TERM3

New three-dimensional weaving technologies could revolutionise architecture and lead to lighter, more flexible buildings according to Dutch designer Hella Jongerius.

Computerised looms that can produce 3D fabrics could lead to a new type of "pliable architecture", the designer said.

"Textile is the lightest and strongest construct that you can have," she said. "So with this, we could replace concrete and cement in the building industry."

So, what is 3-D weaving? The term “three-dimensional weaving,” or “3-D weaving,” has been bantered
about correctly, incorrectly and rather loosely over the years for one textile structure variation
or another — just about everything from woven baskets to highly complex near net-shape preforms.
Manufacturers from diverse textile industry segments use the term to describe their respective
products such as spacer fabrics, geotextiles, surgical implants, webbings, conveyor belts and more.
Of course, if you happen to know a physicist or a fussy materials engineer, (s)he will kindly
inform you that every textile fabric, or pretty much any structure, for that matter, must have
three dimensions. And, as everyone has learned along the way, those three dimensions are most
commonly referred to as length, width and height — or depth.

In today’s technical textiles marketplace, when people mention 3-D weaving or 3-D fabrics,
they usually are referring to a growing category of products used primarily in highly
performance-driven composite applications. Such applications range from jet engine components and
engineered shapes to composite billets for bulkheads and ballistic armor panels. The attraction and interest in 3-D woven products specifically for composite applications stems from the following attributes:

- Design flexibility and versatility
- Inherent resistance to delamination;
- Improved damage tolerance;
- Ability to tailor composite properties to the application;
near net-shape preform capabilities; and reduced lay-up complexity and . handling time.

The ‘2D – 3D’ exhibition shows Philippa Brock’s ‘Self Fold’ series and her new ‘X- Form’ series. The series continue to explore her research in to ‘on loom’ finishing techniques which, through the use of yarn properties and layered weave structure combinations result in textiles which 3D form either immediately they come off the loom or with light steaming.

The new ‘X-Form’ series developed for the Montreal exhibition explore ideas around x-form paper folding techniques and integrate the use of smart yarns in the weft, resulting in works that take on different appearances in both daylight and in UV light.

The ‘X-Form’ series have been developed so no electronics or programming are required and it is the inherent properties of the yarns used which create the smart different qualities of the series. The weft yarns used include phosphorescent and fluorescent.

Lightweight structures constitute an eminently important solution to the conservation of limited resources of energy in aeronautics and vehicle engineering. The increasing necessity to implement lightweight construction concepts for framework structures due to their vast application makes requirement-adapted node structures attractive for fiber-reinforced plastic composites (FRPC) components. Although the use of FRPC for framework structures is well-established by now, the node structures are still mostly made from aluminum or titanium, which results in additional costs and limits the achievable mass reduction. Hence solutions for FRPC node structures have to be developed. The aim of this work is the development and implementation of a productive, automated manufacturing technology based on the weaving process for complex node structures based on carbon fiber for automotive and aeronautics applications.

EXTRUDING BASED PROJECTS

First 3D printed bridge in Amsterdam

A 12-metre 3D-printed pedestrian bridge designed by Joris Laarman and built by Dutch robotics company MX3D has opened in Amsterdam six years after the project was launched.

The bridge, which was fabricated from stainless steel rods by six-axis robotic arms equipped with welding gear, spans the Oudezijds Achterburgwal in Amsterdam's Red Light District.

Outside layer of museum of the future 3d printed

In line with its name, the Museum of the Future’s structure incorporate cutting-edge technology with elements of the project built using 3d printing construction techniques. According to reports, the museum’s cladding, which include Sheikh Mohammed’s poems describing his vision of the future, will be one of the sections to be 3d printed.