- Professor uses 3D printed vegemite to power LEDs – could this be the future of edible electronics? (3ders.org)
August 28, 2015
The list of 3D printable materials has gotten very long and diverse over recent years, and only seems to be increasing in length at a very steady rate. But among it are some very surprising (and sometimes even edible) materials, and one Dutch professor at the University of Wollongong in Australia has just added perhaps the strangest: Vegemite. Not only has Marc in het Panhuis successfully 3D printed this material, he has proved that the material is an ideal conductor of electricity. Could this be the future of edible electronics?
- Autodesk teams with LLNL to design 3D printable objects (helmet) in next-gen materials (3ders.org)
August 21, 2015
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) with the express purpose of using the latest software innovations to make 3D printable design of next generation materials possible. The first goal? To design and 3D print protective metamaterial helmets.
- US Air Force new flexible 3D printed electronics can monitor health and help us stay safe (3ders.org)
August 18, 2015
Throughout the past century, the military has always been at the forefront of technological innovation, so its hardly surprising they have fully adopted 3D printing technology as well. While several military innovations have already been revealed, yesterday the US Air Force and the American Chemical Society unveiled a very interesting development that could have farther reaching applications than the military. They have used 3D printing technology to develop flexible hybrid electronic materials that are small, compact, powerful and above all able to withstand extreme external pressures – thus perfect for use on aircraft and even on bombs. However, the rest of the making world can obviously also benefit from these next-gen replacements of the PCB.
- Finuvo’s Aqua Hydrographics Printer Adds Powerful Pizzazz for Finishing 3D Prints (3dprint.com)
August 7, 2015
Being able to finish your 3D printed products with some powerful and funky pizzazz, a required understated look with aluminum coating, or even printed wood or camo can be the difference between a rather boring blob of plastic and a professional looking, polished piece. And from the looks of things at Finuvo, it’s a lot of fun getting ‘dip crazy’ with practically whatever you want.
- Polymaker Introduces Four New PolyMax Filament Colors — PolySupport Now Available for Order (3dprint.com)
July 30, 2015
As the focus of the 3D printing industry shifts from the hobby and maker market to the industrial design and office market there has been a shift in 3D printer usability. The last few generations of desktop 3D printers have focused on streamlining, reducing the number of misprints and errors and taking the frustration out of the printing process. As machines become easier to use and more reliable, the focus has now begun to shift over to 3D printing materials.
- Researchers Develop Reuseable Substrates, Experiment with GMAW Metal 3D Printing (3dprint.com)
July 28, 2015
Not too long ago, metal 3D printing was rather rare. It wasn’t long though before all interested parties had their interests piqued, wondering about the possibilities. As the technology entered major industrial processes at great expense and initial experimentation, the world began to see it as an emerging and extremely viable and useful process.
- Exclusive Interview With Creator of 3D Systems’ New Infinity Rinse-Away Filament, Marty Johnson (3dprint.com)
July 22, 2015
Recently we reported on a new 3D printing material released by 3D Systems, called “Infinity Rinse-Away Water-Soluble Support Material” (INF). The material is truly the ultimate time saver when it comes to 3D printing objects that require support. Rather than having to spend hours chipping away at stubborn plastic, it can simply be rinsed away with tap water. After covering the story, I thought to myself, “I’d love to sit down with the man who invented this material”. Then a few hours later, my wish actually came true.
- In:Sand – 3D Printing with a Plentiful Building Material (3dprint.com)
July 17, 2015
The Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) takes on cutting edge education and research to prepare students to meet the challenges regarding the construction of habitable structures. Based in Barcelona, IAAC boasts faculty and students from more than 35 countries who work on problems from understanding cities to building to manufacturing.
- Kanèsis Looks to Bring Hemp Filament to Market for 3D Printing Hemp Drones & Much More (3dprint.com)
July 14, 2015
Cannabis has been in the news quite a bit lately, mostly for issues related to marijuana. Whether it has been the use of marijuana for medical purposes or for recreational use, there has been much political debate lately over whether or not it should be legalized. No matter what side of the argument you stand on, it’s pretty safe to say that when it comes to hemp use, the debate is not nearly as two-sided.
- Don’t Throw That SLA Resin Vat Away, Repair It With The ReCoat Kit (3dprint.com)
July 8, 2015
DruckWege calls the ReCoat kit “the world’s first DIY repair kit for SLA printers,” and the pair of German engineers responsible for the kit say it arose from their work as popular service providers. Situated near Cologne, they say they began working in 3D printing back in 2009 with a RepRap Mendel Kit to discover “the magic of 3D printing technologies.”
- What Can We 3D Print with Graphene Filament? (3dprintingindustry.com)
August 26, 2015
The world has known about graphene for little more than a decade, and recently was made available as a filament for 3D printers, in the form of a nanocomposite combined with PLA. For the past two months, we at CD3D have had the privilege of working with the unique filament from Graphene 3D Lab, that sparked worldwide attention early this year. What we can say at the moment is that this material has several outstanding features, even though it’s pretty tough to 3D print with. Nevertheless, I wanted to share my thoughts about the possibilities that Graphene 3D gives to the average low-budget 3D printer user.
