GE announced it is cutting loose another 13,000 jobs, and this may have big implications for the 3D printing industry.
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!
1.75 vs 2.85mm Filament Showdown
Where did the two 3D printer filament diameters come from and what is the difference? Which one is better?
3D Printing The Deep Underground
Researchers are using 3D printing to better understand the underground flow of fluids.
Project Hopes To Optimize Pharmaceutical Production With 3D Printed Ceramics
The NESSIE project is attempting to optimize large scale production of pharmaceuticals by using advanced technologies, focusing on 3D printed ceramics.
Book of the Week: 3D Concrete Printing Technology
This week’s selection is “3D Concrete Printing Technology” by Jay G. Sanjayan, Ali Nazari and Behzad Nematollahi.
Inside Arevo’s New-Style Manufacturing Approach
I spoke with AREVO’s Tuan Tranpham to find out the secrets of AREVO’s advanced manufacturing service.
Creality’s New CR-6 SE 3D Printer Sports Several Unusual Features
Next week Creality launches their latest desktop 3D printer, the CR-6 SE, on Kickstarter and the device includes some amazing new features we’ve never seen previously.
Start Your Own 3D Printer Farm With RaiseOcto
Raise3D has opened up their RaiseCloud to third party devices, making it possible for anyone to build a 3D printer farm.
Shiruba Prototypes Aquarium Filters With SLS 3D Printing
One company that’s recently leveraged the ability of 3D printing to produce prototypes is Taiwan-based Shiruba, makers of the Power Aquarium line of water filters.
All About Polygonica’s Mesh Handling Toolkit
Polygonica provides a powerful set of mesh processing tools that can be embedded in any other software. We spoke to a representative to find out who uses this software.
Thoughts From The 3D Printing Store
We had a chat with Debra Wilcox of The 3D Printing Store to find out her thoughts on 3D printing sales, operations during the crisis and the future of 3D printing in manufacturing.
More Engineering Materials From MakerBot
MakerBot announced the availability of two new materials for their METHOD X platform, including PC-ABS and a fire-resistant version.
VELO3D Raises US$28M, Sets Sights On Expansion
VELO3D just received a huge US$28M investment round. What will they do with all that cash? We have some ideas.
Free Access To Fusion 360 — For A Short Time
Autodesk is offering use of their powerful CAD tool, Fusion 360, at no charge for a limited time to help emergency COVID-19 efforts.
Book of the Week: Design for Additive Manufacturing
This week’s selection is “Design for Additive Manufacturing” by Martin Leary, who explains the economics of 3D printing and how to apply them through CAD design.
Haute Fabrication’s Virtual 3D Printing Factory
Haute Fabrication has a very interesting take on automating metal 3D printing using robotics and virtual reality.
A Predictive Way To 3D Print Martensitic Steel
Researchers have found a way to predict the effectiveness of 3D printing martensitic steel.
Design of the Week: DIY 3D Scanner
This week’s selection is the OpenScan DIY 3D Scanner.
A $59 3D Printer?
The 3DFORT is an ultra-low-cost desktop 3D printer on Kickstarter. We have some thoughts on this development.
3D Printing A Bacterial Cellulose Hydrogel Matrix
Researchers have found a way to produce 3D media for bacterial cultures using 3D printing that uses cellulose as the material.
Cosmonauts Bioprinting Rat Parts On Space Station
Cosmonauts are attempting to 3D print bone tissue using a bioprinter on the space station.
An Unusual Method To Capture Global Scenes In 3D
A software hack allows export of 3D data from Google Maps for use in other 3D modeling programs.
An Unusual 3D Printer Design From Formon
The Formon Core desktop 3D printer includes one of the most unusual motion systems I’ve yet seen.
Question of the Week: How To Learn About 3D Printing
This week’s question is about how to learn 3D printing from the beginning.
Guest Posting On Fabbaloo
Did you know we accept stories from readers? Anyone with a good idea that meets our guidelines is welcome to submit a story proposal on a 3D print topic to Fabbaloo.
Sonda SYS Lands In North America
Sonda SYS has made arrangements to open up sales of their line of 3D printers in North America, gaining a new audience for their unusual SL02 dual-size machine.
Dassault Systèmes Introduces Flow-Driven Design System
Dassault Systèmes introduced a new workflow to optimize generative design that is 10x faster than previous methods.
The Very Good Reason 3D Printed Parts Were Found In The Tesla Model Y
3D printed parts have been found inside a brand-new Tesla Model Y, and there’s a very good reason for them to be there.
There’s Going To Be A Lot More QIF
QIF is the Quality Information Framework, and additive manufacturing will see a lot more of it in the future.
3D Printing Events Could Fall Apart From The Inside
The fate of major 3D printing conferences in 2020 is unclear with the ongoing virus outbreak. We have thoughts on what it could mean.
Book of the Week: Raspberry Pi Cookbook
This week’s selection is the “Raspberry Pi Cookbook: Software and Hardware Problems and Solutions 3rd Edition” by Simon Monk.
