3D printer manufacturer MCOR, who produce the full-color Iris paper 3D printer, announced a pretty major new feature: double speed printing. Yes, TWICE as fast. Even better, the software upgrade that increases the speed is being made available for all existing machines. But how do they do it? It’s all in the motion.… Continue reading MCOR Doubles Their 3D Print Speed – At No Cost!
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Leapfrog’s Selling Simplify3D
We managed to get a close look at the new version of Simplify3D software today, courtesy of Mathijs Kossen of Leapfrog 3D Printers. Leapfrog is offering Simplify3D as an option for use with their printers. The standard software, Slic3r, works well, but sometimes introduces layer artifacts such as those illustrated above. Simply3D attempts to… Continue reading Leapfrog’s Selling Simplify3D
We. Touched. It.
The rather simple plastic item shown above happened to be in the possession of certain individuals at 3D Systems’ booth at EuroMold 2013. What is it, exactly? We don’t really know or care, because that’s not its important characteristic. It is the very first 3D printed object. Ever. Made some 30 years… Continue reading We. Touched. It.
3D Printing Pre-Formed, Expandable Structures
In what could be a preview of the future of architectural design, Los Angeles-based architecture office ID4A has created a method for creating pliable, reconfigurable 3D prints. According to Rania Hoteit and Malek Idriss, principles at ID4A, their new method for architectural “hyper-prototyping” employs a “rigorous exchange between computational design, physical prototyping and additive… Continue reading 3D Printing Pre-Formed, Expandable Structures
Extending the Ban on 3D Printed Weapons
A story in the Guardian describes the work by New York Senator Chuck Schumer to extend the ban on “undetectable guns” before it expires on December the 9th of this year. Obviously this work was inspired by recent events where working guns were produced on 3D printers – although the weapons produced were by… Continue reading Extending the Ban on 3D Printed Weapons
The Ethical Filament Foundation
Do you know where your 3D printer plastic filament came from? Do you know who produced it, and how they did it? Is it possible you purchased 3D printer filament that was made by children, perhaps in dangerous environments? It seems that some filament is produced in third world countries by having the poor… Continue reading The Ethical Filament Foundation
Bee The First – A Portable 3D Printer
We managed to get a first hand look at a very unique 3D printer, BeeTheFirst from Portugal-based BeeVeryCreative. While the device has mechanical characteristics similar to most 3D printers of its category, it has a very unique design that includes a handle for easy portage. BeeTheFirst is a 20 pound unit that prints… Continue reading Bee The First – A Portable 3D Printer
Most 3D Scans are In Jail
Every few weeks we are bombarded with press releases from research organizations that are keen to tell the story of how they have captured in great detail a 3D scan of a building or property. Museums in particular are getting into the scanning business. It’s thought that the Smithsonian, for example, has hundreds, perhaps thousands… Continue reading Most 3D Scans are In Jail
The Robox Personal 3D Printer
We’re looking at another Kickstarter campaign for yet another 3D printer. There have been so many recently it has become very difficult to distinguish one offering from another. So how does Robox do it? We were surprised to find it does have several very unique and interesting features. Aside from the now-industry-standard features… Continue reading The Robox Personal 3D Printer
3D Systems Explodes with Announcements
3D printing giant 3D Systems isn’t standing still. At the EuroMold exhibition today they announced not one, not two, but twelve products to bolster their already considerable portfolio of equipment, software and services. They not only announced the products, but showed them at their massive booth at the Frankfurt trade show, staffed by what… Continue reading 3D Systems Explodes with Announcements
Finland’s miniFactory 3D Printer
We managed to check out a 3D printer from Finland: the Mini Factory and found it has several interesting features that differentiate it from other 3D printers in its class. Like many inexpensive 3D printers, the miniFactory uses plastic filament. A problem sometimes observed is that filaments break or bend during printing. The miniFactory… Continue reading Finland’s miniFactory 3D Printer
The Delta Tower 3D Printer
Tall. That’s one way to describe the incredible Delta Tower 3D printer. It uses, obviously, the delta technique for rapidly and efficiently moving the single or dual extruders through each layer during printing. The statistic you’re looking for is this: it can print items up to 580mm tall, approximately twice that of the biggest… Continue reading The Delta Tower 3D Printer
The KentStrapper Volta 3D Printer
We examined the Italian KentStrapper Volta 3D printer and found a very solid design. The Volta uses a laser-cut wood frame, unlike other models that have shifted to metal frames, but does use linear bearings to provide smooth mechanical movements. The Volta offers a relatively large build area, as you can see in the… Continue reading The KentStrapper Volta 3D Printer
ColorFabb’s Focus on 3D Printing
We had a chat about filament with Sander Strijbos of ColorFabb at the recent 3D Printshow in London. While there are quite a few vendors marketing filament, most of their innovations involve new colors of PLA and ABS plastic. Not so with ColorFabb, who explore the edge of the envelope in filament technology. Strijbos… Continue reading ColorFabb’s Focus on 3D Printing
Design of the Week: IKEA Ramvik Reinvented
This week’s selection is an incredible 3D printed table by Ole Hermann Godø. It’s not entirely 3D printed, but as you’ll see, the “guts” of this table were definitely 3D printed. The table’s innards have been replaced with several dozen intricately arranged 3D printed gears – that move! Combined with interior lighting, the effect… Continue reading Design of the Week: IKEA Ramvik Reinvented
Off To EuroMold!
