Due to my curiosity, additively fabricate large-scale structures made of water-based materials, I decided to make my own Gelatine-based bio-plastic 3D printer.
The first idea was to make a 3D printer which has double extruder controller. First syringe extruder should provide the more rigid amount of material(structure) and the second one should be more flexible(surface). I made my gelatine-based biomaterial with different ratios. I basically keep the same amount of water and glycerine ratio and systematically increase gelatine ratio(1-2-4-8). But despite my many trials when every ratio of gelatine-based materials interface with each other lost their shape and they harmonized with each other. Then I try with corn starch-based bio-material. Starch-based bio-material performance well together.
I converted RepRap tricolor mendel printer into bio-plastic 3d printer.
First ı tried many ratio's in the bio-plastic.
As you can see from the chart, ı stabilize the amount of water and glycerine and only play with the gelatine amount. ^ ^glycerine ^water ^gelatine |
Left | x | 20x | 4x |
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middle | x | 20x | 8x |
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left | x | 20x | 16x |
First ı tried diffrent ratio's. Turned out for ratio 3/4 water gelation is a good performance.
I tried on fabric, I wanted to see if the fabric could take the shape of my lines and would it be bending. But it did not work. Bio-Material is soaked by the fabric and when its dry it completely crack when ı stretch the fabric.
For my 3D printer, I tested out Gelatine based bio-material with other Bio-plastics.Gelatine is not working well with other gelatine based material. They are melting with each other.