The Sound of 3D Printing

No, we aren’t here to present you with the Star Wars theme performed by the clicks and whirs of an additive manufacturing (AM) system. Just like nearly anything else, sounds can be quantified and modeled if you have the right equipment. Once you have a computer model, you can turn the digital into reality with a 3D printer.

Turning sound into solid structures is the idea behind Reify. The program takes sound waves and translates them into them into digital sculptures. These sculptures can then be tweaked not only for aesthetics, but to alter the sounds behind the design.

Of course, the whole sound to 3D printed object thing has been done before. The difference between Reify and other artistic programs that looked to combine AM and sound is that the newest version actually combines them. Rather than just using a sound wave as the basis for a digital sculpture (though that is still really cool) you can recreate the sound the sculpture was based on with Reify’s app.

The app works with a smartphone’s camera to translate the shape back into sound, including any changes that were made during the design tweaking phase. It might be possible to create a bespoke present more unique than a Reify musical sculpture, but I think you’d have to break out the arts and crafts supplies.

While the majority of Reify’s digital sculptures have been produced using plastics, they can be printed out in other materials as well, including brass and steel. Below you’ll find a video about Reify.

Source: New Museum