This week we’re traveling to Frankfurt, Germany to take in this year’s EuroMold trade show. If you don’t know, EuroMold is the world’s largest event focused on mold-making and prototyping equipment – and that means 3D printers, too. What do we expect to see? There will be displays from all the large commercial 3D… Continue reading Off To EuroMold!
3D Systems Partners with Motorola
There are not a lot of details, but an agreement was reached between 3D Systems and Motorola, whereby 3D Systems would produce 3D printed “modules” to be used in Motorola’s modular smartphone venture, Project Ara. Project Ara intends on devising an open source, “free, open hardware platform for creating highly modular smartphones”, in which,… Continue reading 3D Systems Partners with Motorola
A New Approach to 3D Printed Skin
The University of Liverpool has developed a different approach to 3D printed skin, which had been previously accomplished. The problem with prior techniques is the appearance: manufactured skin was entirely uniform, without the bumps, wrinkles, freckles and curiosities of actual human skin. The new approach involves scanning a subject’s surviving skin to prepare a… Continue reading A New Approach to 3D Printed Skin
Development is Underway for a Graphene 3D Printing Material
In a recent press release, Lomiko Metal, a Vancouver based firm, announced its intention to create a laboratory dedicated to the development of “graphene-enhanced” 3D printing materials. Graphene, which recently proved to be the world’s strongest material, has been of keen interest to a wide range of industries since its first isolation in 2004.… Continue reading Development is Underway for a Graphene 3D Printing Material
3D Printing Patents Sky Rocket in Number
In a recently released report, the UK’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) has stated that the amount of patent filing related to 3D printing has increased dramatically since the year 2000. After analyzing 9000 patent records filed since 1980, a team of IPO researchers pinpointed a rapid upswing in 3D printing related patents; particularly in… Continue reading 3D Printing Patents Sky Rocket in Number
MakerBot Opens Two New Stores
It’s happened. We reported earlier that MakerBot intended to open not one, but two additional retail outlets to add to the initial store located in lower Manhattan. One of the new stores is located in Boston, a city of some technological innovation activity, particularly in 3D printing. The other store is located in… Continue reading MakerBot Opens Two New Stores
The 3D Printing Patent Backlash Begins
It was inevitable, but the personal 3D printing community is not reacting well to the announcement by Stratasys that it was suing Afinia for patent infringement. It seems that the feeling is that other new 3D printer manufacturers might also become legal targets as patented technology could be found in their equipment. The image… Continue reading The 3D Printing Patent Backlash Begins
A 3D Printed Movie Character Collection
At this year’s 3D Printshow we were excited to visit the large display of 3D prints by Legacy Effects. If you don’t know about Legacy Effects, they are one of the premier special effects shops in Hollywood, and have produced numerous famous characters for motion pictures you’ve no doubt seen. While much of Legacy… Continue reading A 3D Printed Movie Character Collection
Implications of the Stratasys – Afinia Lawsuit
By now you’ve no doubt heard that Stratasys has launched a major lawsuit against Afinia for alleged violations of several Stratasys patents. We examined these patents previously, but we believe there are implications that travel far beyond simply Afinia, as the patents describe methods commonly used in many personal 3D printers. The concept of… Continue reading Implications of the Stratasys – Afinia Lawsuit
Details of the Stratasys – Afinia Lawsuit
We’ve been reading more about this week’s legal action by Stratasys against personal 3D printer marketer Afinia, who are alleged to have violated several of Stratasys’ patents. We’ve obtained a copy of the “Complaint for Patent Infringement” filed in the United States District Court, District of Minnesota (where Stratasys’ HQ is located, and, totally… Continue reading Details of the Stratasys – Afinia Lawsuit
3D Printed Batteries?
