Democratising Design (2025)

Democratising Design (2025)

Exploring Artificial Intelligence and Procedural Modelling in Multi-material 3D Printing

Chantal Teneza

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the landscape of design. Across disciplines, it offers unprecedented opportunities to simplify complex processes, reduce barriers to entry, and accelerate creativity. Nowhere is this more evident than in additive manufacturing (AM), where AI is beginning to change how designers imagine, model, and ultimately produce physical objects. Among the most promising areas of AM is multimaterial 3D printing (MMP), a process that allows the creation of objects composed of multiple materials within a single print. This technology makes it possible to combine varied textures, colours, and physical properties—from flexible to rigid, or opaque to translucent—in ways that were previously unattainable.

Yet despite its potential, multimaterial printing remains largely inaccessible to many designers, artists, and makers. The reason is not the hardware itself, but the steep technical learning curve imposed by traditional computer-aided design (CAD) systems. To harness the full capability of MMP, users must engage with complex procedural modelling software, mastering layers of technical detail before their creative visions can be realised. As a result, access to these advanced tools is often restricted to highly trained professionals, limiting the broader adoption of what should be a transformative design process. The rise of large language models (LLMs) is beginning to shift this dynamic. These models already help users generate and refine two-dimensional concepts with ease, offering more intuitive ways to sketch, iterate, and communicate ideas. However, moving from a 2D vision to a precise, manufacturable 3D file remains a formidable challenge. The existing procedural modelling tools—such as Blender and Houdini—are powerful but intimidating, requiring expert knowledge of geometry, textures, and digital workflows. For many, the complexity of these systems stands in sharp contrast to the apparent simplicity of AI-driven ideation.

This research sought to address that gap by exploring Vizcom, an AI platform built by and for Industrial Designers, alongside the Stratasys J850, the only 3D printer currently able to combine multiple colours, transparency, and material flexibility within a single object.