Large Assignment 4: GCODE – Wayne Rudnick

Process for Code Generating Shapes –

I used the Extruder Turtle library to create all of my objects. I also created 4 objects for this project so I could have more variety.

My first shape is generated by G-code, which moves in a clockwise direction while pitching up after traveling a set distance. The code makes approximately 30 right-hand turns and pitches up about 1° as it progresses, creating a spiral path.

For my second shape, I generated a cylinder with no top or bottom hole. On the outside of the cylinder, I placed a line every 30° around its circumference, and with each layer, I offset this angle by 1°. This creates a spiral effect as the lines on the outer surface gradually shift by 1°. The final result is a cylinder with stacked, spiraling lines.

For the third object, I started with a triangle, lifted it, and rotated it 1° clockwise with each lift. This process of lifting and rotating creates an interesting pattern where the triangle spins around a central point.

For my fourth object, I also created a cylinder, but this time I made the lines on the outside more sparse and much longer. The weight of the filament caused these extended lines to droop downward, which was intentional. Additionally, I made a radial slice through the center of the cylinder, with lines pointing to each degree around the radius as the object was printed layer by layer. This resulted in a unique horizontal slice effect through the middle of the object.

Why a Traditional Slicer Doesn’t Work –

My first shape couldn’t be created using a traditional slicer because the layers don’t connect with one another. As the shape travels upward in the Z direction, there are no overlapping layers to bind them together. This results in a “slinky”-like object that can stretch and compress like a spring. The form incorporates non-planar nozzle movements in the Z-axis, which is something a typical slicer wouldn’t handle.

My second shape features overhangs on the outside of a cylinder—an element that wouldn’t be achievable with a traditional slicer. These overhangs consist of freestanding lines of filament that wouldn’t be supported in standard slicing methods.

The third shape uses axis rotation to generate the form. By offsetting the triangle by 1° with each layer, the shape develops through path tracing, something that would be nearly impossible to design or replicate in a traditional slicer. The sharpness and precision of this design are far beyond what a typical slicer can achieve.

My fourth shape also incorporates overhangs on the outside of a cylinder, similar to the second shape. However, these overhangs are much more pronounced and droop down the side of the cylinder. These freestanding lines intentionally fall and bend as they are extruded, which would be impossible to create using a traditional slicer, as such designs would typically aim to avoid drooping.

Iterative Design Process –

I went through a lengthy process of iterative design for these objects. The object I spent the most time refining was the first one. My goal was to create a shape resembling a helix that would function like a spring or slinky. I thought it would be fun to print custom-sized slinkies, possibly even in custom colors. I experimented with changing the radius and length of the slinky, but encountered several challenges. Since the printing process didn’t involve any overlapping layers, the slinky would shift and stretch as it was printed and cooled, resulting in unintended distortions.

To address these issues, I slowed down the printer and lowered the filament’s extrusion temperature to preserve the shape. If the filament was too warm, the new layer would melt into the previous one, losing its form and spring-like properties. I printed four different versions of this object in various sizes, each with its own strengths and weaknesses.

My other objects were more straightforward but had similar issues related to filament temperature and print speed. I found that slowing down the printing speed and lowering the temperatures of both the bed and nozzle helped prevent drooping, which was a significant problem for these thin-walled designs. For objects two and four, I increased the overhang distance on the outer edges of the cylinders to exaggerate the effect. The print speed and temperature had a huge impact on how these overhangs turned out.

Overall, I’m very pleased with how my objects turned out. I feel they were great experiments in pushing the boundaries of what’s possible when you move beyond the constraints of traditional slicers.

Images of Printed Artifacts-

Object 1 –

Object 2-

Object 3-

Object 4-

Cura Images –

Code –