Harvard materials scientist Jennifer Lewis has produced a new liquid material that could be used to 3D print lithium-ion batteries. The “ink” is intended to be 3D printed using the syringe approach that is frequently used for bioprinting or culinary experiments. The process to produce the liquid material is quite interesting. Printing battery… Continue reading 3D Printed Batteries?
Stratasys Sues Afinia
3D printing giant Stratasys launched legal action against Afinia, a marketer of personal 3D printers. The statement from Stratasys says: Afinia’s sale, promotion and use of its Series H printer infringes patents directed to part porosity, liquefier structure, temperature control, and tool paths for constructing part perimeters. The most recent Stratasys patent that Afinia… Continue reading Stratasys Sues Afinia
Cirri – A Software 3D Scanner
A new 3D scanning option has appeared, courtesy of a group in Ottawa. The Cirri scanner hopes to provide a “professional 3D scanning solution”. Cirri isn’t a piece of hardware – instead it’s a software solution that uses multiple digital images of a subject to develop a true 3D model. This means that you… Continue reading Cirri – A Software 3D Scanner
The Stilnest Option
We had a chat with the nice folks from Stilnest, who operate an online 3D print store. Many such shops have recently emerged, so many that it’s getting difficult to distinguish them. So what does Stilnest do? They practice what we might call, “extreme curation”. Where other shops go for quantity, Stilnest focuses… Continue reading The Stilnest Option
123D Offers More 3D Content
One of the best introductory 3D toolsets you can use is Autodesk’s 123D Suite, particularly the 123D Design tool. But when you’re designing something, it’s often very helpful to begin your design with an existing model that you can modify. 123D does this by providing a library of thousands of starter models you can… Continue reading 123D Offers More 3D Content
3D Systems’ New Scanning Solution
3D Systems announced an inexpensive personal 3D scanner last week, but they also announced a professional 3D scanning solution, too. The new GeoMagic Capture bundle is a combination of a blue-LED 3D scanner and application-specific software to integrate the scan directly into several high-end 3D modeling solutions, including: SolidWorks, SpaceClaim, Design X, Design Direct,… Continue reading 3D Systems’ New Scanning Solution
Design of the Week: Wit’s End
This week’s selection is Ravi Venkataraman’s Wit’s End, which as you can see above, captures that feeling quite distinctly. It’s part of Venkataraman’s “Emotions in 3D” series, where a variety of emotions, from profound to fun are explored in 3D sculptures. We’ve seen several of these works but this one somehow resonates the best;… Continue reading Design of the Week: Wit’s End
New Ways to Resurrect Dinosaurs with 3D Printing
A paper published in the journal Radiology explores new techniques used to capture 3D information from dinosaur fossils. The new approach overcomes the problem of removing non-fossil material from the actual fossil during excavation and subsequent processing. Apparently when surrounding material is removed, small portions of the true fossil can be lost. The new… Continue reading New Ways to Resurrect Dinosaurs with 3D Printing
Cubes In Harrods!
3D Systems’ Cubify division has made another notable retail move, this time sealing a deal with Harrods of London to display the Cube personal 3D printer at their flagship store in Knightsbridge. Cubify has been rapidly expanding their network of resellers recently, but to be at Harrods is a big accomplishment. Harrods is a… Continue reading Cubes In Harrods!
