- 3Dom USA Unveils Glass Filled PLA 3D Printer Filament (3dprint.com)
July 28, 2015
The filaments space has been heating up as of late as numerous companies compete in an expanding market that could be worth billions of dollars over the next decade. While typical FDM/FFF 3D printers have been limited in the material and products that they can print, recent advancements in material science has allowed for the creation of ABS and PLA composite filaments which provide for the once unimaginable to become a reality.
- 3D Scanning: the Achilles Heel of IP Protection for 3D Printing (3dprintingindustry.com)
July 28, 2015
Jerry Fisher unexpectedly found himself in legal hot water after publishing 3D models of a famous Michelangelo statue located on Augustana College’s campus. Mr. Fisher used hundreds of photographs of the statue to create a 3D model. After uploading the model to MakerBot’s Thingiverse, Augustana College requested that Mr. Fisher take it down, on the grounds that he had violated copyright law.[
- Fully Functional Platform Jack is Amazingly 3D Printable as One Piece — No Supports Required (3dprint.com)
July 28, 2015
Within the the desktop 3D printing space, there are some 3D printable open source designs that have virtually become legends among the many. These are objects that can be downloaded and 3D printed free of charge, that exhibit functionality that proves to the world that 3D printing is capable of creating much more than simple doodads. Some examples might be the 3D printable working 5-speed transmission, as well as more simple creations such as the LeFabShop Elephant. However, a particular design, which has the potential to become one of the most popular and most downloaded designs we’ve seen in a long time, is the newly released Platform Jack, created by a Seattle-based company called intentional3D.
- Mutoh Industries unveils Value Arc MA5000-S1 metal arc welding 3D printer (3ders.org)
July 27, 2015
While desktop FDM 3D printers are steadily going down in price and becoming more available than ever, many experienced users are still impatiently glancing over at the industrial-quality (and priced) 3D printers out there. Fortunately, a new Japanese 3D printer could be just what those of us with limited budgets are looking for. For Japanese printer manufacturer Mutoh is about to unveil the Value Arc MA5000-S1 3D printer, which is much more affordable than other metal 3D printers for its ability to use arc welding, rather than laser-based, technology.
- Ukraine’s Privatbank Cuts Costs of ATM Repairs 20-fold Thanks to 3D Printed Replacement Parts (3dprint.com)
July 27, 2015
When it comes to handling money, we’d like to think that our local and international banks are the ones who know best. Of course this hasn’t been the case all of the time, as seen over the course of history, but typically the men and women who make the decisions for these financial institutions are ones who we should trust with our hard earned cash.
- 1987 Firebird Converted into a Full-Size Working Replica of the Knight Rider Car with 3D Printed Parts (3dprint.com)
July 27, 2015
When most of us think of Knight Rider, we recall our favorite episodes from the epic David Hasselhoff television series which was produced between 1982 and 1986. In all, NBC broadcasted 90 different episodes over four entertaining seasons of the show, with many fans were left heartbroken when it went off the air in 1986. Today, there are still huge fan clubs dedicated to the show as well as individuals who try to replicate the famous car the best they can.
- You Can Now 3D Print a Rubber Band Powered Car (3dprint.com)
July 26, 2015
The ideas of inventing, innovating and “making” are usually tied to individuals with an extreme creative side to them. Over the course of history, only those with will power, determination and intelligence have typically been the ones to bring unique new creations into reality. However, with the advent of 3D printing and the increasing adoption rate of desktop 3D printers within people’s homes, we are starting to see more and more unique ideas come to fruition, many of which would have never had seen the light of day previously.
- Australian 3D printed surfboard startup Disrupt considers expanding to California (3ders.org)
July 26, 2015
When it comes to custom fabricated product designs, surfboards have been around for decades and have launched the careers of dedicated ‘shapers’ who use shaping tools to whittle foam material away until a specified and balanced custom board design is achieved. But just like most other industries, it too is being disrupted by additive manufacturing technologies.
