Semaphore

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    Participatory Material Culture Environmental Scan
    (2012) Record, Isaac
    This environmental scan provides a snapshot of desktop fabrication technologies in 2012. The report focuses on two streams of emerging technologies: (1) additive manufacturing, or “3D printing”, and (2) sensor/controller/actuator toolkits, or “control systems”. Both technologies have existed for decades, but have only recently attained “desktop” status in virtue of increasing public availability, falling capital and supply costs, and the wider availability of enabling technologies like easy-to-use programming languages. The intention is not to ignore well- established desktop prototypers like milling and sewing machines. Rather, the hope is that the attention surrounding emerging technologies will help to underline the opportunities that desktop prototyping affords. Moreover, because these technologies are still emerging, there is ample opportunity to intervene and shape their trajectories, for example to encourage the development of accessible tools. In this report we attend roughly to developments in the $100-$10000 range for 2012 equipment, $10000-$100000 for horizon equipment. Similarly, we attend to parts in the $1-$100 range for 2012 products, and $100-$1000 for future/planned products.
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    The Discrete Practices of 3D Printing
    (2015) Southwick, Daniel; Ratto, Matt
    Current discourse around 3D printing has tended to focus on its ability to produce physical manifestations of the digital. While this narrative had helped to popularize these technologies, relying on the powerful and appealing notion of being able to “turn digital dreams into physical realities”, it has also meant that the dominant perception of the technology has been oversimplified. Those who have only read about 3D printers or have only had a basic or controlled experience with them tend to see it as something that is purely digital, whereas users with experience are conscious of the fact that the technology is a combination of both the digital and the material. Yet, understanding 3D printing is more than just coming to terms with its materiality. The central conclusion to be drawn from this research needs to be the diversity of these systems. If 3D printing is ever to be come wildly adopted, or at least a ubiquitous tool for design, the complexity of the various contexts it can occupy needs to be more effectively addressed.
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    Data - ASTM D638 universal materials testing tensile tests results for 3D printed Alloy 910 and Bridge nylon subjects
    (2015-11-26) Qua Hiansen, Joshua; Wang, Dingkang; Bransch, Kiah; Ratto, Matt
    Maturation of 3D printing technologies has enabled the rapid fabrication of functional devices, including prosthetic sockets. Printing a robust socket requires an understanding of specific 3D printing parameters and their effect on the mechanical properties of the socket. In this paper, the effect of varying the shell number, infill percentage and layer height of 3D printed Alloy 910 and Bridge nylon blend subjects on their maximum tensile strength, their elasticity modulus and their yield strength is determined. In Experiment #1 the mechanical properties of the printed nylon subjects were determined by a universal load-testing machine according to ASTM D638 guidelines. Experiment #2 utilized the mechanical properties determined in Experiment #1 to define the material characteristics of a prosthetic socket to perform finite element analysis. This analysis revealed the surface stress and factor of safety of the prosthetic socket across different 3D printed material profiles. Results indicate that increasing shell number is a significant predictor of maximum tensile strength, yield strength and elasticity. Infill percentage and layer height also affect these properties; however, their effects are less pronounced. Finite element data showed quantitative changes to surface-stress experienced by the sockets with different 3D printed material qualities and affected their factor of safety. This study has shown that the mechanical properties of 3D printed objects can be affected by changing specific 3D printing parameters. The ability to modulate specific mechanical qualities of 3D printed objects is an important step towards the fabrication of functional 3D printed objects such as prosthetic sockets.
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    Research Brief on Additive manufacturing and Healthcare, with a specific focus on the printing of custom medical devices
    (unpublished, 2017-03-08) Ratto, Matt
    Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) is currently being used to produce a variety of medical devices including implants, hearing aides, guides for surgery and training, and custom prosthetic and orthotic devices. The focus of brief is on currently deployable and in some cases commercially-available AM healthcare products. Therefore, newer and more research-oriented AM processes such as bio-printing is not discussed. It is our argument that AM innovations can provide enhanced treatment options for personalized healthcare, but that the successful extension of AM innovations into mainstream medical practice requires deeper attention to the social context of production and use. Two example projects are discussed.