The applications related to digital manufacturing are endless. If we combine the fact that the tools used are the Delta WASP 3MT INDUSTRIAL, then 3D printers for large objects, the results are becoming more and more impressive.

Digital sculpt
The artist Luca Tarlazzi, who has been a WASP collaborator for the comic “Viaggio a Shamballa” for a year, has always been linked to the world of sculpture. In recent years, with the development and improvement of software, his sculpture has become digital. In fact, Luca using ZBrush, a digital sculpture software, invests his time in the creation of sculptures. After that the process ends with the printing of the pieces. The limit so far was the size too small and the materials post-workable. Now with the Delta WASP 3MT INDUSTRIAL, Luca manages to achieve his objectives, realizing digital statues in real scale, depositing thermoplastic materials starting from the pellets.

This is how the statue “Baby” was born, a young girl sitting with her eyes turned towards the sky. You do not know what you look at, what dreams, but surely it’s something beautiful. A process, the one put in place by Tarlazzi, which fits exactly into the world of digital manufacturing, passing from the idea to the project on the pc, to the 3D printing. This was the development of the statue, which ended with a manual post-processing with stucco and paint to give the final touch. The statue was presented in Milan during the Technology Hub 2018 exhibition, sitting right above the one who gave it life, the Delta WASP 3MT INDUSTRIAL.

Luca Tarlazzi’s studio is now continuing with the use of the Delta WASP Clay line, which allows him an even closer approach to traditional techniques.

How do you make a large statue printed in 3D?
The statue was designed with a digital sculpture software: ZBrush.

Errors can occur with software of this kind, like for example open edges. In these cases a very useful software is Mesh Mixer. To make the printing easier, the the same software has been used to divide the statue into several parts, and this have avoided the use of support-materials. So the bust, the legs the arms, being large elements, were printed with Delta WASP 3MT Industrial with Pellet extruder, which allows speed and stability. By replacing pellet extrude with Spitfire extruder in 10 minutes it is possible to switch from fast prints and very high layers printings, to more detailed and precise prints. Thanks to Spitfire on the Delta WASP 3MT Industrial the head, the hands and the feet were realized with a 1.2 mm diameter nozzle and a 0.5 mm layer height.

Assembly e stuccoing
The various parts were welded together with metal pins embedded in the plastic to allow stiffness and tightness. To make the entire surface of the piece homogeneous, an ad hoc stucco was used, easy to apply and excellent for hand-finishing. Finally the statue was painted with acrylic colors. With this approach it is possible to realize in a short time a statue of 2.2 meters in height.

“Baby” by Luca Tarlazzi