TU Delft Students Develop Unique 3D Printing Concept Incorporating Printed Optics Technology

Recently, Dutch Luxexcel challenged the Industrial Design Bachelor Students of the Delft Technical University, The Netherlands, to create a unique design concept incorporating it’s inventive Printoptical Technology. As a result, a variety of showcases was created by Industrial Design students of Delft University of Technology. 

Among them are two concepts that incorporate applied optical concepts for day – and artificial lighting purposes: ‘STUTTGART’ by Melle Grossl and ‘Daylight in the Underground’ by Martin Kooper.

‘STUTTGART’ concept by Melle Grossl

STUTTGART makes it possible to design custom lighting solutions rather than taking just a standard lamp providing interior spaces with light. Alternative solutions may provide a selection of choices only, STUTTGART provides the lighting designer with enhanced freedom in design.

The concept offers architects and interior designers an innovative lighting arrangement to make unused interior spaces useful again.

STUTTGART parts are printable within Luxexcel’s current framework of capabilities, it is not aimed at future 3d printing developments. The ‘Stuttgart concept’ is ready for market launch!

‘Daylight Underground’ by Martin Kooper

This flat solar collector, as designed for Luxexcel technology, can be used for concentrated solar power (CSP), but also for daylight systems. In the latter case light is guided into a glass fibre, from where it can be transported to spaces where daylight is more scarce. The light can be used for architectural installations, or to augment or replace traditional lighting.

For this project, application in a subway station was explored, where the light let travellers experience the feeling of the natural light of the sky outside. The designed collecting system is 10 m2 in size and can replace up to 50% of traditional lighting in peak hours.

The system can be easily integrated in the landscape if modules can be mounted in all angles and places. Each module comes with an individually customized set of lenses to deal with its different solar incidence. By varying the optical properties of the lenses in the system, different effects can be created.

Different system performance can also be created. One location might have a lot of cloudy days, so the acceptance angle should be larger to capture the more diffuse light. A location with only sunny days could be tailored for maximum efficiency. All implementations require consideration of the earlier mentioned key characteristics.

Mass Customization for the CPV Market

Fully 3D printed collectors are possible in the near future. Good integration into existing structures will require a unique design per implementation, therefore, mass production will be inefficient. The design could create an entire new field of cost effective daylight, energy savings and creates a possible entry point into the (lucrative) CPV market.

Innovative Application Student Award 2015

Voting for the Innovative Student Application Award 2015 is open and the final winner will be announced soon.

Pictures are courtesy of Luxexcel.