Christmas Cone Lights

Project Story

Challenge

The ambition was to replicate pine cones and produce small light covers that could be added to a standard string of fairy lights to adorn your Christmas tree with.

Approach

The process began by CT-scanning an alder cone and converting the DICOM data into a scaled STEP file. The cone's core was digitally hollowed and fitted with a thin-walled cylinder to hold the fairy light. To maximise production efficiency, the files were nested for a full SLS build on an EOS P100 using Materialise Magics. While the resulting cones looked precious, removing the residual PA12 powder from the intricate geometry and cylinder proved too labour intensive for commercial viability.

Solution

Several de-powdering methods were attempted, including a run through a washing machine (which unexpectedly turned the PA12 powder into a toothpaste-like slurry!) Compressed air was also tested, but blowing directly into the cylinder failed because the trapped powder had no exit path. The breakthrough came by adding tiny vent holes within the cylinder wall; when air was blown into the core, it forced the trapped powder out through the sides, cleaning both the inner channel and the external geometry at the same time.

Outcome

The result is a compelling object that is now simple to post-process. Beyond clearing the powder, those tiny vent holes allowed delicate pinpricks of light to escape, making the cones not just illuminate, but sparkle. These cones serve as a striking example of how thin-walled SLS prints transmit light beautifully.