Long-time 3D print filament maker Formfutura announced the availablity of no less than three different specialized filaments, each with some very interesting properties.
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!
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
NASA’s Aerosol Jet 3D Printing Experiment’s Will Change Your Factory
It seems that NASA has been experimenting with Aerosol Jet 3D printing and their work could leak into other applications.
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.
Two Months Later: Do You Like Our New Suit?
Way back in February we took a big step and dramatically changed our site layout. Do you like it?
Brace Yourself For Carbon Nanotube 3D Printer Filament!
A new filament from Avante demonstrates how much more advances in 3D printing filament chemistry can achieve.
ElectroBoom’s Shocking Probe Into 3D Printing Is More Than Painful
Mehdi Sadaghdar’s 3D printing tutorial is right on the mark, but also quite painful.
Carbon’s Huge M1 Pricing May Not Be Totally Crazy After All
Some analysis shows that Carbon’s recent pricing announcement for their M1 “CLIP”-based 3D printer might not be as stratospheric as you might think.
Those Aren’t 3D Printers! They’re Material Vending Machines!
You’d think you’re buying a 3D printer to produce objects, be they prototypes or otherwise. But there’s another way to look at the machine: as a vending machine.
PolyMaker’s Slick 3D Print Smoothing System
Shanghai-based Polymaker has developed a combination plastic filament and device to perfectly smooth 3D prints.
The Two Dirty Secrets Of Resin 3D Printing
Of the many forms of 3D printing processes, resin is one that is seen as advanced – but sometimes there’s a secret issue looming.
Today, Formlabs Begins A Profound Transformation
Today Formlabs announced new resin that demonstrates a significant product and marketing strategy change.
Chemically Active 3D Prints To Make Amazing Things Happen
Some interesting research in the journal Science and Technology of Advanced Materials shows how a 3D printed object could be functional in a chemical manner.
The Simple Way A 3D Printing Startup Can Obtain Customer Scans
There’s no shortage of ideas for 3D printing startups, but many depend on obtaining custom 3D scan information about clients, and that’s usually a difficult proposition.
Exploring Advanced 3D Design With Desktop 3D Printing Equipment
Highly complex 3D printed structures are being explored by large corporations for unique products, but can this be done by those with lesser equipment? Apparently so!
So HP Won’t Be Buying 3D Systems?
A report from Citigroup on Investors Business Daily declares that HP won’t be buying 3D Systems. Or would they?
Watching The TAZ 6 Grow Up
LulzBot is a fascinating company producing very well-regarded 3D printers, but one aspect of their business is unlike most others.
Is A Liquid-Based 3D Scanner Really Necessary?
A recent instructables proposes using “Milk” as a 3D scanning medium. I think this approach may be more trouble than it’s worth.
The Gross “Modular Body” Isn’t Really 3D Printed
I’m perusing an extremely strange site describing “Oscar”, said to be the world’s first 3D printed modular organism.
What Else Will 3D Systems Sell Off?
3D Systems announced sale of its STEAMtrax system to Polar3D. Is this the end of their cuts?
Design of the Week: Spherical Creations
This week’s selection is the set of Spherical Creations by French Sculptor Dario Santacroce.
A Better Way To Cast 3D Prints
Casting is a way some 3D print operators transform their fragile plastic prints into more durable materials, like metal. But what is the best 3D print material to do this?
Sculpteo Responds To The Biggest Customer Concern
Sculpteo announced a new “48 hour” shipping policy that could change people’s minds about using 3D print services.
Something Weird Is Happening In 3D Printing Patents
While perusing recent patent filings by the major 3D printing companies, I noticed something rather strange.
ZMorph’s New Multifabrication Machine: Lasers, CNC And 3D Printing In a Sexy Box
ZMorph has been producing a machine with multiple methods of fabrication, but now they’ve stepped it up a level with their ZMorph 2 SX machine.
