Towards a New Techno-Aesthetic Paradigm: Experiments with Pattern, Texture and Colour in 3D-Printed Wood-Plastic Composites

3D printing of wood-plastic composites (WPC) has the potential to create its own aesthetic paradigm by taking advantage of the possibilities of digital fabrication. This study explores the process parameters affecting the aesthetic of the resultant 3D printed product using the commercial wood-plastic composite filament LAYWOO-D3, and printed using a Leapfrog™ Creatr 1.75mm fused deposition modelling (FDM) system. The parameters explored were the temperature of the printer nozzle of the 3D printer, the velocity of the printer head and the toolpath of the extruder. These variables were manipulated with algorithms to incorporate key aesthetic attributes of wood such as the grain pattern, surface texture and colour. Study of these parameters will allow further insight into the creation of 3D printed wood-plastic composites and has the potential to forge a positive public perception of composites as a technologically advanced product that offers a functional and aesthetic alternative to natural wood.