At MADE Expo 2017, keep an eye out for Politecnico di Milano’s ACTLAB research group’s Trabeculae Pavilion. Inspired by nature, made possible with 3D printing.

Politecnico di Milano — Italy’s largest university dedicated to technical industries — makes its presence known with this preview of an exhibit it will present at the upcoming MADE Expo.

ACTLAB cites the “emergent necessity for a reduction in the exploitation of material resources” as the driving force behind the project. To address the identified problem, the researchers turned to biology – specifically, the internal structure of bones.

Self-billed as “experimental architecture”, the Trabeculae Pavilion stands out for its distinctive wrapped, warped mesh-like appearance. Similarly, the unlikely inspiration behind the pavilion’s design and methodology to achieve it are noteworthy too. It was 3D printed on several Wasp Delta 3D printers.

ACTLAB Fuses Biomimetic Research with 3D Printing

Roberto Naboni, architect and researcher at the Politecnico di Milano explains:

“We looked into nature to understand how lightweight and resistant structure work with a minimized material use. Studying the internal bone microstructure, we have created algorithms which allow us to generate three dimensional cellular structures, varying in topology and sizing, with the precision of a tenth of a millimeter.”

To print these structures, ACTLAB partnered with filament producer Filoalfa. Together they developed a high-resistance biopolymer specifically designed to bring FDM plastics up to standards good enough for construction purposes.

In addition, the ACTLAB research team also used an experimental extruder to produce the Trabeculae Pavilion. Because of this, they could print with an accelerated build time.

At the same time as the full-scale demonstration of the concept on show will be a production center featuring the Wasp printers. These machines will continue to produce components of the structure for later display at the university.

Where Can I See It?

Those reading this from Europe have the best chance to see the Trabeculae Pavilion in the flesh. MADE Expo kicks off in Milan and runs for four days, from March 8-11, and can be found within section of the BSmart! area.

Beside ACTLAB’s showing, the MADE Expo presents other opportunities to witness the innovations of 3D printing in the construction industries. Notably, within the Software Technologies and Services sub-exhibition.

If you’re looking for networking opportunities and 3D printing inspiration, we’ve got you covered.

Check out our handy list of all the major conventions, expositions and trade fairs we could find for March and beyond.

Source: Wasp Press Release