Generative Deformation: Procedural Perforation for Elastic Structures

Procedural generation of elastic structures provides the fundamental basis for controlling and designing 3D printed deformable object behaviors. The automation through generative algorithms provides flexibility in how design and functionality can be seamlessly integrated into a cohesive process that generates 3D prints with variable elasticity. Generative deformation introduces an automated method for perforating existing volumetric structures, promoting simulated deformations, and integrating stress analysis into a cohesive pipeline model that can be used with existing consumer-level 3D printers with elastic material capabilities. In this work, we present a consolidated implementation of the design, simulate, refine, and 3D print procedure based on the automated generation of heterogeneous lattice structures. We utilize Finite Element Analysis (FEA) metrics to generate perforated deformation models that adhere to deformation behaviors created within our design environment. We present the core algorithms, automated pipeline, and 3D print deformations of various objects. Quantitative results illustrate how the heterogeneous geometric structure can influence elastic material behaviors towards design objectives. Our method provides an automated open-source tool for quickly prototyping elastic 3D prints.