This week’s selection is “Feature-Driven Method for Structural Optimization” by Weihong Zhang and Ying Zhou.
design
Uppgradera: An Upgraded, 3D Printed IKEA Experience
Budapest-based designer Adam Miklosi has decided to “upgrade” existing IKEA products with his open-source collection of 3D printed accessories.
Animal Lovers Fawn Over 3D Printed Jewelry
Charles R. Goulding, Taylor Goulding, and Preeti Sulibhavi appreciate symbolism and technology in animal-themed 3D printed jewelry.
5 Things We Like About PepsiCo’s Newly Redesigned Bottles
Charles R. Goulding and Ryan Donley look at how 3D printing helped PepsiCo design new bottles with a lot to like.
Award-Winning 3D Printed Plant-Based Designer Lamps
Charles R. Goulding and Ryan Donley light up with sustainably-made 3D printed lamps.
Why Copper Could Be The Next Golden Material For Additive Manufacturing
Copper is a relatively rare material in additive manufacturing operations, but that could change in the next few years.
Autodesk Opens Up About Generative Design
Thousands of Autodesk users, employees, and partners converged this week for the annual Autodesk University conference.
3D Printing Chess Sets
Charles R. Goulding and Peter Favata consider 3D printing as part of a logical gambit.
KeyShot 3MF Support Offers Full-Color 3D Prints
The 3D Manufacturing Format (3MF) file type is about to go prime-time owing to KeyShot and Stratasys.
Book of the Week: Materials Selection In Mechanical Design
This week’s selection is “Materials Selection In Mechancial Design” by Michael F. Ashby.
Bullish on the CAE Market: Tech Soft 3D Acquires Visual Kinematics
Engineering software toolkit provider Tech Soft 3D has acquired California-based Visual Kinematics (VKI). VKI develops a suite of software development kits (SDKs) called DevTools for computer aided engineering (CAE) applications.
Book of the Week: Designing 3D Printers
This week’s selection is “Designing 3D Printers” by Neil Rosenberg.
The Recipe For More Realistic 3D Printed Prototypes
Stratasys, KeyShot, and the 3MF file format come together for a stunningly realistic prototyping capability right off the 3D printer.
CAD Exchanger Adds CATIA, DWG, U3D, FBX Support
If you’re a user of multiple CAD platforms and 3D creation apps…
Two Manufacturing Processes That Excel In The Art Of Jewellery Making
It is quite challenging trying to fathom how two industrial techniques are used to create delicate jewelry. 3D printing is an additive process and CNC machining uses a subtractive technique, but both methods produce fine pieces.
Book of the Week: Parametric Solid Modeling Projects
This week’s selection is “Parametric Solid Modeling Projects” by Prof. Sham Tickoo of Purdue University.
Balancing Cost vs Features in 3D Printer Design
When you see the final design of a 3D printer, there have been many decisions made to get it to that state.
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.
3D Printed Designer Furniture
Charles R. Goulding and Peter Favata find that the idea of 3D printing sits comfortably for designer furniture.
Free Online Sculpting Tool: SculptGL
I’m trying out something called “SculptGL”, an online 3D sculpting tool.
Generating Gradient Material 3D Prints With GraMMaCAD
Fraunhofer IGD has developed a new type of software for 3D printing that enables use of gradient-style materials.
Book of the Week: Feck Perfuction
This week’s selection is “Feck Perfuction: Dangerous Ideas on the Business of Life” by James Victore.
A Reader Checks Out The Powerbelt3D Zero 3D Printer Kit
One of our technical readers took a deep dive into the new Powerbelt3D Zero 3D printer kit.
Watch These 3D Printed Coral Light Designs Grow Into Being
It’s one thing to make a stunning light fixture, but it’s another thing to make a statement with it using a whole different medium.
Crocs And 3D Printing
Charles R. Goulding and Peter Favata consider how 3D printing helps to individualize and make some unique footwear market-ready.
How To 3D Print Tensegrity Structures
Researchers have found a way to use 3D printers to produce tensegrity structures.
Another High-Temperature DIY 3D Printer Design
It’s been brought to our attention that there is another freely downloadable design for a high-temperature 3D printer.
Dan’s 1st Law of Drawings
An engineering drawing is a specialized type of communication tool. It’s also a contract.
Posh Pool Houses And 3D Printing
Charles R. Goulding and Peter Favata take a dip into 3D printing for new outdoor hangouts.
Mesh Modeling, Part 3: Autodesk’s Fusion 360 Aspires Subdivision Modeling
The discussion about subdivision modeling has opened up significantly since the start of this series.
