MakerBot Collaborates on A 3D Printed Dress Using MakerBot ...

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Jenifer  Howard   [email protected]   +1-­‐347-­‐676-­‐3932  (o)  |  +1-­‐203-­‐273-­‐4246  (m)  

MakerBot  Collaborates  on  A  3D  Printed  Dress   Using  MakerBot  Flexible  Filament  for  New  York’s  Fashion  Week   New  Material  Brings  3D  Printing  to  Life  

  Brooklyn,   N.Y.,   September   6,   2013   –   It’s   Fashion   Week   in   New   York   this   week,   and   for   MakerBot,   the   global  leader  in  desktop  3D  printing,  that  means  it’s  time  to  unveil  a  3D  printed  fashion  item  and  talk   about  an  exciting  new  product  in  the  world  of  filament.    The  Verlan  Dress,  designed  in  the  New  Skins:   Computational  Design  for  Fashion  workshop  led  by  designer  Francis  Bitonti  of  the  famed  Dita  Dress,  and   held  at  the  Pratt  Institute’s  DAHRC,  is  the  first  creation  to  ever  use  MakerBot  Flexible  Filament,  a  new   adaptable  filament  material  made  out  of  polyester.    MakerBot  Flexible  Filament,  which  will  launch  to  the   public   soon   (visit   makerbot.com/flexiblefilament   for   more   information),   has   a   soft,   flexible   feel,   and   is   even  pliable  when  exposed  to  hot  water  (it  can  be  reshaped  and  form-­‐fitted).         “We   are   very   excited   about   the   development   of   MakerBot   Flexible   Filament,”   said   Bre   Pettis,   MakerBot’s   CEO.     Pettis   noted   that   MakerBot   Flexible   Filament   is   a   1.75mm   filament   that   flexes   and   moves  after  it  is  extruded  into  a  3D  print.    The  material  was  commonly  used  for  sutures  in  the  medical   field,  mouth  guards,  prosthetics  and  non-­‐woven  fabrics.    It  is  so  versatile  that  it  can  be  repurposed  from   its  origin.    Non-­‐toxic  and  fully  biodegradable,  the  MakerBot  Flexible  Filament  provides  a  smooth  finished   surface   and   works   well   for   form-­‐fitted   or   personalized   3D   prints.     Pettis   went   on   to   say,   “MakerBot   Flexible  Filament  is  different  than  traditional  3D  printing  filaments  that  are  solid  and  stiff  after  extrusion;   with  its  flexibility  and  suppleness,  this  could  revolutionize  3D  printing.”     MakerBot   Flexible   Filament   is   so   malleable   and   form   fitting   that   the   Verlan   Dress,   created   in   Francis   Bitonti’s  New  Skins  workshop,  uses  mostly  MakerBot  Flexible  Filament,  with  some  traditional  MakerBot   PLA  Filament  on  the  chest  and  shoulder  portions  of  the  dress.    The  body  of  the  dress  is  made  entirely   out  of  MakerBot  Flexible  Filament.     “For  the  New  Skins  workshops,  the  students  were  inspired  by  the  lines  of  muscles  in  the  human  body   and   how   muscle   groupings   are   distributed,”   noted   Francis   Bitonti,   who   led   the   workshop.     “Through   modeling,  the  students  came  up  with  new  forms  for  the  dress.    For  the  material,  we  needed  something   that   would   be   able   to   conform   to   the   body.     If   it   were   rigid,   the   flow   and   feel   of   the   body’s   muscles   wouldn’t   be   possible   –   it   would   be   like   armor.     We   needed   this   material   to   flex   and   move   with   movement,  like  muscles  do,  and  MakerBot’s  Flexible  Filament  worked  beautifully  for  the  design.”         One  MetroTech  Center,  21st  Fl.,  Brooklyn,  NY    11201  •    makerbot.com  

