In this era, the clothing industry has gone too far. Every time the clothing industry comes with some new experiments and has given a facelift to clothes. One of these experiments is 3d clothing printing. Another name of 3d printing is additive manufacturing because it is made step by step or layer by layer.
- 3d printing in clothes provides the industry with a chance to break the walls and get them abandoned all the old stuff. Some designers use 3d printing to create regular clothes.
- In today’s world, 3d printing is not used by designers as a beneficial manufactured method to create dresses but also to develop well and specially-made clothes for improving the manufacturing process. It is a great way for all industries.
- Guess, every week in your wardrobe new clothes which suit your taste and fit for your work routine, and you will be a celebrity! According to the fashion experts, you can completely change the fashion industry in the future, which will be adaptable and productive.
- Throwing things away has deep roots in the fashion industry. What will happen to the old if a new collection comes along? A printer can be the source of our shopping and recycling.
With the lack of waste material, 3d printing can also reduce the number of animals slaughtered to manufacture leather. According to a world bank report of about 3,781 liters are used to make a single Jean, from the preparation of cotton to the manufacturing of Jeans.
- Using 3d printing, you have more benefits on the personalization side. The process of customization is the most expensive in the fashion industry. The production of garments and other accessories according to customization need have become possible due to 3d printing at affordable rates.
How 3d Printing Is Done On Clothes
The process of making 3d clothes is similar to other things. Both start on the computer, the designs are made using software, and the same basic programming language is also obtained. Digital code is sent to the machine. However, the use of devices is the main difference between 3d printing and traditional style.
It is a knitting machine that makes 3d fabric threads by tying them with a single pass. The principle is almost the same as the basics of both is software, and both can be additively manufactured. The eco-friendly aspects of 3d printing are becoming more and more important because recycled plastics and biodegradable materials are used to make 3d fabrics.
Step 1: Choose Fabric
The effect of 3d filament varies on each fabric. Power mesh is used for mesh and netting fabric so that the print does not come off.
Step 2: Choose Filament
There are more than three filaments that are used in printing. The PLA filament does not work with heat sealable fabric. Mostly TPU filament is used.
Step 3: Collect the Materials
Collect all the materials required for the printing—fabrics, filaments, scissors, laser cutter, 3d printer, software like MakerBot Replicator 2, and ruler.
Step 4: Settings and Exports
Take any design on MakerBot software and fill in the required details for printing. Set the MakerBot on default if you are using PLA or ABS filaments.
Step 5: Cut Fabric
Take any dimension and kind of fabric and cut it with the help of a ruler and scissors.
Step 6: Laser Cut
To make the fabric mesh cut holes with a gap of 1mm-1.5mm. For different types of laser-cut, you need different kinds of conditions and measurements.
Step 7: Print
Insert the design in the printer using an SD card or connecting the printer to the computer through a USB Cable. After inserting, pause the machine and put your fabric, then start printing.
Step 8: Place the Fabric
Now, put the fabric on the print, apply tap on one side, and slightly take out the tape while applying to other sides; repeat this process for printing.
Step 9: Finish the Print
After completing the previous step, put the fabric and press the button “Resume Build.” Let the print finish.
Uses Of 3d Printing
3d clothing printing can be used in so many places:
1. In the Fashion Industry
Designers made a lot of clothes related to 3d printing, but those clothes are not wearable in our everyday life. Most fashion designers manufacture 3d printed garments at a very low rate. It is used to make shoes and bikinis.
2. In Automotive Industry
It is used to make the seats, buckets, brake ducts of the cars.
3. In Hospitals
It is used to produce anatomical models, medical devices, and instruments for surgery and also for bioprinting and 3d printed organs.
4. Domestic Use
It is used to manufacture household things like aprons, kitchen clothes, doorknobs, or coat hooks.
5. In Educational Institutions
These are used to make tools and models produced by the students to complete their studies effectively.
6. Environmental Use
It is used to make tools for the environment, which saves them from damage. The structure of the devices is natural in shape.
7. Cultural Heritage
In the last few years, 3d printing has been used to make cultural things. Scan The World is the most famous 3d printing across the world.
8. Communication
It is used to make devices that are used in communication. 3d printing technology helps a lot in communication.
9. Computers
It is used to make computers and laptops. It is also used to manufacture motherboards and other computer parts.
10. Food
Additive manufacturing of food is done by crushing out nourishment step by step to make 3d objects.
11. Agile Tooling
It is the process of utilizing modular by additive manufacture. It is used in injection molding.
Advantages Of 3d Clothing Printing
1. Reusable Clothes
Whenever you want, you can make 3d print clothes, and if you don’t need them anymore, melt them and made some new kinds of clothes; by this, you can have minimum material waste.