Autodesk Limits Functionality In Free Version Of Fusion 360
Autodesk abruptly announced some significant changes in the functionality of the free version of Fusion 360, their flagship 3D design tool.
Entirely New Form Of 3D Design Developed: Computational Design Synthesis
Researchers have developed what appears to be a far more accessible method of developing highly complex 3D models for 3D printing.
Roberta Cassese: “I Recommend To Not Be Afraid Of Making Mistakes And Experimenting”
Roberta Cassese is an Italian designer who went from being a jewelry maker hobbyist to being the CEO of KOD Design, a 3D printed jewelry brand.
Book of the Week: Designing 3D Printers
This week’s selection is “Designing 3D Printers” by Neil Rosenberg.
SME’s 2021 Digital Manufacturing Challenge Now Open
SME is sponsoring a major design challenge for students.
Desktop 3D Printed Air Management System
Art and utility come together in the sleek 3D printed Air Management System (AMS) Mini.
Book of the Week: Gears and Gear Cutting for Home Machinists
This week’s selection is “Gears and Gear Cutting for Home Machinists” by Ivan Law.
Susana Marques’s Journey To Real 3D Printed Fashions, Part 2
We had a chance to interview Susana Marques, a designer who has been using a number of 3D printers to develop functional and attractive fabrics.
Susana Marques’s Journey To Real 3D Printed Fashions, Part 1
We had a chance to interview Susana Marques, a fashion designer who has been using a number of 3D printers to develop functional and attractive fabrics.
Liven Up Quarantine With A SelfCAD x MyMiniFactory 3D Design Competition
SelfCAD and MyMiniFactory have teamed up to host a friendly 3D design competition awarding 3D printers to the winners.
Book of the Week: Steal Like An Artist
This week’s selection is “Steal Like An Artist” by Austin Kleon.
McLaren’s Speedtail Aileron Design Inspires 3D Printed Solutions?
Supercar maker McLaren’s new Speedtail includes an unusual feature that might inspire some new 3D printed designs.
Gravity Sketch VR Launches CoCreation Beta
Good news from the folks at Gravity Sketch.
12th Century Lost Wax Casting Replicated In 21st Century 3D Printing
The Gloucester Candlestick has been faithfully recreated in a new 3D print.
Design of the Week: 3D Printed RC Subnautica Cyclops Submarine
This week’s selection is the astonishing 3D Printed RC Subnautica Cyclops Submarine by Robert Cook.
When Complex Internal Structures Are Cricket Tubes
3D printing is well known for creating complex designs with intricate internal structures; sometimes those structures serve as tubes for crickets.
Book of the Week: Generative Design
This week’s selection is “Generative Design” by Benedikt Groß, Hartmut Bohnacker, Julia Laub, and Claudius Lazzeroni.
3D Printing Makes “She Shed” Dreams Come True
Charles Goulding and Andressa Bonafe dive into the fabulous world of the “She Shed,” made all the more personal with 3D printing.
Design of the Week: Impossible Table
This week’s selection is the Impossible Table by Austin Steingrube.
Planning On A Move To Fusion 360? Deal Available Until July 17
We’ve learned Autodesk has an excellent promotion this month for their very popular Fusion 360 suite.
Book of the Week: CAD Monkeys, Dinosaur Babies and T-Shaped People
This week’s selection is “CAD Monkeys, Dinosaur Babies and T-Shaped People: Inside the World of Design Thinking and How It Can Spark Creativity and Innovation” by Warren Berger.
Overcoming The Performance Barrier To Full-On Radical 3D Printing
There’s a key barrier that’s holding back 3D printing from much more radical use, but it may be about to break down.
Cad Crowd Announces Winners of COVID-19 Design Contest
3D modeling freelancer site Cad Crowd announced the winners of their COVID-19 Design Contest.
Book of the Week: Prototyping and Modelmaking for Product Design, Second Edition
This week’s selection is “Prototyping and Modelmaking for Product Design” by Bjarki Hallgrimsson.
How 3D Printed Candles Can Light Up The World
Charles R. Goulding and Mindy Zhu examine the ways 3D printing is helping candlemaking stay alight.
Who Will Be The Jony Ive Of Healthy Product Design?
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi consider the visionary Jony Ive and who might next offer a compelling future for product design.
Design of the Week: XXL 3D Printed LEGO Go-Kart
This week’s selection is the enormous XXL 3D Printed LEGO Go-Kart by Matt Denton.
New Seating Solutions Are Comfortable With 3D Printing
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi examine the future of seating — and how 3D printing can help to redesign public seating areas.
