Site Admin, Author at Fabbaloo

Cube 3 and CubePro Now Available For Pre-Order

To no one’s surprise, Cubify finally made their latest 3D printers available – for pre-order.

A Recursive 3D Printer?

People have worked on the idea of self-replicating 3D printers for years now. But what would happen if that goal were achieved?

Autodesk’s Spark Causes Collateral Damage?

Last week Autodesk announced Spark, an initiative to standardize things 3D printing, and a “reference 3D printer” using those specifications. We think this could be trouble for some.

PrintrBot Reveals a CNC Router Product

PrintrBot has been selling a startling number of low-priced 3D printer kits recently, but now they’re branching out into a completely new product line: CNC Routers.

Staples Cranks Up 3D Print Services in the USA

Staples first announced a 3D print service in Europe in 2012, which later launched in 2013. Now they have a USA-based service.

Monoprice’s Low Cost 3D Printer

The online retailer known for low prices now sells what seems to be a pretty decent 3D printer – for a great price.

Autodesk’s Spark Initiative

Autodesk announced a new initiative they call “Spark”. It’s an “open 3D printing platform” that could change many things in 3D printing.

Design of the Week: 3D Printed Apron

This week’s selection is Luis Rodriguez Alcalde’s 3D Printed Apron.

The Zeus 3D Copier?

It’s called “The world’s first ALL-in-One 3D Printer for professional use” and it just might be.

More 3D Printed Airplanes?

3D Systems announced they’ve shipped a huge number of machines to the aerospace industry. What could this mean?

Oxfam Partners with MyMiniFactory

3D printing is powerful and can, like atomic power, be used for good and evil. Today we’re learning about one of the good uses.

You Can Now 3D Print Personalized Insoles

RSscan and Materialise have teamed up to create RSPrint, a new joint venture that is capable of scanning human feet and 3D printing custom insoles that precisely fit the scanned human.

MakerBot’s Digital Reconstruction Patent

We’ve uncovered a very curious patent application from MakerBot that seems to indicate they’re developing an automated way to reconstruct broken objects.

Florea’s 3D Printed Mobile House

3D print artist Iona Florea has produced another amazing work of art using his unusual 3D printing techniques.

Making Long Duration 3D Prints More Reliable

The most spectacular 3D prints are often those that take a significant length of time to print. But how do you ensure the print completes?

MakerBot’s Color-Changing Extruder Patent

The buzz today comes from a new MakerBot patent that claims an ability to change filament on the fly – within a single extruder.

Rezvani Supercar Uses 3D Printed Components

In the past year a good number of car companies began experimenting with 3D printing, wondering how it could help their performance, manufacturing and design. For automotive startup Rezvani Motors 3D printing was key to saving weight in its BEAST 500 supercar.

A New Universal 3D Paste Extruder

Soon to launch will be Structr3D Printing’s “universal paste extruder” that could enable many personal 3D printers to extruder some very unusual materials.

The Zinter PRO 3D Printer

UK-based Ion Core Ltd’s Zinter PRO 3D Printer could be an interesting option for 3D printer buyers.

3D Printing Jobs Launches

We’re checking out a brand new service that launches today: 3D Printing Jobs.

Tokyo Man Busted for 3D Printed Weapons

According to a report on NHK and BBC, Tokyo resident Yoshitomo Imura has been arrested by Japanese police.

iMakr 3D Printer Store Takes a Big Step

The iMakr retail store in London was perhaps the very first independent 3D printer store designed specifically for personal 3D printing products. Now they’ve taken a step into a new world.

A 3D Felt Printer From Disney and Carnagie Mellon

Researchers at Carnagie Mellon and Disney have developed a new type of 3D printer that prints 3D felt objects.

3D Printed Memes – Lots of Them!

CGTrader recently ran a contest in which their designers were asked to develop 3D models of notable internet memes. We took a look at the results.

Design of the Week: Octopus Pendant – Damascus

This week’s selection is Matthew Amey’s beautiful Octopus pendant.

