<p>Oh that is a tricky tricky question!</p>

<p>First you will probably need a good scan of the robot. You will have the cad of the robot but chances are scanning will make life easier.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.3ders.org/articles/20151201-kinect-easy-3d-printing-tool-with-release-of-3d-scan-app-for-windows.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.3ders.org/articles/20151201-kinect-easy-3d-printing-tool-with-release-of-3d-scan-app-for-windows.html</a></p>

<p>Also see Reprap for other options</p>

<p><a href="http://reprap.org/wiki/3D_scanning" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://reprap.org/wiki/3D_scanning</a></p>

<p>Following... it is not going to be that simple. If it was my project I would
Print a mold out of ABS. ABS reacts to acetone and you can vapor treat it.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.logarithmic.net/pfh/blog/01366106156" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.logarithmic.net/pfh/blog/01366106156</a></p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/erykC.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/erykC.jpg" alt="Example of acetone smooth print"></a></p>

<p>That said you might burn your house down. Also it is inconsistent. But would give you a smooth finish. </p>

<p>Next you can do just normal mold printing and be okay with the ribbing. Then you pour your silicon material</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/ppTCY.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/ppTCY.png" alt="Example of a silicon mold made hand"></a></p>

<p>Next you can well just print with silicon. The ninjaflex guys have a ton of different types of flexible materials and new ones coming out. </p>

<p><a href="https://ninjatek.com/products/filaments/ninjaflex/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://ninjatek.com/products/filaments/ninjaflex/</a></p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/X4Btl.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/X4Btl.jpg" alt="Filaflex hand printed in a Caucasian skin tone"></a></p>

<p>On that topic I will mention a local company that I have no direct affiliation with. I just see them at the hacker space. They make a extruder just for flexibles. </p>

<p><a href="https://flexionextruder.com/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://flexionextruder.com/</a></p>

<p>Other areas to look at. More for making metal but it may be of use.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/From-3d-printed-part-to-metal-the-lost-plaabs-me/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.instructables.com/id/From-3d-printed-part-to-metal-the-lost-plaabs-me/</a></p>

<p>Last is again the mold but you make the molds on a expensive form 1. Or you make the skin on the form1 as they can do flexibles. Small build area. Material is around 100 a ltr or more</p>

<p><a href="http://formlabs.com/products/3d-printers/form-1-plus/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://formlabs.com/products/3d-printers/form-1-plus/</a></p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>Also check out this facebook group (no affiliation) </p>

<p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/3DPrintProps/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.facebook.com/groups/3DPrintProps/</a></p>

<p>If anyone has done this it is those guys. Oh Wait No I take that back Look into these fellows. They have a very active group. (google group) not to mention that they are also directly doing what you are.</p>

<p><a href="http://inmoov.fr/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://inmoov.fr/</a></p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/MzPsN.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/MzPsN.jpg" alt="InMoov Android"></a>
<a href="https://i.sstatic.net/8pqOQ.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/8pqOQ.jpg" alt="InMoov with skin"></a></p>

<p>Just don't be like this guy and make it look like a movie star... 
<a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/man-builds-scarlet-johansson-robot-7667715" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/man-builds-scarlet-johansson-robot-7667715</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-11T11:41:56.930Z
Great answer, but the facebook group link seems to be dead.
kamuro
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-11T15:38:21.100Z
Thanks! Hmm works for me, but I am a member. Maybe search for it? Or join 3dprintinghobbyists and ping me to link you their group (I'm admin of hobbyists so easy to find me)
MakerModder
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-07T07:06:39.977Z
2016-08-08T00:21:51.720Z
2016-08-08T00:21:51.720Z
MakerModder
<p>Are there any 3D printing filaments or specially designed desktop systems which can print soft <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_skin" rel="nofollow">artificial skin</a> for human-robot? For example made of soft silicone or something similar?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-08-07T07:42:03.023Z
Entering "3D printing flexible filament" into Google gives tens of thousands of results. An answer to this question would have to be incredibly broad, listing all of the possible many filament choices for printing flexible items. Please add some details to narrow down the question to be more specific.
Tom van der Zanden
<filament>
Possible ways to print soft skin for human robot?
kenorb
# Possible ways to print soft skin for human robot?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-08-07)

Are there any 3D printing filaments or specially designed desktop systems which can print soft [artificial skin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_skin) for human-robot? For example made of soft silicone or something similar?

**Tags:** filament

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Entering "3D printing flexible filament" into Google gives tens of thousands of results. An answer to this question would have to be incredibly broad, listing all of the possible many filament choices for printing flexible items. Please add some details to narrow down the question to be more specific.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-08-07. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

Oh that is a tricky tricky question!

First you will probably need a good scan of the robot. You will have the cad of the robot but chances are scanning will make life easier.

<http://www.3ders.org/articles/20151201-kinect-easy-3d-printing-tool-with-release-of-3d-scan-app-for-windows.html>

Also see Reprap for other options

<http://reprap.org/wiki/3D_scanning>

Following... it is not going to be that simple. If it was my project I would
Print a mold out of ABS. ABS reacts to acetone and you can vapor treat it.

<http://www.logarithmic.net/pfh/blog/01366106156>

[![Example of acetone smooth print](https://i.sstatic.net/erykC.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/erykC.jpg)

That said you might burn your house down. Also it is inconsistent. But would give you a smooth finish.

Next you can do just normal mold printing and be okay with the ribbing. Then you pour your silicon material

[![Example of a silicon mold made hand](https://i.sstatic.net/ppTCY.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/ppTCY.png)

Next you can well just print with silicon. The ninjaflex guys have a ton of different types of flexible materials and new ones coming out.

<https://ninjatek.com/products/filaments/ninjaflex/>

[![Filaflex hand printed in a Caucasian skin tone](https://i.sstatic.net/X4Btl.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/X4Btl.jpg)

On that topic I will mention a local company that I have no direct affiliation with. I just see them at the hacker space. They make a extruder just for flexibles.

<https://flexionextruder.com/>

Other areas to look at. More for making metal but it may be of use.

<http://www.instructables.com/id/From-3d-printed-part-to-metal-the-lost-plaabs-me/>

Last is again the mold but you make the molds on a expensive form 1. Or you make the skin on the form1 as they can do flexibles. Small build area. Material is around 100 a ltr or more

<http://formlabs.com/products/3d-printers/form-1-plus/>

Good luck!

Also check out this facebook group (no affiliation)

<https://www.facebook.com/groups/3DPrintProps/>

If anyone has done this it is those guys. Oh Wait No I take that back Look into these fellows. They have a very active group. (google group) not to mention that they are also directly doing what you are.

<http://inmoov.fr/>

[![InMoov Android](https://i.sstatic.net/MzPsN.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/MzPsN.jpg)
[![InMoov with skin](https://i.sstatic.net/8pqOQ.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/8pqOQ.jpg)

Just don't be like this guy and make it look like a movie star...
<http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/man-builds-scarlet-johansson-robot-7667715>

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Great answer, but the facebook group link seems to be dead.  
> **username_2**: Thanks! Hmm works for me, but I am a member. Maybe search for it? Or join 3dprintinghobbyists and ping me to link you their group (I'm admin of hobbyists so easy to find me)  

---

