Our 3D printing company in Seattle is accustomed to printing with many different materials, and several ambitious groups are working towards adding gold to this list. In early May, a company called Nervous System unveiled to the world a fascinating piece printed out of gold.
Nervous System is known for their innovative Kinematics method of 3d printing, which produces segmented structures that are printed out in a folded-up state and can be unfolded into a piece that is significantly larger than the area of the 3D printer. Using this method and a metal-based laser sintering technique used for the creation of jewelry, the group was able to produce an elaborate item out of 18k gold. The group has voiced plans to take this process even further, potentially producing large and elaborate pieces of golden jewelry that would have previously been outside the scope of a 3D printer.
This new innovation follows an announcement from last month by Shapeways, who unveiled a process for 3D printing golden products through the use of lost wax casting. What sets Nervous System’s new piece apart from Shapeways’ 3D printed jewelry is that Nervous System was able to print with the gold itself. One way or the other, though, it would appear that we can look forward to a lot of exciting new developments in the realm of golden accoutrements!
“Founded in 2007, Nervous System has pioneered the application of new technologies in design, including generative systems, 3D printing, and webGL. Nervous System releases online design applications that enable customers to co-create products in an effort to make design more accessible. These tools allow for endless design variation and customization.”
