3D Printing Flies High now. Articles on three-dimensional printers are popping up everywhere these days. And nowadays there are many 3D printer products. Some are small enough to fit in a briefcase and others are large enough to print houses.
Everything you ever wanted to know about 3D printing article tells that 3D printing is having its “Macintosh moment,” declares Wired editor -in-chief Chris Anderson in cover story on the subject. 3D printers are now where the PC was 30 years ago. They are just becoming affordable and accessible to non-geeks, will be maybe able to democratize manufacturing the same way that PCs democratized publishing.
Gartner’s 2012 Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies Identifies “Tipping Point” Technologies That Will Unlock Long-Awaited Technology Scenarios lists 3D Print It at Home as important topic. In this scenario, 3D printing allows consumers to print physical objects, such as toys or housewares, at home, just as they print digital photos today. Combined with 3D scanning, it may be possible to scan certain objects with a smartphone and print a near-duplicate. Analysts predict that 3D printing will take more than five years to mature beyond the niche market. Eventually, 3D printing will enable individuals to print just about anything from the comfort of their own homes.Slideshow: 3D Printers Make Prototypes Pop article tells that advances in performance, and the durability and range of materials used in additive manufacturing and stereolithography offerings, are enabling companies to produce highly durable prototypes and parts, while also cost-effectively churning out manufactured products in limited production runs.
3D printing can have implications to manufacturers of some expensive products. The Pirate Bay declares 3D printed “physibles” as the next frontier of piracy. Pirate Bay Launches 3D-Printed ‘Physibles’ Downloads. The idea is to have freely available designs for different products that you can print at home with your 3D printer. Here a video demonstrating 3D home printing in operation.
Shapeways is a marketplace and community that encourages the making and sharing of 3D-printed designs. 3D Printing Shapes Factory of the Future article tells that recently New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg cut the Shapeways‘ Factory (filled with industrial-sized 3D printers) ribbon using a pair of 3D-printed scissors.
The Next Battle for Internet Freedom Could Be Over 3D Printing article tells up to date, 3D printing has primarily been used for rapid commercial prototyping largely because of its associated high costs. Now, companies such as MakerBot are selling 3D printers for under $2,000. Slideshow: 3D Printers Make Prototypes Pop article gives view a wide range of 3D printers, from half-million-dollar rapid prototyping systems to $1,000 home units. Cheapest 3D printers (with quite limited performance) now start from 500-1000 US dollars. It is rather expensive or inexpensive is how you view that.
RepRap Project is a cheap 3D printer that started huge 3D printing buzz. RepRap Project is an initiative to develop an open design 3D printer that can print most of its own components. RepRap (short for replicating rapid prototyper) uses a variant of fused deposition modeling, an additive manufacturing technique (The project calls it Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) to avoid trademark issues around the “fused deposition modeling” term). It is almost like a small hot glue gun that melts special plastic is moved around to make the printout. I saw RepRap (Mendel) and Cupcake CNC 3D printers in operation at at Assembly Summer 2010.
There has been some time been trials to make 3D-Printed Circuit Boards. 3D Printers Will Build Circuit Boards ‘In Two Years’ article tells that printing actual electronics circuit boards is very close. Most of the assembly tools are already completely automated anyway.
3D printing can be used to prototype things like entire cars or planes. The makers of James Bond’s latest outing, Skyfall, cut a couple corners in production and used modern 3D printing techniques to fake the decimation of a classic 1960s Aston Martin DB5 (made1:3 scale replicas of the car for use in explosive scenes). The world’s first 3D printed racing car can pace at 140 km/h article tells that a group of 16 engineers named “Group T” has unveiled a racing car “Areion” that is competing in Formula Student 2012 challenge. It is described as the world’s first 3D printed race car. The Areion is not fully 3D printed but most of it is.
Student Engineers Design, Build, Fly ‘Printed’ Airplane article tells that when University of Virginia engineering students posted a YouTube video last spring of a plastic turbofan engine they had designed and built using 3-D printing technology, they didn’t expect it to lead to anything except some page views. But it lead to something bigger. 3-D Printing Enables UVA Student-Built Unmanned Plane article tells that in an effort that took four months and $2000, instead of the quarter million dollars and two years they estimate it would have using conventional design methods, a group of University of Virginia engineering students has built and flown an airplane of parts created on a 3-D printer. The plane is 6.5 feet in wingspan, and cruises at 45 mph.
3D printers can also print guns and synthetic chemical compounds (aka drugs). The potential policy implications are obvious. US Army Deploys 3D Printing Labs to Battlefield to print different things army needs. ‘Wiki Weapon Project’ Aims To Create A Gun Anyone Can 3D-Print At Home. If high-quality weapons can be printed by anyone with a 3D printer, and 3D printers are widely available, then law enforcement agencies will be forced to monitor what you’re printing in order to maintain current gun control laws.