The FilaFab Filament Maker
We had a close look at the FilaFab, a “Desktop Filament Fabricator”. It’s pretty simple in concept: put in some plastic bits and usable 3D printer filament comes out the nozzle. But there’s a lot more to it than that. The device has been carefully designed to ensure consistent melting temperature and flow rate… Continue reading The FilaFab Filament Maker
Apple Takes a Big Step Towards 3D Printing
Reports this week that Apple has purchased 3D sensor maker Primesense got us thinking about what this might mean in the future. But first, what happened? An Israeli news site broke the story of Israel-based Primesense in negotiations with Apple for an acquisition said to be in the more-than-USD$300M range. Primesense produces 3D sensors… Continue reading Apple Takes a Big Step Towards 3D Printing
Lawmakers Hope to Regulate 3D Printed Guns with an Act from the 1980s
US Senator Chuck Schumer (D) is sounding the alarm about the proliferation of 3D printed weapons as a law banning undetectable firearms is set to end on December 9, 2013. The Undetectable Firearms Act, which was adopted in the 1980s, sought to make firearms more easily detectable by requiring that they contain a minimum… Continue reading Lawmakers Hope to Regulate 3D Printed Guns with an Act from the 1980s
USC Investigating Multi-Material 3D Printing
Researchers at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering led by Professor Yong Chen have demonstrated a new method of 3D printing multiple materials. By “multiple” we mean two materials that can be combined in different ratios. For example, the process can print an object that has both hard and soft portions – in different degrees… Continue reading USC Investigating Multi-Material 3D Printing
Shapeways Announces Programmable Models
3D printing service Shapeways has released “ShapeJS”, a programming environment that can generate 3D models using Javascript programs. In other words, if you know how to use Javascript, one of the most popular tools for creating dynamic web pages, you’ll be able to produce 3D models simply by describing them with code, including complex… Continue reading Shapeways Announces Programmable Models
Walmart Selling Cube 3D Printers – in Brazil
We know Staples sells Cubify’s entry-level personal 3D printer, the Cube, at an undetermined number of physical outlets in the USA. But now we learn Walmart also sells the Cube – but not in the USA; they’re available in Brazil. The Cube is priced at R$5,758 (USD$2,478), quite a bit more than the standard… Continue reading Walmart Selling Cube 3D Printers – in Brazil
The War on 3D Printed ABS
It was the first plastic used in personal 3D printers, but are ABS’s days coming to an end? The once popular plastic seems to be supplanted by PLA. In fact during the recent 3D Printshow in London we encountered many 3D printer manufacturers who simply dismissed ABS as something they didn’t want to support… Continue reading The War on 3D Printed ABS
What is it Like at a 3D Printed Fashion Show?
Many of you may have never attended a proper fashion show and we thought it might be interesting to give you a little bit of the flavor of such an event with video from the London 2013 3D Printed Fashion Show. First we have a video of one model showing “Half Entity” by… Continue reading What is it Like at a 3D Printed Fashion Show?
The WASP Project 3D Prints Clay
Need something 3D printed in clay? Something very large? If so you’ll want to check out the WASP project from Italy. WASP is actually an acronym, standing for World’s Advanced Saving Project. Their goal is to be able to build homes in third world countries with advanced technology like 3D printing, yet use… Continue reading The WASP Project 3D Prints Clay
Have You Joined 3D Hubs?
There are several initiatives seeking to link 3D print owners with 3D print buyers, but as time passes only a few are going to succeed. One of them is likely to be 3D Hubs, currently the leader in number of participants. The idea is pretty straightforward: if you have an idle 3D printer, sign… Continue reading Have You Joined 3D Hubs?
The WitBox 3D Printer
There’s an explosion of extrusion-based personal 3D printers occurring now, with new entries emerging from all corners. One of them is the WitBox by Spanish company BQ. Unlike many new entrants, the WitBox comes from an already established company. BQ “is a Spanish company dedicated to the multimedia devices and 3D printers sale.” According… Continue reading The WitBox 3D Printer
Tasting the ChocEdge Chocolate 3D Printer
We had a chance to speak with Christina Zheng, Business Development Director for ChocEdge. It’s one of the very few personal 3D printers capable of extruding chocolate, and perhaps the only one you can easily buy yourself. The ChocEdge looks much like many other personal 3D printers, until you notice the extruder. It’s basically… Continue reading Tasting the ChocEdge Chocolate 3D Printer
The CADScan Cubik 3D Scanner
