Watch | 3D printing for simple household objects

Researchers from the Hasso Plattner Institute in Germany (HPI) have developed a prototype 3D sketching device which can produce pipe sculptures of household objects to scale.In video produced by the HPI, the machine known at “Protopiper” is used to make models of sofas, microwaves and even a volley ball net.The “protopiper” is a “computer-aided hand-held fabrication device” which enables users to create 3D sculptures of objects efficiently so they can experiment with room design, according to a news release published by the HPI.The Institute says the machine turns adhesive tape into hollow tubes, which offers a good “strength-to-weight ratio” making it a suitable material to construct large structures.