Software Advances Do Their Part to Spur 3D Print Revolution article tells that much of the recent hype around 3D printing has been focused on the bevy of new, lower-cost printer models. Yet, significant improvements to content creation software on both the low and high end of the spectrum are also helping to advance the cause, making the technology more accessible and appealing to a broader audience. Slideshow: Content Creation Tools Push 3D Printing Mainstream article tells that there is still a sizeable bottleneck standing in the way of mainstream adoption of 3D printing: the easy to use software used to create the 3D content. Enter a new genre of low-cost (many even free like Tikercad) and easy-to-use 3D content creation tools. By putting the tools in reach, anyone with a compelling idea will be able to easily translate that concept into a physical working prototype without the baggage of full-blown CAD and without having to make the huge capital investments required for traditional manufacturing.
Finally when you have reached the end of the article there is time for some fun. Check out this 3D printing on Dilbert strip so see a creative use of 3D printing.
2,059 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
3-D Printing Branches Out With New Wood-Based Filament
http://www.wired.com/design/2012/11/3d-printer-wood-filament/
Printed plastics? So 2011. And high-end printers have been working with metals and ceramics for some time. But now the 3-D printing community is toying with a material more natural in origin: printed wood.
A Thingiverse member going by the nom de printer ”Kaipa” recently uploaded pictures of 3D-printed parts that weren’t made of extruded plastic, but a wood/plastic mixture he created on his own.
Latoya Smith says:
Over the years I’ve ordered dozens of catalogs that were printed with less than expected quality, some being downright scrappy. A couple months ago my company in Hobe Sound FL, printed some catalogs with PCA Delta and they were great. I’ve been printing with them ever since. They show care for the environment by using soy based inks, plus recycled papers are available upon request. If you need catalogs printed go to http://www.pcadeltaprinting.com/ I strongly recommend them.
tomi says:
Your comment was pretty off-topic.
My article was about printing 3D object, not traditional old-fashioned paper catalogs.
Who needs those paper catalogs nowadays?
Tomi Engdahl says:
Let the 3d printing patent wars begin!
http://hackaday.com/2012/11/21/let-the-3d-printing-patent-wars-begin/
If you and your friends were gathering a pool of bets together as to when the first patent case would happen in 3d printing, someone just won the pot. 3D systems has filed suit against formlabs for possible patent infringement.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Suicide Drones, Mini Blimps and 3D Printers: Inside the New Army Arsenal
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/11/new-army-arsenal/
Flying grenades. Mini spy blimps. Robotic bomb-busters. Suicide-vest spotters. Battlefield 3D printers. The Army is retooling for a very austere, very remote way of war. And the gear that’s required is very different from the hardware that came before.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Finnish 3D printer was created as a thesis
In Finland, the first designed for series-produced 3D printer is coming into the market.
“This is my chance, when the subject of this thesis was to develop a quality suitable for home use 3d printer.”
Although the limited liability company is about to introduce, Pihlajamäki hopes to sell next year, up from 100 to 200 devices.
“The goal has been to make the most easy to use and reliable device.”
The first mini-factory 3d printer makes PLA plastic items, but the hope is to get into the ABS-plastic and wooden material manufacturing.
Source: http://www.3t.fi/artikkeli/uutiset/teknologia/kotimainen_3d_tulostin_syntyi_opinnaytetyona
Tomi Engdahl says:
miniFactory 3D printer – Blog
Projects, news and announcements of about miniFactory 3D printer and 3D printing
http://minifactory.fi/blog/
Tomi Engdahl says:
NASA 3D Prints Rocket Engine Parts
http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1392&doc_id=254513&cid=NL_Newsletters+-+DN+Daily&dfpPParams=ind_183,industry_aero,industry_gov,bid_27,aid_254513&dfpLayout=blog
Three-dimensional printing is being used to make metal parts for aircraft and space vehicles, as well as industrial uses. Now NASA is building engine parts with this technique for its next-generation heavy-lift rocket.
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center is using a selective laser melting (SLM) process to produce intricate metal parts for the SLS rocket engines with powdered metals and the M2 Cusing machine, built by Concept Laser of Germany. NASA expects to save millions in manufacturing costs and reduce manufacturing time. SLM, a version of selective laser sintering, is known for its ability to create metal parts with complex geometries and precise mechanical properties.
Tomi Engdahl says:
[Prusa]‘s nozzle prints polycarbonate, PEEK, & nylon
http://hackaday.com/2012/11/27/prusas-nozzle-prints-polycarbonate-peek-nylon/
[Josef Prusa], brainchild behind what is probably the most popular 3D printer, has just unleashed a new hot end that is capable of printing objects in polycarbonate, PEEK, and nylon.
