Astroprint announced a new set-top box for desktop 3D printers: the AstroBox Touch.
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!
3D Printing Supplies that Are Not Printing Materials
I’m reviewing the product list from an Australian company, 3D Formulations, which provides a number of non-printing supplies for 3D printing operations.
Monoprice Now Taking Orders for the MP Mini Delta 3D Printer
Way back in January we had a sneak peek of Monoprice’s new low-cost 3D printer. Now you can order one, sort of.
3D Platform Stretches Their Large-Format 3D Printer Even Larger
3D Platform announced an enhanced large-format 3D printer, the WorkbenchXtreme.
HP’s Deep Commitment to 3D Printing and the Distant Future
This week HP announced several things related to their 3D print strategy, but adding them up reveals they are quite serious about the technology.
Formlabs Announces Key Accessories
Formlabs announced some highly desirable accessories for their very popular Form 2 desktop 3D printers.
Design of the Week: Vacanti Man
This week’s selection is the horror-inducing Vacanti Man series by artist Rob Elford.
Meet us at RAPID + TCT This Week
We’re on the road this week, attending the RAPID + TCT event this week in Pittsburgh.
3D Systems’ First Quarter: Steady
3D Systems, one of the largest players in 3D printing, announced their first quarter 2017 financial results.
Win a 3D Printer in our M3D Contest!
You might not have noticed that we’re currently running a contest this month.
EOS Joins 3MF
We haven’t written much on 3MF for quite some time now, but there is some news: EOS has joined the consortium.
Four 3D Printing Threat Vectors
In discussion recently the topic of 3D printing threat vectors came up. What might they be?
Another Online 3D CAD Option: SelfCAD, with a Surprise For Readers
I’m looking at a new online 3D CAD service, SelfCAD.
Exotic 3D Printer Features Now Becoming The Norm
Competition has lit up the progress of technology in 3D printing, and soon most vendors will have to include more features to keep up.
Is There Something To The “3D Printed Buildings” Concept After All?
Recently I’ve seen several new “3D printed construction” projects emerge, and I’m wondering if there really is something to them.
3D Platform’s Filament Warmer: A Good Idea
3D Platform seems to have a number of announcements lately, and one of them is for a unique “filament warmer”.
More Options for DLP 3D Printing from Ackuretta
Taiwan-based Ackuretta announced their new A96 and A135 DLP 3D printers are now available worldwide.
Digital Inventory Enabled By 3D Printing Takes Hold
I’ve written on the concept of digital inventory previously, but now a company is doing so directly.
BigRep’s New Investor: Is Metal 3D Printing in the AIr?
Berlin-based startup BigRep has obtained a significant investment from Klöckner & Co, posing some interesting questions.
Interesting 3D Prints for the Enterprise in Space Program
Enterprise in Space announced the finalists for its student design contest and I am impressed with the creative 3D printable designs.
3D Platform’s HFA 3D Printing Extruders
3D Platform announced a new type of high-performance extruder for their massive 3D printers, the HFA series.
3D Print Community: Reflow
This month’s community support selection is Reflow, a project to assist third world countries through 3D printing.
GE Begins Transformation of Arcam
GE announced a branding change for their latest 3D printing acquisition Arcam, but that’s only the start.
Design of the Week: Desktop Satellite Antenna
This week’s selection is the animated Desktop Satellite Antenna model by Hyperplane Interactive.
World’s Largest 3D Metal Printing Facility Opens
Germany’s FIT AG has opened what is said to be the world’s largest facility for 3D metal printing.
Another 3D Printer Kickstarter Explodes: Mag ICreatum Suspended
Yes, somehow this problem isn’t going away soon: another questionable Kickstarter project to launch a cheap 3D printer has died.
Occipital’s 3D Sensor and 3D Scanning Availability
One of the ways to generate 3D models is through 3D scanning, which might become more available with Occipital’s 3D sensor.
Don’t Replace Your 3D Printer Resin Tanks, Recoat Them
One of the surprises encountered when using resin-powered 3D printers is that the resin tanks are a consumable.
Aerojet Rocketdyne Refines 3D Printing for Rocket Engines
As additive manufacturing (AM) is incorporated into the larger manufacturing ecosystem, the technology has to prove itself capable of standing up to more and more critical tasks.
3YOURMIND to Automatically Find 3D Printable Parts
In what could be a very powerful partnership, 3D model analysis firm 3YOURMIND is working with EOS to identify printable parts.
MIT and Steelcase’s New Rapid Liquid Printing Tech: So Many Questions!
Steelcase partnered with MIT to develop a radical new method of 3D printing.
Top 3 Onshape Updates: Projected Curve, Bridging Curve, Merge Surfaces
Late last week Onshape rolled out another major release.