We spoke with Dr. Alastair Buchanan, the man behind the Cubik full-color tabletop 3D scanner at the London 2013 3D Printshow. The device is a tabletop unit, meaning you can only scan items that will fit into its scan chamber. It’s also a sealed chamber, meaning that you can operate the scanner in a… Continue reading The CADScan Cubik 3D Scanner
Ultimaker Reorganizes
You may have heard about Ultimaker’s new personal 3D printer, the not-so-surprisingly named Ultimaker 2, but that’s not all that’s going down at the Dutch manufacturer. We listened to a talk by their new CEO, Henk van Gils at the London 3D Printshow 2013, in which he revealed some corporate moves at the growing… Continue reading Ultimaker Reorganizes
Design of the Week: Imprinted Bodies
This week’s selection is Imprinted Bodies by NYC-based sculptor Lilia Ziamou. It’s actually two pieces, #1 and #2. While the pieces are certainly not as dramatic as some by other artists, there is a story behind these unusual works. Ziamou explores the “concept of the female body”, using “curve and crevice”. She initially develops… Continue reading Design of the Week: Imprinted Bodies
The Smithsonian Releases 3D Scans
We’ve written about the Smithsonian’s forays into 3D scanning previously, but now you can access some of the 3D scans they’ve been collecting. Last week the institution released the first batch of 3D scans, all of which can be viewed online and several are suitable for 3D printing. As of this writing, some 17… Continue reading The Smithsonian Releases 3D Scans
A New Printrbot, the Plus
One of the first big-time winners in 3D printing Kickstarter campaigns was the Printrbot, which raised a then-record USD$830,827 (with an original goal of USD$25,000). We suspect it was Printrbot’s success that led to the explosion of subsequent 3D printer launches on the crowdfunding site. We chatted with Brook Drumm of Printrbot at the… Continue reading A New Printrbot, the Plus
The World’s Largest 3D Print Gallery
In retrospect, we hadn’t realized what we were looking at, when, at the 3D Printshow we stumbled into the covertly-located 3D print gallery. The large area held many examples of 3D printed art, some already famous and some about to be famous. We met some of the artists who had produced the work, as… Continue reading The World’s Largest 3D Print Gallery
3D Printed Coral Reefs
Forbes published more information on the 3D printed reef produced by concrete 3D printer D-Shape, whom we met with earlier this year. Why 3D print a reef when you can simply drop concrete blocks or sink redundant ships at the correct locations? The answer lies in the shape of the reef. Evidently artificial… Continue reading 3D Printed Coral Reefs
3D Printing Be Could Be Worth $8.41B by 2020
According to a recent study, the market for 3D printers could be worth nearly $8.5 billion by 2020. The study, conducted by Indian research firm MarketsandMarkets, forecasts a compound annual growth rate of 23% for 3D printing technology over the next seven years. According to MarketsandMarkets, one of the motivations for this growth is… Continue reading 3D Printing Be Could Be Worth $8.41B by 2020
The World’s First 3D Printed Car Needs Your Help
You might recall the Urbee, the world’s first 3D printed car (or at least 3D printed body), unveiled in 2011. Now the folks behind the project are looking to build interest and funding to proceed to Urbee-2, a more advanced vehicle. The new vehicle will have not only a 3D printed body, but also… Continue reading The World’s First 3D Printed Car Needs Your Help
Cosmo’s Patina Kit
During 3D Printshow 2013 we spent some time with Cosmo Wenman, the fellow who has captured 3D scans of numerous famous sculptures over the past year. But it’s what he does with the scans afterwards that is so much more interesting. Wenman 3D prints the sculptures on his aging yet still reliable MakerBot Replicator… Continue reading Cosmo’s Patina Kit
Making Prints Stick: Some Tips
The folks at ProtoParadigm have produced a terrific list of tips on how to reduce or eliminate the deadly warping effect that plagues personal 3D printers. There’s nothing worse than discovering a time-consuming mess caused by a print that lifted off the bed. The warping itself isn’t such a problem; it’s that the warping… Continue reading Making Prints Stick: Some Tips
MakerBot’s Leap into Classrooms
At this year’s 3D Printshow, MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis expressed his unhappiness with the current US educational system, which has largely removed “making” courses from the curriculum. As a student, Pettis enjoyed “shop classes” where he no doubt picked up the making bug. But how can this happen today? MakerBot is attempting to change… Continue reading MakerBot’s Leap into Classrooms
Cubify’s New Handheld Scanner
Cubify announced the “Sense 3D Scanner” in a surprise announcement. The 3D printer manufacturer has thus far produced only 3D printers, making the Sense a completely new product line. It’s a handheld 3D scanner capable of rapidly capturing 3D shapes. We examined the specifications for the device and noted the following: The scan… Continue reading Cubify’s New Handheld Scanner
Shapeways Plus Swarovski Plus Victoria’s Secret Equals?