This new hot end is completely made out of stainless steel
Tomi Engdahl says:
Space-Based 3-D Printers Could Create Tools From Moon Dust
http://www.wired.com/design/2012/11/3-d-printed-moon-rocks/
Shipping stuff to space is expensive. It’s a significant barrier to any form of manned space exploration, let alone colonization. 3-D printing has been suggested as a way to save on weight — if you need a wrench, you print it out, rather than carrying a wrench. But even 3-D printing requires carrying raw materials. At least, it did.
Amit Bandyopadhyay and his collaborators published recently in the Rapid Prototyping Journal an experiment in which they used a high-powered laser to liquefy and 3-D print moon rocks.
Well, not moon rocks exactly. NASA sent the team a bunch of fine, black powder that was compositionally similar to what you’d find on the moon, and asked if they could 3-D print it.
“We had a system,”
“Before doing this we did some work with ceramic powders. That was published, and quite successful, so I guess that was the reason we got the call.”
Bandyopadhyay’s team tweaked the power, scan, and feed rates on an Optomec LENS-750, a Tardis-sized, half-million-dollar, off-the-shelf additive manufacturing system that 3-D prints metals. Brought down to 50 watts, the researchers were able to uniformly melt and then re-solidify the (simulated) moon dust into 3-D objects, like bricks, that could be used for structures, radiation shields, insulating coatings, and so on.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Conductive filament means printable sensors
http://hackaday.com/2012/11/29/conductive-filament-means-printable-sensors/
The 3D printer world has the creation of plastic trinkets pretty much down pat. The next step, obviously, is the creation of multi-material models, whether they be made of two different colors of plastic, or completely different materials entirely. A few folks from the University of Warwick and GKN Aerospace in Bristol, UK have come up with a way of putting electronic sensors directly into 3D printed objects.
These new sensors rely on a conductive filament custom-made for this study. So far, the researchers have created flex sensors, capacitive buttons, and a ‘smart’ mug that can sense how much water is contained within.
A Simple, Low-Cost Conductive Composite Material for 3D Printing of Electronic Sensors
http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0049365#s4
Tomi Engdahl says:
BREAKING: Staples to Use Mcor IRIS in Copy Centers
http://fabbaloo.com/blog/2012/11/28/breaking-staples-to-use-mcor-iris-in-copy-centers.html#.ULiKG9cbNI1
In a blockbuster announcement, Mcor, the makers of the IRIS color 3D printing system based on plain old paper, say they’ve struck a huge deal with print services giant Staples to supply 3D printing equipment for their numerous print and copy centers.
Staples Printing Division is starting the process by rolling it out in Belgium and the Netherlands in Q1 2013 and then “will be rolled out quickly to other countries” according to Staples.
Those with printable 3D models can merely upload them to Staples’ web site, where they will be transformed into full color 3D objects with Mcor’s new IRIS paper-based 3D printers. Printed models will be sent to your local Staples or directly to your address.
The implications of this move are truly enormous, as it will go a very long way to opening up 3D printing for all. Staples is a massive brand with an astonishing capacity for advertising compared to any 3D printing company.
One issue facing Staples will be the influx of customers attempting to 3D print models that are in fact, unprintable. Staples and MCOR should develop some process or filter that ensures the success rate of printing is high, otherwise the service could be in jeopardy.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Printing puzzles with plastic parts
http://hackaday.com/2012/11/29/printing-puzzles-with-plastic-parts/
A decade or so ago, a line of jigsaw puzzles called Puzz3D brought the joys of fitting pieces of cardboard together into three dimensions.
Now that just about every hackerspace in the land has a 3D printer, it might just be time to create better 3D puzzles, and [Rich Olson]‘s OpenSCAD library is up to the task.
Right now the library is limited to generating up to four interlocking pieces, but [Rich] says the code should be easy to modify for a truly absurd 500-piece puzzle of the Taj Mahal,
PuzzleCut OpenSCAD Library
http://nothinglabs.blogspot.fi/2012/11/puzzlecut-openscad-library.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
British boffins 3D print electrical sensors
Piezoresistive polymer means 3D printers could spit out working game controllers
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/30/warwick_university_carbomorph_3d_printing_sensors/
Researchers at the University of Warwick and GKN Aerospace have developed a material that, when used in a 3D printer (3DP), makes it possible for the printed objects to include working sensors.
Detailed in a paper titled A Simple, Low-Cost Conductive Composite Material for 3D Printing of Electronic Sensors, the researchers explain that objects printed by 3D printers are a grand way to make sure CAD work is progressing well, but also disappointingly inanimate and unready for integration with other components.
That makes 3DP printers useful for basic prototyping, but the researchers say they aspire to “meet the demands of entrepreneurs, designers and artists wishing to create ever more complex and high-tech products using 3DP technology”. Those types, the paper say, want to “move towards the incorporation of functional elements such as electronic sensors into 3D printed macroscale structures.”
