On this episode of IEN Newsdesk, Roger Kelesoglu, the director of sales enablement at Stratasys, talks voxels, which are the building blocks that create 3D printed structures.
Stratasys recently introduced GrabCAD Voxel Print, a new software for its J750 3D printer that allows you to control the materials and structure of each individual voxel. Kelesoglu discusses how this capability opens up an entirely new toolset for design engineers.
The company’s technology is used in a wide range of industries. In the interview, Kelesoglu discusses how stop-motion animation powerhouse LAIKA is using multi-material 3D printing to bring models to life. He also covers how designers at Singapore University are manipulating materials at a voxel level to create exotic new furniture — they’re essentially creating new materials from the ground up.
According to Kelesoglu, current investment in the technology will bring 3D printing further into the manufacturing arena, however current systems must continue to mature and be scaled to be able to print large parts with repeatable yield, quality, and consistency.
He also describes how the factory of the future will incorporate 3D printing. 3D printing won't replace technology on the factory floor, but rather work side-by-side to address applications that need geometric flexibility (which means creating parts that can't be cut or molded).