An Unlikely Partnership: LulzBot And The Palette
Mosaic Manufacturing has partnered with LulzBot to permit use of the Palette multi-color filament splicer on selected 3D printers.
MakerOS’ Overflow COVID-19 Network
MakerOS has quickly created an effective cloud-based system to handle dynamic orders for 3D printed PPE.
Design of the Week: Artemis Top
This week’s selection is the Artemis Top by designer Stéphanie Santos.
Who Knew 3D Printed Corals Could Be So Complex?
Researchers at Cambridge and UCSD have developed a sophisticated method of 3D printing living coral reefs.
Smart Construction Parts Possible With Continuous Carbon Fiber 3D Printing
Anisoprint and one of their clients have developed a very unusual method of making self-sensing construction parts using 3D printed continuous carbon fiber.
The Expanding World Of Metal 3D Printing Filaments
A company offers a wide variety of sinterable metal 3D printer filaments, far more than I had imagined.
How To Significantly Reduce Use Of 3D Print Support Material
I’ve bumped into a very interesting technique that could save an enormous amount of support material and 3D printing time.
States Request Removal of 3D Printed Weapon Designs
In a story that’s been unfolding for quite a few years, nearly half the states in the US have petitioned the US federal government to remove 3D printable weapon models.
COVID-19/Coronavirus Product Design and 3D Printing Challenge
Cad Crowd’s COVID-19 design contest has revealed many interesting 3D printable designs.
VELO3D Launches Tall Metal 3D Printer
VELO3D announced a new, much taller Sapphire metal 3D printer that enables 3D printing metal parts for automotive, aerospace and oil & gas.
ANSI COVID-19 Equipment Standards Released, But…
ANSI has released several official standards related to the production of emergency medical equipment to address the COVID-19 process, which may apply to 3D printed components.
Book of the Week: Integrating 3D Modeling, Photogrammetry and Design
This week’s selection is “Integrating 3D Modeling, Photogrammetry and Design” by David Halbstein.
3D Printing Short Circuits Supply Chain Woes?
Could 3D printing strategies overcome supply chain challenges? It seems that one company has done exactly that.
![Rendering of the VentCore open source ventilator system [Source: VentCore]](https://www.fabbaloo.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/image-asset_img_5eb0652a22c28.jpg)
The VentCore Open Source Ventilator Project
A new design for an open source ventilator that can be partially 3D printed has surfaced, but there are many cautions required before building it.
Design of the Week: Strawberry Planter
This week’s selection is the Strawberry Planter by Joel Telling.
Prusa Releases Glimpse Of Future Farm System
Josef Prusa dropped some big hints about their upcoming 3D printer farm software and we speculate on what’s to come next.
Shapeways’ Unique Advantage In The Crisis
Shapeways has two unique advantages that allow them to provide PPE to healthcare professionals, and they are not what you think they are.
How To Coordinate COVID-19 Parts Production
A group in Huntsville, Alabama has developed a sophisticated system for collecting, cleaning and distributing emergency medical equipment 3D printed by individual supporters.
3D Printed Rocket Engine Serves as Proof of Concept
Hyperganic 3D printed a rocket engine prototype that was designed using an Excel spreadsheet and a novel algorithm.
How To Use A 3D Print Temperature Tower
One of the key techniques that should be used by 3D printer operators is the “Temperature Tower”. We explain how to use them.
Some 3D Print Technologies Are Not Being Used In The Crisis
A company has the capability to produce high-resolution medical components in metal, but it seems no one is asking them to help.
Digital Metal Triples Metal 3D Printing Speed
Digital Metal has tripled the speed of their metal 3D printer, the DM P2500, and we speculate on how they accomplished it.
Don’t Worry, Simplify3D 5 Is On The Way
Simplify3D has still not released their long-awaited version 5 upgrade. We asked their CEO about the delay.
Two Videos For COVID-19 3D Printer Helpers To Watch
Two videos shed important light on how you should proceed in assisting COVID-19 efforts using a 3D printer.
The Secret Factory Hidden Amongst Us Has No Brain
One of the learnings from the crisis is the need for a distributed 3D printing coordination authority.
The Tall Modix Big-120Z 3D Printer
Modix announced another large-format 3D printer; the new Big-120Z can 3D print objects 1200mm tall.
Book of the Week: The Pushing Points Topology Workbook
This week’s selection is “The Pushing Points Topology Workbook” by William C. Vaughan.
The Rise Of Sustainability In 3D Printing
There’s a new trend washing over the 3D print industry these days: sustainability. We discuss several aspects and offer a prediction.
The Advantage Of The Phrozen Sonic XL 4K 3D Printer
The Phrozen Sonic XL 4K is a very interesting resin 3D printer that has several technical secrets behind its ability to 3D print large objects in high resolution at a rapid speed.
Additive World Announces Design Challenge 2020 Winners
Additive World announced the winners of their Design Challenge 2020, and the designs are inspiring.
