University of Utah Update: Material experimentation (additives)

University of Utah Update: Material experimentation (additives)

MDD Digital Assemblies students were asked to select a material additive by following one of three design prompts: color study, sound/acoustic study, and scent study.

Building upon the pre-experimentation experiments of the previous week, the MDD Digital Assemblies students were asked to select a material additive by following one of three design prompts: color study, sound/acoustic study, and scent study. Once selected, the students then needed to suggest an appropriate mixture of the recycled PETG flake and the added (ideally powder) matter, conduct preliminary research on how the additive has been used at various scales, and finally create a 3D model (stl) of the object to print using the experimental filaments.

Highlights of this phase of the project included filaments with powerful aromas of peppermint and coffee, filaments that changed color in response to touch, and filaments with subtle magnetic properties. See below for a full list of the additives explored by the students, as well as notes on mixture levels and machine settings used on the Filabot EX2.


Color study additives

  • Pearlescent pigment
  • Chromosome pigment
  • Iron filings
  • Wood ash
  • Black 3.0
  • 795 Powder Steel

Additives added at 1:10 mass ratio to recycled PETG flake, eg, 5g additive:50g rPETG

EX2 settings: Extrusion temp of 200C


Scent study additives

  • Turmeric
  • Cocoa powder
  • Mica powder + Laundry detergent
  • Spirulina
  • Orange peel
  • Coffee grounds
  • Peppermint leaves (crushed)

Photo Gallery of Experiments

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