The application of 3D printing technology in the fashion industry

Introduction

3D printing (3DP) is an automated additive manufacturing (AM) process that builds a product by depositing material into successive layers. The product is formed inside a 3D printer, in a similar manner to a traditional, 2D inkjet printer. To transform a 2D design into a 3D product, digital 3D computer-aided design (CAD) software is used to create the design sketch, which is then virtually sliced into the appropriate amount of horizontal layers needed to complete the product. Only the necessary amount of materials used to create each layer is deposited from the printer; no tooling is needed. Therefore, 3DP is the opposite of traditional, subtractive manufacturing, which cuts away unnecessary material to create the desired shape. 3DP can have a large impact on the traditional supply chain by reducing the number of necessary steps, allowing more distributed and decentralised production, and lowering the need for warehousing, packaging, and transportation. Since 3DP only needs 3D data files and raw materials to develop complex products, less time is needed in production and delivery and less waste is created. The use of CAD files also makes it easier and more efficient to adjust designs, allowing businesses to quickly develop multiple prototypes and to create

customised products according to an individual’s design needs. 3DP also benefits businesses by lowering the amount of unused inventory, as they only need to print items on demand. 3D printers offered a wider variety of print materials, including metals.  printers continued to develop in today’s diversified marketplace, 3D printers are being used for mass-customised products such as medical and dental parts, replacement parts for electronics and appliances, architectural models, and sports.

3DP materials

 Commonly used 3DP materials include glass, ceramics, metals, wax, sand, polymers, and resins. Depending on the 3DP method used, these materials can be utilised in liquid, solid, powder, or gas forms available made of natural and synthetic fibres, including cotton, nylon polymers, and leathers. It is predicted that as 3DP materials science advances, materials made of textile fibres will be introduced. For example, textile company, TamiCare, has already developed a 3DP technology called Cosyflex that prints fabrics using liquid polymers, including natural latex, silicon, polyurethane, and Teflon, as well as textile fibres, including cotton, rayon, and polyamide.

3DP process

 The 3DP process begins with designing the product using CAD software, typically a 3D modelling program. Through the adjustment of computational algorithms, designs can be altered to make improvements or include specific size parameters for individual consumers. Programs such as Rhino feature parametric design tools that are especially beneficial for designers who are not experienced with writing code. Parametric design tools also offer efficiency and convenience, as multiple variations of a design can be created with a single code. Once modelling is complete, the software divides the object into horizontal layers. The data from the file are then communicated to the printer, which develops the 3D product by each divided layer. After the object is printed, it may need sanding and polishing to improve the surface finish and diminish the look of print lines. Colour can also be modified via painting or dyeing. It is important to assess aesthetic quality of printed fashion products as appearance has a significant impact on consumer’s perceptions of value

 Figure 1 outlines the general design and production process of 3DP methods. Many 3D printers have a limited build volume, making it difficult to print entire garments or large accessories within a single process. Often multiple parts are printed to form the complete product and assembled using adhesives or interlocking male and female components.

                                                          

3DP in the fashion industry

3DP is used in the fashion industry to develop prototypes, works of haute couture, and customisable products that provide consumers an interactive choice-driven experience. Haute couture fashion designers are also using 3DP to communicate ways emerging technology can be used for innovative fashion design. London-based designer, Catherine Wales, displayed her Project DNA collection of 3D printed corsets, masks, and helmets at the Arnhem Mode Biennale in the Netherlands. Wales used a combination of engineering programmes to develop complicated joints and creative design software to develop sculptural forms. The accessories were printed in nylon using SLS to provide flexibility for the joints. Wales has also made these accessories available to consumers and prints them on-demand according to each individual’s body measurements through the use of a 3D body scanner. These data can be directly transferred to CAD software, allowing Wales to create a digital avatar of the future wearer. Mass-market fashion brands are also using 3DP to produce customised products for consumers. San Francisco-based Continuum allows consumers to purchase their bathing suits, made to order via measurements entered into the retailer’s website. Continuum has partnered with 3DP Company, Shape ways, to develop these customisable products. Continuum prints the bathing suits using SLS and a solid nylon material called Nylon 12, giving the products a fabric-like feel with waterproof properties. The entire suit, including closures, is made with SLS and connected by thin strings, providing flexibility. Continuum also sells jewellery and women’s shoes created with 3DP. In particular, the company prints a geometric necklace with a steel powder and coats it in nickel for a lustrous finish. The shoes are printed in a rubber material and have a hollow internal structure, producing a lighter product. Many designers and retailers believe the purpose of creating fashion pieces with 3DP is not to duplicate current products, but to improve product design by offering unique and personalised products to consumers. With recent advancements in 3D printers, designers are able to produce breathable, fabric-like materials made of interlocked structures, resulting in lightweight and flexible products.

3DP for fashion design

 Five possible 3DP methods most applicable to fashion products include Stereolithography, Selective laser sintering, Fused deposition modelling, PolyJet, and Binder jetting. There are benefits and challenges associated with each method that designers must consider.

Stereolithography

SL uses a photopolymer resin, which is a liquid plastic, and a ultra-violet (UV) laser to cure and harden individual layers to form objects. A stereolithography apparatus (SLA) consists of four main components: a tank filled with photopolymer resin, a building platform that descends into the tank, the UV laser, and a computer that controls the platform and laser. To begin the process, the first thin layer of photopolymer resin is exposed above the building platform. The next layer of photopolymer resin. Once the laser traces the second layer, it is bonded to the top layer, continuing until the product is finished. SL facilitates a relatively fast printing process, depending on the size and complexity of the product. Typically, products print within a few hours, as the laser beam is able to scan as fast as 889 centimetres per second. SL is relatively user-friendly, allowing inexperienced designers to create detailed pieces with a high-quality surface finish. However, a disadvantage of SL is that it requires support rafts, which secure the product to the building platform during production and are manually removed after completion. This step requires additional time and may slightly reduce the quality of the product, as sanding is required to smooth the surface after raft removal. Other disadvantages include the print material cost and lack of colour variet. However, smaller, less expensive SL printers are used. In the fashion industry, Materialise’s Mammoth SL printer has been used to create long, complex dresses.

