Suddenly there are several desktop 3D printers on sale through online mass market outlets. Why is this happening? I have some ideas.
Kerry Stevenson
Kerry Stevenson, aka "General Fabb" has written over 8,000 stories on 3D printing at Fabbaloo since he launched the venture in 2007, with an intention to promote and grow the incredible technology of 3D printing across the world. So far, it seems to be working!
Sinterit Enters US Market With Low-Cost SLS Solution
Poland-based Sinterit now offers their low-cost nylon SLS 3D printer directly to clients in the US, including regional service and training.
Design of the Week: The Ultimate Cloud Cat Feeder
This week’s selection is the highly over-engineered “Ultimate Cloud Cat Feeder” by designer Piotr Westfalewicz.
LulzBot Revived! Moves to Fargo?
LulzBot may be revived! A company has acquired all the assets of Aleph Objects, including the LulzBot brand.
Prusa No Longer Producing Loudspeakers
What should a 3D printer company do if they have a hardware problem? Tell us about it! That’s what Prusa Research did for a crazy heat bed noise issue.
Promoting Whiskey With 3D Printing?
Is it still possible to promote a business brand using 3D printing? It apparently is, according to Diageo, who have launched the Bulleit 3D Printed Frontier Experience.
Question of the Week: Fiber-Reinforced Filaments
What options are available for 3D print materials containing long reinforcing fibers?
3DEVO Expands to North America
3DEVO is opening an office in the USA to market their desktop filament maker, and this is a significant milestone for the company and the 3D printing industry.
A More Practical Method of 3D Printing Circuits?
Researchers at Rutgers University have developed an unusual method of 3D printing electrically conductive circuits.
A “Personal Car Factory 3D Printer” Coming Next Year?
There’s a huge large format 3D printer to be released next year, the massive Modix MAMA 3D printer, which comes at a fantastically low price due to a very unusual approach.
Where Is Autodesk’s 3D Printing Assessment Tool?
Autodesk provides a self-assessment tool for the construction industry; should they also provide one for 3D printing?
First Flame Retardant Material for SLA 3D Printing Now Available
You can now 3D print flame retardant parts using SLA 3D printing processes with Cubicure’s new Evolution FR resin.
Changing The Business Model Works: 3D Hubs Expanding
3D Hubs seems to have found its stride after a challenging pivot to new, more profitable markets in industrial 3D printing and manufacturing.
Take Control of Metal 3D Print Quality With VELO3D’s Assure System
VELO3D announced a very sophisticated quality control system called Assure that should enable 3D print operators to easily dial in to optimal 3D printing parameters.
Stratasys To Collaborate With Jay Leno
Jay Leno partners with Stratasys to enable a digital inventory and 3D printing approach to maintain his vast collection of vintage automobiles.
ExOne’s New X1 160PRO Metal 3D Printer
ExOne announced a huge new metal 3D printer, the X1 160PRO, which can provide large-scale metal additive manufacturing capability to industry.
Why The Rush To Metal 3D Printing?
Why are so many new metal 3D printing companies and services emerging? There are three main reasons for this growth in additive manufacturing.
Book of the Week: Building Open Source Hardware
This week’s selection is “Building Open Source Hardware” by Alicia Gibb.
Have You Considered Vacuum-Drying Your 3D Printer Filament?
There is a new approach for more effectively drying 3D printer filament to increase print quality, and it involves using a vacuum.
Dramatically Faster Resin 3D Printing Process Developed
Researchers have invented a new method of 3D printing called HARP that can print 430mm per hour, with many other advantages.
6K Additive Introduces Revolutionary Powder Making Process
6K Additive’s new Unimelt process could produce incredibly high quality metal powder for additive manufacturing and move the industry further towards a sustainable future.
New: 3D Printer Filament Has The Highest Heat Resistance Available
ROBOZE and Sabic have introduced a very high temperature 3D print material, EXTEM AMHH811F filament, which could open up new forms of additive manufacturing.