3D Scan That Building – With A Drone

We’re looking at a project that makes 3D scans of large objects a lot easier – by using drones.

The Revolution Will Be 3D Printed

Interested in learning the basics of what’s happening in the 3D printing world today? You could read our blog, but if you have only 54 minutes, we found a podcast that tells the story.

Buy a 3D Printed Stadium

There’s quite a few 3D print services out there today and it’s hard for services to distinguish themselves. One strategy is to specialize and that’s what ZVerse does. They specialize in Sports.

Hands On With the MakiBOX

At the Fabbaloo Lab we managed to get our hands on a MakiBOX LT and checked out the USD$200 3D printer.

Cheap 3D Printed Lens Could Help Detect Disease

Researchers at the Australian National University have created an inexpensive 3D printed lens that can attach to a smartphone and detect some skin diseases.

Have You Tried BuildTak?

Frustrated by 3D prints that don’t stick to your print bed? Drives us crazy too. Now there may be a good solution to that issue: BuildTak.

Shrinkage: A Problem of 3D Measurement

When 3D printing objects, sometimes the size of the object matters, and sometimes it doesn’t. Shrinkage can be a major issue.

The Chocabyte 3D Printer

There are several ventures developing edible chocolate 3D printers for the kitchen and Solididea’s Chocabyte is one of them.

Dr. Fluff Helps You Evolve 3D Printed Robots

A new Android app permits children (and adults) to create 3D robot models suitable for 3D printing with an unusual approach.

There’s a Lot More to Natasha’s 3D Printed Leg

We have obtained more details of the sequence of events that led to Natasha Hope-Simpson gaining a custom-designed 3D printed prosthetic leg.

The DittoPro 3D Printer

Tinkertine has released their latest personal 3D printer, the Ditto Pro. It’s a very attractive machine – both in looks and specifications.

Aleph Objects Releases the LulzBot TAZ 4 3D Printer

Longtime personal 3D printer manufacturer Aleph Objects has stepped it up by releasing their latest personal 3D printer, the LulzBot TAZ 4.

A Brilliant 3D Printing Solution to Online Shopping

We checked out an ingenious marketing approach used by a leading online diamond ring retailer, Brilliance.com.

Who are the Leading Personal 3D Printing Companies?

With the seemingly weekly arrival of new personal 3D printers and manufacturers, one has to wonder which companies are “winning”. We’ll take a stab at it.

A New 3D Scan App?

Details are few, but IHTFP Labs is developing an app that they say will “Revolutionize 3D Scanning”.

PrintToPeer is now on Indiegogo

PrintToPeer has launched their fundraising campaign on Indiegogo. They are a startup that hopes to dramatically change how you interact with your 3D printer.

Design of the Week: 3D Printed Belt

This week’s selection is the 3D Printed Belt by Thingiverse designer Philippe Kervizic.

Threeding.com’s New Approach

3D model repository Threeding is taking a new approach in their business model: a drastic reduction in commission fees.

The Lix 3D Pen

In business sometimes you invent a new product, but other times you improve on an existing product. The latter approach is that taken by the developers of the Lix 3D printing pen.

Ten 3D Printed Sustainable Homes Produced in 24 Hours

An experimental revolution is underway in China to use 3D printing techniques to build houses. This rapid construction process was demonstrated to build ten small houses in 24 hours predominantly from recycled materials. The company behind it is Suzhou-based construction materials firm Winsun.

PUNGAS Creates New Fashion Category

A project has invented what we believe to be an entirely new category of fashion accessory: Shoe Accessories by PUNGAS.

Want a Job in 3D Printing?

It’s a field that’s exploding and you’d think there would be jobs available for enthusiasts. But how do you find them? We found a solution: Makrjobs.

Third Party 3D Printer Resin

With the rise of multiple personal 3D printer options based on resin technology, one would think third parties would begin supplying resin for them. You’d be right.

