The Oak Ridge National Laboratory holds the Guinness book of world record for the largest single piece 3D printed object. It is 17.5 feet long, 5.5 feet wide and 1.5 feet tall and was customized for Boeing. An 110 m pavilion in Beijing is the largest 3D printed object and has been printed in 5000 different parts. ORNL is now all geared to break its own records by building two pavilions named ‘Flotsam & Jetsam’ by SHoP Architects. Construction will commence in November in Miami, Florida.
SHoP is a New York-based architectural firm that is pioneering the project. It has to its credit, mammoth projects like skyscrapers, stadiums, and city districts. The company is eager to undertake innovative projects. It received the “Most Innovative Architectural Firm in 2014”. These 3D printed pavilions will also be candidates for the 2016 Miami Visionary Award. The SHoP collaborated with ORNL and the Tennessee Start up Branch for 3D printing the Project that would mimic the Miami Beaches.
The shape of the pavilion is in the shape of a jellyfish and the outer texture of the pavilion will be significant. The pavilions will have a provision for seating and a bar. The custom software from Dassault Systemes (of SolidWorks), was used for designing, quick prefabrication, and on-site assembly. The design must be easy to disassemble and move, as the pavilion will be making some stopovers. SHoP considered using injection molding and boat-building techniques before ultimately settling on 3D printing, as it met all the technical and aesthetics requirements.
The pavilions will be 3D printed by Branch Technology and ORNL using two separate technologies. These technologies will be advanced enough to surpass the current technology to break the Guinness world record. Rebecca Caillouet is the senior associate at SHoP said that they were looking for a high-strength-to-material ratio. They wanted to use the least amount of material to support the load of the structure and withstand wind loads. SHoP proposes to launch similar 3D printing projects in future.
Source: 3ders.org
