Those new to 3D printing get excited about the ability to print, but may be wondering about this thing called a “3D model”.
learning
Can You Be 3D Scanned?
We recently were contacted by a reader interested in 3D scanning a person. The answers to their questions may be of interest to other readers, too.
Someone Made Up a 3D Modeling Language Called MadeUp
A project called “MadeUp” provides a way to programmatically generate 3D models suitable for 3D printing.
How to License Your 3D Prints
While it’s now become easy for many to create 3D designs and produce 3D prints, few are aware of ways to properly license them. A new paper explains how.
Bigger Nozzle Equals Faster Printing
Some 3D prints require a long time to complete. In general, the rule of thumb is: The larger the print, the longer the print. But that doesn’t mean you can’t speed up the process.
Help a Teen Start a 3D Printing Business
Many people are now considering starting a business in the 3D print world, but not many are as young and ambitious as Michael Becerra.
What is Senvol and Why Should You Hire Them?
We spoke with a leading 3D printing / additive manufacturing consulting company to determine the questions industry asks about the technology.
Attempt to 3D Print Zola’s Train Reveals a Truth of 3D Design
Yale assistant professor of French Morgane Cadieu transformed a literary description of a train into a real 3D print. But she’s demonstrated a barrier to 3D printing by doing so.
Tips on Painting a 3D Printed Model
German designer Guido Mandorf presents a very good tutorial on painting printed 3D models on i.Materialise.
Anaheim Ducks Reach Out With 3D Printing
The National Hockey League’s Anaheim Ducks recently involved 3D printing in an educational initiative.
Hiding 3D Print Quality Issues
Does the quality of 3D printers vary among machines? Yes. Is it possible to hide flaws? Also, yes.
Free Course on 3D Printing Technology
Deloitte University Press is offering an introductory course on 3D printing aimed at business and professionals.
MyStemKits Launches
Today MyStemKits launched on Kickstarter, with the goal of providing effective 3D prints for educators.
Open3DP’s Polymer Guide For 3D Printing
Researchers at the University of Washington have put together a quick guide to chemically binding 3D printing materials.
RichRap Explores Slicing Parameters
Fabbaloo friend Richard Horn has produced a detailed tutorial on how best to produce strong 3D printed parts.
More Quick Advice on 3D Print Design
Following up from our post on designing for use, reader Mark Lynch pointed out his terrific list of design tips 3D printing.
Design for Purpose
People who are new to personal 3D printing sometimes learn the hard way that you must design for purpose.
3D Printed Art Engages Children
An art exhibition at a K-12 school in India converted imaginary objects from the minds of children to become real objects.
A Few Flashforge 3D Printer Tips
The folks at the University of Washington’s Mechanical Engineering Department’s Solheim Additive Manufacturing Laboratory apparently like fixing their Flashforge 3D printers.
3D Printing Microscopic Surface Tutorial
Andrés Gómez has produced a simple tutorial for 3D printing a surface obtained with atomic force microscopy.
Can Less Privileged Children Use 3D Printing?
3D printing today is expensive, even for consumers. Does this mean only the rich can make use of 3D printing? We don’t think so.
3D Printing or Injection Molding?
This could be the question if you’re thinking of making many copies of an object: Should you 3D print or injection mold.
Build Your Own 3D Printer, Step-by-Step
Build your own 3D printer? That’s too difficult. Or is it?
3D Printed Robotics Club Gains Award
MakerClub, a UK-based 3D printed robotics organization, has received a large award to explore educational opportunities.
How to Test Your 3D Printer’s Performance
Have you ever wondered how to measure the quality of your personal 3D printer’s output? Now there’s a standard way to do so.
Easy Overmolding For Your 3D Prints
SolidSmack details a terrifically simple solution to apply overmolds to your 3D prints.
This 3D Printed Xenomorph Suit is Getting Scary
James Bruton’s project to create a full scale, wearable Xenomorph suit is looking terrifying.
An eBook for 3D Print Entrepreneurs
Fascinated with 3D printing and the potential business opportunities offered by the technology? There’s an eBook for that.
3D Printed Robots from The Poppy Project
Robotics and often 3D printing go together and now there’s a project specifically for that.
Free Additive Manufacturing Introductory Course
Are you in a business faced with a transition to 3D printing technology? There’s a course for that.
An Introduction to Support Structures
We’ve found a terrific introductory video explaining the reasons for use of support structures when 3D printing.
Refining the Lost-PLA Burnout Process for 3D Printed Metal Casting
The folks at the University of Washington’s Mechanical Engineering Department have been refining the process of metal casting using 3D printed PLA.
Personal 3D Printing Safety Concerns
You’ve bought and installed a 3D printer in your home. What should you be worried about?
