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New design possibilities: Ten years ago, 3D printing experienced a hype as a new type of technology. Now a natural material is bringing new momentum to the technology: pioneering companies such as Additive Tectonics and Aectual are printing objects from wood and advertising a variety of shapes and sustainability.

by Martina Metzner

naturally 3D printed
Pioneering work in the field of 3D printing with wood: The chair from the “Printed Nature” collection by Harry Thaler in collaboration with Additive Tectonics/Econit | Photo: Samuel Rosport

Anyone who visited the Alcova exhibition at the last Design Week in Milan was able to see a pioneering achievement for themselves. Together with Additive Tectonics, designer Harry Thaler presented objects made of 3D printed wood that were a real eye-catcher. Right at the entrance to Villa Bagatti Valsecchi, visitors could take a seat on a giant armchair with a tubular backrest reminiscent of inflatable floating islands. Next to it, visitors could discover very tall lights made of “Econit Wood”, as Additive Tectonics calls the material. The scenery was embedded in a dune landscape made of fine wood particles from which the objects, which feel like sand, were printed.

3D printing experienced a hype around ten years ago as a new type of technology. Since then, the process has established itself primarily in mechanical engineering, aerospace technology, but also in model, plant and automotive construction. It is not surprising that 3D printing is gaining new momentum with wood as a design material. The signs of the times are in favour of renewable natural raw materials that can be used in a recyclable, sustainable and resource-saving manner. It was therefore almost inevitable that some companies would be working with wood at the same time as 3D printing technology and launching it on the market at the same time. The endeavour is quite complex and has the surprise on its side that the natural material is also suitable for printing.

Through the technology of powder bed fusion, the printed areas harden, and the remaining material is vacuumed away. In the background: Harry Thaler | Photo: Samuel Rosport

Great Freedom of Design

“With this exhibition, we wanted to show what is possible with 3D printing in wood,” says Harry Thaler. The South Tyrolean designer is known for his work with unusual materials and processes – such as his successful “Pressed Chair” for Moormann. The fact that Thaler and Additive Tectonics came together can therefore be described as a stroke of luck. At the beginning of the collaboration, Bruno Knychalla, Managing Director of Additive Tectonics, asked the designer: “Harry, just let yourself go when designing.” The design was then created very quickly, says Thaler. All parts of “Printed Nature” were printed in two passes and within sixteen hours. Only the surface was sanded a little. Inside, the chair and the lights are hollow and have wall thicknesses of 1.5 centimetres. “You only need to press the button, no tools,” says Harry Thaler, fascinated.

Resource-Saving Technology

In addition to Additive Tectonics from Lupburg in the Upper Palatinate, Aectual from the Netherlands and Forust from the USA have also recently launched technologies on the market that can be used to print wood three-dimensionally on an industrial scale, although the technology, material and design language of the companies differ considerably. Additive Tectonics sees itself as a service provider for construction companies, architects, furniture companies, designers and artists and primarily produces semi-finished parts. Aectual has established itself as a brand and offers its own products such as room dividers and flower pots. And Forust sells machines that can be used to print wooden components on a small scale. What they all have in common is that they promote 3D printing as a particularly resource-saving technology.

“There is no waste”, they say, “and all surplus material can be reused in the next printing process – without any loss of quality”. What’s more, wood is a CO2 storage medium. Above all, however, there are new design possibilities: “With 3D printing from wood, geometries can be generated that were not possible with previous material processes – especially double-curved surfaces,” says Knychalla. The disadvantage is that the processes are still more expensive compared to standardised components and objects. However, if you look at the area of customised production, 3D printing can keep up in terms of price.

Knychalla studied under Achim Menges at the Institute for Computational Design and Construction at the University of Stuttgart and founded Additive Tectonics 2020 with the idea of bringing 3D printing to architecture. He was practically born with a fascination for additive manufacturing. His uncle owns the FIT Additive Manufacturing Group in Lupburg – an established name in the industry for many years. Additive Tectonics is a subsidiary of FIT, is located at the same site and utilises some of the existing resources. However, the machines had to be custom-built. The centrepiece is a powder bed printer with a capacity of 10 cubic metres. This and other robots for 3D printing are now located in a purpose-built 1000 square metre hall. “A major investment,” says Bruno Knychalla, which would not have been possible without the FIT. 

