Scientific 3D Printing
A Work in Progress Report
GFZ Geoinformatics Kolloquium
April 3 2013
Peter Löwe, Jens Klump (CeGIT), Jens Wickert (Section 1.1)
Communicating scientific findings
• Challenge: Vizualizing scientific data before one’s inner eye.
• Immersive data-visualizations do not provide tactile feedback.
• Tangible representation of geospatial information is crucial.
Communicating scientific findings
• Challenge: Vizualizing scientific data before one’s inner eye.
• Immersive data-visualizations do not provide tactile feedback.
• Tangible representation of geospatial information is crucial.
1492
Communicating scientific findings
• Challenge: Vizualizing scientific data before one’s inner eye.
• Immersive data-visualizations do not provide tactile feedback.
• Tangible representation of geospatial information is crucial.
1492 Today
„The Future is here“ (again)
The potentials of „3D printing“ as featured in the News
„The Future is here“ (again)
The potentials of „3D printing“ as featured in the News:
– Guns !
„The Future is here“ (again)
The potentials of „3D printing“ as featured in the News:
– Guns !
– Human body parts !
„The Future is here“ (again)
The potentials of „3D printing“ as featured in the News:
– Guns !
– Human body parts !
– Clothes !
„The Future is here“ (again)
The potentials of „3D printing“ as featured in the News:
– Guns !
– Human body parts !
– Clothes !
– Candy !
„The Future is here“ (again)
The potentials of „3D printing“ as featured in the News:
– Guns !
– Human body parts !
– Clothes !
– Candy !
– Space Exploration !
Reality Check
1983:
ZX81
Homecomputer
(1Kb RAM !)
Reality Check – 3D Printing
• Since 1987: Growing use in the manufacturing industry
• Mid 2000s: Low cost printers reach the mainstream
1983:
ZX81
Homecomputer
(1Kb RAM !)
2013:
MakerBot
3D Printer
(1 Color !)
Reality Check – 3D Printing
• Since 1987: Growing use in the manufacturing industry
• Mid 2000s: Low cost printers reach the mainstream
1983:
ZX81
Homecomputer
(1Kb RAM !)
2013:
MakerBot
3D Printer
(1 Color !)
GeoInformatics
To plot a hype
• The introduction of new technologies can be described by a graph.
http://scalablestartup.files.wordpress.com/2012/1
2/gartner-hype-cycle.png?w=470
Status 3D printing – according to Google
3D Printing
2013
http://surveys.peerproduction.net/wp-
content/uploads/2012/11/GoogleTrendsGartnerHypeCycle.png
Web 2.0
Web 2.0: 3D Print Shops & Repositories
Web 2.0: 3D Print Shops & Repositories
Software services to provide „hard data“
What is… 3D Printing
What is… 3D Printing (additive manufacturing)
A process of
• making a three-dimensional solid object of
• virtually any shape from a
• digital model
[Wikipedia]
What is… 3D Printing (additive manufacturing)
A process of
• making a three-dimensional solid object of
• virtually any shape from a
• digital model
using an
• additive process, where
• successive layers of material are laid down
• in different shapes.
[Wikipedia]
Technologies for 3D Printing
• Extrusion deposition
Technologies for 3D Printing
• Extrusion deposition
• Granular materials binding – selective laser sintering,
– inkjet 2D printing
Technologies for 3D Printing
• Extrusion deposition
• Granular materials binding – selective laser sintering,
– inkjet 2D printing
• Lamination (e.g: Paper stack)
Technologies for 3D Printing
• Extrusion deposition
• Granular materials binding – selective laser sintering,
– inkjet 2D printing
• Lamination (e.g: Paper stack)
• Photopolymerization – Stereolithography – patented in 1987)
Scientific 3D Printing: Current Status
• An observation, by a sensor, results in a geo-referenced data set.
Scientific 3D Printing: Current Status
Data
Set
• An observation, by a sensor, results in a geo-referenced data set.
Scientific 3D Printing: Current Status
Processing
(CeGIT) Data
Set 3D
„PDF“
• An observation, by a sensor, results in a geo-referenced data set.
• a thematic volume representation is derived from the data
• which is converted into command sequences for the printing device (“3D PDF”),
Scientific 3D Printing: Current Status
Processing
(CeGIT)
Printing
(Section 1.1) Data
Set 3D
„PDF“
Printout
• An observation, by a sensor, results in a geo-referenced data set.
• a thematic volume representation is derived from the data
• which is converted into command sequences for the printing device (“3D PDF”),
• leading to the creation of a 3d-printout.
Scientific 3D Printing: Current Status
Processing
(CeGIT)
Printing
(Section 1.1) Data
Set 3D
„PDF“
Printout
• An observation, by a sensor, results in a geo-referenced data set.
• a thematic volume representation is derived from the data
• which is converted into command sequences for the printing device (“3D PDF”),
• leading to the creation of a 3D printout.
• The printout needs to be linked to its metadata to ensure its scientific meaning and context.
