Balancing Aesthetics, Utility, and Time
How do we balance aesthetic and utilitarian value when we create 3D objects? Additive manufacturing is a tool designed with utility and speed in mind. It can be used to create highly functional or ornate objects. Due to the nature of how the technology works, we are usually limited by two main factors. The physical size of the bed on which the object is printed and the supports that prevent the object from collapsing mid-print. This creates many obstacles for the designer. What conditions will the object be used in? Does the object need to be printed in a particular orientation to maximize strength, or can it sacrifice some utility for a more pleasing design? When it comes to printing ornate objects, one must consider the type of supports they use. You could print the object with standard supports, but this can be hard to remove risking damage to the delicate aspects of the piece, and will leave many more imperfections in the model. On the other hand, you can manually place each support to minimize damage to the piece. This comes with other drawbacks. Its time consuming and (particularly in FDM) if you are too light on the supports the print can fail before completion. As designers, it is our job to weigh these considerations to determine the best possible course of action as is pertaining to our available time and the object's intended purpose.
Custom supports risk failures but can result in a cleaner model
