3D printing is a process of transforming a digital model into a physical object, where the characteristics of the technology become integral to the form-making process itself. This course introduces the fundamental principles of additive manufacturing, 3D scanning, and preparing digital models for printing.

At the beginning of the course, students will learn about the structure of 3D printers, core printing technologies, and materials. They will learn how to prepare models, operate slicer software, and achieve predictable physical results. Concurrently, the reverse process—converting a physical object into a digital form using 3D scanning—will be examined.

3D printing is viewed not only as a method for creating prototypes or finished objects but also as an artistic medium. Through practical exercises, students will engage with concepts such as the original versus the copy, seriality, the materiality of the digital model, and the potential for utilizing the technological process within artistic expression.

The culmination of this course will be the creation of a personal physical object, achieved through the synergy of modeling, 3D scanning, and additive manufacturing.

This course is suitable for:

— Students and practitioners in the fields of design and contemporary art who wish to master 3D printing and integrate digital fabrication into their own practice.

— Designers and artists who want to learn how to translate digital models into physical objects and explore the relationship between digital and material environments.

— Novice users of 3D printers and 3D scanners who need to systematize the basic principles of object preparation and production.

— Individuals who work with objects, sculpture, installation, and experimental forms and want to expand their toolkit for creation.

Foundational competencies in graphic or product design.It is desirable to have additional competencies, or a willingness to acquire them alongside the course: basic proficiency in any 3D modeling software, and an understanding of composition and form principles.Specific knowledge in 3D printing and 3D scanning is not required.

During the course, students will learn to:

— Distinguish between core 3D printing technologies and understand their application areas;

— Prepare digital models for physical production;

— Check model geometry and correct errors that prevent printing;

— Work with slicer software and fundamental printing parameters;

— Select object orientation and support structure strategies;

— Understand how layer height, infill, wall thickness, and other parameters affect the final object;

— Work with FDM/FFF and photopolymer printing at a foundational level;

— Perform basic post-processing on printed objects;

— Obtain a digital model of a physical object using 3D scanning;

— Work with point clouds and convert scanning data into an editable 3D model;

— Prepare the scan results for reprinting;

— Grasp the artistic potential of digital fabrication and utilize the technological process as part of their own creative statement.

During the course of study, students will complete the following assignments:— Test printing a single object with various slicing parameters;— Printing an object with different orientations and analyzing the influence of supports on the surface;— Creating a small object specifically designed to account for 3D printing constraints;— Scanning a physical object;— Cleaning, aligning, and reconstructing the resulting 3D model;— Converting the scanned object into a form suitable for reprinting;— Scaling experiment: enlarging or reducing a real object through a digital model;— Creating a series of a single object by changing individual parameters;— Practical work on post-processing the printed object;— Investigating the original and the copy through a repeated cycle of «object → scan → print»;— A final object or a small series of objects with an artistic statement.

3D PRINTING AS A MEDIUM
— Principles of additive manufacturing
— FDM / FFF
— SLA / MSLA
— 3D printer and its mechanics
— Materials
— Technological limitations
— Concept of printability
— 3D printing in design and contemporary artDIGITAL MODELING AND PRINT PREPARATION
— STL, OBJ, and other formats
— Mesh and topology
— Normals
— Wall thickness
— Closed geometry
— Scale
— Object orientation
— Supports
— Fundamentals of slicingPRINTING PARAMETERS AND MATERIAL
— Layer Height
— Infill
— Wall Thickness
— Speed
— Temperature
— Retraction
— Bed adhesion
— Brim and Raft
— Influence of parameters on form and surface
— Error detection and troubleshooting in printingPOST-PROCESSING AND MATERIALITY
— Support removal
— Removing the object from the build plate
— Sanding
— Priming
— Painting
— Gluing and assembly
— Traces of the technological process
— Materiality of the layer
— Printing as a visual language3D SCANNING
— How 3D scanners work
— Structured Light
— LiDAR
— Photogrammetry
— Point Cloud
— Mesh
— Tracking and registration
— Markers
— Object lighting and surface qualities
— Scanning errors and limitationsSCAN TO PRINT
— Cleaning the scan
— Removing extraneous geometry
— Filling holes
— Remeshing
— Mesh optimization
— Preparing the scan for printing
— Geometry verification
— Scaling
— Printing the scanned objectORIGINAL, COPY, AND DIGITAL TWIN
— Original versus replica
— Physical versus digital object
— Scale variation
— Seriation
— Multiplicity of copies
— Copy deformation
— Error as part of the object
— Object as data
— Documentation and artistic artifactARTISTIC PRACTICE AND FINAL OBJECT
— Artistic concept
— Investigation of the physical object
— The «scan—modify—print» cycle
— Working with found objects
— Material utterance
— Object series
— Final project preparation
— Presentation and documentation of the work