Foam is commonly used in modelmaking for industrial design and movie sets due to its cost-effectiveness. However, it poses challenges like messiness, the need for skilled artisans, and extensive finishing processes, especially for large objects requiring structural support.
Australian model making firm Studio Kite, known for creating the organic battery bank in The Matrix, has addressed these issues. They initially experimented with 3D printing using a robot arm but sought larger capabilities, leading to the development of Cadzilla, a massive 3D printer resembling an elevator shaft.
Principal Engineer Steve Rosewell designed Cadzilla with a four-arm configuration for increased accuracy and a convenient square footprint. The machine can print objects up to 8.5 feet square and nearly 12 feet tall, with internal support lattices integrated into the designs, eliminating the need for additional bracing.
Rosewell’s nozzle design features a vibrating plate that flattens extruded material into thin ribbons, allowing quicker cooling times and reducing finishing efforts. This method also achieves robust, outdoor-safe finishes using a water-based acrylic modified cement material.
Cadzilla uses pellets for feedstock instead of filaments, offering cost benefits and reducing waste by allowing ground-up failed prints to be reused. It can print with various materials, including ABS, PE, PP, PVC, PLA, HDPE, and TPE/TPU rubber.
Studio Kite plans to bring Cadzilla to market, demonstrating its capabilities and benefits.
Source: core77.com