When Victoria’s Secret is putting on a fashion show, you know it’s going to be interesting, especially when they asked Shapeways to help produce a “Snow Queen” costume for the event. Shapeways asked designer Bradley Rothenberg to design the costume, which is “festooned with thousands of Swarovski crystals”. You’ll be able to see this… Continue reading Shapeways Plus Swarovski Plus Victoria’s Secret Equals?
The Masters & Munn Code
Earlier this week our design of the week featured Icarus Had a Sister, by Masters & Munn. While we’re certain you’ll agree the work is astonishing, we also must tell the incredible story of how it came to be, as revealed during a long conversation at the close of the 2013 3D Printshow. The… Continue reading The Masters & Munn Code
Let’sMakeStuff
Yet another 3D print making-sharing-selling site has launched, Let’sMakeStuff. The site provides an ability for designers to sign up and submit 3D models for sale on the site, and for consumers to browse the site and select 3D models for purchase. The service also will 3D print items on request. It’s a basic… Continue reading Let’sMakeStuff
The Fashion Show at 3D Printshow 2013
Unaccustomed to attending any fashion show, let alone a 3D printed show, we were surprised and perhaps even shocked to see startling works displayed on the runway by professional models. The works ranged from simple accessories, such as bangles or necklaces, to highly complex headdresses and apparel that defied description. We noted audience members… Continue reading The Fashion Show at 3D Printshow 2013
3D Printed Robotic Futures
Michael Overstreet has written his thoughts on the future of robotics as affected by 3D printing on i.Materialise. He believes that 3D printing should encourage rapid creation of new forms of robotics over the next few years. Clearly, the first and most obvious point is that robotic models and associated ideas are accessible via… Continue reading 3D Printed Robotic Futures
3D Scanning and Lighting
MakerBot recently issued some tips and instructions on how to best use their new Digitizer 3D scanner, with a focus on lighting. We’ve been fiddling with 3D scanners in the lab and have to agree: lighting is critical. Regardless of the scanner used, be it MakerBot’s, a cheap Kinect or a USD$50K scanner, lighting… Continue reading 3D Scanning and Lighting
Design of the Week: Icarus Had a Sister
This week’s selection is the stunning “Icarus Had a Sister” by artists Masters & Munn, a.k.a. André Masters and his partner, CJ Munn. It’s the obvious selection, as this piece helped the pair win the “Rising Star” award at last week’s Global 3D Print Awards at the 2013 3D Printshow. (Note the actual award trophy… Continue reading Design of the Week: Icarus Had a Sister
Thoughts On What Might Have Been The Best 3D Printing Conference In History
We’ve just finished this year’s London 3D Printshow, and while our feet still ache and our brains still explode, we must tell you about this astounding event. It’s only the second of this series; the first, in 2012, planned on 1,500 attendees. Four thousand showed up. This year, organizers noted the previous demand and… Continue reading Thoughts On What Might Have Been The Best 3D Printing Conference In History
Something Interesting is Inside the new Builder 3D Printer
At the 2013 3D Printshow we stopped by the Code-p west BV booth, who produce the Builder personal 3D printer. These folks produce a typical personal 3D printer, but as we talked with their spokesman, something very interesting was revealed. At first, their machine appears much like many other personal 3D printers: a cubic… Continue reading Something Interesting is Inside the new Builder 3D Printer
McDonald’s Considering 3D Printed Toys?
A report in The Register quotes the Director of IT for McDonald’s UK operation as stating at an event in Munich that the giant food mega-corp may be considering using 3D printers to produce small toys to be included in their popular (amongst youngsters) Happy Meals. We suspect the idea would be that customers… Continue reading McDonald’s Considering 3D Printed Toys?
The 2013 Global 3D Printing Awards
At this year’s 3D Printshow we witnessed the awards ceremony in which 14 awards were presented to leaders in the 3D printing community. Who were they? Read on to find out. Artist of the Year: Isaie Bloch, who produces amazing 3D printed art using geometric structures impossible to produce in any other way. … Continue reading The 2013 Global 3D Printing Awards
3D Printed Dinosaurs So Large They Could Eat You
If you manage to make your way to the rear of this year’s 3D Printshow in London, you’re in for a treat – and a shock. There, you will be face to face with not one, but several full-size 3D dinosaurs. They have many teeth. Big teeth. They are so gigantic they could not… Continue reading 3D Printed Dinosaurs So Large They Could Eat You
How to Print Everything on a Single Machine
Modern 3D printers are built for one thing: reproducing 3D designs in a printer’s native material. If you want your design in a different material, you’ll need to use a different printer; or at least that used to be the case. A new 3D printing technique, developed by researchers at the Chinese Academy of… Continue reading How to Print Everything on a Single Machine
Open Source Metal 3D Printing
We ran across an interesting project that’s attempting to create a system for 3D printing metal at very low cost. The idea is to do for metal manufacturing what was done for plastic manufacturing with current open source 3D printers. The project, by Andreas Bastian, is entitled “An Open Source Selective Laser Sintering 3D… Continue reading Open Source Metal 3D Printing
We Found a 3D Zinjanthropus!
