Mind-Blowing Hydrographic Printing Technique Adds Intricacy to 3D-Printed Objects

Hydrographic printing, sometimes known as immersion printing, isn’t a new technology by any means. In fact, the first registered patent for a hydrographic apparatus was issued back in 1982. However, until now the system has lacked precision, especially when trying to print on items with complex textures and shapes. The final pattern can often show up distorted, as the objects stretch the film and sometimes even tear it. Now a group of researchers from Zheijiang University and Columbia University have come up with a solution for this issue, by adding computational capabilities to traditional hydrographic printing processes. They incorporated a 3D vision system that maps the location of the object before the immersion takes place, allowing them to predict the distortion effect and adjust the printed image accordingly. It’s pretty incredible; enjoy the video of the process above.