Community network 3D Hubs has once again released their monthly report, but I realized something very interesting when reviewing it.
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WI3DP: Sarah Ceravolo – “Whatever Your Passion Is, Chances Are There Is a Relevant Application Within 3d Printing for It”
Sarah is the founder of Convolo Design, an Australian-based design studio.
FORMBOT’s Massive T-Rex Desktop 3D Printer
There’s an interesting option available for those requiring a large-format desktop 3D printer: the T-Rex from FORMBOT.
Prusa Updates The Prusa: The i3 MK2 Lives
One of the most popular desktop 3D printers is the Prusa i3, but now it may become even more popular with its latest iteration.
Fascinating Vector-Driven Metal 3D Printing From Harvard
Researchers at Harvard have developed a truly fascinating 3D printing technique that shows the limitations of current technologies.
The Bibo 2 Touch 3D Printer & Laser Engraver’s Price Will Surprise You
Yes, there are far more 3D printer brands and models than you can possible keep track of, but I thought I’d bring this one to your attention: the BIBO2.
Is That 3D Printed Mega-Groot For Real?
Earlier we published a story on the massive CoLiDo Mega 3D printer, but some believed the print was faked.
Design of the Week: Crater Lake
This week’s selection is the brilliantly finished Crater Lake topographical model by Australia’s Conor O’Kane.
CGTrader Hits a Milestone, But are They Really The Biggest?
Good news! CGTrader announced they’ve now accumulated over 500,000 users and 500,000 3D models.
Stratasys Suddenly Solves A Ton Of 3D Printing Problems
It seems Stratasys won’t stop with the interesting announcements; now they’ve solved yet more workflow problems in 3D printing.
Is It Really Time To Buy 3D Printing Stocks?
There’s been a ton of gloom and doom among 3D print stock brokers recently, but is this the opposite of what should happen?
Microsoft Now Supports Network-Based 3D Printers
Microsoft has been quietly building support for 3D printing for some years, and now they’ve announced networked printing support.
BCN3D’s Very Open Source Strategy
BCN3D may have just set the standard for open source 3D printer companies with their latest release.
Stratasys’s Very Focused FDM Enhancements Keep With The Theme
There seems to be an interesting theme emerging from Stratasys these days, and it’s not simply announcing hardware.
Hard Questions To Ask About A USD$49 3D Printer
Why does this keep happening? A ridiculously low-cost 3D printer with a low probability of succeeding continues to attract buyers on Kickstarter.
Arcam’s Recent Moves In Materials Suggest Growth
Sweden’s Arcam is a company on the move, it seems, as they’ve been making a series of deals to solidify their metal materials providers.
Big Changes In 3D Print Tradeshows: AMShows Lights Up
There’s a new 3D print tradeshow in the works and it could become one of the leading venues for the industry.
What Is Stratasys Doing With Thingiverse, Anyway?
In 2013, Stratasys acquired MakerBot and all its assets. Besides the printer company, the deal also included Thingiverse.
3D Hubs Adds Another Professional Capability And Confirms Their Strategic Shift
Hmm, my speculation about 3D Hubs’ intentions the other month seems to be continuing with their latest announcement of carbon fiber capability.
WI3DP: Annalisa Nicola – “3D Printing Has to Be Disruptive, Exploring More Technical Solutions for Manufacturing”
Annallisa Nicola is the CEO and co-founder of XYZBAG.
Here’s Why 3D Printing Patents Don’t Mean Much
Oh! Look! Someone’s patented SOMETHING about 3D printing! This changes EVERYTHING!
The Short But Instructive Life of CLAWZ, A 3D Printing Startup, Part 1
This is part 1 of a two-part series exploring the fate of a 3D printing startup.
How To Survive Short Filament Spools: Keep Those Empties!
If you’re like me and 3D print a lot, you may find your work area piling up with empty filament spools. My advice: Keep Them!
Are 3D Printed Cars A Sensible Thing?
I’ve heard a few stories about folks developing 3D printed cars, and I must say I’m a bit skeptical.
Ideal For Educators: Monthly 3D Printing Projects?
UK-based Laykanics is an interesting service that offers monthly 3D print-based project kits that I think could be very suitable for educators looking to expose students to 3D printing.
