Unmake to Remake: Materiality-Driven Rapid Prototyping

Abstract

Within the domain of fabrication, the recent strides in Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) have sparked growing interest in its sustainability. In this work, we analyze the contemporary lifecycle of polymers consumed in FDM, a common and accessible fabrication technique. Then we outline the points of design intervention to reduce wasted polymers in fabrication. Specifically, we discuss the design intervention of Filament Wiring, a set of hybrid craft techniques to promote sustainable prototyping and robust applications by highlighting left-over filaments. Our techniques aim to enhance the understanding of filaments as a unique material for hybrid fabrication, fostering creativity. Through our computational design system, end users can generate 3D printable frames, for exploring the possibilities of filament-based fabrication beyond 3D printing. We hope to provoke thought about filament as its own form of material, having capabilities to be made, unmade, and remade repeatedly into various artifacts. With this outlook, we discuss future research avenues and urge makers and practitioners to value material in any form, quantity, or stage of its lifecycle.