IOF PoC project: PINT - PrintTalk for Industry: A Proof-of-Concept for Industrial Validation and Market Analysis

PrintTalk is a domain-specific programming language for designing 3D-printable objects. Unlike traditional graphical drawing programs, PrintTalk offers a programmatic approach to 3D modeling, where 3D models are described through code. While traditional graphical design programs are limited in their handling of reusability and scalability of 3D models, PrintTalk provides a more structured approach to 3D design, focusing on modularity and reusability. In PrintTalk, complex 3D models are constructed by “gluing together” simpler shapes. Each of these shapes contains parameters that allow properties such as dimensions to be adjusted. Furthermore, PrintTalk includes constraints, which serve as the “glue” for connecting shapes. These constraints can, among other things, help fill in parameter values, thereby simplifying the design of complex figures. PrintTalk’s programmatic approach to 3D modelling provides a systematic and more scalable way of designing, allowing the application of fundamental software engineering principles such as abstraction, version control, and reusability.
Until now, the development of PrintTalk has mainly focused on academic contributions. Although PrintTalk already offers advantages over existing CAD languages, it lacks several fundamental components necessary for deployment in an industrial context. This PINT project aims to enhance the applicability of PrintTalk for designing industrial 3D models by extending it with advanced features that closely align with industry requirements.