Disney Research Shows off Fabric 3D Printer

Disney Research has produced a new paper -- authored by Huaishu Peng, Jen Mankoff, Scott E. Hudson, and James McCann--details a whole new kind of 3D printer. The new 3D printer uses fabric as its 'filament,' creating soft objects in a layer-by-layer technique. The fabric is laid down and adhered using pressure sensitive glue, with the object looking like a fabric cube when it comes off the heated print bed. Once the support material is removed, the inner object is revealed. The printer can lay down two types of fabrics at once, allowing for the opportunity to use electronics or conductive equipment that would be integrated in the 3D object. Disney Research created a proof-of-concept smartphone cover with a blinking LED. Read more details, and see video of the printer in action, in the full article: http://3dprint.com/59116/disney-rese...abric-printer/


Below is a photo of a soft 3D printed rabbit:
http://3dprint.com/wp-content/upload...ted-rabbit.jpg