learning Archives « Fabbaloo

What is an R_E_R_F File?

Do you know what an R_E_R_F file is used for in 3D printing?

What Kind of 3D Printer Should I Get?

The eternal question of those new to 3D printing is “what kind of 3D printer should I get?”

Eight Dumbest 3D Printing Mistakes

You’ve probably done them all: the eight dumbest 3D printing mistakes — FFF edition.

Design Strategies Needed to Unlock 3D Printing’s Potential

A Protolabs engineer’s perspective on the right DfAM approach.

Stratasys Introduces Certification Program

Stratasys has introduced a “certification program” for those involved with their FDM 3D printing technology.

The Story of 3D Printer Calibration

3D printing calibration is mentioned all the time, but what does it really mean?

How Does a 3D Printer Work?

Among the most common questions asked is “how does a 3D printer work?”

Finding Purpose and Healing Through Additive Manufacturing

3D printing training program aims to help victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation prepare for a career in additive manufacturing.

What Is 3D Printing?

Frequent readers of this publication likely know quite a bit about 3D printing, but there are new readers that could use some more basic information about the technology.

3D Printing at The Cooper Union

Charles R. Goulding and Johnson Jiang examine how a 3D printing lab helped transform Cooper Union.

The Complications of High Speed 3D Printing

There is an ongoing quest to achieve faster and faster 3D print speeds on FFF equipment. But there are a number of challenges.

USC Students Building Youth Confidence By 3D Printing Prosthetics for Free

Students from USC’s engineering school are making free 3D-printed prosthetics for children through its USC 3D4E Freehand project.

The Basics of Choosing 3D Printer Filament

You just cracked open your new desktop FFF 3D printer. What filaments should you use?

3D Printed Objects are Worth a Billion Words

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and I say that a 3D printed object is worth a billion.

Revisited: Is it Filament Weight, Length, or Volume?

The eternal question of those using filament-powered 3D printers needs an answer.

24 Resin 3D Printing Tips You Need To Know

Do you have a resin 3D printer? Here’s a whole bunch of tips for you.

Seven Things NOT To Do With Your Brand New 3D Printer

You just received a brand new desktop 3D printer. What should you NOT do?

How To Properly Clean 3D Prints With Simple Green

I’ve been using Simple Green as a resin 3D print solvent, and it works quite well — if you know what to do.

Common 3D Printing Issue Finally Diagnosed

In an epic feat of diagnosis, Stefan Hermann has determined what can cause a very common 3D printing issue.

Seven 3D Printing Hazards

3D printing is thought to be a relatively safe activity, but is it really?

What Is “Breakaway Support”?

Support material is support material. Or is it?

Learn 3D Printing In Four Lessons

The recently introduced BCN3D Academy offers a free online certification course to learn the ins and outs of 3D printing.

Where Does The Color In 3D Printer Filament Come From?

Did you ever wonder where the colors in 3D printer filament originate?

MakerBot Introduces Third Edition Of Their Educators Guidebook

MakerBot announced a third edition for their well-regarded Educators Guidebook.

Seven Essential Resin 3D Printing Tips

I’ve been doing a lot of resin 3D printing lately, and thought I’d share some tips.

EOS’ Additive Minds Academy Open To North America

Top performing additive manufacturing staff are hard to find, and EOS is set to change that.

America Makes And The Girl Scouts Additive Manufacturing Patch

A new patch will celebrate Girl Scouts learning about additive manufacturing.

Understanding The Metal 3D Print Condensate Problem

Sintavia published an excellent document describing the condensate problem at many metal 3D print operations.

New Additive Edge Program Set To Encourage Girls In STEM

Ultimaker and America Makes have announced a new program to broaden access to 3D printers for female students across the US.

Seven Resin 3D Printing Tips

I’ve been using several different resin 3D printers lately and have some tips for you.

Prusa’s Outstanding 3D Print Gluing Guide

Gluing is a practice all 3D printer operators will eventually perform, and Prusa Research has published what could be the definitive guide for it.

