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Custom Dress Forms from a Body Scan? 3D Scanner Unveiled at Conference
TessKwiltz   Intermediate TX USA Member since 9/21/07 Posts: 1315	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 3/11/13 1:04 PM In one of our (many) threads about dress forms awhile back, someone mentioned 3D printers and wouldn't it be great if we could get our own body scanned and get a 3D model exact to measure to use for a dress form? 3D printers have been around for a few years, we've just been waiting for a way to get our bodies modeled... 3D Scanner Unveiled. I can see this traveling to sewing expos... "Print your custom dress form while you wait"... ------ Tess On threadpainting flowers: "How many colors are in a flower? ... How many do you have?" - Ellen Anne Eddy
ryan's mom PA USA Member since 11/30/04 Posts: 4371	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 3/11/13 1:19 PM It was in my local newspaper last week that our Vo Tech school now has a 3D printer that can manufacture parts for whatever. The students can input any idea and it will print out the model (in a hard plastic I believe) in 3D form. I'd love to use that for a dress form! ------ Big 4 Pattern size 12, RTW bottom: 6, RTW jacket 8, RTW top (no size fits me well!) Measurements: 34 HB/36 FB (34C bra)/27.5/36 (and working hard to keep it that way.) Machines: Sewing (Janome Memory Craft 3000 and Kenmore 158 Series machine), Serger (Babylock Imagine), Embroidery (Janome 300E) If you think your sewing is better than everyone else's around here, get out of my way b****. I hate sewing snobs. My blog: www.phatchickdesigns.blogspot.com
SouthernStitch   Advanced LA USA Member since 8/24/02 Posts: 8178	Login to reply to this post In reply to TessKwiltz << Like this post Date: 3/11/13 1:21 PM 3D scanning for patterns has also been around a while. Unique was the first to do this, and yes, their scanner travelled around. However, the resulting patterns were very off according to those who tried them. They took a blood bath on the internet about how bad the patterns were, how the customer service sucked, etc. You know how bad it can get!! The technology is much better now, and it's time someone else came out with this for garment sewers. I used Unique (called Fit Me now), but I did manual measurements. ETA: Sorry, I thought you were talking about patterns, not dressforms. What a cool idea! I doubt you could make a life sized object any time soon, but what a great idea! Right now, it would likely be as expensive as one of those custom jobs. -- Edited on 3/11/13 1:23 PM -- ------ Bernina 730E, 530, and 350PE Singer 221 FW, 403a When life gives you green velvet curtains, make a green velvet dress.
nancy2001   Advanced AL USA Member since 12/3/05 Posts: 6111	Login to reply to this post In reply to TessKwiltz << 4 members like this. Date: 3/11/13 2:51 PM I am the person who suggested using 3D printers and body scanners to get a custom 3D dress form a couple of months ago in a thread I started called "What sewing notions should be invented?". It's true 3D printers have been around for a few years and 3D scanners, too. It's also true that the 3D scanners that were used for generating patterns a few years ago did not produce good results. In order for 3D dress forms to be successful, you'd have to have a scanner that could produce a reliable, exact reading of the body. You'd also have to have a 3D printer that could produce an exact copy of an individual's torso or lower half(at about 98% scale to allow for a padded stretchy cover). The plastic material should be pinnable to allow for draping. There should also be a weighted base that would allow the form to be used without toppling over. If I were twenty or thirty instead of sixty and more technically inclined, I'd get involved in this effort because I know there'd be a huge market for a low cost, 3D custom dress form among all levels of hobby garment sewers, from raw beginner to advanced. Think of how helpful it would have been to have an exact copy of your figure when you were just starting to sew. And whenever your figure changed, you could simply recycle the plastic and get a new scan and a new form. It's a no brainer. The 3D printer dress form is coming -- the only question is when. -- Edited on 3/11/13 2:57 PM -- ------ The essence of life is statistical improbability on a colossal scale. Richard Dawkins
NM gal   Beginner Member since 5/27/09 Posts: 1157	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 3/12/13 1:02 PM Hubby uses a 3Dprinter at work to design things but when asked, he thought a dressform created by the 3D printer wouldn't be cost effective. Guess we have to wait.
nancy2001   Advanced AL USA Member since 12/3/05 Posts: 6111	Login to reply to this post In reply to NM gal << Like this post Date: 3/12/13 2:48 PM How long does your husband think it will take for 3D printing to be able to produce a cost effective, custom dress form -- five years, ten years? ------ The essence of life is statistical improbability on a colossal scale. Richard Dawkins
NM gal   Beginner Member since 5/27/09 Posts: 1157	Login to reply to this post In reply to nancy2001 << Like this post Date: 3/18/13 11:37 PM Wow, he doesn't know. The tech is new even tho it's been around. They're using it for small stuff right now & what he does is small stuff. He'll ask around.
justgail Intermediate IA USA Member since 1/19/06 Posts: 514	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 3/19/13 11:22 AM 3d printed dress forms may come sooner that we think. Here's a couple of links to items about making buildings with 3d printers - http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/real-estate/dutch-architect-build-house-3d-printer-article-1.1249479 and this video starting at 4 minutes shows an animation of building a whole house, and at 6:45 shows a real printer building a wall. http://www.wimp.com/printerhouse/ I wonder if the biggest things slowing the technology are finding people to design for and use them, finding the right materials for various tasks, and an appropriately sized printer for the job and material.
nancy2001   Advanced AL USA Member since 12/3/05 Posts: 6111	Login to reply to this post In reply to NM gal << 1 member likes this. Date: 3/19/13 12:47 PM I'm going to go out on a limb and predict the first 3d dress forms will be available in three or four years. By 2020, the price will have dropped enough so that almost everyone who wants one will have one. I say this for two reasons. First, 3d technology (and awareness of it) is increasing rapidly. Second the dress form could be assembled from smaller pieces that fit together like a puzzle. We just need to take our 2013 blinders off. ------ The essence of life is statistical improbability on a colossal scale. Richard Dawkins
TessKwiltz   Intermediate TX USA Member since 9/21/07 Posts: 1315	Login to reply to this post In reply to nancy2001 << Like this post Date: 3/19/13 2:12 PM Quote: nancy2001 ... Second the dress form could be assembled from smaller pieces that fit together like a puzzle. ... Yes, of course, that's a great idea! It wouldn't have occurred to me. The algorithm to split up the body solid model into "print"able chunks, and then to add a feature to each piece to make it lock together wouldn't be that difficult. ------ Tess On threadpainting flowers: "How many colors are in a flower? ... How many do you have?" - Ellen Anne Eddy

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