“(s/b)3D” Variation

Experiment

Technology

Traditional

This base of this sample was handwoven on an 8 shaft handloom. A block mockleno weave was used for this sample. The warp of this weave is an ice blue, extra fine monofilament polyester (donated dead stock from Botony Weave). The weft of this sample is a combination of two yarns, an iridescent purple and a smelting grillon yarn. The low relief embellishments have been 3D printed with a white PLA filament.

Material

Experimental materials
Fiber
Plastics and resins

Craft

Printing
Textiles

General Technique

Combining
Constructing
Surface modifying

Specific Technique

A block mockleno weave structure has been woven on an 8 shaft loom. This fabric was designed as a mesh like material to support low relief 3D printed embellishments. The 3D printed embellishments were printed onto the material by trapping the fabric between printing layers. The design was printed on the main bed of the 3D printer for X2 layers and paused, then the mockleno fabric was taped on top of this. The printer was then resumed and continued printing the design on top of the fabric, the wet filament sinked through the mesh holes of the mockleno and bonded to the first 2 layers printed trapping the fabric between.

Properties & Qualities

Application

Art Sample Making

Qualities

3D Textured

Colour

Blue Violet White

Sample Information

Date of creation

Designed and made April 2021.

Dimensions

Width 20cm x Height 20cm x Depth 5mm

Weight

41g

Culture & Context

This sample is inspired by bees incredible ability to see the world through UV (ultra violet) vision. They see the world in a different way to us opening the bees up to
seeing hidden UV patterns on flowers and throughout nature. As well as looking at how bees see the world I also dived into the anatomy of their eyes and the thousands of tiny hexagonal lenses that make up their eye. Influenced by this structure the low relief embellishments were designed to look like many small hexagonal tubes that made up one hexagon, that was then repeated. This pattern is similar to the structure of the bees eyes when sliced in half to see the inside (diagram).

Process & Production

The process of this material was firstly hand weaving the mockleno weave on an 8 shaft handloom using the iridescent and grillon yarns. Once the weaving is finished and the sample is off the loom it was sewn to secure edges before moving onto the 3D printed elements. The 3D printed design was created using the Rhinoceros 3D modelling software and then printed using a 3D printer. The first two layers of the design were printed on the base of the printing bed, the printer was then paused and the mockleno woven fabric was taped on top. The printer was then resumed and it continued to print on top of the fabric seeping through the mesh gaps in the fabric when wet and bonds to the first few layers of filament printed trapping the fabric between. For this  particular sample the grillon yarn melts with heat and acts like a slight glue for the 3D printing filament to adhere to as well as the first few layers printed. This acts as extra support for the embellishments.

Recipe Details

Weaving done on an 8 shaft handloom using a mockleno weave structure.
The 3D printer used to produce this sample was a Prusa i3 Mk 2.5s.
The extruder is set at 215/210c.
The print bed is set at no heat.
2 layers are printed first before adding the textile on top to continue printing.

Credits

Craft Maker

Amy Kerr (AK Textiles)

Library Contributor

National College of Art & Design Ireland

Photographer

Amy Kerr

Practitioner