Generating these shapes in two dimensions, with pen and paper, is time consuming but manageable. Creating three-dimensional fractal forms is a great deal more complex. A group of four students in the Product Design program at the University of Lincoln’s School of Architecture & Design in the UK decided to investigate the possibilities for producing some of those forms through computer modeling and 3D printing.
In an interview with 3DPrint.com, one member of the group, Joshua Thorpe, explained the group’s efforts:
“Myself along with three fellow students decided that we wanted to push the boundaries of what could actually be printed and focus on creating unique furniture and lighting. Through researching natural structures such as chaotic patterns and fractals, we found a piece of software that allowed us to grow fractal roots in a virtual environment. These roots can be manipulated by uploading STL files into the program and growing the fractals inside or around them, with the STL shape acting as a boundary.”
The software that they use is a Diffusion Limited Aggregation (DLA) program that allows them to ‘seed’ a fractal within or around a particular environment. The principle behind it is that a particle moves randomly about the space provided until it connects with a piece of the imported structure and begins its growth. That growth follows a particular rule set and is contained by or excluded from some particular form that provides the limits for its generation.
The piece created by Thorpe was entitled the Neuro Pendant Light and is clearly a reference to the neural networks that inhabit the human brain. After creating a bounding form and importing it into the DLA software, Thorpe grew a fractal pattern in 3D and sent it to be printed.
“The Neuro Pendant Light showcases the immensely intricate detail that 3D printing and digital fabrication as a whole can achieve,” Thorpe explains in his portfolio. “The design is influenced by the advanced network of microscopic patterns found in the humrodan brain and nervous system, creating a series of fantastic fractals. Three high-finish ABS prints are suspended beneath an energy saving Edison-style bulb, finished with a braided white fabric cord.”
“I would like to experiment more with artistic and sculptural applications of the software. ‘The Collection’ museum in Lincoln recently released 3D scanned sculptures from their collection in the form of STL files. This would allow me to take the sculpture and import it into the DLA software, and grow the fractal roots inside the shape, thus creating a beautiful and completely unique piece of art. The idea is currently very much at the concept stage, however I am hoping to be able to 3D print these creations and continue to share them with the creative community.”
Do you like these things? Do you know of similar student projects that have continued to grow? Join the discussion in the White Matter forum thread over at 3DPB.com.