The ZEGO 3D Printer – And More

Another 3D printer launched its fundraising campaign: the ZEGO. It’s a 3D printer – and a whole lot more.

Skanect 1.6 Released

One of the most powerful and accessible 3D scanning tools just got a little better. Skanect has released version 1.6 with some interesting new features.

Overhangs? What Overhangs?

Australian engineer Daniel Brown has been experimenting with overhangs, the bane of 3D printer operators worldwide. It looks like he’s managed to overcome them.

The Rabbit Proto 3D Prints Circuits

Rabbit Proto has developed technology capable of 3D printing electrical traces – and it might be added to your existing 3D printer.

Some Pretty Big Updates from 123D

Autodesk has delivered some pretty substantial updates to their 123D suite of 3D modeling tools.

A Microscale 3D Printing Breakthrough

Harvard’s Jennifer Lewis has developed a technique for 3D printing a wide variety of materials at micro-scale dimensions.

3D Printing’s Fascination With Vases

What’s the most frequently produced item on personal 3D printers? We don’t know – and probably no one knows – but we wouldn’t be surprised if it was Vases.

Another 3D Printer Emerges from the Junk Pile

Earlier we posted a report on Michael Ball’s adventure designing and building a working 3D printer from leftover components. We were contacted by another maker who’s done the same thing.

ECN Develops A DLP Metal Printing Technique

Researchers at the Energy Research Center of the Netherlands (ECN) have developed a new technique for 3D printing that can create metal parts without melting its mineral material.

The DeltaTrix 3D Printer

Another tall-format Delta 3D printer! It’s the DeltaTrix, just launched on Kickstarter.

Are 3D Printing Stocks Recovering?

After a precipitous fall, 3D printing stocks seem to have rebounded slightly this week. What’s up with that?

USS Essex Has A 3D Printer Onboard

The US Navy has equipped the USS Essex, an amphibious assault ship, with a 3D printer.

Topolabs Could Change Your 3D Printing Direction

A startup company hopes to deploy a radically new way of 3D printing to existing machines. Topolabs has invented a way to print in three dimensions.

The Stalactite 3D HD Printer

A Spanish company hopes to launch an inexpensive resin-based 3D printer. The Stalactite 102 3D HD printer is now available for pre-order.

MIT Offers 3D Printing Overview

MIT’s Professional Education division now offers a course specifically on Additive Manufacturing.

Design of the Week: Neil Degrasse Tyson – Badass

This week’s selection is Neil Degrasse Tyson – Badass by the anonymous Shapeways designer, TheInternets.

This 3D Print Entrepreneur Needs Your Help Today

Chris Thorpe, the person behind “I Can Make”, needs your assistance TODAY. Thorpe is one of only ten finalists selected from hundreds of entries vying for an opportunity to pitch their innovative idea to Sir Richard Branson and a panel of distinguished and successful entrepreneurs this May. It’s part of Virgin Media Pioneers’ Pitch to… Continue reading This 3D Print Entrepreneur Needs Your Help Today

MakerBot’s New Extruder has been Torn Down

The folks at intentional3D have managed to acquire a new MakerBot fifth generation Replicator and performed a tear down on the fancy new “Smart” extruder.

Solidoodles On Sale

Personal 3D printer manufacturer Solidoodle has abruptly placed several of their popular models on sale. It may be a good time to pick one up.

Design of the Week: St Christopher

This week’s selection is the St Christopher medallion by jeweler Chris Parry.

Stratasys Announces Extreme Redesign Winners

Stratasys’ annual student 3D design contest has ended with the announcement of winners in all categories.

Magically Finish Your 3D Prints with the MagicBox

3D printing newbies often complain about the supposedly unsightly layer lines that are often quite visible on coarsely-printed objects. Now there’s a safer way to get rid of them.

Why So Few 3D Print Filament Recyclers?

Every once in a while we see a “filament recycler” product emerge. But you don’t hear much about them. Why is that?

