Extruder Turtle

ExtruderTurtle is an open source Python library that allows people to directly control the movements of a 3D printer nozzle by writing code. Programs specify the printer’s path using Turtle Geometry commands. The library provides an alternative to the traditional CAD-and-Slicer approach to 3D printing.

Years: 2021-current
Collaborators: Franklin Pezutti-Dyer, Jaime Gould, Melody Horn, and Leah Buechley
Publications
Franklin Pezutti-Dyer and Leah Buechley. 2022. Extruder-Turtle: A Library for 3D Printing Delicate, Textured, and Flexible Objects. In Sixteenth International Conference on Tangible, Embedded, and Embodied Interaction (TEI ’22). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, Article 6, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1145/3490149.3501312

Software

Our library supports fine-grained control over 3D printing in specialized materials including clay and play-dough. It also enables the design of unique geometries and surface textures in a wide range of 3D printers and materials. For a detailed library reference see: https://handandmachine.org/projects/extruder_turtle_rhino/

Example Prints

In clay.

In PLA.

For more information about how to install and use a pure python ExtruderTurtle library, that does not require Rhino or Grasshopper libraries, visit Franklin Pezutti Dyer’s website. Note: this version is no longer supported by our lab.