Digital Fabrication: From Desktop 3D Printing to Stage-Size Scenery

The third area I explored is digital fabrication for theatre… Basically, how things are built! I have a personal stake in this: I own a Snapmaker U1 that can do 3D printing. I’ve used it to print multi-material gadgets and cosplay props. Naturally, I wondered: at an expo like USITT, which focuses on theatre technology, what role does 3D printing play? Are there companies showing off huge 3D printers that can create entire set pieces? Or is the focus more on CNC machines and other fabrication tools for scenery and props?

Walking through the thought experiment of the Expo floor, I identified at least one relevant exhibitor: ShopBot Tools (booth #715).

ShopBot is not a 3D printer maker; they make CNC routing machines that cut wood, plastics, foams, etc. And that actually answers part of my question: when it comes to large scenic pieces (like walls, columns, stage floors, giant letters, decorative panels), theatres often turn to CNC routing rather than 3D printing. On ShopBot’s site, I found a section about use cases in “Theatres & Museums”. It highlights that CNC technology has been embraced by theatres and exhibit designers worldwide. Many major regional theatres and universities have ShopBot CNCs in their scene shops. The reason is clear: a CNC can take a digital design and cut it out of plywood, MDF, acrylic, or foam very quickly and accurately. Need a perfectly shaped arch? Cut it out of foam with a CNC. Need 50 identical decorative patterns for a backdrop? CNC-cut them from thin plywood. And crucially, if your piece is bigger than the machine’s bed, you can slice the design into parts in CAD and then the CNC can cut those parts which you assemble like a puzzle. That means a 4’x8’ router can essentially produce an 8’x16’ wall by cutting it in sections. They mention modern CAM (computer-aided manufacturing) software can do this slicing and also nest parts efficiently to save material.

Reading that, I realized that my Snapmaker (which has a build volume of under a foot cubed) operates on the same principle in miniature as these scene shop CNCs do on the grand scale. I’ve printed small prop pieces in parts and glued them, where scenic shops cut big sets in parts and screwed them together. The scaling up is linear. Where I use grams of filament, they use sheets of plywood and blocks of foam.

So, at USITT’s Stage Expo, I’m betting that while there might be a couple of 3D printer vendors or at least 3D printing demos (especially in the Props Lab sessions), the standout for big stuff would be companies like ShopBot (CNC routers), Epilog or Universal (laser cutters), maybe large-format printers for backdrops, etc. In fact, the USITT schedule showed a session in the Props Lab about “Building a Better Model Box Utilizing Laser Cutting & 3D Extrusion Technology”. That tells me they are actively teaching how to use 2D laser cutting and 3D printing for creating scale models or intricate props. The phrase “3D extrusion” is essentially a fancy term for FDM 3D printing… Extruding filament! So yes, 3D printing is definitely part of the modern props toolkit, and students at the conference were getting exposure to it. Another Props Lab blurb said “learn 2D and 3D prop techniques, from hand drafting and graphic design to upcycling, advanced upholstery, and thermoplastics”. Thermoplastics likely refers to materials like Worbla or vacuum-forming, but could also hint at things like 3D printed thermoplastic parts. At least, that’s what I think of when I hear thermoplastics (PLA, PETG, ABS and more).

From a practical standpoint for most theatres, 3D printing today is mostly used at a smaller scale. It could be used for props, prototype models, or occasionally to fabricate a complex part that would be too intricate to cut from flat material. For example, if a prop master needs a dozen ornate filigree brooches for costumes, they might 3D print them in resin rather than hand-sculpt each one. Or if they need a custom bracket to hold a piece of set in an odd way, they can print that in strong ABS or nylon. I found a forum where folks mentioned printing things like period telephones, weapon replicas, or architectural details for stage. So it’s definitely in use. I’ve 3d printed a medallion when I was too cheap (or just too creative) to buy SDSU’s graduation medallion. Then, I painted it gold and smiled, knowing I, among thousands of graduating students, had my little creative spin with a 3d printer that can make me anything my imagination is big enough for.