Implications of Desktop Metal’s Production 3D Metal Printer
Yesterday, Desktop Metal announced two revolutionary new 3D metal printers for both prototyping and production use. Let’s look at the Production system.
Implications of Desktop Metal’s Studio 3D Metal Printer
Yesterday Desktop Metal finally unveiled not one, but two startling 3D metal printers. One of them is the Studio.
The ComeTrue T10 Color 3D Printer
There are certainly not a great many choices when seeking a full, RGB color texture 3D printer, but MicroJet’s ComeTrue T10 is one of them.
Some Very Strong 3D Print Materials from Arevo Labs
I’m looking at Avero Labs’s collection of unusual 3D print materials today.
Desktop Metal Finally Surfaces With Two Startling Products
Desktop Metal has finally shown their 3D metal printing technology, and from a first look, it does appear to be game changing in several respects.
An Extensive Library of 3D Parts Models
I’ve been perusing PARTcommunity and found access to an incredible number of 3D part models.
The Practicality of 3D Printing Your Own Spare Parts
One of the simple memes revolving around desktop 3D printers is the notion of producing your own spare parts, Is this really feasible?
Dissolvable Supports for 3D Metal Printing?
Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a very interesting method of providing dissolvable supports for 3D metal prints.
You Might Say This is a Titanic 3D Print
BernCo Models has produced a 1/72 3D printed version of the famous Titanic liner – and it sails just like the real thing.
Kentstrapper Introduces the MAVIS Professional 3D Printer
Italy-based Kentstrapper introduced the MAVIS, a new, large format professional 3D printer.
The Proforge: How to Launch a Desktop 3D Printer Properly
With all the questionable 3D printer launches recently, it’s nice to see one that makes sense.
Design of the Week: 3D Printed Sundial
This week’s selection is the amazing 3D printed sundial by Mojotpix.
Fun Messages from the 3D Print World
As a popular publication in the 3D print world, we receive a ton of messages; some of theme are rather unusual.
Making Threaded Parts for 3D Printing: Easier Than You Think
Budget-Conscious makers have been challenged to develop threaded holes and bolts for their designs, but that problem seems to be going away.
Utilize Your Empty Build Plate Space With Thrinno’s New Marketplace
Belgian company Thrinno has announced a rather interesting new service that could be quite profitable for some 3D print operations.
What Does the Boeing 3D Printed Parts Announcement Mean?
Boeing announced last week that they’ve contracted a firm to produce “structural titanium parts”. What does this mean?
A Chocolate 3D Printing Breakthrough?
I’m looking at a Reuters story about a Belgian company that’s created a 3D printed chocolate service, and there seems to be something quite interesting visible.
The Curse of Leftover Filament and Five Ways to Deal With It
You’ve been 3D printing for months and discover you have many kilos of filament – but all in short segments.
What is a 510(k) Clearance and Why do 3D Print Companies Need it?
Occasionally I will see companies announce they’ve received a “501(k) clearance”. What is that and why is it important?
Sweet: Experimental Sugar 3D Printing Process Developed
An experimental 3D sugar printing process has been developed, but not for the reason you think it will be used.
3D Printed Shoes from Feetz: Can They Succeed?
I’m looking at 3D print startup Feetz, which focuses on custom printed footwear for buyers.
Not The Best Way To 3D Print Materials in Space
I’m reading a paper by researchers from Northwestern University where they propose a new method of enabling 3D printed Lunar and Martian materials.
What’s Winning? “3D Printing” or “Additive Manufacturing”?
In our technology space there seems to be two terms commonly used: “3D Printing” or “Additive Manufacturing”. Which one is correct?
How Big is the Carbon Adidas Deal?
Last week Carbon and Adidas announced a deal to produce 3D printed midsoles. But how big is this deal, exactly?
GeckoTeck Offers an Easy 3D Print Surface Adhesion Solution
GeckoTek launched a new polymer-sheet style 3D print adhesion solution they call the “EZ Stick”.
Why Did 3D Systems Drop Pricing By 30% ?
3D Systems announced a surprise price drop on one of their high-end production machines.
Funeral Parlors: An Unlikely Business Using 3D Printing
According to a report, some Chinese mortuaries are now making use of 3D printing in an unexpected way.
3D Printed Skyscraper Pods: Not Realistic
An entry to a skyscraper design contest proposes a dynamic 3D printed pod system. I cannot imagine how this could possibly work.
Is This the Best Time to be Buying a Professional 3D Printer?
Could this be the best time in history to seek a professional 3D printer? It certainly could be.
Design of the Week Star Wars Death Trooper
This week’s selection is the popular Star Wars Death Trooper by Sydney-based designer Paul Braddock.
The Fascinating LIFTcell 3D Print Automation System
Coobx has announced a fascinating new 3D printer accessory, the LIFTcell, which provides a significant amount of automation.