Materialise Packages Up All The 3D Printing Software You Need In One Bundle
Materialise is perhaps best known for their 3D printing services to industry, but they also create very powerful software, too. Now they’ve bundled it all together.
One Of The Four Models Of CreateBot Could Meet Your Needs
There are four different models of the CreateBot 3D printer, one of which could likely meet your requirements.
Print-Rite’s Massive CoLiDo Mega 3D Printer
Another giant-sized 3D printer has appeared, this time from Print-Rite, the CoLiDo Mega. And mega it is.
Leapfrog’s Mystery “Bolt” 3D Printer To Be Released In June
Netherlands-based Leapfrog 3D Printers is developing a new more capable 3D printer called the “Bolt” and they’re beginning to leak some information about it.
A Pasty Option For Ultimaker 3D Printing
Strucur3D announced they’ve established an intimate relationship with Ultimaker to enable plug-and-play paste extrusion on Ultimaker equipment.
What’s New At Prodways?
Prodways, a lesser-known French 3D printing company, has been quietly growing over the past three years.
iMakr Slides Further Toward Industrial 3D Printing
iMakr has begun selling higher-end 3D printing equipment designed for industry. I think this is a significant change.
Airwolf’s Intimate Approach To Introducing 3D Printing To Corporations
As the emphasis on 3D printing shifts from poorly adopted consumer applications to industrial uses, 3D printer companies must find ways to make this shift. Airwolf has found a very effective and fun way to do so.
A Flurry Of Questions Around The HP Jet Fusion 3D Printers
HP finally announced details about their new Jet Fusion 3D printers, but I have a number of questions.
The Very Low-Cost Anvil 3D Printer Is A Bit Suspicious
An extremely low-cost desktop 3D printer is available for pre-order: The Anvil.
As Expected, HP Shows Off Their New 3D Printer With A Very Unusual Print Process
HP revealed more details about their first in-house developed 3D printing products, the HP Jet Fusion 3D 3200 and 4200 Printers.
The Strange Inbox Of A 3D Printing Service
The day-to-day at our 3D printing service, Make Mode, is nothing if not interesting.
Another 3D Printing Management System: 3D Printer ERP
I’ve seen a couple software solutions to the difficult problem of managing a 3D printer farm, and now another launches this week: 3D Printing ERP.
Could E3D’s New Edge Material Top PLA and ABS?
The folks at E3D are most well-known for their very popular hot-ends, which are installed on many desktop 3D printers. Now they’ve taken a step out of bounds to produce a pretty amazing filament.
3DPrinterOS Gains Some Portability
One of the leading cloud-based 3D printing services just made life a lot easier by supporting the Raspberry Pi 3.
A 3D Printing Sideline: Industry Reports
One of the growing ‘sidelines’ in the 3D printing industry is that of industry reports.
More 3D Print Financial Results: VoxelJet and ExOne, And They’re Not Great
Earlier I commented on 3D Systems and Stratasys’ first quarter financial results. Today it’s VoxelJet and ExOne.
Formfutura Releases Not One, But Three Specialized 3D Printer Filaments
Long-time 3D print filament maker Formfutura announced the availablity of no less than three different specialized filaments, each with some very interesting properties.
Design of the Week: Articulated Lamp
This week’s selection is the tricky-to-make, but useful Articulated Lamp by MyMiniFactory contributor Luca Parmegiani.
Design of the Week: Freedom of Flight
This week’s selection is the beautiful Freedom of Flight sculptures by Russ Ogi and Eileen Borgeson.
Stratasys and 3D Systems Announce Quarterly Results. Who’s Winning?
It’s that time of the year when the first quarter results are announced by publicly traded companies. Of interest here is Stratasys and 3D Systems, the two largest 3D printing companies on the planet.
A Reminder To 3D Scan BEFORE Disassembly
A 3D model of the now-mostly-destroyed Temple of Bel in Palmyra, Syria suggests action be taken to capture 3D objects before they’re torn down.
Groupon’s Ridiculous 3D Printing Stunt
We’re trying our best not to publish stories on 3D print “stunts” that are merely attempting to gain publicity, but this one is so ridiculous I have to write it up.