Design of the Week: Puzzle Cell Complex
This week’s selection is the Puzzle Cell Complex by Nervous System.
A New Perspective On Construction 3D Printing With Local Materials
Researchers are exploring ways to use local soils and materials for 3D printed buildings, but it seems to be quite complex.
4 Things We’re Learning About 3D Printing From The Crisis
After seeing the flurry of activity in the 3D printing community to address the COVID-19 crisis, I had some thoughts about how things may change in the industry.
3YOURMIND’s Simplified And Effective COVID-19 Response
3YOURMIND has quickly created a highly useful COVID-19 parts ordering platform for both hospitals and part developers.
MakerBot Declares METHOD “Open Materials”, But Not In The Way You Think
MakerBot’s new experimental extruder allows the use of open materials, and can achieve superior 3D print results.
Xerox Abruptly Drops HP Takeover Bid
Xerox’s hostile bid to take over HP has abruptly stopped.
3D Print Companies Adapting Products During Crisis
Some providers of 3D software are adapting their products to allow more easy work-at-home activities.
Looking At The New Creality CR-5 Pro 3D Printer
Creality’s new CR-5 Pro 3D printer includes a number of features to increase print quality and reliability.
Memories Of KD
It’s possible to make a souped-up version of KD without any use of 3D printing technologies whatsoever.
Hands On With The Perfect Meatball?
We test a scientifically designed meatball recipe, and it works very well indeed.
Apple’s New LiDAR iPad Disappoints — Or Does It?
iFixit tore down a brand new iPad Pro to find out more about the mysterious LiDAR sensor. The result was quite surprising.
3D Systems Stock Gets an Unexpected Boost
3D Systems’ stock price took a bit of a rise this week, possibly due to investor observation of their broad COVID-19 efforts and their extensive healthcare focus.
3D Print Reseller To Launch Robotic Virtual Showroom
A large 3D print reseller has developed an unusual method of sales through a virtual showroom. We gave it a test.
Incredible Update On Photocentric COVID-19 Production
Photocentric has increased their 3D printed valve production rate by 10X using some interesting methods.
New HQ For ZMorph
ZMorph has moved to a new headquarters, hinting at business success.
Design of the Week: Valved Snorkel
This week’s selection is the 3D printed Valved Snorkel by designer Robert Werner.
Formlabs Gets It Right With Their COVID-19 Response
Formlabs is setting a great example for other 3D print companies to follow when addressing the COVID-19 crisis.
It’s Time To Leverage Your 3D Printing Network
Many 3D printing companies have powerful networks and now is the time to unleash them to help in this crisis. We look at three who are doing so effectively.
3D Printable Respirator Design Receives Certification
Czech researchers have produced a certified design for an N95-style respirator that can be quickly produced on several HP MJF 3D printers.
Some Advice To Makers Working On COVID-19 Projects
Many makers are anxious to do something with their 3D printing equipment to help solve the crisis, but there are some things to consider first.
Aurora Labs Shuffles The Deck At The Top
Aurora Labs made some big changes at the top, and I think they are just what the company needs at this point.
3D Print Experts Volunteer Assistance To Educators
A noted 3D print expert is volunteering his time to provide online educational experiences.
Alternative Materials For 3D Systems 3D Printers?
A Chinese company is producing plug-compatible materials for certain 3D Systems 3D printers. But should you use these materials?
That Is A Large 3D Printer Enclosure!
Thermwood announced a very large-scale 3D printer for manufacturing that includes an enclosure.
Mimaki’s New Large-Scale 3D Printer
When Mimaki thinks 3D printing, it’s thinking big.
3D Printing and Vases
Charles Goulding and Peter Favata of R&D Tax Savers examine 3D printing put to use in creating vases.
Challenging Blueprint’s Impartiality: I Said, “Prove It”
A discussion with 3D print consultancy Blueprint ended up with a very interesting chart of vendor recommendations to their clients.
Why Do 3D Prints Warp?
Have you ever wondered why 3D prints warp? We made some diagrams to understand what is happening.
Hands On With Two More Fiberlogy Filaments
We examine two more filament materials from Fiberlogy, another PLA and a PET-G, and made some surprising discoveries.
Hands On With Two Fiberlogy Filaments
We tested two types of 3D printer filament from Fiberlogy and found some very interesting results.
Shapeways Achieves ISO 9001 Certification
Shapeways has achieved ISO 9001 certification. What is ISO 9001 and how will it affect Shapeways?
Book of the Week: Close-Range Photogrammetry and 3D Imaging
This week’s selection is “Close-Range Photogrammetry and 3D Imaging” by Thomas Luhmann, Stuart Robson, Stephen Kyle and Jan Boehm.
Photocentric’s High-Volume Approach To Ventilator Valve Production
Photocentric has developed a way to produce 40,000 potentially usable ventilator valves per week at their facility.
An Interesting 3D Printed Lithophane Service
LithophaneMaker is a fascinating free service that allows you to generate all imaginable types of 3D printed lithophane models.