- Wound Up — 3Dom USA’s New Coffee 3D Printer Filament Takes Bio-materials to the Next Level (3dprint.com)
August 21, 2015
Materials, materials, materials! That’s what 2015 seems to be all about within the FDM/FFF 3D printing space. While hardware manufacturers battle it out for the fastest, most accurate, most affordable 3D printer on the market, perhaps more important is the work being done in the materials space, as new materials are able to transform the capabilities of these very machines.
- Kickstarter Campaign Launched for “WillowFlex” — A Compostable Corn Starch-Based Filament (3dprint.com)
August 17, 2015
As a 3D printing writer, I frequently remind people of the importance of filament development. Why? Because many of us are in agreement that while advances in flexibility or strength are great, for example, we want 3D printing to move in the direction of being ecologically sustainable too. Filament is the stuff that stuff is made of, so it is one very important area for 3D printing to show its commitment to putting more of this stuff back in the ground, ultimately, and less in the overflowing landfills. If you are with me on sustainable 3D printing development, you’ll probably be as excited as I am about this new Kickstarter project: BioInspiration’s flexible, compostable, resilient 3D printer filament.
- Disney produces 3D printed objects with variable elasticity levels (3ders.org)
August 6, 2015
There are just a few companies in the world that need no introduction, and Disney is one of them. But did you know that Disney does more than shoot box office hits and sell toys to your kids? They also have a very active Research Department that specializes in a variety of applications that can be used throughout the Disney empire. They are also very active with 3D printing technology – 3D printing this robot with unique movement options a few months ago. And now another interesting innovation has come out of the Research Department, as they have developed a method for 3D printing objects in a single material that feature different levels of elasticity throughout the object. Almost like 3D printing a bunny in a single material, but featuring bendable ears and a solid body.
- Tiamet3D plans to bring aerospace-grade 3D printing filament to desktop 3D printers (3ders.org)
July 30, 2015
Despite the range of improvements that have been made to both additive manufacturing technologies as well as the materials used in the additive manufacturing process, the ability to create parts using a desktop 3D printer that are ready for highly-demanding applications have still left a lot to be desired. Perhaps the most prominent company thus far that’s been focused on creating high-strength parts is Boston-based MarkForged. The company’s Mark One 3D printer is capable of embedding Kevlar, carbon fiber and fibreglass into printed objects to make the prints considerably stronger than any other desktop 3D printing system. To date, the printer has been used to create everything from functional hand tools and drones to even race-ready car parts for Formula 1 racing.
- 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.
- Why can’t I get 3D Printed Parts to Stick to the Bed (airwolf3d.com)
July 22, 2015
While most desktop 3D printers are only capable of 3D printing in a single material–usually ABS or PLA–most Airwolf 3D printers are capable of printing in over 40 different types of thermoplastic materials. There are many different strategies to improve the bond between the build plate and the 3D printed part. Our unique experience with a wide range of 3D printing filaments has allowed us to emerge as an industry leader in 3D printer adhesion solutions. Whether you are 3D printing with low temperature materials like PLA or high temperature materials like Polycarbonate, here are some things to consider for getting 3D printed parts to stick to the bed.
- New EasyWelder Tool welds multiple types of 3D printing filaments (3ders.org)
July 16, 2015
Despite the many new 3D printer models, filaments and even technologies that have been released in recent memory, many of the same problems that have plagued 3D printer users in the past are still in existence today. Among other problems, these include finishing 3D prints so that they are free of unsightly print features or errors, as well as the ability to weld separate 3D printed parts into a single and durable part. Now, a small start-up in France has announced that they’ve created a 3D printing welder that they’re claiming can weld different types of plastic filament together.
- 3D Systems Unveils Water Soluble Rinse-Away Material for Cube & CubePro 3D Printers (3dprint.com)
July 14, 2015
When it comes to FDM/FFF based 3D printing, there is nothing that unnerves me more than having to spend time removing support material from printed objects. There have been cases where I have spent 4 hours (no joke) removing support material from an object that took just 3 hours to print. There have been other times when I’ve destroyed 3D printed objects trying to pry away stubborn supports. I know others who have actually harmed themselves in the process, needing to visit the emergency room to get stitches on their fingers and hands due to the sharp tools required for the process.
- Formfutura Launches New CarbonFil 3D Printing Filament (3dprintingindustry.com)
July 7, 2015
What kind of filament do you use for 3D printing? Do you use filament at all? Most of the people I know working with filament-based 3D printers rely on PLA and ABS. Everyone loves Ninjaflex, but there are hundreds of filaments to choose from. Chances are, if you’ve already invested the money to buy a desktop 3D printer, you may be less impressed by the news of the top-down DLP printers like Carbon 3D, who have yet to release any information about how much their machine will cost.