Design of the Week: Giant Hot End
Have you ever wondered what is inside a 3D printer hot end? How does it soften plastic filament? This breakaway 3D model shows you how.
What? Desktop Metal Is Doing Desktop Plastic?
Desktop Metal announced a continuous carbon fiber 3D printer, the Fiber, which uses a version of the industrial AFP (automated fiber placement) process to produce very strong parts.
You Can Assist Research on Sustainable 3D Printing Materials
Can 3D printing waste be recycled to create a sustainable material lifecycle? New research requires your input on this important topic.
What Does A Real Chocolate Maker Think of 3D Printed Chocolate?
We’ve seen chocolate 3D printers, but is this something that should be done? We asked an actual chocolate maker for thoughts on 3D printed chocolate.
Question of the Week: Getting Involved in 3D Printing
How can one get involved in 3D printing? There are many ways to learn, use and exploit 3D printing, and we list many ways to do so.
3D Systems Results Are Mixed, But Still No Solutions
3D Systems announced their quarterly results and it seems they are still having revenue challenges.
3D Printing in India: An Overview
To some, India may be a mysterious faraway place when it comes to 3D printing. However, there is a flourishing market in that country, and I3DPn hopes to build it even bigger.
Research May Lead to New Types of Ceramic 3D Printers
New research shows a method of joining ceramics together. Could this lead to an entirely new type of ceramic 3D printer?
Goofoo: 3D Printers from China
Goofoo is a China-based manufacturer of good quality 3D printers available at low prices. We took a look at some of their models.
More 3D Print Resellers Needed!
3D printer safety cabinet seeks resellers for their products, but it seems there are some barriers in the way.
Additive World’s Design for Additive Manufacturing Challenge 2020
Are you a student with an idea for a fantastic 3D printed part? If so enter Additive World’s Design for Additive Manufacturing Challenge 2020.
MiniFactory Announces Aarni, A Way To See Inside 3D Prints
Is it possible to know what happened inside a completed 3D print? Yes, you can with Minifactory’s Aarni quality control tool.
FORECAST 3D Acquired By GKN Powder Metallurgy
California-based 3D print service FORECAST 3D has been acquired by metal 3D print specialist GKN Powder Metallurgy in a surprise deal.
Electric 3D Printing Begins!
The first simulated 3D print has been produced using Adrian Bowyer’s radical new Electric 3D Printing concept, which could produce objects in mere seconds.
Carbon’s Manufacturing Strategy Continues
Carbon has a fascinating strategy for increasing use of their powerful DLS 3D printers in manufacturing, and we found one example of how they’re doing it.
EOS Announces Digital Foam Program
EOS has developed a new 3D printable material called “Digital Foam”, which is a digital product comprised of software, design, materials and process.
Small Manufacturers Really Should Use 3D Printers
It’s not a new idea, but it is still not done widely: using 3D printers onsite in manufacturing processes to increase productivity, safety and speed.
RPS: The Origin Story of an SLA 3D Printer Manufacturer
There is a fascinating origin story behind RPS’ NEO 800 industrial SLA 3D printer that ensures the device is highly reliable and produces excellent quality prints.
An Unusual 3D Printing Process Involving Balloons
A newly invented manufacturing process performs 3D printing by using balloons to precisely inflate 3D structures.
Design of the Week: Screenhouse
This week’s selection is “Screenhouse” by Artist Edra Soto.
Slow Sculpture: Is 3D Printing Really Creating The Future?
Is 3D printing technology helping us sneak through the 21st century without much notice? Will we be surprised when we suddenly find ourselves in flying cars?
Book of the Week: Practical Electronics for Inventors
Building a 3D printed project involving electronics? If so, you need this book, which will teach you every conceivable thing you need to know about integrating electronic circuits into your design.
Really, How Bad Are Abrasive Filaments For Your 3D Printer Nozzle?
What kind of damage do carbon fiber filaments do to a 3D printer nozzle? How fast does damage occur? Experiments show a surprising result.
Another High-Temperature Soluble Support Material
Options for high-temperature 3D printing support material are rare. A reader found another support filament usable with some engineering materials.
