It is only in my last post that I wrote about 3D garments and now is already available a 3D yarn printer.
Tim Elmore got successfully funded by Kickstarter and has come out with a very novel invention, wherein a ABS yarn is extruded out of a 3D printer . Though only of 1.75 mm and 3 mm dia, but it is a good start. This becomes the proof of concept that the future will be small yarn printing machines, which will roll out enough yarn for a small company with very low investment.
All it would need is feeding of a chip and out comes the yarn. Further, with master batches, one can have colors as desired.
It will not really take long, before other polymers like Polyester, Poly-amide , PP get into this application. Further, if the take up winder can be made to rotate on its axis, the yarn can come in twisted state. The thru put of the machine is small and hence slow speed winding and very easy possibility of twist insertion at the time of direct extrusion. May be there will be a need of an intermediate roller, where the cooled down yarn takes a wrap, before going to the take up twister.
The current invention of Tim gives a thruput of 2.5 to 5 Lbs per day, but with a scaled up model, this can be very much increased. Have a look at Tim`s Invention
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/833191773/filastruder-a-robust-inexpensive-filament-extruder
Again it is a Mechanical Engineer who is coming out with Textile solutions and as usual the textile community is slow in catching up with new inventions.
In the next 10 years, this machine will become the most popular machine with most weavers and knitters as they don't have to depend upon the yarn supplies anymore from distant countries. Shove in the polymer and you are up and running . Attach a 3D knitting machine and pops out a ready to wear garment. May be the local retail branded showroom will become the garment factory giving fresh hot, ready to wear garments.
Tim Elmore got successfully funded by Kickstarter and has come out with a very novel invention, wherein a ABS yarn is extruded out of a 3D printer . Though only of 1.75 mm and 3 mm dia, but it is a good start. This becomes the proof of concept that the future will be small yarn printing machines, which will roll out enough yarn for a small company with very low investment.
All it would need is feeding of a chip and out comes the yarn. Further, with master batches, one can have colors as desired.
It will not really take long, before other polymers like Polyester, Poly-amide , PP get into this application. Further, if the take up winder can be made to rotate on its axis, the yarn can come in twisted state. The thru put of the machine is small and hence slow speed winding and very easy possibility of twist insertion at the time of direct extrusion. May be there will be a need of an intermediate roller, where the cooled down yarn takes a wrap, before going to the take up twister.
The current invention of Tim gives a thruput of 2.5 to 5 Lbs per day, but with a scaled up model, this can be very much increased. Have a look at Tim`s Invention
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/833191773/filastruder-a-robust-inexpensive-filament-extruder
Again it is a Mechanical Engineer who is coming out with Textile solutions and as usual the textile community is slow in catching up with new inventions.
In the next 10 years, this machine will become the most popular machine with most weavers and knitters as they don't have to depend upon the yarn supplies anymore from distant countries. Shove in the polymer and you are up and running . Attach a 3D knitting machine and pops out a ready to wear garment. May be the local retail branded showroom will become the garment factory giving fresh hot, ready to wear garments.