2. Effective Cost
The different kind of materials needed for the production of 3d printed clothes has a very low cost. You can print in bulk at cheaper rates and easily without having any problem.
3. Quality
The traditional way of manufacturing clothes has made the quality of the clothes poor. It does not ensure the quality of clothes because of its manufacturing process, but the 3d printed clothes are manufactured step by step, which also provides the quality of the clothes.
4. Strong Machinery Parts
The machinery parts used to create 3d printed shoes and clothes are strong and light in weight. The materials are made up of plastic.
5. Saves Time
It saves the time of designers and workers. If you will create shoes, clothes it will not take much time. The machines will do the work itself.
6. Consistency
In this printing machine, parts are printed step by step, which means if you find any defect, you can fix that defect simultaneously.
7. Freedom of Design
You can make any design you want and can change the design into a real object. You can even print the most difficult design. 3d printer makes it easy to print. You can convert your ideas bit by bit or step by step.
8. Flexibility
You can print many parts for your idea to convert that idea into a real object. If you want to modify the design, you can in just a few minutes.
9. Improvement In Supply Chain
The 3d printing technology can improve your supply chain and your strategy. You do not need to keep the materials; just print your idea. It will save your storage.
Disadvantages of 3d clothing printing
1. Not Eco-Friendly
The printers and some other machines are hazardous to the environment and people. Printers produce a lot of harmful energy, which can lead to cancer and other dangerous diseases.
2. Limited Materials
The LPA, ASB filaments make the clothes smooth, but it’s not enough for the clothes. Most of the printable machines are not reusable.
3. Decrease In Manufacturing Jobs
Most of the work is done in the presence of machines, which reduces human labor. These things put manufacturing jobs at risk.
4. Copyright Problems
There is a greater possibility of copyright issues because 3d printing became a well-known technique. People can use it easily.
5. Limited Build Size
There is a chamber in the 3d printer, which limits the size of the parts. If anything bigger is going to manufacture it will be separately manufactured because of the size limit.
6. Excessive Energy Consumption
It consumes a lot of energy compared to lasers. Therefore, it is used for small productions.
7. Printing Is Slow For Mass Production
As mentioned in the previous point, it is used for small productions because it is not for mass production. If you use it for mass production, it will take a lot of time.
Most Common 3d Printed Cloth Projects
The Spider Dress
Anouk Whipprecht is a designer with innovative ideas in the emerging field of fashion. The spider dress created by Anouk Whipprecht has mechanical arms that can react to any external factors if it approaches a person. The 3D technique used for the production of cloth is Selective Laser Sintering Technology.
Regular 3d Printed Clothes
Julia Daviy gives the idea to use 3d printing in the production of environment-friendly fashion by assuming that they can change how clothes are produced.
She introduced 3d printed clothes in the form of printed dresses and tops. She is working on innovative ideas to produce 3d clothes by saving a lot of textiles and reducing costs for both manufacturer and consumer.
3d Printed Knits
3d printed knit blazers provide a way for the production of long-lasting clothes. The 3d printing process has enabled us to create clothes that fit our bodies perfectly. Their goal is to build a fast supply chain and meet the demand for these products, which is more comfortable.
3d Printed Clothes With Multicolor
Travis Fitch, an American designer, first designed 3d printed clothes with multicolor that have 30 different sections. Their printing is done with the help of multi colorful materials.
The color used in this project is quite distinctive because, in the fashion industry, 3d printing objects often have a single color. Multicolor 3d printing is rarely used in projects of these kinds, but these techniques give new possibilities.
3d Printed Fashion For Men
We use 3d printing mostly to make women’s clothes and tops. 3d technique is used to manufacture 3d printed ties for men.
Comfortable Dresses By 3d Printing
Designers are using it to make comfortable clothes. Using the 3d scanning model, they developed a dress that is completely proud of their bodies. In addition, 3d printing should be used to create fabrics that can completely show the model’s movement.
Conclusion
The fashion industry expanded greatly by the use of 3d printing by providing 3d printed accessories and footwear. Additive manufacturers use this technology widely. Every time the clothing industry and fashion industry have come together to create something new.
Converting a conventional fabric into the fiber can only make 0.1 percent fibers, and then using them again to make clothes is a very difficult step. In contrast, 3d printer fabric can be put into a single blender like a machine to change the plastic order, such as it can be used to create something new again.
Comfort is also one of the reasons why they are made of plastic, which makes them stiff and less durable than other fabrics. It is quite hard and time taking to set a 3d printer because of its different parts. You need to join each and every part carefully, otherwise you have to spend some more hours in it. Although the use of 3d printed cloth red carpets is fine, their use in everyday life is not yet common.