Scientific 3D Printing: Next Steps
Processing
(CeGIT)
Printing
(Section 1.1) Data
Set 3D
„PDF“
Printout
Metadata assignment
• The new print needs
to be linked to its
metadata to ensure
its scientific meaning
and context.
Scientific 3D Printing: Use Cases
Data
Provider
Scientific 3D Printing: Use Cases
Processing
(CeGIT)
Printing
(Section 1.1) Data
Set 3D
„PDF“
Printout
Data
Provider
Scientific 3D Printing: Use Cases
Processing
(CeGIT)
Printing
(Section 1.1) Data
Set 3D
„PDF“
Printout
Science
Communication
Data
Provider
Scientific 3D Printing: Application Fields
• Handpieces for science communication – among scientists
– towards the general public
• Showpieces for exhibitions / trade fairs
• Condensed information on content and quality
• <your application goes here>
Scientific 3D Printing at GFZ
• Spring 2012: Section 1.1. acquires a 3D printer to produce casings for environmental sensors.
• Summer 2012: CeGIT investigates 3D representations for quality assessments of tsunami simulation data sets in the FP7 TRIDEC project
• Fall 2012: CeGIT develops a pilot workflow to convert scientific data volume into stereolithography datasets for 3D printing.
• November 2012:
– First 3D-printed Tsunami specimens showcased @ GFZ GISDAY
– Collaboration with INAF, Italy on planetary data
• December 2012: Presentation of results at AGU by INAF.
GFZ Printer Hardware RapMan 3.2 3D Printer
GFZ Printer Hardware RapMan 3.2 3D Printer
GFZ Printer Hardware RapMan 3.2 3D Printer
RapMan 3.2: Reality Check
RapMan 3.2: Reality Check
Marcel
Ludwig
(Section 1.1)
Resident 3D
printing expert
RapMan 3.2: Reality Check
Marcel
Ludwig
(Section 1.1)
Resident 3D
printing expert
RapMan 3.2: Reality Check
Raw
Material
Control
Unit
Print head,
cooling fan
Print in
progress
Marcel
Ludwig
(Section 1.1)
Resident 3D
printing expert
Close-Up: Actual Printing
head
Internal
Support
Structure
External
Support
Structure
Ongoing 3D
Application Examples
Example: 2.5D Surface (Geography)
• Theme: Land Surface
• Input: Digital elevation model (xyz data)
• Output: Simplified 2.5D elevation surface.
Top
Side
Example: 2.5D Surface (Geology)
• Theme: Upper limit of Zechstein deposits
• Input: Surface model (xyz)
• Output: 2.5D Surface
Top
Side
Example: 3D Body (Pedology/Glaciology)
Under
Side
Top
Side • Theme: North Polar Ice-
cap of Mars
• Input: Volume data compiled from cross-sections (ground penetrating Radar)
• Output: 3D volume model
3D Volume: Mars North Polar Cap
• Research topics:
– Buried valleys beneath the polar cap,
– radar signal attenuation.
• Need: „Handpiece“ for communication among scientists and data quality assessment.
• 3D Print is currently used by INAF for data quality assessment.
Example: Stack of 3D Bodies (Geology)
• Theme: Underground model north-eastern Germany.
• Input: Multiple geological surfaces (xyz * n)
• Output: Stack of multicolored geological volumes. Multiple
3D
Bodies
Image: GFZ Section 4.4
Example:3D Volume Stack (Geology)
Example: Higher dimensional data
Space Time Cubes (STC)
Example: Minard`s Map (1869)
• a chart depicting the
• losses of the napoleoan army
• during the russian campaign 1812/13
Time
Application Field: Transient spatiotemporal phenomena
Data: A.Babeyko 2012, Visualisation: CeGIT
Handpiece: Tsunami Wave Space Time Cube
Time used
as 3rd
dimension
Time used
as 3rd
dimension
Tohoku 2011
Tsunami. Data:
A.Babeyko 2012
The Road Ahead
Processing
(CeGIT)
Printing
(Section 1.1) Data
Set 3D
„PDF“
Printout
Metadata assignment
The Road Ahead
Processing
(CeGIT)
Printing
(Section 1.1) Data
Set 3D
„PDF“
Printout
Metadata assignment
The Road Ahead
Processing
(CeGIT)
Printing
(Section 1.1) Data
Set 3D
„PDF“
Printout
Metadata assignment
The Road Ahead
Processing
(CeGIT)
Printing
(Section 1.1) Data
Set 3D
„PDF“
Printout
Metadata assignment
Open Issues
• Emerging standards
• Scientific software services
• Intellectual property rights and copyrights
• Archiving of scientific 3D prints
Scientific 3D Printing at EGU 2013
• Poster presentation on 3D printing: ESSI Session 2.7
• EGU2013-1544 “Tangible 3D printouts of scientific data volumes with FOSS - an emerging field for research”
• Meet us on Thursday, April 11 in the RED Section 15:30-17:00 hours.
Let‘s discuss
• Application scenarios ?
• Requirements ?
• Opportunities ?
THANK YOU