A ceremonial mace designed using CNC & LMM technology by graduate Jacob Eldred, an artist and engineer for Yale University’s School of Engineering, drew our attention as it combines conventional and Additive Manufacturing technologies.
While CNC was used as a conventional technique, the AM process leveraged as part of its fabrication was Incus’ lithography-based metal Additive Manufacturing (LMM) technology solution.
Jacob Eldred comments: “As an artist and engineer, I’m fascinated by the reappearance of natural flowing shapes in manufacturing today.” Wood, stainless steel, aluminum, brass, and copper were used for their unique properties and symbolic significance.
The design represented the interdisciplinary feature of engineering learning and collaboration. The intricate design of the ceremonial mace is due to complex design features and fabrication methods. The fluid forms made by Additive Manufacturing represented the progression of engineering from handcrafting and machine-made to present-day 3D printing.
What’s so special about the ceremonial mace?
The ceremonial mace has a hand-carved wooden base and complex shapes crafted using CNC and LMM technology. The stainless steel 316L part on the top of the structure was printed by Incus Hammer Lab35. This piece symbolizes a tree splitting into branches.
The intricate curves and internal geometries could not be machined or cast. The natural flowing shapes were crafted using 3D printing. The piece resembles the intricate silver, ivory, and wooden craftsmanship from Vienna & Dresden.
This facilitated simple machine handling and printing job preparation. The Hammer Lab35 from Incus offers complete design freedom while allowing manufacturing control for complex geometries.
Author: Nagarjun M
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