- 3D Printing a Tough, Field-ready BeagleBox Computer (3dprint.com)
July 24, 2015
While there is no doubt that the possibilities for better understanding of and more intentional participation in the world around has been greatly enhanced by the invention of the computer, that technology has brought with it its own difficulties. One of those challenges is the very computer itself. Computers are fragile things and they can’t be operated manually…and once it’s broken it’s just an oversized paperweight. We’ve all dropped a laptop or spilled coffee on a keyboard. We’ve all heard the sickening sizzle of improper voltage or gotten ‘the blue screen of death.’ In fact, I once had weeks of work disappear when my laptop underwent the poetically named ‘kernel panic’ – a fantastic name for a punk band if I ever heard one.
- Osteo3D Opens Marketplace for 3D Printable Medical Models from Real Patient Data (3dprintingindustry.com)
July 24, 2015
There are many companies dedicated to improving the use of 3D printing in the medical sector, and one of them Osteo3D, just released an amazing online repository of medical 3D models. Of course, patient information is private, so some of the “live models” have been made anonymous. But there are now over 100 3D models available to doctors and other registered medical professionals online, which allows them t0 compare their own patient’s 3D files with Osteo3D models. In fact, they can 3D print these models at home or wherever they have access to a 3D printer
- Brainless’ 3D Printed Battlebots & RoboToons are Run by RoboGuts – Coming Soon to Kickstarter (3dprint.com)
July 28, 2015
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again, 3D printing and robotics continue to converge upon one another at a rapid rate. 3D printing has become a go-to solution for creating custom robots that function and look exactly how their creators intend. Advanced computer systems combined with 3D printed parts are leading the way, not only for companies and individuals to prototype their own unique robots, but also in the creation of final products which function fully.
- Illustrated Tales Made Physical with 3D Printing (3dprintingindustry.com)
July 28, 2015
More and more 3D printed consumer products are beginning to – literally – take a physical form. The formula that seems to be affirming itself is that of either using 3D printing to create new products (such as drones), or as a means to augment and personalize the user experience in entertainment products. For example, take the recently announced NecroVirus 3D printed board game. Founded by Vince Dorse and Prad Lal, a new project, called Blokko, intends to use 3D printing to expand the user experience in all storytelling, by offering a content and commerce platform where storytellers can publish and then collaborate with a community of 3D designers to create and sell merchandise relating directly to their IP.
- Create your own Infill Percent and Number of Shells displays for your 3D printer (3ders.org)
July 28, 2015
Although we like to think that 3D printing and the ability to create custom physical objects on demand is completely perfect, the reality is that there are a lot of constraints and variables that can drastically affect the outcome of one 3D print from another. While there have been a number of post-processing tools released in the past few years for ensuring that users are left with a final object that is usable, there are still a lot of details that need to be considered even before the big “print” button is even pushed. Unfortunately, many of these variables - such as infill - exist as digital sliders rather than as physical representations of what an object will look and feel like. Considering that nobody wants to waste time and/or material, these factors are important to understand. But as important as they are to understand, how is one to go about understanding them?
- REALvision Software Now Includes MyMiniFactory’s Complete 3D Model Library (3dprintingindustry.com)
July 27, 2015
Danish R&D company Create it REAL is an interesting one, working on a variety of products ranging from white label manufacturing of 3D printers to developing 3D printer processors meant to speed up a machine’s printing speed. The company also supplies a graphical 3D printing software called REALvision that manufacturers can use to run their printers. Now, this REALvision platform will not only be able to handle a 3D printer’s output, but its input as well, as Create it REAL partners with MyMiniFactory.com to connect REALvision to the complete MMF database of 3D models.