- 3D Printed in Just 19 Minutes, Hollow Ball Can Withstand Almost 30 Kg of Weight, Thanks to Gizmo 3D’s Technology (3dprint.com)
August 26, 2015
Typically when you think of the tradeoff between 3D printing speed and the quality in which the parts that come off of these printers exhibit, they have a negative correlation. You increase print speed, and this will almost always decrease the quality of the printed parts. Likewise, if print speed is slowed down, the quality, resolution, and strength of the printed parts should increase.
- 3D Systems announces tough, smooth & flexible Nylon material for CubePro 3D printer (3ders.org)
August 18, 2015
3D Systems announced today that it has expanded its PlasticJet Printing materials to include a new Nylon for CubePro 3D printers. Engineered with a blend that includes Nylon 6 and compatible with Infinity Rinse-Away water-soluble support material, this material allows you to print stronger, flexible and long-lasting prints. In addition, Nylon's strength and durability gives prints a smooth surface finish, ideal for parts requiring load bearing, base strength.
- VIVASA Design to Transform Lighting Industry with Eco3D PLA Light Diffusion Filament (3dprint.com)
August 12, 2015
The interior design and lighting industry is famous for entertaining and wowing us with one new look and concept after another, from modern bohemian and ultra hip to funky and futuristic. Commercial lighting is a place where consumers can exhibit a great deal of style as well, but with one difference–this is usually either for advertising or is completely utilitarian. Both usage and functionality are crucial, as it comes down to the bottom line. LED lighting has become very popular for use in places like offices, hotels, parks, airports, and more.
- New Algae & High Heat 3D Printing Filaments Made with Sustainability in Mind (3dprintingindustry.com)
August 4, 2015
As Makers keep searching and tweaking the perfect 3D printing environment, one primary concern that pops up on a recurring basis how to make 3D printing more environmentally friendly. After all, these machines work by burning plastic. Without proper ventilation, the fumes can be harmful over time. Manufacturing PLA and ABS isn’t exactly an ideal operation for reducing the global carbon footprint. In steps 3D Fuel, who have recently released two interesting new filaments. While their new high heat grade advanced PLA filament seeks to shift the industry away from petroleum, the other, called Algae-Fuel, is an algae infused filament with the environment in mind.
- 3dChef Jumps onto 3D Hubs to Offer Sugar 3D Printing (3dprintingindustry.com)
July 29, 2015
Julian Sing, aka 3dChef, runs, as far as I know, the only independent firm for 3D printing sugar objects. As a product designer, Maker, and pastry chef, Julian was able to create his own sugar 3D printer way ahead of the yet-to-launch ChefJet 3D printer from 3D Hubs. Until now, 3dChef has been providing its sugar printing services to local artists and businesses, which has seen his printer fabricate melting sugar cubes for music videos and even honey for a London-based artist. Today, however, the 3dChef has jumped onto the 3D Hubs distributed manufacturing network to offer sugar printing to the masses… of Holland.
- New Firewire PPS 3D Printing Filament from 3DXTech Withstands High Temps & Extreme Chemicals (3dprint.com)
July 23, 2015
3DXTech is well aware that the 3D printing industry is full of myriad and sundry filament choices. While there are the standard choices in ABS and PLA which work fine for a variety of 3D prints and even larger-scale projects, 3DXTech has a new product that is catering to the extreme workout in 3D printing.
- Airwolf 3D debuts Wolfbite MEGA adhesive for optimal polycarbonate, PC-ABS and PLA 3D printing (3ders.org)
July 22, 2015
While 3D printing is theoretically fantastic, how many of us have despaired over finished prints that are difficult to safely remove from the printbed, over warping and over failed prints? While many have just accepted it as part of the manufacturing reality, it doesn’t have to be this way. For the Californian 3D printer developer Airwolf 3D has just unveiled the Wolfbite MEGA, a chemical solution that can be applied to your glass or ceramic printbed to ensure easy and warp-free PC and PC-ABS prints. Another comparable product, the Wolfbite NANO, is also available for PLA prints.
- Sipatech’s Materia Filaments Include Cement, Brick, Clay and Sandy-like Material Options (3dprint.com)
July 15, 2015
The Heritage Brick and Clay filaments give the effects of objects made out of clay, whether it be the traditional “red brick” look or a more standard clay-like appearance. The Heritage Brick material actually has microscopic brick dust mixed in with the polymer blend, while the Clay does the same with real clay particles.
- The Filament Safe – KIT protects your 3D printing filaments from damage (3ders.org)
July 10, 2015
Although the most basic filaments may be forgettable if they ever become lost, stolen or damaged, a new generation of filaments that cost significantly more per reel - including filaments made with carbon fiber or those that have been officially approved for use in zero gravity conditions - are likely to warrant more concern over their safekeeping.