EOS Affirms The Importance Of Opportunity And Diversity In Additive Manufacturing

A new scholarship program from EOS North America is set to even the playing field for historically underserved students pursuing STEM education.

Just How Reflective Is A Bottle Of Liquid Mirror Paint?

We all know about naturally reflective surfaces, but who knew you could apply the same effect with a bottle of paint?

The Fauci Effect: Medical School Applications Rise To New Levels As 3D Printing Aids The Profession

Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi consider rising interest in medical school – and how 3D printing might come into play educating our next generation of doctors.

Carbon 3D Printing Goes To Dental School

The Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) at Boston University became the first dental school in the U.S.A. to install and implement a Carbon M series 3D printer.

The Journey From Making To Mechanical Engineering To Additive Manufacturing PhD

Swapnil Sinha is a PhD candidate in Mechanical Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University whose story in moving into additive manufacturing is becoming more familiar these days.

The Art Of Bioprinting

Bioprinting is a 3D printing technique that combines the technology of 3D printers with select biomaterials to imitate components of the body.

EOS Partners With TEES To Develop New AM Skills

EOS announced a new partnership with the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) to increase AM skills.

MakerBot’s New Report Details Trends In 3D Printing And STEAM Education

MakerBot recently released a report analyzing the use of 3D printing in education and its application across grade levels.

Does 3D Print Build Volume Really Matter?

One of the first question I always hear from 3D printing newbies is “How Big Can I Print?” But that isn’t really a good question.

Dan’s 1st Law of Drawings

An engineering drawing is a specialized type of communication tool. It’s also a contract.

Selecting 3D Printing As Your College Major?

Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi consider the rising availability and practicality of formal higher education in additive manufacturing.

The Importance of Speed in the Manufacturing Process

Having a fast manufacturing process has many benefits to a business ranging from cost-effectiveness, innovation to increased customer satisfaction.

Essentium Materials Handling Guide Reveals Drying Insights For 3D Printing

Everyone knows 3D printer filament must be dry to function properly, but exactly how is this best done?

Eric Schmidt’s New Technical University And 3D Printing

Charles R. Goulding and Alyssa Schneider take a look at the recently established US Digital Service Academy.

Is It Filament Weight, Length, or Volume?

The question of measuring an amount of 3D printer filament seems straightforward, but there’s more to the story.

Train For Orthopedic 3D Printing While Elective Surgeries Are Paused

Charles R. Goulding and Adam Friedman explore the idea of training with 3D printing while elective procedures are on hold.

Microsoft Digital Training And 3D Printing

Charles R. Goulding and Alyssa Schneider think on pandemic-driven job market changes and where digital upskilling can help.

Hub and Spoke Logistics and 3D Printing

Charles R. Goulding and Adam Friedman examine the potential for 3D printing in hub and spoke logistics.

Printlab Introduces Student Portal For 3D Print Learning

Printlab has introduced a new “student portal” that allows students to work online when learning about 3D printing.

EOS Focuses On Metal 3D Print Safety

A technical notice recently issued by EOS to their clients regarding 3D print metal condensate safety.

3D Printing and the Law

We’re going to take a look at a few key ways in which the law can impact 3D printing.

New ‘Lockdown Lectures’ Are a Must for Product Design Success

The COVID-19 crisis has forced many events online, and this one offers design process lectures free to all.

Meet Addmio: Accessible 3D Printing Training

A new online professional 3D printing course has appeared.

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.

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.

Why Do 3D Prints Warp?

Have you ever wondered why 3D prints warp? We made some diagrams to understand what is happening.

Is Your 3D Printer Killing You Slowly?

I’ve become aware of a potential issue that some readers may not know about: PFTE toxicity.

Are CoreXY 3D Printers Taking Over?

CoreXY is becoming a very popular approach for 3D printer motion systems, but is it the ultimate answer? We list the advantages and disadvantages.

VSHAPER’s 3D Printing Guides For Engineers

VSHAPER has released a pair of interesting 3D printing guides, and unlike most beginner guides, these are designed for engineers.