- Fred the tortoise in Brazil receives a 3D printed replacement shell after original is destroyed in fire (3ders.org)
July 27, 2015
Modern technologies have opened the door for a new era of veterinary medicine, according to a dedicated team of animal-lovers in Santos, São Paulo, who recently used 3D printing technology to save a tortoise’s life. The team, consisting of a veterinary surgeon, a dentist, and a graphic designer, spent three months designing and printing an entirely 3D printed prosthetic as a complete replacement for the original.
- Maker Shows Us How to Build Our Own E-Waste 3D Printer Using Trashed Technology (3dprint.com)
July 27, 2015
As many of us pound out blogs, emails, and various communications on the keys of our electronics, many of them laptops or PCs with double and sometimes even triple monitors, often tackling concerns about what’s eco-friendly and what’s not, how to save the planet, and so on–do we consider what’s going to happen to those very pieces of machinery when we tire of them and move on to the next model as soon as it becomes available? And as regular printers, scanners, and more become so inexpensive that they are practically disposable, the thought of how much metal trash will pile up is disturbing enough to make us want to, well, look away.
- Maker Upcycles IKEA Tables for 3D Printer Enclosure, Solves Temp & Calibration Concerns (3dprint.com)
July 26, 2015
IKEA, alternately being lauded for the joys of modern design and affordability and mocked for ridiculous assembly complications and spindliness, is often a source of inspiration for the creative community, famous for its appreciation of the ubiquitous Scandinavian designs and their attractive price tags. As Instructables member Sean Veck, of Southampton, sat one day evaluating his 3D printer that was giving him a few problems due to calibration and temperature issues, it occurred to him that some leftover parts from an IKEA table might pose as a great enclosure.
- KU e-Racing team uses 3D printing to produce race-ready car parts (3ders.org)
July 25, 2015
Although the world’s largest car manufacturers turned to rapid prototyping to develop ready-to-use prototypes of various car parts ranging from engine components to interior details decades ago, the technology has since become dramatically cheaper and increasingly more accessible for smaller businesses and institutions including schools.
- Voxel8 raises $12M to launch their electronics 3D printer by end of 2015 (3ders.org)
July 24, 2015
Although having the ability to create literally any shape of a plastic or metal part on-demand using a 3D printer has revolutionized multiple industries ranging from consumer product design to healthcare and even the ability to manufacture goods in space, there are still many factors involved with creating functional goods that 3D printing lacks. Ultimately, giving users the ability to print in multiple materials including electronics is a capability that would allow consumers to literally be able to print ready-to-use products - electronics included - on demand.
- OpHeart Works to Mainstream the Use of 3D Printed Heart Models for Pediatric Surgeons (3dprint.com)
July 24, 2015
When Ariana Garcia was six weeks old, she suddenly stopped breathing. When she went limp in her father’s arms, her parents rushed her to the emergency room. They sat in the waiting room for hour after agonizing hour until finally a doctor could finally explain what was happening. Her mother, Anne Garcia, recalls that experience in great detail:
- BEWARE: These 3D Printed Super Mario Bros. Warp Pipes Have Real Carnivorous Plants Living Inside! (3dprint.com)
July 28, 2015
I consider myself part of the “Super Mario Bros. Generation” — a generation characterized by cassette & VHS tapes, Madonna, Bruce Springsteen, and most importantly the birth of Nintendo mania. I recall my father bringing home a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), along with a cartridge which featured not only Duck Hunt and World Class Track Meet, but quite possibly the most iconic video game of all time, Super Mario Bros. Those of you who grew up in the ’80s will certainly remember jumping hurdles on the Power Pad, and skeet shooting with your Nintendo Light Gun, but it’s probably Mario and Luigi jumping over and on enemies, on their way to save Princess Toadstool from the evil Bowser, that stands out the most.
