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The art of 3D printing (photos)

From miniatures to medical equipment to meat, 3D printing is changing the way we produce everyday objects. With Out of Hand: Materializing the Postdigital, the first major exhibition to explore digital fabrication, 3D printing and other computer-assisted production finally get the highbrow treatment.

The Museum of Art and Design exhibition opening this week features the work of 80 international artists, architects, and designers who use digital fabrication to create everything from athletic equipment (prosthetics by Bespoke Innovations) to innovative transportation (Rapid Racer by Stratasys). (By the way, we’ll be highlighting the future of design and tech at our RoadMap conference November in San Francisco).

The exhibition described the processes as such:

  • 3D Printing: An additive process by which layers of material are built up to create a three-dimensional object, much like coil-building a clay pot.
  • CNC (Computer-Numerically-Controlled) Machining: A subtractive process whereby material is removed from a solid block, rather like traditional sculptural techniques, such as carving wood or marble.
  • Digital Knitting and Weaving

We stopped by a sneak preview of the exhibition, which opens Oct. 16, 2013 and runs through July 6, 2014, to give you a first look at the art and design possibilities of digital fabrication.

"Volume.MGX Lamp," 3D printed collapsable lamp, by Dror Benshetrit
“Volume.MGX Lamp,” 3D printed collapsible lamp, by Dror Benshetrit.
"Vapor Laser Talon," a synthetic thermoplastic polyurethane textile upper with Flywire and mesh, cubic dipped and painted nylon plate, by Nike and Shane Kohatsu.
“Vapor Laser Talon,” a synthetic thermoplastic polyurethane textile upper with Flywire and mesh, cubic dipped and painted nylon plate, by Nike and Shane Kohatsu.
"Twisted Dump Truck," computer assisted design of a dump truck constructed with Gothic architecture and a helix twist, by Wim Delvoye
“Twisted Dump Truck,” computer-assisted design of a dump truck constructed with Gothic architecture and a helix twist, by Wim Delvoye.
"Contour Crafting," demo of housing units built with a hybrid fabrication method that builds up structures layer by layer, by Behrokh Khoshnevis
“Contour Crafting,” demo of housing units that can be built with a hybrid fabrication method that builds up structures layer by layer, by Behrokh Khoshnevis.