Part 2.1

Further Experimentation

For the next steps of the project, I wanted to set some rules/parameters:

I knew before starting the initial experimentation that 3D printing a type composition would not be sustainable, time-wise and material-wise, this is why it is a rule that the type is reusable and movable much like traditional type.
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The process of making the type needs to be cost-effective, meaning it cannot take too much time, too much material, or too much post-processing.

The process must be as simple as possible, meaning anyone can follow the steps I have made
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Finally, the results of the type must be of a good standard, at this stage of the experimentation I will never be able to perform to the quality of wood or lead type, but it has to prove that with some extra work, the process is usable.

Comments

3D Print

Details of Print

Result

1. This first test was designed to fail.
I wanted to demonstrate why 3D printing a copy of a woodblock or lead character doesn’t make any sense. Firstly it takes far too much time, 10 hours of printing for one character is too long. Secondly, the amount of plastic it takes to print this character is costly and wasteful.
Additionally, there was warping in the base of the print, this is something that can be fixed but is made worse by the density of the print.

Print time: 10 Hrs
Weight: 169g
Nozzle: 0.4mm
Print Height: 25mm
Layers: 82

2. To reduce the amount of plastic and time I had to get rid of the amount being printed. The obvious decision was to get rid of the block of plastic underneath the type. The block’s function is to get the letter to type height, but why does it need to be plastic and why does it need to be fixed to the bottom of the letter like with traditional type? The simple answer it doesn’t, but it seems as though everyone who has 3D printed type (in my research) before has gotten stuck at this point.

Print time: 2 hrs 3 mins
Weight: 42g
Nozzle: 0.4mm
Print Height: 8mm
Layers: 26