- 3D printed payload-sensing GO-GO AirBoat wins Thingiverse Make It Float Challenge (3ders.org)
July 28, 2015
While many of us have, at one point or another, finished a cool and original 3D printing project that we’d like to share with the world, you have to be well-prepared to score in 3D printing competitions as popular as Thingiverse’s Make It Float Challenge. The high quality of entries is best illustrated by the amazing first prize winner. For David Choi took home the first prize for designing and 3D printing a complex and fun GO-GO AirBoat that is not only a motorized, propeller-powered payload-sensing boat, but also comes with the most comprehensive guide you’ll have ever seen on Thingiverse.
- Design Student Uses Unique 3D Printing Process to Construct Furniture (3dprint.com)
July 28, 2015
People have been designing and producing 3D printable furniture for years now, to varying degrees of success. As you would expect, 3D printing with plastic isn’t always the best option for home furnishings. While there are large-scale 3D printers capable of producing full size pieces, they are not cheap and there is still the fragility of most 3D printing materials to consider. Additionally, most desktop 3D printers have such a small printing envelope that any larger-scale furnishings would generally need to be either modular or printed in parts and assembled after the fact.
- 14-Year-Old Maker 3D Prints Unique Portable Raspberry Pi Game System (3dprint.com)
July 27, 2015
With the help of his Ultimaker 2 and Autodesk’s 123 Design, Rasmus 3D printed an amazing, portable DIY multi-purpose gaming and entertainment system that others can customize and enjoy at home. He said the 3d printing took about 209 hours, and cost 320 meters of filament, and his system can emulate games dating back to 1977 as well as newer games through 2003.
- Concept Laser Beats Own Record with Largest Laser Metal 3D Printer (3dprintingindustry.com)
July 27, 2015
It may have passed somewhat under the radar, as Concept Laser already produces and sells the largest selective laser melting 3D printer in the world, the X line 1000, but the new X line 2000R, recently presented by the German company, has now set a new record for build volume in high precision metal 3D printing.
- Young Maker Advances from a Garage-Built Fusion Reactor to a 3D Printed Multispectral Imager (3dprint.com)
July 27, 2015
Conrad Farnsworth grew up in small town in Wyoming, and a loss at science fair spurred his desire to take on a whole range of science-oriented projects. He calls himself a “fusioneer, gun nut, electrical engineering student, maker, inventor, and handyman,” and he currently attends the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology as an electrical engineering student.
- Norwegian Physicist Uses Piezo Discs to Add Auto Bed Leveling to His 3D Printer (3dprint.com)
July 26, 2015
If you have ever opened a musical card, you have already encountered piezo discs. They are used in microphones, watches and are ubiquitous in the electronics landscape as detectors of mechanical force.
- Concept artist Jun Huang uses 3D printing to create impressive anatomical reference models (3ders.org)
July 24, 2015
Ask any dedicated artist what helped them learn their skill and many are likely to mention something along the lines of “sketching what you see”. Yet, because it’s not always feasible to sketch certain things in real-time, the use of reference models have become almost as common as the pencils and paper on an artist’s desk. Thanks to 3D printing, the ability to create custom reference models for artists - both analog and digital - has never been easier.
- Daegun Tech Looks to Whole New Suite of 3D Printing Systems (3dprintingindustry.com)
July 24, 2015
I have written about Daegun Tech before, and with good reason, in that this company is one of the few major electronics manufacturers in South Korea that is really taking the 3D printing movement very seriously. I stopped in recently to see what they were up to, and as it turns out…quite a bit.
- Designer Converts a Vintage Tool Box into a Working 3D Printer (3dprint.com)
July 24, 2015
Case modding is a pretty well known and popular pastime for computer gamers, makers and enthusiasts. So much so that these days most gaming conventions feature contests where modders lug along their computers when they attend and compete for prizes and accolades. There are rarely any rules to modding a computer, other than be as creative as possible. Typically modded cases are for computer towers, but I’ve seen makers mod cases for gaming tables, stereos and even entire entertainment systems. And now, in what I hope is the beginning of a new trend, a case mod for a 3D printer.