Printing Whisper Dishes: Large Scale Binder Jetting for Outdoor Installations

Abstract

This research explores the design opportunities of a novel fabrication process for large scale architectural installations suitable for outdoor weather conditions. High resolution, bespoke geometries are easily fabricated at no extra cost in a continuous system using Binder Jet printing technology. The material properties of sandstone are considered a design drive for producing structural paths according to a finite element analysis. Several post processing materials are tested for strengthening the final geometry and providing a water resistant solution. The process is tested in a large, 1:1 sound installation of a pair of acoustic mirrors. First, this paper describes the specific potential and challenges of Binder Jet printing for outdoor applications. It, then, outlines the design principles of the sound device, the acoustic mirror, and their integration into a digital model. Finally, the computational design strategy is described, including topology optimization to reduce the weight/material and the integration of functional details