Real ivory on the left, 3D-printed Digory material on the right. Photo Credit: Vienna University of Technology
Most of us love the look and feel of ivory, but we hate the source: the tusks (traditionally elephants’) and teeth of animals, which has led to widespread animal slaughter over the centuries.
And while the ivory trade was banned internationally in 1989 to protect elephant populations, there is still a demand for the hard, white material, both to restore ivory parts of old art objects and also to create new objects with the same look and feel. Substitute materials such as bones, shells and plastic have all be used, but the results vary.
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.
Some 100 African elephants are killed each day by ivory-seeking poachers , but a new innovation may finally put a stop to the blood-soaked illegal trade.
Austrian scientists at Vienna University of Technology developed an alternative that is 3D printed and polished to create deceptively authentic-looking substitutes.
Called Digory, it consists of synthetic resin and calcium phosphate particles, which start as a hot liquid that are then hardened in the 3D printer to form the desired shape.
Researchers note that not only is Digory easier to work with, it can also be automatically shaped, saving hours craftsmen spend painstakingly crafting ivory substitutes.
Ivory substitute can be 3D printed with extreme precision theiet.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theiet.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
3D-printed material to replace ivory eurekalert.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from eurekalert.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.