A 3D Printed Chainmail Tutorial
Have you ever wanted to 3D print fabric? There’s a tutorial for that.
MakerBot’s Extruder Woes?
MakerBot introduced an advanced extruder earlier this year, but it seems people are having trouble with it.
Learn the Secrets of 3D Fashion Design
If you have any notion of creating your own 3D printed fashion, you’d best take advantage of this opportunity.
Ultimaker’s CREATE Education Program
Ultimaker’s UK branch, Ultimaker GB, has launched a program to bring 3D printing to schools.
Make Certain Your 3D Model’s Bottom is Flat
If it hasn’t happened to you yet, it will in the future: prints with not-quite flat bottoms.
The Challenges of Self-Made 3D Printer Filament
3D Hubs has been doing some experiments with their Filabot to prepare their own printer filament.
Make Your PLA 3D Prints Stick
We’re written about the perils of ABS plastic warping and not sticking to your print surface, but what about PLA? Are there solutions? Is it even a problem?
The Eight Fundamental 3D Printing Prep Functions
3D printing a model is often not as simple as just hitting the “print” button. There are several operations you may need to do to your model before hitting that button.
How to 3D Print in Metal – At Home!
Extraordinary 3D printing experimenter Cosmo Wenman has come up with a feasible technique for producing metal objects using a personal 3D printer.
The Miracle of 3D Printing: Holding Your Thoughts
We’re watching a video showing the effect 3D printing can have on schoolchildren.
Capturing Die Viktoria
This is the true story of how a massive 19th century German sculpture made its way into our 3D printers.
3D Printing Winged Victory
Every once in a while you bump into an incredible 3D print. We did and we wanted to make it, too. Thus began our Winged Victory Project.
How to Smooth Your PLA 3D Prints
Matthew Gorton of PrintedSolid seems to have found a way to smooth PLA prints.
Near Disaster While 3D Printing
What’s the worst thing that could happen to you while 3D printing? You could die. And it almost happened.
Stratasys Gets on the Bus
Stratasys announced an eight-month, 3D road trip that will showcase their tech across the USA.
Hair: The Bane of 3D Scanning
Those of you who attempt 3D scans of your friends with inexpensive Kinect-based scanning solutions will definitely have feelings about hairstyles.
3D Printing’s Pathological Geometries
As you become accustomed to making objects on your personal 3D printer, you’ll soon learn there are several pathological geometric shapes you will hate.
Tom’s Leveling Video
Thomas Sanladerer presents a video explaining how to level the bed on your 3D printer.
What Does “Experimental 3D Printing” Mean, Anyway?
The phrase “experimental 3D printing” has been used by several manufacturers, but what does it really mean?
A Spectacular Paint of 3D Model
You know how to paint your 3D prints? Just spray ‘em! Nope – there’s a much better way we found at Redicubricks.
How Much Filament Do You Use? More Than You Have?
Filament management turns out to be an important task when using plastic extrusion personal 3D printers.
The Two Things You Must Do For Successful 3D Printing
If you’re using a filament-based personal 3D printer, there’s two major things you must get right to succeed.
How To Build Your Own 3D Printer from E-Waste
A new Instructables describes how one maker designed and built a working 3D printer using, well, junk.
Spooling Issues can Spoil Your 3D Print
Of the numerous issues that can fail your 3D print, spooling issues are among the most frequent.
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?
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.
MIT Offers 3D Printing Overview
MIT’s Professional Education division now offers a course specifically on Additive Manufacturing.
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.
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.
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.
ITER’s 3D Printing Benefits Are Those Many Could Have
ITER, the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor involves work at many locations. One of them is the US Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where they’ve discovered some interesting uses for 3D printing.
A Book on 3D Printing
Want to know more about 3D printing? There’s a ebook now available for download.
Friction Welding Your 3D Prints
A common technique to successfully 3D print complex objects is to print separate pieces and then glue them together. But are there other techniques for joining pieces together? Apparently yes.