There are a great many exhibits among the booths at this year’s 3D Printshow in London, but one caught our eye. In spite of perhaps the least adorned booth in the entire hall, African Fossils provides something we’ve been seeking for quite some time: 3D models of our ancient ancestors. We’ve searched high and… Continue reading We Found a 3D Zinjanthropus!
Skip the Draft; Cubify Gets You Into the NBA Now
Cubify announced another terrific addition to their “3DMe” service, which puts your face on different 3D printed figurines. The awkwardly named but legally correct “3DMe™ Sports featuring NBA® app!” accepts as input a couple of facial images and applies them to a selection of basketball figurine poses. The NBA part comes in when you… Continue reading Skip the Draft; Cubify Gets You Into the NBA Now
The Helix 3D Printer
Created by Acuity Design of Montana, the Helix is a higher-grade personal 3D printer focusing on professional markets, unlike the countless other low-cost 3D printers appearing on Kickstarter that hope to address consumer needs. While professional offices currently have commercial 3D printer options that range from USD$10-20K, that price, although lower than industrial 3D… Continue reading The Helix 3D Printer
Shapeways Reduces Ceramics Cost
3D print service Shapeways has reduced the cost of ceramic materials to “be more consistent with how we price the rest of our materials – by volume of material used instead of surface area.” It’s a methodology switch, really. Instead of charging by surface area (which we suspect they began with as the ceramic… Continue reading Shapeways Reduces Ceramics Cost
University of Pennsylvania’s Take on 3D Print Liability Law
Nora Freeman Engstrom, Associate Professor of Law at Stanford has published a paper in which she examines some aspects of the legal implications of 3D printing. Many of us have been concerned about what may happen, but she states the problem eloquently: Following any significant technological breakthrough, legal scholars, practitioners, and policymakers must consider… Continue reading University of Pennsylvania’s Take on 3D Print Liability Law
Want To Catch Up in London?
It seems we’re in the UK often lately – and the trend continues this week as we visit the 3D Printshow. While we’re in the UK capital it’s possible we may be able to check out some interesting 3D printing projects. If you happen to have something you’d like us to see, drop us… Continue reading Want To Catch Up in London?
Can You Say, “Five Color 3D Printer”?
In the beginning, personal 3D printers had but a single extruder, meaning you could print only one color at a time. Finally, after years of research, some manufacturers brought out machines with two extruders – and BFB had an amazing three extruders. Now there’s a proposal from ORD Solutions of Canada to produce not… Continue reading Can You Say, “Five Color 3D Printer”?
