FAQ
General
Can I buy a Facadeprinter?
No. This includes the latest version of the printer prototype. However, the chances of the Facadeprinter being produced in series depends on demand, and we welcome requests and feedback. >> Contact
Could you do a print for me?
Sure! Just get in touch and describe what you are interested in doing - as long as it’s not just a boring company logo we’re interested! >> Booking
How much does a print cost?
This really depends on your project, and generally it can cost a lot of money. We are professionals at what we do and really push ourselves so that everything runs smoothly and the print looks great. Describe your idea and your project, and we will get back to you with our thoughts and the cost. >> Booking
Technology
How does the printer apply color to the wall?
Color balls are shot at the surface with pressured air. They accelerate up to 200 km/h, which causes the shells to burst on contact with the wall and leave a dot of color.
How large can a print be?
The Facadeprinter can print an area of 8 meters in height by 10 meters in width from a single position. However, prints can be extended by shifting the machine to the left or right of the original print. At the moment the Facadeprinter must be within 12 meters of the target surface.
How long does the printing process take?
This depends on the number of single color dots. The Facadeprinter can fire balls at a frequency of up to 5 shots per second. The dot from a single ball can be up to 10 cm in diameter; thus it would take around 30 seconds to fill up a square meter. Check out the news entries as we usually add the printing time of each new artwork that we post.
How high is the print resolution?
This depends on the size of the single color dot. We mainly use standard paint balls with a diameter of 17 mm. Depending on its quality after the collision, each ball will leave a color dot of 5 to 10 cm in diameter. This results in a resolution of around 0.5 dpi.
Can you do multicolored prints?
Yes. It is possible to print several layers of color on top of one another. Check out the ‘Crab Pincher’ which is printed with 5 color tones. Unfortunately, we are still limited by the number of colors available for many applications.
What colors are available?
Cyan, Magenta, Pink, Yellow, Bright Orange, Orange-Gold, Light Green, and Grass. >> Color-Tests
Can other colors also be used?
Generally with our technique it is possible to apply almost every color or substance from distance. Any special color will need to be encapsulated into balls. If the number of balls needed is large enough, we would place an order. An alternative for smaller scale projects would be to fill up the special color individually in acrylic shells. This method is expensive, but possible.
What surfaces can be printed on?
You can print on any kind of surface that is stable enough for the gelatin shells to burst. Particularly suited to printing are surfaces that adopt color easily. The surfaces do not necessarily need to be flat. We have successfully printed on concrete, plaster, brick, steel and glass.
How do you get the color off the walls afterwards?
We use balls which are starch or wax based. Balls based on starch are suited to 'Live Performances', because they start to decompose their pigment immediately and loose visibility. There will be left residue, though. When totally dried, this powder can be brushed away in some cases.
Balls based on wax are more durable. Depending on the effects of the weather, prints made with wax-based balls are still visible up to 2 months after printing. Unlike the starch based balls, these prints will less desaturate on their own. We know of two types of paintballs, green and orange, that last several months.
What happens to the ball shells?
The balls used have shells made out of gelatin. Upon impact with the wall, the busted gelatin shells fall to the ground where they can be removed or left to decompose naturally. Often parts of broken shells can deflect up to 15 meters, so we recommend keeping this area clear during printing. As an alternative, it is possible to put a 30 cm wide splash guard on the wall.
How can you optimize the printing results?
Choosing a proper surface is crucial for a good printing result. Surfaces with even brightness give prints a greater level of contrast in comparison to those with an inconsistent or irregular color. If the surface is very smooth, such as Steel Plates or Glass, we recommend using only very viscous, thick colors. The ideal printing distance is about 6m from the wall, and the less wind during printing the better.
Which file formats can be used?
The prototype FP02 (Facadeprinter) uses only vectors in the file format SVG. Designs are prepared in Adobe Illustrator and exported. Currently we are working on supporting pixel files as well.
Legal Issues
Are there legal restraints for the use of the printer?
The Facadeprinter uses a built-in paintball marker as its print head. Thus the printer is liable under the assault weapons law in Germany. We are eager to fulfill all legal regulations, and in case of doubt we will confer with the State Office of Criminal Investigation.
Where can the printer be used?
This depends on the legal regulations of each country. Germany has one of the most restricted assault weapons laws in the world, which stipulates that the printer may only be used in pacified estates with the approval of the owner and the domestic authorities. It must also be ensured that no shot leaves the estate. Indoors this can be ensured easily. Outdoors the printer must be fixed in its position towards the wall. Areas behind the printing surface and between printer and surface must be fenced off to create a safety zone, and the printer will be supervised by an operator during the whole printing process. Depending on the location and the print/performance, we will carefully check all regulations with all parties involved to be sure that the performance accords with legal regulations prior to the print.