Carbomorph is based on Carbon Black filler
The team also got its hands on a “readily available modeling plastic” called “polymorph” and combined it with Carbon Black until they had a substance that was able to be 3D printed and still conducted electricity.
Better yet, the new material was also piezoresistive – its electrical resistance changes when squeezed.
The University’s announcement of the research even shows a gaming controller made of carbomorph
The paper concludes by saying the scientists think they’re on to something.
A Simple, Low-Cost Conductive Composite Material for 3D Printing of Electronic Sensors (PDF)
http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0049365
Tomi Engdahl says:
Press Release:
Engineers pave the way towards 3D printing of personal electronics
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/engineers_pave_the/
A major advantage of using 3D printing is that sockets for connection to equipment such as interface electronics can be printed out instead of connected using conductive glues or paints.
“We set about trying to find a way in which we could actually print out a functioning electronic device from a 3D printer.
“In the long term, this technology could revolutionalise the way we produce the world around us, making products such as personal electronics a lot more individualised and unique and in the process reducing electronic waste.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Making 3D printing easy at the Staples copy center
http://hackaday.com/2012/12/02/making-3d-printing-easy-at-the-staples-copy-center/
Mcor Technologies and Staples are teaming up to provide 3D printing services via the online Staples Office Center service.
Unfortunately, unless you live in Belgium or The Netherlands, your local Staples won’t be installing a 3D printer in their copy center anytime soon. For those of us outside these countries, we’ll have to wait until services like Shapeways and Ponoko figure out how to make their business model include a brick and mortar presence.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Mcor Iris True Color 3D Printer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=bnn-ACoMw4w#!
Tomi Engdahl says:
Printing a bicycle with a 3D printer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmxjLpu2BvY
Tomi Engdahl says:
Slideshow: Content Creation Tools Push 3D Printing Mainstream
http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1394&doc_id=249704&cid=NL_Newsletters+-+DN+Daily
There’s been lots of talk lately about how the price of 3D printers is going down, how the choice of materials for 3D printing is expanding, and how improved accessibility of the technology is widening its use in a host of new industries, from medical applications to becoming an instrumental part of the engineering workflow around early prototyping.
What’s really exciting about this trend is that it’s the engine behind what many hope will be the next wave of American innovation — personal manufacturing. By putting the tools in reach, anyone with a compelling idea will be able to easily translate that concept into a physical working prototype without the baggage of full-blown CAD and without having to make the huge capital investments required for traditional manufacturing.
Tomi Engdahl says:
3-D Printed Gun Only Lasts 6 Shots
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/12/weaponeers/
A group of 3-D printing gunsmiths have taken another step toward making a gun you can download off the internet. This weekend, the desktop weaponeers took a partially printed rifle out to test how long its plastic parts survived spewing bullets. The result? Six rounds until it snapped apart.
“We knew it would break, probably,” says Cody Wilson, who heads the Wiki Weapon project. “But I don’t think we thought it’d break within six [rounds]. We thought it’d break within 20.”
It’s the first live testing done by Wilson and Defense Distributed, the online collective that aims not only produce the world’s first fully 3-D printed gun, or “Wiki Weapon,” but create a clearinghouse for sharing weapons blueprints over the internet.
The gun tested this weekend was not fully 3-D printed, only partially. The only printed part was the lower receiver — or the gun’s trigger and grip — for an AR-15 rifle completed with off-the-shelf metal parts
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tutorial designs 3D printed cases for your projects
http://hackaday.com/2012/12/06/tutorial-designs-3d-printed-cases-for-your-projects/
[Landon Cox] recently finished up a 3-part tutorial on designing project enclosures for 3D printing. The series is great if you have not yet tried your hand at this realm of the 3D printing universe, but there’s a lot to take away about design and modeling even if you don’t plan to print your creations.
He starts off part one of the tutorial by explaining the need for 3D printed cases. He believes it’s the natural progression after you’ve made it far enough to have your own PCB manufactured. Why not add a well designed and fabricated case to compliment your meticulously laid out circuitry?
Enclosures – 3D Printing’s Killer App (Part 3 – Designing Enclosures with Front Panels)
http://www.inhale3d.com/2012/12/enclosures-3d-printings-killer-app-part-3-designing-enclosures-with-front-panels/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Massive 3-D Printed Adjustable Wrench Is Way Too Big to Fix Anything
http://www.wired.com/design/2012/12/giant-3-d-printed-wrench/
Adjustable wrenches are a trendy way to show what 3-D printers are capable of, so we see them frequently. The worm screw is simple enough to be easily printed, but complicated enough to be impressive, especially when printed as one working unit. But how to make it really impressive? Make it huge.