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.
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.
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.
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.
When One Door Closes, A Touchless Door Opens (With The Help Of 3D Printing)
Charles R. Goulding looks to a future of touchless doors, helped along with 3D printing.
Dassault Systèmes Introduces Flow-Driven Design System
Dassault Systèmes introduced a new workflow to optimize generative design that is 10x faster than previous methods.
Browser-based SelfCAD Adds Load of New Features, New Pricing for Education
SelfCAD offers a simple-to-use web-based 3D modeling service that is suitable for almost everyone.
Time To Switch To 3D Printing For Touchless Bathroom Design
Charles R. Goulding looks into the use of 3D printing to make public bathroom spaces “touchless.”
Creo 7.0 Adds Generative Design and More
PTC has revealed details of the latest Creo release, Creo 7.0, available on April 14.
Solitude and Creativity
Potential benefits from this crisis are far and few between. It will be nice if creativity supported by 3D printing is one of them.
COVID-19/Coronavirus Product Design and 3D Printing Challenge
Cad Crowd’s COVID-19 design contest has revealed many interesting 3D printable designs.
Book of the Week: Integrating 3D Modeling, Photogrammetry and Design
This week’s selection is “Integrating 3D Modeling, Photogrammetry and Design” by David Halbstein.
Turbosquid’s Kraken Levels Up 3D Asset Management
Turbosquid’s Kraken 3D Asset Management system provides new ways to manage 3D models online.
Book of the Week: The Pushing Points Topology Workbook
This week’s selection is “The Pushing Points Topology Workbook” by William C. Vaughan.
Additive World Announces Design Challenge 2020 Winners
Additive World announced the winners of their Design Challenge 2020, and the designs are inspiring.
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.
The Lost Art of Naming a Part
When a part is developed, what should it be called? We have some ideas for naming parts you may not have considered.
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.
3D Printing and Vases
Charles Goulding and Peter Favata of R&D Tax Savers examine 3D printing put to use in creating vases.
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.
3D Printing Against Coronavirus: Who And How To Help
The 3D printing community continues to unite in efforts to help in the current COVID-19 pandemic.
Browser-based SelfCAD Adds Load of New Features, New Pricing for Education
SelfCAD offers a simple-to-use web-based 3D modeling service that is suitable for almost everyone.
3D Pioneers Challenge 2020
The fifth edition of the 3D Pioneers Challenge is welcoming innovative designs in this international competition.
More 3D Print Workflow Automation Coming from Additive Flow
Additive Flow has unveiled a new generative design tool for additive manufacturing that has the unique ability to handle solutions for materials and mechanical design simultaneously.
Hold Onto Your PCBs – Autodesk Just Added ECAD to Fusion 360
Autodesk has revealed that Fusion 360 now includes ECAD functionality.
Book of the Week: Functional Design for 3D Printing
This week’s selection is “Functional Design for 3D Printing: Designing 3d printed things for everyday use – 3rd edition” by Clifford T. Smyth.
Book of the Week: Additive Manufacturing Design, Methods, and Processes
This week’s selection is “Additive Manufacturing: Design, Methods, and Processes” by Steinar Western Killi.
The Dawn of Dual-Screen for 3D CAD Apps… Is Upon Us
You would think this article is from a decade or two ago, but no. It’s really about dual-screen and CAD software using dual-screens… but not like you’re used to.
Wacom Starts Off 2020 With A $400 Drawing Tablet
Wacom announced the new Wacom One, a handy drawing tablet that may be of use to those doing 3D CAD design.
A Smarter Way to Look at Simulation Results?
The company’s main product is VCollab, a solution created to make the results of engineering simulation more easily shared and understood.
Book of the Week: 3D Printing Projects
This week’s selection is “3D Printing Projects” by Sachidanand Jha. It is a book that will definitely increase your 3D CAD design efficiency.
Siemens Scoops Up Atlas 3D
Industrial giant Siemens acquired Atlas 3D and their Sunata simulation software to add to their growing additive manufacturing portfolio.
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.
nTopology Releases nTop Platform 2.0
nTopology released the latest version of their nTop Platform software, 2.0, and it seems to include some incredibly powerful built-in toolkits.
3D Printing Innovating Smart Home Technology
Charles Goulding and Greer Veon review several consumer product companies who successfully used 3D printing technology to aid the development of their products.
Book of the Week: 101 Design Methods
This week’s selection is “101 Design Methods: A Structured Approach for Driving Innovation in Your Organization” by Vijay Kumar.