Selective laser sintering

 SLS utilises high-powered lasers to fuse tiny particles of powder from polymers, such as glass, plastic, metals, ceramics, or nylon, into a completed 3D product.  The material is dispensed onto the building platform in a thin layer. A computer-controlled laser traces the layer, heating the powder to just below its boiling point to fuse the particles into a solid object, which is known as sintering. After the first layer is created, the building platform drops, exposing the next layer of powder to be traced and fused. The process continues until the product is complete. A benefit of SLS is that it allows designers to create delicate, yet highly functional and durable products with a wide variety of available materials.  A disadvantage of SLS is that it does not produce a high-quality surface finish compared to SL. SLS printer used in the fashion industry is EOS’s PRECIOUS M 080, which is specifically used for the production of high-quality metal jewellery and watches. This printer offers fast production time since additional tooling is not needed after printing; generally, designs are completed within a few hours. This provides a great advantage for designers, as they are able to quickly generate prototypes or final products for customers compatible with jewellery and watch designers’ work environments, as it is fairly small, user-friendly, and appropriate for office spaces.

Fused deposition modelling

FDM is commonly used, as it is relatively affordable and offers a variety of low-cost desktop printers. Materials used generally consist of wax, metals, and ceramic. During printing, liquid thermoplastic filament is heated to one degree Celsius above its boiling point before it is dispersed via an extruder in a thin layer onto the building platform. This causes the material to harden almost immediately after dispersion and bind to the layer beneath it. After each layer is finished, the building platform is lowered to make room for the next layer. FDM requires support rafts, which must be mechanically broken off or dissolved in detergent. Researchers have found FDM capable of printing flexible, glossy, lace-like fabrics with soft. However, disadvantages of FDM are visible seam lines between layers and delamination from temperature changes. Individual horizontal layers may be visible, preventing a seamless look. Also, as the temperature fluctuates inside the printer during production, with multiple software platforms, such as Maya, Rhino. The workshop resulted in the creation of the Verlan dress and Bristle Dress.

Poly-Jet

PolyJet allows multiple materials to be deposited in a single layer. Rigid parts and connective joints can be printed together at one time. PolyJet uses drop-ondemand inkjet printing to selectively drop beads of liquid photopolymer resin from inkjet print heads onto a building platform. Subsequently, a roller evens out the surface of the layer. Two UV lights, one following another, pass over the layer multiple times to harden the liquid resin. To make room for the next layer, the building platform lowers, continuing until the print is complete. To print single layer with multiple materials, additional inkjet print heads containing the separate material(s) are installed. Typically, a flexible, elastomeric material is combined with stiff, hard polymer. The main benefit of PolyJet is that it can print products made of multiple materials, giving the end product more movement, flexibility, and texture. PolyJet also offers a high-quality surface finish, and is one of the fastest 3DP methods. However, PolyJet requires support rafts that must be mechanically removed. In addition, exposure to ambient heat, humidity, or sunlight can lead to dimensional change of the product. The Connex printers are appropriate for highly detailed garments and accessories, as they are able to produce items with multiple materials. An example of Objet Connex multi-material technology used in the fashion industry is Iris van Herpen’s VOLTAGE collection. Two of the eleven ensembles of her collection were 3D printed by OG using Objet Connex, including a highly textured cape and skirt. The two pieces were printed with a variety of materials, incorporating both hard and soft elements, giving the garments movement and texture.

Binder jetting

 Binder jetting uses glue, or binder, to bond successive layers of powder material together to form a 3D product. To begin the process, the powder materials are spread in a thin layer onto a building platform. An inkjet print head deposits the glue material onto the layer of powder to complete the first layer. The building platform lowers to make room for the next layer of powder materials. This process continues until the product is finalised. Binder jetting bonds single layers within seconds and does not require support rafts, making it the fastest 3DP method. Another benefit of binder jetting is that it is the only 3DP method that is able to print in multiple colours simultaneously, as the single monochrome inkjet head is substituted for a four or five colour head. However, binder jetting usually builds weaker products and may provide an uneven surface finish. It is known as the only 3D printer on the market that can print products in multiple colour objects, with 24-bit colour and 600 dpi resolutions. Its maximum printing capability is objects that are 25.5 (L) by 35.5 (W) by 20 (H) centimetres (Sclater, 2011). The Timberland Company uses Spectrum Z510 to develop prototypes for comparison to 2D CAD drawings in their footwear division. Colour prototypes offer a more realistic perception of the end product.

Conclusion

3DP offers the fashion industry an innovative alternative to the traditional design and manufacturing process. It is important that designers carefully select the right 3DP method for their product to achieve the highest quality possible. The size of the product and desired materials are the most influential factors when selecting the appropriate method. Another factor that should be considered is the retail cost of 3D printed garments and accessories. Currently, 3DP is a more expensive option than fashion products made with traditional

methods (Thompson, 2015). Aesthetic quality, fashion innovation, novelty, and convenience should be evaluated to justify consumer cost. With 3DP, the role of the designer evolves, as it is predicted that innovative consumers will begin using 3D printers in their homes in upcoming decades (Reilly, 2014; Thompson, 2015). Rather than distribute the final product to consumers, designers may sell data files with 3D design models online. In addition, more research could be conducted to compare the uses, advantages, and disadvantages of different 3DP materials.