Objet’s print system surrounds the object being printed with a soft support material that needs to be manually removed after printing to release the finished piece
Tomi Engdahl says:
Rapidform 3D Scanner Recreates Ancient Caves
http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1394&doc_id=255367&cid=NL_Newsletters+-+DN+Daily
For centuries, processes for producing certain tools were kept relatively similar. At the industrial revolution, the property of a few and knowledge of a few others allowed us to automate these procedures and refine them.
Now, with services like Shapeway’s 3D printing, the computer age has given the tools for anyone interested to become privy and capable of manufacturing anything we can think of, and design using CAD software. But, these capabilities are being expanded, generalized, and becoming even more accessible as software becomes the main platform for designing and we let CNC machines do all the work. Perhaps the best example of our complete domination of the manufacturing process is what the 3D Systems subsidiary, Rapidform, has done to turn any physical object into a CAD drawing that can be virtually modified or physically brought back to life.
The Rapidform process is primarily used for reverse engineering of any object. Since modern manufacturing is heavily reliant on CAD suites to design and test, many objects that were created before the advent of CAD technology were disregarded, or needed to be painstakingly measured and redrawn in software.
Rapidform’s solutions take several 3D scans of the broken, fatigued, or discontinued piece. Precisely combine these scans and then redraw it, using computerized tracing software.
The XOS software allows users to convert the data from any 3D scan into a highly accurate mesh or NURBS surface. It also facilitates combining and aligning multiple scans
Once tolerances are checked using XOV, a “live transfer” can export the design trees to SolidWorks, Siemens NX Unigraphics (U-G), Creo Elements Pro (Pro-E), Inventor, AutoCAD, CATIA, and other programs compatible with Rapidform’s Parasolid CAD kernel.
This method is used by a wide range of manufacturers including Audi, Ford, Hyundai, Toyota, Rolls Royce, Volkswagen, Hitachi, Panasonic, Oakley, Samsung, and Sony. But universities and other organizations use the software, as well.
Tomi says:
Lego Stormtrooper: A 3D printable model of a Lego Stormtrooper
http://vonkonow.com/wordpress/2011/11/lego-stormtrooper/
Caution
The model is intended for private use only. It is Lego compatible, but not a 100% copy. See it as a 3D printer demo. Please note that a 3D print will cost more than the real figure and is not as accurate. The model is not suitable for mass production (draft angles, wall thickness etc)
Tomi says:
Lego compatible Android minifigure
http://vonkonow.com/wordpress/2011/12/lego-compatible-android-minifigure/
Since I develop mobile phones, I thought it would be cute to have an Android as a minifig.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Inside the World’s Biggest Consumer 3D Printing Factory
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/12/11/2342242/inside-the-worlds-biggest-consumer-3d-printing-factory
“Much has been made of consumer 3D printers like Makerbot’s Replicator and the open-source RepRap. But for those not yet willing to shell out thousands of dollars for their own machine, Shapeways offers 3D printing as a mail-order service. And its new Queens, NY factory is now the biggest production facility for consumer 3D printing in the world.”
Inside The World’s Biggest Consumer 3D Printing Factory (Video)
http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/12/10/inside-the-worlds-biggest-consumer-focused-3d-printing-factory/
Tomi Engdahl says:
3D-Printed Weapons & the Consequences
http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1394&doc_id=255741&cid=NL_Newsletters+-+DN+Daily
At-home 3D printing is on the rise, and what was once just a lofty promise is now a reality. More and more hobbyists are acquiring affordable printers, such as the Makerbot Replicator 2 and the RapMan Universal 3D (single/dual head) printer, to manufacture just about everything from toys to working clocks.
Some hobbyists have used these printers for fast-prototyping items that are controversial — or even deadly. It comes as no surprise that some would attempt to replicate weapons systems (or at least parts of them) in an effort to create a fully functional gun. It’s not exactly clear who was the first to fabricate a firearm using a 3D printer, but one example that has garnered global attention is “Have Blue,” who designed an AR-15 lower receiver
After a few modifications to the original file, he set to work fabricating the receiver using around $30 of ABS filament fed through his Stratasys printer. After prototyping a small-scale model, he fabricated the full-size receiver and used it to fire 200 rounds without catastrophic failure. The proof of concept of manufacturing a 3D-printed weapon was a complete success. Now the door is open for others to try their hand at the home weapons manufacturing business.
A group of hobbyists (most of them college students) have banded together to form a company known as Defense Distributed to expand on the 3D-printed weapons systems and provide open-source software to anyone who wants it. Defense Distributed began its quest with the Wiki Weapon Project
The problems with 3D-printed firearms aren’t limited to catastrophic failure. (It takes only one bullet to kill.) There is also the issue of legality. No federal laws address manufacturing weapons with 3D printers, so anyone owning a printer could make a weapon — even if they’re not allowed to own one. The ATF considers the rifle’s lower receiver as the firearm; anyone can purchase the upper receiver, barrel, etc.
www says:
You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be actually something that I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to get the hang of it!