3D Print Community: The 3D-HELP Project
This month’s community support selection is the 3D-HELP Project.
Lockheed Martin Goes All In On 3DEXPERIENCE
Lockheed Martin agreed to make use of Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Why did they do so and what benefits might they incur? We speculate.
Just A Few Changes At Fabbaloo…
We’re making some temporary changes at Fabbaloo, but don’t worry — all will be well going forward and we will continue to cover the 3D printing and additive manufacturing industries.
Whoa! Onshape Acquired By PTC!
In a blockbuster corporate acquisition, PTC is to acquire Onshape to gain access to a powerful CAD cloud system that can be marketed to all their users.
The Ambitious eForge Electronics 3D Printer
The eForge is an electronics 3D printer that uses up to eight different materials to directly 3D print functional electronic objects.
3DGENCE Achieves Soluble Support With High-Temperature Material
Is it possible to 3D print complex 3D models in PEKK material? 3DGENCE’s F340 high-temperature 3D printer can now do so with soluble supports.
Karina Popovich: “3D Printing Shows Students The Exciting And Less Daunting Parts Of Engineering”
Karina is a young female pursuing a career at the intersection of Business and Engineering.
A New Portal For Additive Manufacturing Standards
ANSI and America Makes open a new online portal for additive manufacturing standards.
Have You Heard Of Runice’s 3D Printer Components?
Runice is an OEM manufacturer that provides hot end and extruder components to many 3D printer manufacturers.
Book of the Week: The Crafty Kid’s Guide to DIY Electronics
This week’s selection is “The Crafty Kid’s Guide to DIY Electronics” by Helen Leigh.
Cold Chocolate 3D Printing Process Discovered
A new process can apparently 3D print chocolate without the use of heat, making more complex prints possible.
The TRILAB DeltiQ 2 3D Printer
The powerful DeltiQ 2 3D Printer from TRILAB includes a surprise extrusion system that allows easy 3D printing of flexible material.
Design of the Week: Tesla Earthquake Machine
This week’s selection is the Tesla Earthquake Machine by Integza.
No Really, It’s The End Of The Line For Cubify
3D Systems seems to be finally shutting down sales of materials for their now long-expired CubePro 3D printer.
Watch Out For 3D Print Financial Scams
Is the 3D printing community immune to email fraud? Most definitely not. We point out how scams could happen and what you can do about it.
What Is An Educational 3D Printer?
What makes up a 3D printer for education? What features are best for 3D printing in the classroom? We made a list.
Quill Vogue’s Post-Processing Gear Covers Most 3D Printing Processes
Quill Vogue offers a comprehensive line of 3D print post-processing solutions for FDM, SLS, SLM, PolyJet and ProJet additive manufacturing processes.
What Is A Consumer 3D Printer?
What is a consumer 3D printer? Is it a DIY device? What characteristics might describe a 3D printer for hobbyists? We have a list of features.
Fabrisonic’s Smart Metal 3D Print Build Plate
A smart build plate for metal 3D printing and additive manufacturing could significantly improve quality control and simplify operations.
Digits2Widgets Rebrands as “Additive”
Why would a popular 3D print service change their name? It turns out Digits2Widgets had a very good reason.
ExOne’s Timing Challenges
ExOne suffered a substantial loss in stock price, but what are the reasons behind this and why did it happen?
Should 3D Print Services Use Recycled Material?
Should 3D print services use recycled 3D printer materials? It seems like the eco-friendly thing to do, but is it economically feasible?
3devo Focusing On Customer Training
Is it really possible to produce your own 3D printer filaments? 3devo seems to have figured out not only the hardware to do so, but also the process.
Autodesk Changes Fusion 360 Free License Terms
It will no longer be as easy to obtain a free license of Autodesk Fusion 360 CAD software with new requirements for qualification.
Book of the Week: The Inevitable
This week’s selection is “The Inevitable” by futurist Kevin Kelly.