The Scoop on ABS and PLA
Most personal 3D printers use PLA or ABS plastic, but how much do you actually know about these materials? Aside from the fact that ABS’s melting temperature is somewhat higher than PLA, and that ABS is somewhat stronger than PLA, most 3D printer owners could be challenged to say more. Don’t fear: there is… Continue reading The Scoop on ABS and PLA
Keeping The Heat in 3D Printing
Most 3D printer owners quickly discover the perils of printing ABS plastic in a cold or even room temperature environment. The quirky material shrinks a small amount when it cools after emerging from the hot extruder. This often leads to warping, as the lower portions of the print shrink and the newer portions are still… Continue reading Keeping The Heat in 3D Printing
Top 10 Handheld 3D Scanning Tips
At the Fabbaloo Lab we’ve performed 3D scans using a variety of handheld scanning equipment, ranging from el-cheapo Microsoft Kinect hacks to pricey USD$50K units. The experience can be both frustrating and elating; it’s normally a learning process of discovering what to do and what not to do. Today we thought we’d list a few… Continue reading Top 10 Handheld 3D Scanning Tips
3D Printed Skulls Help Teach Future Brain Surgeons
Brain surgery is notoriously difficult with surgeons spending years honing their craft. Given the need for more hands-on practice performing surgical operations, researchers at the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur have created a 3D printed skull that can provide just that. Using scans of each layer of the human skull, Vicknes Waran, professor… Continue reading 3D Printed Skulls Help Teach Future Brain Surgeons
Digital Crafts: A Book for Artists Exploring 3D Printing
We’ve checked out a new book that is specifically designed to assist artists who enter the world of 3D printing and digital design. The book contains many case studies involving not only digital design using 3D CAD software, but also the process of 3D printing using contemporary equipment and 3D scanning. There’s even information… Continue reading Digital Crafts: A Book for Artists Exploring 3D Printing
The Five Most Important 3D Printing Tips You Must Know
If you have a plastic extrusion-based personal 3D printer, there’s some things you’d better know. This printing technology has its quirks regardless of the brand and model of machine you’re using. We’ve put together a few of the most basic things to know before you get started. Level The Bed: Perhaps the single most… Continue reading The Five Most Important 3D Printing Tips You Must Know
The Ethical Filament Foundation
Do you know where your 3D printer plastic filament came from? Do you know who produced it, and how they did it? Is it possible you purchased 3D printer filament that was made by children, perhaps in dangerous environments? It seems that some filament is produced in third world countries by having the poor… Continue reading The Ethical Filament Foundation
Making Prints Stick: Some Tips
The folks at ProtoParadigm have produced a terrific list of tips on how to reduce or eliminate the deadly warping effect that plagues personal 3D printers. There’s nothing worse than discovering a time-consuming mess caused by a print that lifted off the bed. The warping itself isn’t such a problem; it’s that the warping… Continue reading Making Prints Stick: Some Tips
MakerBot’s Leap into Classrooms
At this year’s 3D Printshow, MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis expressed his unhappiness with the current US educational system, which has largely removed “making” courses from the curriculum. As a student, Pettis enjoyed “shop classes” where he no doubt picked up the making bug. But how can this happen today? MakerBot is attempting to change… Continue reading MakerBot’s Leap into Classrooms
Three Ways to Embed Bolts in Your 3D Prints
Courtesy of industrial designer David Bernhardt, we’ve been able to examine this example of embedding bolts. Actually, the piece demonstrates not one, but three different ways to put a bolt in your print. The first way is visually obvious – the head of the bolt is inside the print, while the shaft is free. … Continue reading Three Ways to Embed Bolts in Your 3D Prints
3D Printing Curriculum Available
3D printer manufacturer Afinia has partnered with education supplier Pitsco to develop a comprehensive solution for teachers looking to educate their students on 3D printing. Pitsco develops and markets packaged educational curriculums, which contain lessons and examples targeted at grades 6-9 students. The 3D printing package description: This curriculum is designed for three… Continue reading 3D Printing Curriculum Available
Watch: 3D Print Smoothing with Acetone
Bracken Dawson and James Bruton of So Make It, the Southampton Makerspace, demonstrate the acetone smoothing technique for ABS prints in a recent video. The technique is well-known, but can be tricky and is also potentially dangerous if you’re not careful. Nevertheless, the duo walk you through the acetone process, demonstrating issues such as… Continue reading Watch: 3D Print Smoothing with Acetone
3D Printers at the Library
You can’t afford your own 3D printer, or are too timid to jump into the hardware to build one from a kit. You don’t want to use a 3D print service because you don’t quite understand what it’s all about. What do you do? Go to the Library! A growing trend is for local… Continue reading 3D Printers at the Library
Designing A 3D Printed Character
Ryan Boyle of The Hive has produced a tutorial showing the process of designing and 3D printing a unique character using Cinema 4D 3D modeling software. Most of the video walks through the design process in Cinema 4D. It’s a high-powered 3D modeling tool that is not often mentioned by those in the 3D… Continue reading Designing A 3D Printed Character
Will MAKEWithMOTO Visit Your City?
It’s a summer-long road trip for several folks from Motorola, who are promoting the idea of “making” by driving a kind of mobile makerspace around the USA. They say: This summer, Motorola is hitting the road in a velcro-clad Sprinter van full of the latest prototyping tools (3D printers, laser cutters, soldering stations, etc)… Continue reading Will MAKEWithMOTO Visit Your City?
The Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute
A new initiative has launched, hoping to uncover new 3D printing technological advances. The Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute will operate as a sponsor for selected research projects that address gaps in our knowledge of 3D printing. The program runs during August, much like Google’s Summer of Code program. The program is hosted by the… Continue reading The Advanced Manufacturing Research Institute
The Strength of 3D Printed Nylon
One material not often used by personal 3D printers is Nylon. It’s a well-known plastic that can be 3D printed by commercial 3D printers and some personal devices, too. What makes nylon so interesting? It’s the strength of the material. Nylon can take quite a bit of stress before breaking. In a fascinating video… Continue reading The Strength of 3D Printed Nylon
A DIY Safety Guide
We’ve been directed to a Safety Guide created by Tatiana Crisan for those building their own personal CNC machine. While a CNC machine is by no means a 3D printer, many of the safety guidelines portrayed are totally applicable for those building personal 3D printers. Yes, reading these points may seem obvious and even… Continue reading A DIY Safety Guide
3D Printing Will Be Adopted by K-12 in 5 Years
In a newly released report, the New Media Consortium (NMC) has identified six emerging technologies that could dramatically impact K-12 education. Among the new technologies are: cloud computing, mobile learning, open content, virtual/remote laboratories and, of course, 3D printing. While the report projects that 3D printing will be among the last technologies to be… Continue reading 3D Printing Will Be Adopted by K-12 in 5 Years
GIANT 3D PRINTED BUGS!
The Australian National Insect Collection could be a creepy place if you’re adverse to meeting bugs. But now it’s enormously MORE creepy because they’ve used advanced technology to create GIANT 3D PRINTED BUGS! They’ve carefully 3D scanned specimens of several species and reproduced them up to forty times life size. Yes, FORTY. And they’re… Continue reading GIANT 3D PRINTED BUGS!
3D Printing Becomes Standard Equipment for UK Schools
UK Education Secretary Michael Gove announced England’s schools will use a new “national curriculum” commencing in September 2014. While the new curriculum contains a variety of improvements, there is a rather interesting inclusion: exposure and basic training on the use of advanced technologies such as robotics and 3D printing. This implies each UK school… Continue reading 3D Printing Becomes Standard Equipment for UK Schools
The Budget That Was Saved By 3D Printing
South east of Huntsville, Alabama is the small city of Boaz, where something very interesting happened. The Boaz City School System discovered they had to replace all the switch mounts for their network upgrade. The 364 switches were to cost USD$2000, but Wayne Caudle, Director of Technologies for the School System had a better… Continue reading The Budget That Was Saved By 3D Printing
Autodesk Battles Bad Design
3D software giant Autodesk has released an infographic portraying the need for, guess what? 3D design software. (Click on the image above to see the fine details). It may be in their self-interest, but they have a valid point. The infographic indicates that a surprising amount of newly released products are subject to recall… Continue reading Autodesk Battles Bad Design
Voronoization
You may have seen those fascinating 3D models that seem to have replaced the normal shape with a strange, smooth skeletal networked form. The complex structures seem impossibly difficult to design with conventional 3D modeling tools, and indeed they are. Perhaps they’ve been made with mathematical 3D model generation tools operated by a PhD? Sometimes… Continue reading Voronoization
Stratasys’s Finishing Secrets
Stratasys has released a video detailing some of their secret (well, maybe not so secret) finishing processes. The video shows various tumbling media machines that operate similar to rock polishing tumblers – an object is tossed around within a bath of rough media. Gradually the objects become smooth after a relatively short period in the… Continue reading Stratasys’s Finishing Secrets
3D Printing Basics Explained
Fabbaloo’s own General Fabb appears in a video produced by the Winnipeg Free Press. In the video our General introduces the concept of 3D printing in a minute or two for those who haven’t been exposed to the technology. The video takes place at Canada’s largest makerspace, AssentWorks, another venture by the General. The… Continue reading 3D Printing Basics Explained
PBS On 3D Printing
PBS has produced a brief seven minute video providing an overview of 3D printing, including interviews with Solidoodle, Shapeways and Wired. They cover the possibilities of the technology, whether for good or evil and generally get you wound up about the future. Exciting! Via YouTube
Perfectly Smooth Your 3D Prints – But Be Careful!
After the initial thrill of seeing a 3D print emerge from thin air, 3D print newbies often notice the layering effect. This is, of course, caused by the gradual deposition of plastic layers during the build process. Depending on the layer resolution selected for print, these layers could be very visible, or not. The… Continue reading Perfectly Smooth Your 3D Prints – But Be Careful!
Feet As Big As You Want
The University of Washington’s Solheim Additive Manufacturing Laboratory has long experimented in radical approaches to 3D printing and now they’ve shown us another example technique for your 3D printing toolkit: Scaling. They were approached by the VA Center of Excellence for Limb Loss Prevention and Prosthetic Engineering to assist in the production of a… Continue reading Feet As Big As You Want