Tomi Engdahl says:
Slideshow: 3D Materials Drive Additive Manufacturing
http://www.designnews.com/document.asp?doc_id=237571&cid=NL_Newsletters+-+DN+Daily
Tomi Engdahl says:
3D Print Your Own Personal Electronics
http://www.designnews.com/document.asp?doc_id=255795&cid=NL_Newsletters+-+DN+Daily
If it’s possible to 3D print blood vessels, robots, and guns, then why shouldn’t you be able to 3D print your own personal electronics? Well, now you can — in the lab at least.
University of Warwick researchers have developed a conductive plastic composite material that can be used with unmodified, low-cost, hobbyist 3D printers to make functional electronic devices. The devices can even be custom-designed, such as tailoring a game controller to fit the shape of a particular user’s hand.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Growing Future for Metal Injection Molding
http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1365&doc_id=255814&cid=NL_Newsletters+-+DN+Daily
Metal injection molding (MIM) is experiencing a worldwide boom, with an estimated market worldwide of more than $1 billion per year, and compound annual growth rates estimated to be as high as 20 percent. This booming demand for MIM is primarily attributed to the technology’s significant cost savings compared to the use of machining or electrical discharge machining. Growth drivers, especially those resulting from medical and firearms industry trends, means that strong MIM technical players are in a good position to bring significant value to customers.
MIM technology is used to form a near net-shape metal part by consolidating metal powder in a special sintering process.
Firearms and medical applications are the two main segments of MIM demand.
Tomi Engdahl says:
3D Printer Round-up: Cube 3D, Up! and Solidoodle
http://hothardware.com/Reviews/The-Definitive-3D-Printer-Roundup-Cubify-Up-Solidoodle/
3D printing is a fascinating new technology and an exploding new market. The process involved is pretty basic actually. Heat up some plastic, and sort of like that Play-Doh Fun Factory you were so fond of as a kid, you extrude the melted plastic out to create objects of magnificence — because you built it yourself. However, 3D printers are much more akin to their cousin the 2D inkjet printer, though objects are being printed not only on the traditional X-Y plane but with that magical third “Z” dimension of height. In addition, advancements in 3D CAD software packages like Google SketchUp (now a product of Trimble) are making it increasingly easier for the novice DIY designer and budding 3D model artist to make their own designs a reality.
It all started back in 2007 when the first RepRap machine was built.
Since then 3D printers of all types have emerged from the community, from almost household names like MakerBot, (one of the largest player in this space, now a proprietary product) to the likes of Solidoodle, PP3DP, and 3D Systems, a pioneer in StereoLithography that invented the STL file format. STL is also known as Standard Tessellation Language and it’s the file format that is widely used for 3D printers, like all of the machines we’re going to show you here in this review.
Our efforts in this 3D printer round-up were an education to say the least.
For the budding 3D creationist, any one of these machines will do the job nicely, it just depends on your requirements and budget. If you’ve got a bit more dinero and want to get up and printing quickly and reliably, the Cube is probably for you. It’s the most fool-proof of our round-up. If you’re willing to gets your hands dirty a bit more and learn a few things along the way, the Up! Mini can offer impressive, precise creations, so long as you don’t need them to be too large
Then there are our friends at Solidoodle, for the lowest cost of entry, a Solidoodle 2 will give you a spacious 6-inch print bed and the ability to create some impressive builds, but you have to be willing to learn the ropes and tweak things along the way.
Tomi Engdahl says:
3D-Printing Firm Makerbot Cracks Down On Printable Gun Designs
http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/12/19/3d-printing-startup-makerbot-cracks-down-on-printable-gun-designs/
You have the right to bear arms. But you don’t necessarily have the right to upload them.
In the wake of one of worst shooting incidents in American history, the 3D-printing firm Makerbot has deleted a collection of blueprints for gun components from Thingiverse, its popular user-generated content website that hosts 3D-printable files.
Though Thingiverse has long banned designs for weapons and their components in its terms of service, it rarely enforced the rule until the last few days, when the company’s lawyer sent notices to users that their software models for gun parts were being purged from the site.
When I checked Thingiverse earlier this month for gun components, it was easy enough to find firearm parts such as the “lower receivers” for several models of semiautomatic rifles and handguns. Those designs had sparked controversy by potentially circumventing gun laws: The lower receiver is the the “body” of a gun, and its most regulated component. So 3D-printing that piece at home and attaching other parts ordered by mail might allow a lethal weapon to be obtained without any legal barriers or identification.
