Stop-motion studio LAIKA used the Cuttlefish full-color print driver from Fraunhofer IGD and Stratasys PolyJet machines to produce more than 142,000 facial expressions for its new film Wildwood. The licensing partnership dates back to 2016 and shows a research tool proving itself in a demanding creative production.
Key facts
More than 142,000 facial expressions printed for Wildwood
Printed on Stratasys PolyJet J750 and J850 systems
Cuttlefish licensed from Fraunhofer IGD since 2016
Up to 24 different printed faces per second of film
Context PolyJet is a material jetting process that deposits droplets of photopolymer and cures them with light, which allows full-color parts with fine surface detail.
How does LAIKA use 3D printing in stop-motion?
Stop-motion films are shot frame by frame, with characters moved slightly between exposures. LAIKA animates facial expressions by swapping printed faces, using up to 24 different faces per second of film. For Wildwood, released in US cinemas on 23 October and in Germany on 5 November, the studio printed more than 142,000 bespoke expressions on Stratasys J750 and J850 PolyJet systems.
What does the Cuttlefish driver do?
Cuttlefish is a full-color print driver developed by Fraunhofer IGD. It turns the studio's digital models into data a printer can use while keeping textures, colors and fine geometry intact, even on very small parts. Listed functions include adaptive thickening of overly thin structures, support for dense meshes with detailed textures and a surface dither that removes stair-step artifacts without slowing processing. Fraunhofer IGD added several enhancements for the demands of Wildwood.
How did the partnership start?
LAIKA found the institute's research in a scientific publication in 2016. After a few test prints, both sides signed a long-term license agreement that is still running. Cuttlefish was first used on Missing Link and again on Wildwood. Brian McLean, LAIKA's Director of Rapid Prototype, said the film's emotional facial performances, with rich skin tones and fine detail, depended on this process.
What it means
For industrial users, the case shows what a mature full-color material jetting workflow looks like at volume: more than 142,000 unique small parts, where the software layer between model and printer decides color and detail quality as much as the machine does. The licensing model, a research driver used long term with vendor hardware, is also a route for SMEs that need color accuracy, for example in medical models or product samples. The film is not a business case for factories, but it demonstrates repeatability on tiny geometries.
Frequently asked questions
What is Cuttlefish?
Cuttlefish is a full-color 3D printer driver developed by Fraunhofer IGD that prepares models for printing while preserving color, texture and fine geometry.
Which printers did LAIKA use for Wildwood?
LAIKA used Stratasys PolyJet systems, specifically the J750 and J850, to print more than 142,000 facial expressions.
Has LAIKA used Cuttlefish before?
Yes. It was first used on Missing Link and has been licensed long term since the partnership began in 2016.
