3D-Printing: New Program Allows Printer Novices to Create Designs

3D printing is becoming a lot more common. However, the ability to create designs for this new technology is a bit more difficult. Now, researchers are aiming to change that.

When it comes to creating models with a 3D printer, any but the simplest designs require expertise with computer-aided design (CAD) applications. This particular process can be immensely time consuming. Now,, scientists have developed a new system that automatically turns CAD files into visual models that users can modify in real time, simply by moving virtual sliders on a web page. Once the design meets the user's specifications, they can send the design to a 3D printer.

"We envision a world where everything you buy can potentially be customized, and technologies such as 3D printing promise that that might be cost-effective," said Masha Shugrina, a MIT graduate student, in a news release. "So the question we set out to answer was, 'How do you actually allow people to modify digital designs in a way that keeps them functional?'"

For a CAD user, modifying a design means changing numerical values in input fields and then waiting for the program to recalculate the geometry of the associated object. Then, the design needs to be tested using simulation software.

In this case, though, researchers want to turn visual design into something novices can do a real time. The new system that they created, called "Fab Forms," may do just that. It begins with a design created by a seasoned CAD user and then sweeps through a wide range of values for the design's parameters. For each of these geometries, the system also runs tests and stores the results.

Finally, the system generates a user interface that can be opened, which allows a user to manipulate the design of the model.

This latest step could be huge in terms of making 3D printing more friendly toward users. As the technology becomes more widespread, it's important to take steps to make it easier for the public.

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