Parametric vases with varied, rippling profiles

Project / 14 · Parametric Design

Parametric Vases

A family of vases generated from a single parametric model.

Parametric Vases

Re-make Plastics is an initiative dedicated to the development of the technology and research into applications of large-scale 3D printing of recycled plastic. The case study aimed at showcasing the speed and versatility of the production.

Year
2019
Partners
Re-Make Plastics
Role
Computational designer, Digital Fabrication & Robotic Toolpath Development
Four finished, ribbed parametric vases displayed on a red ledge against a cityscape

A design exploration of printability and form aesthetics

A lobed vase profile being printed in layers onto a glass build plate
Printed vase experiments showing varied lobes, twists and open rims
Industrial robot arm fitted with a printing extruder in the fabrication workshop
Three vases turned upside down to show their enclosed, radial base profiles

One script to rule them all

Various designs and print strategies were tested, with the biggest challenge being the warping of the bottom layers—the first print layers. Mechanically attaching objects to the build plate and later detaching them left harsh marks, so these production constraints had to be incorporated into the design.

A parametric script was developed for the bottom profile of the vases to ensure that the form was closed on one side. This allowed the vases to be printed upside down, turning the warped side into a design feature of the top vase profile.

Two rows of generated radial base profiles with different numbers and shapes of lobes
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