“MakerBot’s focus is to empower the creative process and make things for good,”
In the past, Makerbot chief executive and founder Bre Pettis has remained ambivalent about guns on Thingiverse, which has become the world’s most popular sharing platform for 3D-printing files.
“The cat is out of the bag,” Pettis wrote. “And that cat can be armed with guns made with printed parts.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
3D printed Christmas cookies
http://hackaday.com/2012/12/20/3d-printed-christmas-cookies/
Here is yet another way to get into the holiday spirit at your local Hackerspace (or at home if you’re happen to have your own 3D printer).
The extruder head he’s using includes a syringe which is filled with what we assume is Spritz Cookie dough. It is squeezed out in a pattern before heading to the oven for baking.
Tomi Engdahl says:
3D Printing Records
http://hackaday.com/2012/12/21/3d-printing-records/
This is a working record created with a 3D printer. [Amanda] came up with a process that converts audio files into 3D models. These models can be printed and played on a standard record player.
The real work is done by a Processing sketch that creates a STL file.
The resulting records have a sample rate of 11 kHz and 5-6 bit resolution. The sound quality isn’t going to be the same as commercially pressed vinyl, but you can still make out the song.
A Objet Connex 500 was used to print the records. This UV printer has a 600 dpi resolution
all of the Processing and Python code is available with the project write up
Tomi Engdahl says:
Print Giant 3D Systems to Acquire Modeling Company Geomagic
http://www.wired.com/design/2013/01/3d-systems-geomagic/
3D Systems, one of the largest manufacturers of 3-D printers, announced today the purchase of modeling software company Geomagic, a move that will allow the South Carolina-based company to further expand into applications.
3D Systems’ stable of products includes a consumer version of RepRap and the low-cost Cube 3-D printer, as well as professional-grade laser sintering and stereolithography printers. The company already offers CAD software — including Rapidform, acquired from INUS Technology — but Geomagic‘s 3-D modeling and scanning software will greatly expand 3D Systems’ bullpen.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Slideshow: 3D Materials Drive Additive Manufacturing
http://www.designnews.com/document.asp?doc_id=237571
Tomi Engdahl says:
Daimler Funds 3D Printer for Auto Production
http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1392&doc_id=256731&cid=NL_Newsletters+-+DN+Daily
Airbus and South African aerostructure manufacturer Aerosud are teaming up to develop 3D printing methods for large aircraft parts made of titanium. Now automaker Daimler AG has funded the development of a large build volume additive manufacturing (AM) system for use in automotive production.
Daimler’s main goal was to replace the costly and time-taking sand-casting and die-casting processes used to make large, metal functional components and technical prototypes. The aim was to do this while also increasing part size and maintaining the consistency of material properties between parts
Fraunhofer, which has conducted research in laser sintering processes for several years, designed the laser beam source and optical lens system to ensure faster build-up rates of different aluminum alloys.
Concept Laser says its LaserCUSING process produces metal objects that are denser and more durable than other laser sintering processes. Potential materials include high-grade steel alloys, tool steels, aluminum or titanium alloys, nickel-based superalloys, and cobalt-chromium alloys. Existing machines made by the company are used to fabricate both molds and direct-manufactured parts — including prototypes and mass-produced components — for medical, dental, automotive, and aerospace applications.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Signing your 3D prints
http://hackaday.com/2013/01/07/signing-your-3d-prints/
For all the 3D models out on the Internet, including the STL files on Thingiverse that are copied by other makers every day, there hasn’t been a good way to put your John Hancock on a three-dimensional piece of plastic you’ve designed. [Chris] has been thinking about the fact that an STL file released on the Internet is completely out of the creator’s hands for a while now, and he finally came up with a good solution to signing 3D prints.
By subtracting a 1.0 mm-thick version of his initials from the interior of a print, [Chris] is able to put his maker’s mark on the inside of a 3D object, visible only for a short time during the production process.
Tomi Engdahl says:
MakerBot Announces More Advanced Replicator 2X 3-D Printer
http://www.wired.com/design/2013/01/makerbot-replicator-2x/
Months ago, MakerBot dropped hints to Wired about a newer version of their shiny Replicator 2 3-D printer. Today at CES, CEO Bre Pettis announced the Replicator 2X, an update to the printer that is designed for a more advanced consumer, a more experimental user.
Whereas the Replicator 2 uses PLA filament, the 2X — like the original Replicator — uses ABS filaments. But the 2X is supposed to run more smoothly, and print in multiple colors and even multiple materials.
“There are many ABS filament fans out there that want to keep using ABS, even though it can be a trickier and more challenging product to use,” Pettis says in MakerBot’s press release.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Cloning the MakerBot Is Legal, But Does That Make It Right?
http://www.wired.com/design/2012/08/tangibot-makerbot-clone/
Matt Strong invented a 3-D printer called TangiBot. More precisely, he built an exact replica of the MakerBot Replicator and is attempting to raise $500,000 on Kickstarter to fund its production.