3D Buzz Releases All Content

I’m not sure if you’ve heard of a site called “3D Buzz”, but their content could be of interest to anyone in the CAD field.

PSA: It’s FFF, Not FDM (Mostly)

Do you know the difference between the terms “FDM” and “FFF”? From what I read, it seems a large number of people are not aware of their true meaning.

Free CAD Utility Recommendations Available

I’ve found a source with a ton of CAD utility recommendations that could make life easier for anyone using 3D CAD to create designs for 3D printing.

3D Printing Tip: Support Structures Required In Unexpected Places

I encountered an unusual support structure issue while 3D printing and propose several ways to resolve it with Meshmixer.

Seven Ways 3D Prints Can Unstick

Of all the 3D printing issues you can encounter, bed adhesion, or lack of, is one of the most frequently seen. We list seven ways this can happen and offer suggestions on how to avoid them.

More On The 3D Printer Hair Incident

We were able to view video footage of the 3D printing hair-caught incident from last week and have determined exactly how it occurred, and how to prevent it from happening again.

What Is 3D Printer Calibration, Really?

Everyone talks about “3D printer calibration”, but what is it really? We believe the process varies considerably depending on a number of factors.

New Dangers For 3D Printer Operators

We witnessed yet another dangerous situation encountered by a 3D printer operator and provide some advice on how to avoid the situation.

5 Ways A 3D Printer’s Lifetime Expires

Once a 3D printer is installed and operated, how long does it last? We know five reasons why 3D printers die.

DIY Injection Molding With 3D Printed Molds (and How to Avoid Warping)

Did you know it’s possible to perform injection molding using 3D printing? It’s an easy way to make many objects.

Injection Molding: The Quick Design Guide

If you are doing injection molding, there are some important guidelines to know before you commit to a design.

Tutorial: Model Wave Forms using Creo Parametric Variable Section Sweep and TRAJPAR Function

3D modeling waveforms may be a very complex matter, but here is a tutorial to show you how it’s done in PTC CREO.

Managing the Detroit 3D Printing STEM Skills Gap

There’s a gap in 3D printing education, but how can it be filled? We have some ideas.

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.

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.

Measurement is often seen as non-value-added work. However, if we properly account for the expected costs involved in passing defects on to customers, then the increased value of the product can be clearly shown.

Making 3D Printing Opportunities For Girls With MakerGirl

We speak with MakerGirl’s Executive Director, Mary Hadley, about the importance of early access to 3D printing.

Cool CAD Tips: How to Easily Thread Parts in Autodesk Fusion 360

If you ever wanted to create threaded fasteners for screws, nuts, bolts and the like on the fly using good old Fusion 360, Autodesk has a simple method to easily implement them.

3D Printing: A Step For STEM In Girls’ Education

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and STEAM (adding in the Arts) education is more important than ever for the next generation — but it isn’t always accessible, or equitable.

Blueprint Encourages Companies To “Think Additively”

How do businesses that might benefit from additive manufacturing actually start to reach toward those benefits?

3D Print Learning Series: Safety

This is an entry in our 3D Print Learning Series, focusing on 3D print safety, which is far more risky than you might have imagined.

3D Print Learning Series: Materials

This is an entry in our 3D Print Learning Series, focusing on the different materials possible in 3D printing.

How Universities Can Accelerate Our Next Generation of Innovators

As with other leaps forward in science, technology, industry and culture, universities will play a central role in driving the Industry 4.0 disruption by transforming the entire culture of design and creating a new breed of 3D innovators.

Students Using Advanced 3D Print Technology Could Lead to Job Offers

What kind of 3D print technology should be used by students? Here we explain the advantages of using advanced technology to simulate real-life engineering environments.

How Educators Can Choose Between a 3D Print Service and a 3D Printer

Should educational institutions use their own 3D printers or instead use 3D print services? We examine advantages and disadvantages of each approach.

3D Print Learning Series: Business

An entry in our Learning Series hopes to show you the business aspects of 3D printing, including purchasing, leasing, providing services, designing and marketing.