FreeD

TLDR

Many researchers aim to enable makers to design and produce 3D objects, but this work proposes a new fabrication approach for creating unique, one‑of‑a‑kind artifacts. The paper presents the FreeD, a hand‑held digital milling device that blends digital fabrication with craft to enhance user experience, and outlines its key concepts, architecture, and applications. The FreeD system uses a computer‑guided, real‑time monitoring approach that intervenes only when the milling bit threatens the object’s integrity—slowing the spindle or retracting the shaft—while otherwise granting full gestural freedom to the maker.

Abstract

In this paper, we present an approach to combining digital fabrication and craft, emphasizing the user experience. While many researchers strive to enable makers to design and produce 3D objects, our research seeks to present a new fabrication approach to make unique, one-of-a-kind artifacts. To that end, we developed the FreeD, a hand-held digital milling device. The system is guided and monitored by a computer while preserving the maker's freedom to sculpt and carve, and to manipulate the work in many creative ways. Relying on a predesigned 3D model, the computer gets into action only when the milling bit risks the object's integrity, by slowing down the spindle's speed or by drawing back the shaft, while the rest of the time it allows complete gestural freedom. We describe the key concepts of our work and its motivation, present the FreeD's architecture and technology, and discuss two projects made with the tool.