1. Thoughts on the 3D Printing
Revolution and its consequences
on the web's future
Nils Perret

2. Background
● Worked as a broadcast developer for 5
years
● In English: I implemented virtual TV
programs using real-time 3D broadcast
software, where the audience could interact
with the show.
● I was both programming (mainly in Python)
and designing / modelling the 3D format.

3. What is 3D Printing?
● Additive process of making a three-
dimensional solid object of virtually any
shape from a digital model.

4. How does it work?
● The object is made by building up multiple
layers of material.
● Depending on the printer, the 3D printing
process can vary quite a bit:
○ Fused deposition modeling
○ Stereolithography
○ Selective laser sintering
○ Powder bed and inkjet head 3d printing
○ And many more...

5. Timelapse of a print

6. Materials
● Material science plays a huge role in the
world of 3D printing
● Some example of materials used:
○ Plastics:
■ Polylactic acid (PLA)
■ Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)
○ Metals
○ Concrete
○ Glass
○ Skin
○ Biological cells
○ Wood filament
○ Even chocolate! :)

7. Materials
Titanium Concrete (Contour Crafting)
Glass Multi-material Bone

8. Colours
● Colours can also be added at the time of
printing

9. Fine, but why would it be a revolution?
● It is my belief that 3D printing will
fundamentally impact numerous industries
and will most probably generate new
business models, thus changing the way
society works.
● This is obviously debatable, and quite a few
people think otherwise.

10. Industries benefiting from 3D printing
● Manufacturing
● Engineering
● Medicine
● and many more!...

11. Examples of 3D printed objects
● Shoes
● House
● Toys
● Eyeware
● Kidneys
● Bones
● Anything, really! :)

12. 3D Scanner
● A 3D scanner is a device that analyzes a
real-world object or environment to collect
data on its shape and possibly its
appearance (i.e. color). The collected data
can then be used to construct digital, three
dimensional models.

13. 3D Scanner

14. Examples of 3D Printing Websites
● My Robot Nation
● Make Eyewear
● Freedom of Creation
● i.materialise

15. Examples of online 3D modeling tools
● 3dtin
● TinkerCad

16. 3D implications for the web
● Increasing demand for 3D web applications
in the future
● People will expect a richer and more intuitive
(read: 3D) interaction in the applications they
use

17. WebGL
● JavaScript API for rendering interactive 3D
graphics and 2D graphics within any
compatible web browser without the use of
plug-ins.
● Allows GPU accelerated usage of physics
and image processing and effects as part of
the web page canvas.
● WebGL elements can be mixed with other
HTML elements and composited with other
parts of the page or page background.

18. WebGL examples
● Google Chrome Experiments
● Subsurface scattering

20. Suggestions
● Teach yourself the basics (or more) of 3D
modelling
● Get familiar with the 3D tools in the Adobe
CS software (yes... developers too!)
● Get familiar with WebGL and associated
libraries (e.g. three.js) (yes... designers too!)

21. Teach yourself 3D!
● Get to know a 3D modelling software:
○ Blender: open-source and free. Steep learning
curve, though
○ Sketchup: easy to use 3D modelling tool
○ Modo: a powerful, elegant and flexible 3D
application
○ 3D Studio Max: a standard within the 3D modelling
world
○ Maya: probably the most widely used within the film
industry
○ Many more exist! Chose one and have fun! :)

22. Links
● A document with the links and more
information can be found here:
http://v.gd/CCnbD0