Powerful Cura Open Beta 3D Print Slicer Is Ready For You To Download
Ultimaker has released a new open-beta version of Cura, their popular slicing software, and there’s much good news and a bit of bad news.
Fusion3’s Surprise: The F400 3D Printer, A Designer’s Dream Machine
A small company in North Carolina has made big improvements on their 3D printer design.
What Does MakerBot’s Production Downsizing Really Mean?
At first, you might think the announcement that MakerBot has abandoned a huge space used for production might be a bad thing. But I think not.
Really, Who Are The Leaders In Desktop And Industrial 3D Printing?
A new report from CONTEXT provides estimates for sales for the leading companies in 3D printing, from which we can draw some interesting conclusions.
E3D-Online’s Powerful Titan Extruder Is In High Demand
E3D-Online released their new Titan Extruder, and it seems to have all the features many have wanted in a high-performance extruder.
New 3D Printing Process Could Revolutionize Metal Printing
Researchers from the University of Southern California have developed yet another 3D printing process, which they call “Selective Separation Sintering”.
Autodesk Axes Perpetual Licenses, Making Users Angry And Happy
Autodesk, one of the world’s largest suppliers of 3D software, announced they’re completely phasing out standard software licenses and moving everything to the cloud.
3DShook’s Unusual 3D Model Discovery Tools
It’s a very tough business these days running a printable 3D model shop, but 3DShook seems to be experimenting with a variety of different shopping methods to overcome the challenges.
One Brilliant Way To Reduce Frustrating 3D Print Failures
Someone has devised a method for performing dynamic error correction on 3D printers to ensure the nozzle is always placed precisely where it should be.
Dremel Follows The Lead Of Others And Focuses On The Education Market
Dremel made a big splash in 2014 when they introduced their desktop 3D printer. But now, they’re taking a slightly different approach.
Interesting Statistics In Wohler’s 2016 Report
Longtime additive Manufacturing consultant Terry Wohlers issued his latest annual report on the state of the industry.
Mosaic Manufacturing Finally Ships The Palette
If you’re looking for a fascinating way to coax your monocolor 3D printer into producing multiple colors, you can now obtain a Palette from Mosaic Manufacturing.
The Cycle Is Complete: A 3D Pen Turns Into A 3D Printer
YouTuber Tinkernut shows how to produce a “cheap 3D printer” in a recent video, but there’s an ironic twist to the plan.
Design of the Week: War Machine Mark III
This week’s selection is the very detailed and comprehensive War Machine Mk 3 model by CGTrader contributor Rafael Benedicto.
3DPrintler Launches An Investment Fund For 3D And Other Tech
You might recall 3DPrintler as being a powerful search engine for costing potential 3D print services, but now they’re branching out into another area: 3D print investments.
Carbon Dioxide As 3D Printing Material?
Yes, we’ve all seen carbon fiber 3D printing material, but now scientists from the University Of California have managed to use carbon dioxide to 3D print.
The 3D Printer Statistics War Is A Losing Battle
There seems to be two kinds of 3D printer manufacturers these days: those who focus on specifications, and those who don’t.
The Most Important Feature Of A 3D Printer Is Not What You’d Expect
Our streets are awash in 3D printers, each of which has different specifications and capabilities. But what is the most important consideration?
Yet Another Way To 3D Scan: Drones
A terrific story by Jess Hedstrom of Sculpteo explains how 3D scans of large objects can be accomplished, and it’s surprisingly similar to the process in our scanning series.
Tallying Up The Carbon M1’s Total Cost Of Ownership
Carbon announced their first product, the M1 3D Printer last week, but with a twist: subscription pricing. We calculated how much it could cost you.
The J750 Causes Big Implications For Many
This week I’ve written a few stories about Stratasys’ new J750, and here’s more thoughts on what this milestone machine means for others in the 3D print universe.
Is Automotive Catching On To 3D Printing?
A report predicts big things for 3D printing in the automotive sector. But could this herald a revolution in design?