Print preview for the fabrication of physical objects

Abstract

This work proposes a new class of design and fabrication interfaces for digitally created objects, which the author terms augmented fabrication machines. By enhancing traditional fabrication machines with rich new input and output capabilities, augmented fabrication machines have the potential to ease design iteration, facilitate the incorporation of outside physical objects, and increase the overall transparency of the design and fabrication process-all of which, the author contends, will encourage and improve individuals' use of fabrication technologies for the creation of personal objects. In addition to introducing the concept of augmented fabrication machines, the second major contribution of this work is its development of Part Preview. Part Preview, in essence, is an augmented fabrication machine application that improves accuracy and usability by incorporating all relevant digital and physical factors such as the toolpath, raw material stock, and machine environment to generate an accurate "preview" of the final object before fabrication takes place. After reviewing modern digital fabrication technology and outlining the traditional digital object design and fabrication workflow, this work identifies several areas for improvement. The author then discuss two earlier augmented fabrication machine projects, Eat Your Face and CopyCAD, aimed at addressing these shortcomings. This work then turns to a comprehensive discussion of Part Preview, examining its underlying principles and technology in detail. Part Preview's improvements to the functionality and usability of fabrication machines are quantified by way of a user study, which both qualitatively and quantitatively compares processes incorporating Part Preview to the existing design and fabrication workflow.