3D Printing and Special Effects

Cinemagic, it’s a term that used to describe the incredible things that can come to life in the world of movies. From Jean Cocteau’s floating candles in “Beauty and the Beast” to the massive armies of Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings,” special effects have allowed movie-goers access to a world unlike our own.

In the recent past, much of this work was done by using CGI techniques, but now, 3D printing is making its impression on the special effect world.

Proto 3000 has the scoop, “In the first Iron Man, Robert Downey Jr. complained of discomfort and uneasiness with the maneuverability of his suit. That, however, was before Legacy Effects (the world renowned special effects company) purchased an Objet Eden 3D printer”

The article continues, “Using the 3D laser scanner, Legacy Effects scanned Downey Jr’s hands, creating both STL and CAD files... The entire Iron Man body suit and helmet were also created… around the STL and CAD files created from Downey Jr’s body scan..."

"To complete the process, Objet’s Eden 3D printer was used to quickly print durable, comfortable, precise models for the movie. Layer by layer, Downey Jr’s custom suit was built by Objet.”

And now, for your consideration, a trailer featuring the very suit we’ve just described.

Read the Entire Article at Proto3000