PneuPrint: 3D printing on inflatables

Abstract

This research investigated the feasibility of thermoplastic 3D printing on inflatable membranes. Five experiments were performed in an iterative process through design and manufacture (1), computational simulation and 3D scanning (2), and robotic fabrication on the pneumatic formwork (3). These experiments ranged from small to large-scale 3D printing. Experiment 1 demonstrated the small-scale feasibility of the process and the need to integrate an air-pressure control loop. Experiment 2 investigated the technique transfer from small to large-scale. Experiment 3 analyzed the deviation and shape accuracy of the inflatable membrane. Experiment 4 identified the required fabrication settings and compatibility between the membrane and the 3D printing material. Finally, Experiment 5 demonstrated the design and fabrication potential of large-scale 3D printed elements on pneumatic formworks. The results proved high potential for building freeform design elements for architectural applications on pneumatic formworks.