Digory: A 3D Printed Alternative to Ivory
Published on April 17, 2021 by
For a long time, ivory was considered a valuable material due to its rarity and was used, among other things, for various art pieces. The material is obtained from the tusks and canines of various species, prominently Asian elephants. In order to protect these animals, the ivory trade has been banned since 1989. The EU Commission is also considering a ban on intra-European trade in antique ivory in order to counteract criminal activities. The Technical University in Vienna has now developed the material “Digory” together with Cubicure GmbH , which thanks to SLA 3D printing, enables the restoration of existing objects and is deceptively similar to ivory. The project was created in cooperation with the Art and Monument Preservation of the Archdiocese of Vienna and the Addison restoration studio in Vienna.