The $200 Ready-To-Rock 3D Printer
We’ve heard about the USD$100 3D printer – but it’s an experimental resin-based 3D printer. What if you’re interested in acquiring a low-cost plastic filament 3D printer? You might want to consider the QU-BD One Up, billed as a sub-USD$200 “production ready” personal 3D printer. This no-frills device is in fact a kit, but… Continue reading The $200 Ready-To-Rock 3D Printer
3D Printshow Nears
For those of you located in or near London, there’s an easy way to get introduced to the magic technology of 3D printing. Simply attend the 3D Printshow taking place from November 7th through the 9th. The event takes place at the Business Design Centre in Islington. There will be exhibits, talks and much… Continue reading 3D Printshow Nears
Shapeways Teams with Neiman Marcus
Popular 3D print service Shapeways may become even more popular if a new relationship with Neiman Marcus plays out. They’ve teamed with the upscale US retailer to provide a small selection of very cool 3D printed items on Neiman Marcus Online. The idea is that a selection of elite Shapeways designers may have their… Continue reading Shapeways Teams with Neiman Marcus
Design of the Week: A Sweet Crania Anatomica Filigre
This week’s selection is Joshua Harker’s Crania Anatomica Filigre – but with a difference. Harker’s Crania Anatomica Filigre emerged quite a while ago in a rather successful Kickstarter campaign. But this instance of the Crania Anatomica Filigre is a little different: it’s made entirely from Sugar! It is the same design, but simply rendered… Continue reading Design of the Week: A Sweet Crania Anatomica Filigre
New Tease From BotObjects
Remember BotObjects? They’re the company that’s producing a “Full Color” personal 3D printer, the ProDesk3D. They have been releasing very little information about their upcoming device, leading to much speculation whether it’s real or not. Now, thanks to a video recently posted on their site, we know a little bit more about this very mysterious… Continue reading New Tease From BotObjects
Cube Wins Award
The entry-level Cube personal 3D printer from Cubify has been placed on the list of “Top 10 Gadgets” at the Gitex Technology Week, which is a major conference for the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia regions. The award states: 3D printing is the biggest tech trend of the year (fact) and… Continue reading Cube Wins Award
Smithsonian To Display Transformative 3D Tech
The venerable Smithsonian Institution plans an event to display how the technologies of 3D scanning and 3D printing will transform how they do their work. The event, Smithsonian X 3D, takes place November 13-14 in Washington DC. They say: For the first time ever, state-of-the-art 3D scanning and image-based modeling technology paired with… Continue reading Smithsonian To Display Transformative 3D Tech
A Peek Inside Shapeways’ Eindhoven Workshop
Shapeways community manager Bart Veldhuizen offers a video tour of the 3D print service company’s Eindhoven site in The Netherlands. Veldhuizen walks through and explains each stage of the Shapeways process, including verification of incoming 3D models, printing, cleaning, finishing, quality control and packing. For some, Shapeways is like a black box,… Continue reading A Peek Inside Shapeways’ Eindhoven Workshop
Adorable 3D Printed Humanoid Robot
Researchers studying bipedalism and human-robot interaction at France’s INRIA have created an affordable 3D printed humanoid robot. Called Poppy, the 33 inch tall robot was designed, printed, and built for about US$11,000. This is around one third of the cost of comparable robots. Most of the budget is spent on complex servo motors.… Continue reading Adorable 3D Printed Humanoid Robot
3D Bioprinting Saved by Vitamins
Researchers developing techniques to 3D print extremely small objects for medical purposes have had a problem. To fuse material at the nano scale, a “two photon” technique is used. The material becomes solid when exposed to the targeted photons. However, bio material is not typically fusible, so researchers often print a scaffold on which… Continue reading 3D Bioprinting Saved by Vitamins
Capture 3D Images with your iPhone
There’s a fascinating new iOS app that can capture true 3D images: Seene. The app, available at no charge, requires you to take four still images of a subject from slightly different viewpoints. Typically you’d image from “four corners”, upper left, upper right, lower right and lower left. The app then digests the images… Continue reading Capture 3D Images with your iPhone
3D Printing Not Ready for Disaster Relief
An article on Motherboard suggests that 3D printers may soon be a key part of disaster relief efforts. The idea is that if you had a “replicator” onsite that could rapidly produce whatever items are required (which obviously vary considerably from disaster to disaster), you could reduce delays in gathering up and sending specific… Continue reading 3D Printing Not Ready for Disaster Relief
3D Printed Horseshoes Opens Up Human Possibilities
Researchers at Australia’s CSIRO have 3D printed metal horseshoes – but there’s a lot more to this story. The titanium shoes were produced for a particular horse: its hooves were 3D scanned in detail with a handheld scanner. The 3D capture was used to engineer new horseshoes that fit the horse perfectly. Four shoes… Continue reading 3D Printed Horseshoes Opens Up Human Possibilities
iMakr’s Scanning Booth at Selfridges
Independent 3D printer retail store iMakr has set up a temporary exhibition where you can have yourself 3D scanned and printed at a premier retail location: London’s venerable Selfridges on Oxford street. iMakr is also using the Oxford street location to offer 3D printed art pieces for sale to the public. While… Continue reading iMakr’s Scanning Booth at Selfridges
Ancient 3D Printer Converted Into a Laser Engraver
Some months ago we proposed a list of things you could do with your now-expired ancient personal 3D printers. We said you could upgrade them; use them for simple prints; donate them; toss them out; or make them into a museum piece. At the time we considered museuming as the best option for our… Continue reading Ancient 3D Printer Converted Into a Laser Engraver