3D Printing With Wool

Related Post:  3D Woolen Felt / Deconstructed Felt By Patcraft

A robot created by Dutch designer Christien Meindertsma is capable of creating three-dimensional volumes out of wool.

A brand-new, independently created cobot, the FLOCKS Wobot is designed specifically to operate with locally sourced European wools that would otherwise be thrown away. Using only wool and no additional materials or water during the felting process, the Wobot is a collaborative robot that paves the way for the first industrial production of three-dimensional structures made of wool. It produces simultaneously delicate and robust three-dimensional wool structures.

The alternative production method aims to use the 1,5 million kg of wool that is discarded annually in the Netherlands. At the same time, the material is being developed as a greener alternative to materials like polystyrene foam, glass wool, stone wool, and foam rubber. The novel method highlights the special qualities of wool, including its air permeability, acoustic qualities, warmth, and softness.
In addition to using natural virgin wool, recycled wool can be blended with it to produce a rich color palette and add vibrancy. 

Utilizing the vibrant woolen leftovers from their manufacturing process, tests have been conducted in association with the nearby Gelderland furniture plant.As a follow-up to the Zachte Stad study project, Rotterdam Circulair commissioned the project to determine the quality and worth of the wool from Martin Oosthoek’s Rotterdam herd of sheep. Following this effort, Meindertsma believed that a new method was required to enable the construction of wool objects in true three dimensions, regardless of size constraints.