Last week I attended the 3D printing conference at Jacob Javits Convention Center. 3D printing is being billed as “The 3rd Industrial Revolution”. The conference showcased a multitude of companies showcasing their newest 3D printers. The various companies were showcasing their printers and what the printers were capable of. The products on display ranged from functional to trite, there was a 3D printed bike frame and a company that would “scan” your face and produce a 3D printed bobble head with your likeness on it. There was a plethora of fantasy style figurines and “complex” sculptural forms. What really caught my attention however was a modified Ford Torino that was in the back of the convention hall. Artist Ioan Florea created a “liquid metal” suit of armor for a vintage Ford Torino. In juxtaposition to the hawkers of the 3D printers who were eager to talk about and sell their wares the Torino was only identified only by a paper sign duct taped to the floor. The sign simply said, “3D printed liquid metal Ford Torino by Ioan Florea”. Ioan Florea was nowhere in sight. I checked Ioan Florea’s website. I wanted to know more about his process. How he printed on a large scale and what materials he used. I found his website, unfortunately he is not divulging any information about his process. He refers to it as a “transfer process” and claims to use a low-end 3D printer. He then enlarges his “prints” and uses liquid nano-metals ("from calcium carbonate to titanium dioxide") for making the sculptural parts. Whatever his mysterious process is he is getting some eye catching results.
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