CEL-Robox Makes A Huge, And We Mean Huge, Pivot
CEL-Robox pivots into a new venture, Q5D, that produces 5-axis electrical 3D printing for industry.
VELO3D Grows Significantly In 2019
VELO3D announced their first year’s financial results and they were quite spectacular.
Why So Many 3D Printing Partnerships?
HP and Matsuura? Some 3D printer manufacturers partner with other 3D printer manufacturers, but why?
Design of the Week: Iron Man Statue
This week’s selection is the life-size Iron Man statue by STPL3D.
Surprise! Prusa Announces MINI 3D Printer
Prusa Research announced a brand new desktop 3D printer, the Original Prusa MINI. Its surprisingly low price will enable almost anyone to obtain a quality 3D printer.
Another Dirty Secret Of Metal 3D Printing: Oxygen Contamination
How many secrets are there in metal 3D printing? We’ve found another one that additive manufacturing operations may not have encountered.
A New CEO At EOS, And Other Changes
EOS has a new CEO. Who is it and what changes might we expect at the leading nylon and metal 3D printing / additive manufacturing company?
The Open Source Nautilus 3D Printer’s Numerous Features
A new, powerful open source 3D printer, the Nautilus, is able to 3D print in many engineering materials, including carbon fiber, nylon, flexible, and more.
Hands On With The ANET ET4 3D Printer: Part 3
Part 3 of our hands on review test of the new ANET ET4 3D printer kit, covering software, advanced 3D printing operations and our conclusion.
Hands On With The ANET ET4 3D Printer: Part 2
Part 2 of our hands on review test of the new ANET ET4 3D printer kit, covering features and basic 3D printing operations.
Hands On With The ANET ET4 3D Printer: Part 1
Part 1 of our hands on review test of the new ANET ET4 3D printer kit, covering unboxing and assembly steps.
Parallelized Two-Photon Lithography Speeds Up Nanoprinting By 100-1000X
Researchers have sped up microscale 3D printing by 100-1000X through a method that parallelizes two-photon lithography.
The Powerful Delta 3D Printers Of Innovatica
Innovatica displayed a pair of powerful high-temperature delta 3D printers for industry that sport a number of very interesting features such as a vacuum plate system.
Photocentric Working Directly With Manufacturing Clients
Photocentric’s growth strategy includes working directly with manufacturing clients to obtain feedback on their engineering resins.
Injection Molded 3D Prints? AddiFab Can Do That
AddiFab has produced a new 3D printing process that can bridge the gap between 3D printers and injection molding.
Book of the Week: Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future
This week’s selection is “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future” by Ashlee Vance.
Design of the Week: Gripping Gears
This week’s selection is the amazing Gripping Gears by Henry Segerman, Will Segerman and Sabetta Matsumoto.
Kora’s Powerful SC-01 3D Printer Safety Enclosure
Need a safety enclosure for your 3D printer? Don’t even know why? Find out more with our look at the Kora SC-01 Safety Cabinet.
An Update On XACT Metal, The “Accessible” 3D Printing Alternative
XACT Metal’s low-cost, accessible 3D printer has become popular in a very specific market. We spoke to CEO Juan Mario Gomez to find out which one.
More Details On The Surprisingly Sophisticated Ultimaker S5 Pro Bundle
Ultimaker’s new S5 Bundle is far more than a marketing slogan. It is a highly sophisticated 3D printer that includes a variety of production features.
Golden 3D Printing Problems
Could any 3D print service print in precious metals like gold, silver or platinum? Not unless special steps are taken.
PostProcess Releases First Ever Post-Processing Survey Results
Finally we have a glimpse at the 3D print post-processing market, due to a survey performed by PostProcess Technologies.
Ultimaker Cura 4.3 Released With A Feature I’ve Wanted Forever
A new version of Ultimaker Cura has been released: 4.3 includes a number of 3D print quality improvements and a magical feature everyone will use.
Aurora Labs Ships First Metal High-Volume 3D Printer
Aurora Labs has shipped their first high-volume metal 3D printer.using the RMT process. What does this mean for the company?