. It's inspired my the wings of a Madagascar Butterfly. These wings are scanned and digitized/translated into 3D patterns.
Since the start of the year, I was planning on making a sort of head piece. Almost like an armored helmet made of metal snap clips and copper wire.
I was looking into armor worn by women in history but very little comes up. And understandably so. Women were most likely involved in the textile portion of armor making but women who fought in battle, with regards to medievel times, more often than not wore armor made for men. So, I find it a cool concept to explore female armor for warrior women.
Ruth Asawa, an artist known for knitting/weaving copper wire and huge supporter of art education, I found particularly inspiring when thinking about making a head piece. I went to an exhibit of her work at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and found her work mesmerizing.
I also really admire and follow the work of Prof. Lining Yao at the University of California, Berkeley. Her lab is called the Morphing Matter Lab and her lab researches and designs work that delves deeply into sustainable and programmable materials for all kinds of applications.
I want to move out my comfort zone this week. In terms of design, anyway. These were my explorations in this realm.
Weekly Assignment
- Document the concept, sketches, references also to artistic and scientific publications
- Design a parametric model using Grasshopper3D and upload the rhino file + grasshopper files
- Learn how to use 3D printing techniques to print the 3D model in/on the chosen materials
- Document the workflow for exporting your file and preparing the machine and gcode to be 3D printed
- Upload your stl file with pictures at oscircularfashion.com
- Submit some of your swatches to the analog material library of your lab. (20cm *20cm aprox)
What You'll Need
- Blender or Rhino
- Grasshopper
- Ultimaker or other respective 3D printer software
- FDM 3D Printer - With TPU printing filament and/or PLA printing filament
- Netting, tulle fabric
- Bi- Direction Stretch Mesh
- Thermo-Foils
- Metallic Paper Clips
Process Workflow¶
Your workflow goes like this: You model a 3D object in a 3D Modeling software like Rhinp 3D, Fusion 360, Blender and you obtain a local file like .blend for Blender.
You then export that file as an .obj or .stl file and import it into your 3D Printing software. In my case, I used Ultimaker Cura for an Ender 3 printer I borrowed from my friend. This file is no longer an .stl file within the printing software. There it is converted into a .gcode file which is a file the 3D printer understands as instructions on what and how to print your 3D file.
After refining settings on your .gcode file, you start printing on your 3D printer. In my case, I used an SD card to load my .gcode file and inserted that same SD card into my printer to start the print job. And voila! There you have it - a 3D print!
3D + Parametric Modeling on Blender¶
Blender GNE Interface¶
We've used Blender previously but not with parametric modeling using the Geometry Node Editor or GNE. I've highlighted in the pic above what things to look out for when you open Blender up to start designing.
Don't forget to enable the Node Wrangler Add-On to work with the GNE.
Modeling Using Object Editor and Geometry Node Editor¶
As you use the GNE, you might notice the frustration pulsing through your forehead and upper extremeties. No, I'm just kidding. It does get a little confusing. But I've attached my blender files and screenshots below for your reference when you do the same thing :)
I've documented a couple of processes and useful keyboard shortcuts as you're working.
Making Parametric Grid
| Steps |
|---|
| Start new general blender file, leave default cube on object editor |
| Change view to "WireFrame" |
| Change view to "WireFrame" |
| Click "+ New" in Geometry Node Editor |
| Use Knife Tool to sever initial connection in GNE - Ctrl or Command + right mouse click |
| Add Grid in GNE - Shift + A (in GNE), type "Grid" + Enter |
| Add connections from "Size X" and "Size Y" in Grid to empty point under "Geometry" in Group Input |
| Add connections from "Vertex X" and "Vertex Y" in Grid to second empty point under your now “Size X” in Group Input |
| Connect "Mesh" in Grid to "Geometry" in Group Output |
| Rename in right hand panel under "Group Sockets" in GNE , "Grid Size" and "Subdivisions" |
| Go to blue wrench icon on the Blender bottom right most panel and you can manipulate grid size and how many subdivisions you have in your grid |
For Adding Shapes and Editing Shapes Between GNE and Object Editor
| Steps |
|---|
| Add shape to object editor - Shift + A - Type or Find Your Desired Shape (usually a Mesh) |
| Resize object to single grid square - __Click object + S + Move your mouse accordingly to make smaller or larger |
| Apply Edited Object Scale to Grid - Ctrl or Command + A + click “Scale” in pop-up |
| Add Instance on Points in GNE - Shift + A + type and click "Instance on Points" |
| Place in middle of Grid and Group Output in GNE |
| Drag any object from your top right "Scene Collection" panel into GNE and connect "Geometry" in Object Info to "Instance" on Instance on Points |
Useful Blender Shortcuts¶
| Description | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Add object to object editor or GNE | Shift + A |
| Apply Scale to Object in Object Editor | Ctrl or Command + A |
| Scale object up or down | S |
| Rotate object globally | R |
| Rotate object about certain axis | R + (X, Y, or Z) |
| Move object globally | G |
| Move object about certain axis | G + (X, Y, or Z) |
| Show panel to the left on object editor and GNE | N |
| Change Object Mode to Edit Mode on Object Editor | Tab |
The woven experiment file is really just a derivation of the self morphing uniform design. The only thing to take note of is the Map Range function (boxed in green) in the GNE. Set the To Min to 0 and the To Max to about 4-5. Feel free to play with the values to see how it changes the shapes within your parametric grid.