Thoughts And Reactions To The Peachy Printer Debacle
As we reported yesterday, the $100 3D printer project, Peachy Printer, has fallen to a major scandal where their business manager allegedly stole half of their crowdfunding raise.
No Change: The Risks Continue For 3D Printing Usage
A piece in Forbes entitled, “When 3D Printing Gets Into The Wrong Hands”, discusses the risks and challenges enabled by 3D printing. It’s all true and it’s the same as it ever was.
The Maker Revolution “Failed To Deliver”, But It Did
A piece in The Awl comments on the seeming demise of the maker movement through 3D printing by following the story of MakerBot.
The Critical Importance Of 3D Printer Maintenance
For those readers who have a 3D printer, how often do you perform maintenance on it? Oh, you don’t? Watch out for problems if so.
WI3DP: Summer Powell: I’ve Been Prototyping In The Same Technology I’ve Been Manufacturing In, So That Makes It Especially Easy
This article originates from Women In 3D Printing and is part of our effort to support the use of 3D printing technology by women. The article is re-published with permission.
BREAKING: Major Theft! Peachy Printer Team Member Steals Half Their Cash
An unbelievable revelation occurred overnight when Rylan Grayston, CEO of Peachy Printer, revealed his business partner apparently stole over USD$300,000 to build a house.
Shapeways Curiously Introduces PLA Material, But Why?
Consumer 3D print service Shapeways has always been introducing new materials, but this one is very curious: PLA.
Branch’s Different Take On 3D Printed Construction
There have been multiple attempts to develop a feasible method of 3D printing buildings, and Branch Technology is trying another method.
Boom! Janne Kyttanen’s Literally Explosive 3D Prints
3D printing is just one method of making things, and it’s best exploited when combined with other techniques. But a new approach from designer Janne Kyttanen could blow you away!
Confusion: M3D’s Micro 3D Printer Price Discounted – Or Not?
Several data points suggest something strange is happening with M3D’s low cost 3D printer’s price.
UPS Believes 3D Printing Is Compelling. Of Course They Do!
A ten-page report commissioned by parcel delivery and logistics service UPS suggests that 3D printing is a huge opportunity.
Seven Guaranteed-To-Fail 3D Print Business Models
At Fabbaloo, we receive messages from new startups in the 3D printing field daily, but many of them pursue business models that simply aren’t going to work without exceptional effort and ingenuity.
Is This A Thing? 3D Printed Ties?
Another exploratory 3D print business venture has launched, 3DTie, which, unsurprisingly, produces a line of 3D printed ties.
Design of the Week: Hellboy Mecha-Glove Vinegaroon
This week’s selection is the delicate Vinegaroon by Canadian 2D/3D artist Florence Chan.
Does EOS’s Texas Beachhead Signal A Metal 3D Printing Invasion?
German industrial 3D printer manufacturer EOS announced the opening of a new Texas operation. What does this suggest?
Weistek’s MiniToy 3D Printer For Kids Is Coming
Our team first saw the MiniToy at CES in January, and it looked pretty good for a children’s 3D printer. Now the launch is imminent.
Should You Join The 3MF Consortium?
Source3 announced they’ve just joined the 3MF consortium, but this made me ponder whether this is something others should do, too.
The FabX 3 Demonstrates The Strength Of Regional 3D Printing Manufacturers
Today I’m looking at a 3D printer designed and built in India, the FabX 3, which offers a good mix of features at a very reasonable price.
Controversy Around The E3D BIGBOX Contest?
BigBox3D is looking for a 3D mascot design for their new BIGBOX open source 3D printer, but it seems that they’ve upset some designers along the way.
Totally Unsurprisingly, LulzBot Announces The TAZ 6
It was just the other week when I described how to watch the TAZ 6 “grow up”, and now it’s been launched
On The Loose: 3DPrintler’s 3D Print Service Chatbots
Growing 3D print conglomerate 3DPrintler is working on a strange chatbot interface to their 3D print service pricing comparison engine.
Projection Micro-Stereo-Lithography: A New Way To Create Precision Components
Researchers at Northwestern University have used a 3D printing technique called “projection micro-stereo-lithography” to create incredibly complex lenses.
You Know What We Need? A Universal Knob Generator!
Long ago, we all heard promise of using a personal 3D printer to fix stuff around home. But how real did it turn out?