Siemens Contemplating “Swarm” 3D Printing?
A report on Forbes details work undertaken by Siemens to develop a “mobile robotic 3D printer” concept.
UNIZ 3D Printer Backers Getting Cranky
There are many backers of the UNIZ professional desktop 3D printer, but after reading the latest comments it seems some are getting cranky with shipment delays.
How to Speed Up 3D Printing?
Researchers at Binghamton University have explored ways to theoretically increase the speed of filament-based 3D printing systems.
How Do You Integrate 3D Printing into a Big Business? Ask Caterpillar
As 3D printing is increasingly being adopted as a tool used beyond rapid prototyping, businesses will be eager to learn how to incorporate it effectively.
Why The Huge Price Drop at Leapfrog 3D Printers?
In our mailbox today we observed a note from Leapfrog indicating a massive price drop.
Not a Surprise: Autodesk Drops Ember
Why has Autodesk abruptly ceased manufacturing their open source resin 3D printer, the Ember?
The Exciting Milkshake3D Printer
An unusual resin-powered 3D printer has appeared on Kickstarter: the Milkshake3D.
Castle 3D Printing Apparently Isn’t Popular
I’m looking at what might be the most bizarre 3D print-related launch campaign ever: 3D printing a life size castle.
SLA 3D Printing on the Cheap
There have been a number of resin-powered desktop 3D printers released recently, but one in particular is low cost and appears to be of good quality.
Autodesk’s Roadmap for Fusion 360
Fusion 360 is Autodesk’s flagship product for 3D CAD in the market. But where is it going? Let’s find out.
The T-1000 Raises the Compete Level for SLA 3D Printers
The market for SLA 3D printers is quite challenging these days.
Easy 3D Printable Landscapes: TouchTerrain
Looking for an easy way to find 3D printable terrain models? Go no further than TouchTerrain.
iGo3D Strolls into the Manufacturing Business
European 3D print retailer iGo3D has inked a deal with Spanish 3D provider Sicnova 3D to provide manufacturing services.
The Shift from Prototyping to Production is Causing Integrations in the 3D Print World
The slow march to productionizing the work of some 3D print technology is generating some interesting partnerships.
Roboze Powers Up the New Roboze One
Roboze is an Italian company focusing on high temperature desktop 3D printers, and today they’ve released their most powerful unit yet.
The MONO1 High Resolution 3D Printer
Here’s an intriguing new 3D printer: the MONO1 resin-based desktop unit.
Design of the Week: Guardian at the Gate
This week’s selection is the intricate “Guardian at the Gate” 3D printed doorbell cover.
Low Volume Manufacturing With 3D Printing: Local or Global?
I’ve been reading the details on yet another low volume manufacturing operation and am wondering where this is all leading.
The First Step Towards the Ultimate 3D Printer?
Researchers at the Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University School of Science have devised a system that can apparently position individual atoms.
Why is Autodesk Meshmixer Still Alive?
I’ve noticed a reason why Autodesk’s free Meshmixer tool might still be supported.
What to Make of the Snapmaker?
The Snapmaker is a very low cost desktop 3D printer that has now raised a great deal of money, but is this a good thing?
Hatchbox’s Diligent Filament Development Approach
We spoke with representatives from Hatchbox to find out more about how they develop their 3D printer filament.
ABC and Mattel Partner to Create a ‘Shark Tank’ for Toy Inventors
When it comes to testing out new toy inventions, nobody can beat the opinion of an honest kid. Better yet, a panel of kid judges.
Could 3D Printing Really Transform Logistics?
Some say the introduction of 3D printing to the logistics industry could be a “once-in-a-generation opportunity”, but is it?
Stratasys Investing in 3D Metal Printing?
Well, this is certainly interesting: Stratasys is apparently investing in 3D metal printing.
Cloud-Based Design Analysis: Frustum’s Generate
Optimizing mechanical designs is a complex process and now there’s another option for doing so.
Toner Plastics Developing 5mm 3D Printer Filament
There hasn’t been much change in the standard diameter of 3D printer filament for years now, but perhaps that’s going to change.
There’s Big Money in 3D Printing
I’m skimming through a very long securities submission by 3D Systems that details, among other things, their executive compensation levels.
Meet the EU’s LASSIM Project
The EU is sponsoring a project that is attempting to create the “world’s largest hybrid manufacturing machine”.
Instantly 3D Print Cities with SketchUp PlaceMaker
SketchUp has a very interesting extension called “PlaceMaker” that can instantly generate 3D models of cities.
Hands on with the Form 2 Desktop 3D Printer, Part 2
This is the second part of a two-part series on the Formlabs Form 2 desktop 3D printer.
3D Scan the Titanic!
The most famous shipwreck will soon be digitally captured in 3D.