2     Bitonti’s   New   Skins   workshop   was   the   first   application   outside   of   the   company’s   R&D   facility   to   use   MakerBot   Flexible   Filament.     The   New   Skins   workshop   printed   the   whole   Verlan   Dress   using   two   MakerBot   Replicator   2   Desktop   3D   Printers.     The   MakerBot   Replicator   2s   printed   continually   for  close   to   24  hours  a  day  for  two  weeks  –  a  total  of  400  hours  of  printing  –  to  create  the  dress.    Francis  Bitonti  is  an   experienced  3D  printed  fashion  designer,  but  this  was  the  first  time  he  had  an  actual  3D  printer  in  his   studio.         “I  was  pleasantly  surprised  with  how  easy  the  MakerBots  were  to  use,”  said  Bitonti.    “The  quality  was  on   par   with   any   industrial   3D   printed   pieces   we   have   commissioned   previously.     It   was   great   to   have   the   MakerBot   Desktop   3D   Printers   in   the   studio   and   provided   the   students   the   ability   to   have   immediate   feedback  on  their  designs  by  printing  them  during  the  design  process.”     Bitonti’s  students  used   Autodesk’s  Maya  software,  along  with  Rhino  and  ZBrush,  to  create  their  designs.     The  resulting  Verlan  Dress  will  be  featured  in  a  documentary  video  on  the  New  Skins  workshop  design   process  and  will  be  showcased  at  a  Bitonti  exhibit  later  this  fall  at  the  Pratt  Institute  in  New  York  City.     The  dress’  design  is  posted  on  Thingiverse.com.     To   learn   more   about   the   new   MakerBot   Flexible   Filament,   sign-­‐up   for   updates   on   makerbot.com/flexiblefilament.    To  download  and  print  the  Verlan  Dress,  visit  Thingiverse.com.     About  MakerBot   MakerBot,   a   subsidiary   of   Stratasys,   Ltd.,   is   leading   the   Next   Industrial   Revolution   by   setting   the   standards   in   reliable   and   affordable   desktop   3D   printing.     Founded   in   2009,   MakerBot   has   built   the   largest   installed   base   of   desktop   3D   printers   sold   to   innovative   and   industry-­‐leading   customers   worldwide,   including   engineers,   architects,   designers,   educators   and   consumers.     MakerBot’s   3D   Ecosystem   drives   accessibility   and   rapid   adoption   of   3D   printing   and   includes:   Thingiverse.com,   the   MakerBot   Digitizer   Desktop   3D   Scanner,   the   MakerBot   Replicator   line   of   Desktop   3D   Printers,   MakerWare   software,   MakerCare,   the   MakerBot   retail   store,   and   strategic   partnerships   with   top-­‐tier   brands.   MakerBot   has   been   honored   with   many   accolades,   including   Popular   Mechanics’   “Overall   Winner”  for  best  3D  printer,   Time  Magazine’s   “Best  Inventions  of  2012,”  Popular  Mechanics’  “Editor’s   Choice   Award,”   Popular   Science’s   “Product   of   the   Year,”   Fast   Company’s   “One   of   the   World’s   Top   10   Most   Innovative   Companies   in   Consumer   Electronics,”   and   many   more.     Join   the   Next   Industrial   Revolution  by  following  MakerBot  at  makerbot.com.       About  Stratasys   Stratasys  Ltd.  (Nasdaq:  SSYS),  headquartered  in  Minneapolis,  Minn.  and  Rehovot,  Israel,  manufactures   3D  printers  and  materials  for  prototyping  and  production.  The  company’s  patented  FDM®  and  PolyJet®   processes  produce  prototypes  and  manufactured  goods  directly  from  3D  CAD  files  or  other  3D  content.   Systems   include   3D   printers   for   idea   development,   prototyping   and   direct   digital   manufacturing.   Stratasys   subsidiaries   include   MakerBot   and   Solidscape   and   the   company   operates   the   RedEye   On   Demand  digital-­‐manufacturing  service.  Stratasys  has  more  than  1500  employees,  holds  over  500  granted   or   pending   additive   manufacturing   patents   globally,   and   has   received   more   than   20   awards   for   its   technology  and  leadership.  Online  at:  stratasys.com  or  blog.stratasys.com   #  #  #      

 

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  The  Verlan  Dress,  created  in  the  New  Skins  Workshop  at  Pratt  Institute’s  DAHRC  in  conjunction  with   designer  Francis  Bitonti,  was  printed  on  a  MakerBot®  Replicator®  2  Desktop  3D  Printer  and  used  a  new   material  by  MakerBot  called  MakerBot  Flexible  Filament.    The  Verlan  Dress  may  be  downloaded  and   printed  from  Thingiverse.com.    Photo  credit:    Christrini.