More Thoughts On the Carbon Vs. UNIZ Question
I’ve noticed several comments and queries about our recent post comparing Carbon’s M1 to UNIZ’s SLASH and thought I’d clarify some aspects.
Mystery Solved: Pinshape’s Secret Buyer Revealed
I’ve been pondering who was behind the rescue of 3D model repository Pinshape, and now we know who it is.
Siemens’ Spiders Could Lead To Massive 3D Printing Projects
Research at engineering giant Siemens seems to be developing a kind of mobile 3D printing robot.
RetroFab: 3D Printed Parasitic Interfaces For Ancient Appliances
A bizarre project from Autodesk Labs investigates whether one can generate new physical interfaces for old appliances: They Can!
Can ENOMOTO’s Experimental 5-Axis 3D Printer Hybrid Do The Impossible?
I’m viewing a very curious video from Tokyo-based ENOMOTO, who seem to have developed a 3D printer that can print in many directions.
You Can Now Request Prints From That Orbiting 3D Printer
The commercial 3D printer that recently arrived on the International Space Station is now operating!
Design of the Week: Project Porygon
This week’s selection is artist Nick Clark’s Project Porygon collection.
SmarTech Believes Consumer 3D Printing Isn’t Dead. Or Is It?
Industry consultant SmarTech has produced a report focusing on low-cost 3D printers and makes claims about the desktop 3D printer market.
Fictiv: 3D Print Services Are Getting Very Specialized
I’m looking today at an interesting 3D print service startup called Fictiv.
Stratasys’ Backdoor Path Into Metal 3D Printing?
With the huge increase of interest in metal 3D printing, you’d wonder why Stratasys, perhaps the largest 3D printing company in the world, doesn’t yet offer metal 3D printers.
WASP’s 3D Printing Vision Continues to Inspire
Today there are hundreds, if not thousands, of companies operating across the 3D printing industry, all motivated by the potential of additive technologies and/or the commercial opportunities that they offer.
UNIZ’s Kickstarter Explodes, But Is It Enough?
UNIZ’s first product launch, the SLASH resin-based 3D printer concludes today, and they blew the doors off their goals. But is there more to the story?
Gizmo 3D Printers: First Doomed, Then Rescued
I’ve been following the progress of Australia-based Gizmo 3D Printers, who recently survived a near-fatal corporate heart attack.
MakerBot’s Factory Shift Is Essential And Not Surprising
MakerBot CEO Jonathan Jaglom announced a major shift in the company’s manufacturing strategy: outsourcing.
Here’s A Twist On “Specialty 3D Printer Filaments”
The market is getting very crowded for 3D print filament marketers and one way to get noticed is to specialize.
Additive Industries’ MetalFAB1 Hits Airbus, And It’s Huge
Netherlands-based Additive Industries has delivered its very first MetalFAB1 to none other than Airbus. The results are huge in more ways than one.
A Peek Into The Minds Of Strange 3D Print Enthusiasts
Sure, you’re a normal person doing normal things, but apparently some of our readers might not be up to normal things.
Design of the Week: Anna Flower Light
This week’s selection is the delicate Anna Flower Light by gCreate LLC.
Beyond Thingiverse, My Ten Favorite 3D Model Repositories
Everyone knows Thingiverse, it’s the largest printable 3D model repository around. But what are some other ones to consider?
Be Proud: How To Easily 3D Print Your Country’s Flag
There’s a rather simple method for 3D printing any country’s flag that can be done in mere minutes.
Would You Trust A 3D Print With Your Life?
As 3D printed goods make their way into everyday life, one has to consider the question, “Would You Trust A 3D Print With Your Life?”
Onshape’s Generous – And Completely Free – 3D CAD Service For Education
While you might be aware of Onshape’s limited free plan for online 3D CAD, you might not be aware they offer an unrestricted version for education.
3D Systems’ New CEO’s Compensation Hints At The Company’s Strategy
Readers may recall that 3D printing giant recently installed a brand new CEO. Now we know his motivations.
The Short But Instructive Life of CLAWZ, A 3D Printing Startup, Part 2
This is part 2 of a two-part series exploring the fate of a 3D printing startup. You can find part 1 here.