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Beyond 3D Printing: OpenKnit is a 3D Knitting Auto

Imagine if you could "impress" a knitted sweater, like you would a plastic 3D printed object like a smartphone example or a bowl.

That's the idea behind OpenKnit, a loom-like device that can take digital .STL files — the most common 3D printing file — and turn them into a finished piece of knitted wear.

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In this instance, the knitting needles accept the identify of a 3D printer'south extruder, and the yarn the place of the plastic filament.

OpenKnit isn't fully democratic however; as shown in the video that creator Gerard Rubio posted, yous still need to tweak some aspects of the design by manus during the knitting process. Simply the eventual goal is a automobile that can take .STL files and directly style them into custom clothing and knitted accessories.

The OpenKnit draws heavily from RepRap, a design movement that aims to create a self-replicating 3D printer. OpenKnit can besides use software from another knitting machine called Knitic that works similarly to OpenKnit but doesn't use .STL files.

Like these projects, OpenKnit is open-source, meaning information technology shares its designs and software code publicly, and encourages people to take and modify them. And so really enterprising designers could create their ain OpenKnit device by getting the designs at its Github page. Rubio says the whole thing costs less than 550 Euros — most $750 USD.

OpenKnit isn't the first clothing 3D printer-like motorcar — the Electroloom is a epitome 3D printer that prints polymer fabrics. Unlike the Electroloom, however, the OpenKnit tin can turn out finished wearable.

Rubio says the OpenKnit is designed to provide an alternative to the industrial product model from which most commercial clothes come, and to requite users more command and connection to their ain article of clothing. "Designing and producing clothes digitally and wearing them can now happen in the very same place, rewarding the user with the power to make decisions regarding creativity and responsibility," he wrote on his website.

Email jscharr@techmedianetwork.com or follow her @JillScharr and Google+ . Follow us @TomsGuide , on Facebook and on Google+ .

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Jill Scharr is a creative writer and narrative designer in the videogame industry. She's currently Project Lead Writer at the games studio Harebrained Schemes, and has also worked at Bungie. Prior to that she worked every bit a Staff Writer for Tom'due south Guide, covering video games, online security, 3D printing and tech innovation amongst many subjects.