A Guest Blog by Summer Intern Peter Schemel

My first weeks interning at MSB Architects have been exciting because this has been my first chance to see the day-to-day activity of an architecture firm. I was glad to find out that some of the same tools I use in school are also used here. 3D printing is one of these.

At MSB, 3D printing is a part of the process of making a building. It is used during the schematic phase when the architect presents many design possibilities to the client. A 3D model helps the client and architect visualize the project. Traditionally, architects hand crafted these 3D models laboriously over many hours. At MSB, we let 3D printers perform this time-consuming task with greater precision and speed.

So, what is a 3D printer?

First of all, a 3D printer does not use paper, it uses plastic. This plastic is heated up and forced through a nozzle, kind of like a hot glue gun.

After leaving the nozzle, the plastic hardens on the printing bed below. The nozzle can move left, right, forward, or backward to place plastic anywhere on the printing bed.

To start the second layer, the nozzle moves up and begins laying plastic on top of the first layer.

The 3D printer will lay many more layers.

3D printers can make lots of convenient things, like this laptop holder.

Here is a schematic design model for a client, it took thirteen hours to print.

Like modeling with paper or wood, there are techniques for modeling with 3D printers. Some factors I have noticed include:

• Detail. Do I make every doorknob? Every piece of trim? Every window?
• Scale. Should I print one small model or pieces of a big model that can be hand assembled after printing?
• Overhang. Should I print overhangs like awnings and windows in their real depth or can they be shallower to have more support?

I look forward to learning more of these techniques so I can make cool 3D prints for MSB and school projects.