3D Printing¶
My Friend's 3D Printer¶
That's misleading - My friend's 3D printer. In fact, let me change that right now. She let me borrow it and at a crucial time obviously.
It's a Creality Ender 3, pictured below.
Ultimaker Cura Interface¶
This is where the magic and fine tuning happens. I used Cura and in the pic above I delineated specific things in the interface that are notable and helpful.
Cura Settings for PLA¶
These PLA settings were for printing the future chainmail. The most important thing with this print was the support. If you don't set that properly you could end up with a 3D print that's hard to separate the actual model from the support material, as seen below.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Layer Height | 0.2mm |
| Infill Density | 20-30% |
| Infill Pattern | Concentric |
| Printing Temperature | 200-230 C |
| Build Plate Temperature | 45-60 C |
| Flow | 100% |
If I didn't list another parameter in the dropdown print settings menu, it's because it remained what it was by default. Feel free to experiment and change it for your project!
Enable Support because this may be one of the most important parts for this.
Cura Settings for TPU + TPU/mesh¶
Printing my TPU woven experiment? Superb. Magnificent. No problem. Well, once it came to 3D printing TPU onto stretch mesh fabric, the difficulty level really amped up to Hard Mode in this video game called life.
Make sure you stretch your mesh fabric over the print bed at a high tension. Stretch it as much as you can. Because my print bed moves, the black clips didn't work for me as much at first so I switched to painter's tape. Then I switched back to black clips when I found the best way to use them.
Refining these settings was a true challenge. One that I'm still refining but feel free to explore them below.
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Infill Density | 20% |
| Infill Pattern | Concentric |
| Printing Temperature | 240 C |
| Build Plate Temperature | 50 C |
| Flow | 100% |
| Print Speed (to better adhere filament to mesh) | 20mm/s |
| Enable Retraction | Unchecked |
| Combing Mode | Within Infill |
| Fan Speed | 20% |
A couple of other things here. My model was way to narrow and thick when I first started printing with TPU and stopping the print half way to sandwich the layers together. I would recommend a thickness of about 0.00045m or 0.45mm for your textile design to print onto mesh for self morphing explorations. I learned a ton but I have a ton more to learn. My models didn't exactly have the greatest self morphing qualitites but it was something for now.
I had many more failures where the mesh tore. I think that was to do with the fact that my print bed was not level.
I tried taping the mesh onto the print bed instead of using clips but ultimately the imbalance in the level contributed to its failure. Along with print PLA on stretch mesh.
Other things to look out for with a 3D Printer¶
Specifically for the Creality Ender 3D printer I was using, there were a couple of things I had to keep in mind.
- Make sure the print bed is leveled. Here's how!
- Strategically place your black clips (if you're using them) so they don't block your bed from moving while printing
- Yes, the fan is on the whole time
- Make sure your print settings are correct for your particular file!
Final 3D Printer Outputs¶
Fabrication files¶
- Woven TPU: woven.stl
- Future Chainmail: futurechainmail.stl
- Self Morphing - Repulsor: selfmorphing_repulsor.stl
- Self Morphing - Uniform: selfmorphing_uniform.stl