Making a 3D Printer Out of Junk

These days the focus has been on increasingly sophisticated, pre-assembled shiny 3D printers that work out of the box. But what if you wanted to build one from scrap?

The Mankati Fullscale XT 3D Printer

Mankati is a Shanghai-based company producing a line of personal 3D printers. Their latest is the very sophisticated Fullscale XT.

3D Hubs’ Fascinating April Trends

Peer-to-peer 3D printing network 3D Hubs released its latest report on 3D printing trends.

How To Make Any 3D Printed Part Much Stronger

A persistent issue with 3D printed parts, particularly those printed on lesser machines, is strength and durability. They aren’t quite as strong as injection molded parts. Now there could be a way to easily rectify this problem.

Love By Me’s 3D Printed Heart

A new service jointly developed by Sculpteo and Dassault Systèmes hopes to provide lovers worldwide with a new option.

3D Printing Hurts!

Everyone knows that personal 3D printing can be a ton of fun, but did you know it can also be hazardous to your personal appendages? We certainly do.

Todd Grimm on 3D Printing’s Future

In the Additive Manufacturing User Group conference’s first keynote, industry expert Todd Grimm laid out his view of the 3D Printing landscape, highlighting many of the technologies and trends that are driving the industry.

Whoopass Drops 3D Printing

Whoopass is a bobble head manufacturer. You’d think they could make great use of 3D printing technology, but it didn’t work out for them.

Cubify’s Sense 3D Scanner Now Support OS/X

While Cubify has been selling their inexpensive handheld “Sense” 3D scanner for some months, it is now supported under OS/X.

Will the Cheap 3D Printers Succeed?

It used to be that to spend USD$500 on a 3D printer, you’d expect to receive a bag of parts and spend your time building it yourself. Not so anymore – or not?

Robocranes for 3D Printed Buildings?

We’re reading some thoughts from Eric Hunting on the Open Manufacturing list regarding future possibilities for large-scale 3D printing, specifically for housing. He’s got some very intriguing ideas.

Jewelry with Jweel

We’re checking out a new jewelry generator called “Jweel”. It looks like one of the best we’ve seen so far.

Project Silkworm Shows The Future

We’ve always been slightly annoyed at the overly simple manner in which 3D models are sliced and printed. Much more is theoretically possible and that may now become reality with the work developed by Project Silkworm.

RP Marketplace Launches

A new online marketplace focused on professional 3D printing services has launched: RP Marketplace.

Leapfrog Gets a New HQ

Netherlands-based 3D printer manufacturer Leapfrog has made the jump into a new headquarters.

Mazotta Checks out Robo3D

3D printing videographer Andrew Mazzotta took a swing by Robo3D’s San Diego offices to check out their operations.

A Visual Tour of Lost-PLA Casting

There’s a gallery of images available that demonstrate the process of lost-PLA casting to create a metal object using 3D printing.

PERFORMANCE: 3D Printed Food for the Elderly

A European project hopes to develop a way to 3D print pre-made meals for elderly folks.

Design of the Week: The Bristle Dress

This week’s selection is The Bristle Dress by Francis Bitonti Studio.

The Defensive Patent License

A large portion of the 3D printing community is within the open source world, while the rest is commercially oriented. Conflicts have occurred, but now there could be a way to reduce them.

MixFab’s Mixed-Reality 3D Design Approach

The most significant barrier to widespread 3D printing adoption is the difficulty of mastering 3D CAD software. MixFab hopes to overcome that with a new approach.

3D File Market’s 3D Models

Another 3D model repository has appeared: 3D File Market.

3D Printing and Nanosensor Technology for Early Stage Disease Detection

Detection strategies based on nanowire offer a promising new route towards rapidly detecting diseases such as cancer. I recently reported on the successfully integration of 3D printed components with nanosensor technology in the medical journal, Point-of-Care.

uformit’s Adaptive 3D Print Service

We had a peek at format’s new technology in NYC earlier this year, but now everyone can make use of it as they’ve just launched their new 3D print site.