The Aectual founders Martine de Wit, Hedwig Heinsman, and Hans Vermeulen | Photo: © DRTMNT

A Mixture of Wood, Salt and Magnesium

Additive Tectonics spent seven years developing the material and process for 3D wood printing together with the Technical University of Munich. A layer of small wood particles mixed with magnesium is repeatedly applied to the printing bed. Then a rail passes over it, spraying salt water through 2,500 nozzles onto the areas to be printed, hardening them.

A further advantage is that the magnesium also has a fire-retardant effect, so that the objects printed in this way receive a fire protection classification for public purposes. Once the printer has done its job, the excess, uncured material is simply vacuumed off and the finished object emerges. The rest of the material is used for the next printing process. “We use scrap wood that would otherwise be processed into pellets – mainly beech,” explains Knychalla. The wood is shredded so that the individual particles are almost square. This ensures that the final object is robust, as the fibres stabilise the material in all directions. The finished object can be further processed using conventional joinery machines.

Focus on Architecture

Aectual in Amsterdam works with a different technology for 3D wood printing. Hans Vermeulen, Hedwig Heinsman and Martine de Wit founded the company in 2017, having previously made a name for themselves with the “3D Print Canal House” – a small 3D printed pavilion made of plastic in Amsterdam. In collaboration with architects such as MVRDV and brands such as Nike and Hermès, the team now uses its six specially developed industrial robots to develop unusual and customised designs. “We realised that the market for three-dimensionally printed houses is not yet ready, so we are concentrating on the architectural elements,” says Hans Vermeulen.

The fused deposition modelling (FDM) process used by Aectual works with heated, liquid material that is applied layer by layer via a nozzle and hardens as it cools. Aectual often develops the material from waste materials from the companies they work with in order to close the loop (in the case of Tetra Pak, for example, with recycled beverage cartons). 

naturally 3D printed
Aectual works with the Fused Deposition Modeling process, in which industrial robots apply heated material layer by layer. | Photo: Aectual
naturally 3D printed
Aectual uses cellulose pulp leftover from paper production as material and mixes it with mineral fillers. | Photo: Aectual

Fire Protection Guaranteed

Aectual also experimented for a long time until the right technology was found. The main problem was the heating of the material, which initially began to burn during the printing process. Vermeulen assures us that this is now under control; the result is certified for fire protection in public areas. As a base material, Aectual uses cellulose pulp, which is a by-product of paper production, mixed with mineral fillers. Lignin, the wood’s own adhesive and a bio-polymer, and cellulose are used as binders. The material is stable: “It doesn’t break,” says Vermeulen. One challenge, however, is the shrinkage during cooling. The final material has a natural feel, is biodegradable and circular, but has less wood-like qualities than Econit Wood. The names “birch”, “oak” and “maple”, which are offered for room dividers, for example, refer to colourings and not to the wood used.

Working With Mushroom Mycelia

Interest in 3D wood printing is high, confirm both Additive Tectonics with Econit and Aectual, who also work together in some areas. “We are a scene that is trying to build the market together,” says Bruno Knychalla. Designers in particular are now jumping on the bandwagon, as they have experience with 3D modelling. Architects are far more hesitant, as construction requires more work with approvals and warranties than product or furniture design.

The possibilities are particularly diverse in interior design: whether non-load-bearing ceilings, walls or fixtures – specially moulded or with integrated functions. Vermeulen from Aectual says: “A few years ago, companies worked with us because of the innovation of 3D printing. Today they do it because of the circularity and the design.” Bruno Knychalla looks further into the future. He believes that 3D printing will revolutionise architecture and construction. In his opinion, it could also solve the problem that there are fewer and fewer construction workers, as the process requires little manual labour. He is currently conducting research with his team and the Technical University of Munich into combining 3D wood printing with self-growing fungal mycelia. It will be interesting to see what fantastic shapes will emerge from this. 


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