In most cases, he would be met with a swift cease-and-desist letter, but the MakerBot Replicator is open source, meaning anyone can copy it and sell it. While legal, the TangiBot has raised the ethical hackles of many in the maker community.
Strong is unapologetic about the TangiBot’s lack of originality, saying, “I want to bring a low-cost machine to market that people can trust. The Replicator is the best and completely open source. I discussed the licenses with lawyers, and it’s totally legit.”
What TangiBot lacks in design innovation it makes up for in cost. The entry-level TangiBot will cost $1,199 compared to $1,799 for a MakerBot Replicator. The secret to the Groupon-level discount? TangiBot will be manufactured in China, while MakerBots are built in Brooklyn.
Tomi Engdahl says:
MakerBot Replicator 2X 3D printer gets the spotlight
http://reviews.cnet.com/3d-printers/makerbot-replicator-2x/4505-33809_7-35567325.html
We knew the Replicator 2X was coming, and MakerBot did not disappoint.
Like the Replicator 2, the new model features a finer printing resolution than the original MakerBot Replicator, as small as 100 microns per layer of extruded plastic, and it also has a redesigned chassis. Among the updated features of the more polished-looking design are an aluminum build platform and print area that’s enclosed by plastic windows.
Unique to the Replicator 2X are the ability to print in two-different colors, and also the ability to print with both PLA (Polylactic acid) and ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastics
The Replicator 2X is not MakerBot’s only news from the show. The company also announced that it will be manufacturing its own plastic print material, with the goal of expanding the color selection and experimenting with different material properties.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Low-cost 3D printer makes at-home production reality
http://www2.electronicproducts.com/Low_cost_3D_printer_makes_at_home_production_reality-article-famg_robo_printer_jan2013-html.aspx
Staples may be planning to bring 3D printing to the consumer marketplace, but three men from San Diego want to bring it right into your home office, and they’ve created an overwhelmingly successful Kickstarter campaign to help them do it.
Called the RoBo 3D Printer , the device is not the first personal 3D printer out there, but it is one of the most inexpensive. Its creators believe that they’ll be able to sell the product for just over $500 — a veritable steal compared to home 3D printers with price tags in the thousands.
Tomi says:
Gunsmiths 3D-Print High Capacity Ammo Clips To Thwart Proposed Gun Laws
http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2013/01/14/gunsmiths-3d-print-high-capacity-ammo-clips-to-thwart-proposed-gun-laws/
Five months ago, the group of homemade gun enthusiasts known as Defense Distributed set out to create a lethal firearm that could be downloaded and 3D-printed entirely from scratch, circumventing all gun control laws.
Over the past weekend, Defense Distributed successfully 3D-printed and tested an ammunition magazine for an AR semi-automatic rifle
Defense Distributed founder Cody Wilson says he hopes the group’s recent work demonstrates the futility of that proposed ban in the age of cheap 3D printing.
Tomi says:
Inside Thingiverse, The Radically Open Website Powering The 3D Printing Movement
http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/11/21/inside-thingiverse-the-radically-open-website-powering-the-3d-printing-movement/
ingredient behind Makerbot’s success has been Thingiverse, its online collection of software models that encompasses everything its users can imagine.
Anyone who buys a Makerbot can immediately download and print any of Thingiverse’s 25,000 designs. Those with the software skills to create new designs and upload them to the site are rewarded with hacker fame and remixes from others in the digital DIY community. And every new blueprint on the site boosts the utility of the machines sold so far.
Makerbot could easily use Thingiverse’s network effects to put the squeeze on its competitors like Stratasys or the open-source project RepRap. Instead it’s opted to host Makerbot-incompatible designs, too.
“We keep it open because it feels right,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
3D printing vacuum tube sockets
http://hackaday.com/2013/01/15/3d-printing-vacuum-tube-sockets/
With the popularity of 3D printers and the current cult of vacuum tubes, it’s shocking we haven’t seen someone do this before.
After printing out the plastic parts, [Peter] needed to add a few strips of metal for a conductor.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Filabot Turns Your Plastic Junk Into Material for 3-D Printers
http://www.wired.com/design/2013/01/filabot-plastic-recycler/
Filabot promises to help turn your plastic crap into 3-D printed fanciness, alleviating one of the biggest sustainability problems for 3-D printing.
For desktop 3-D printers to work, they need some kind of material to work with. Most contemporary printers use plastic filament, available in spools from various suppliers. Filabot reduces the need for that stuff. Instead you can grind up household plastics or even past projects to make new lines.
Think a meat grinder on top of a pasta maker and you get the general idea. “Plastic extrusion is nothing new,” says McNaney in the Kickstarter pitch video. “The only thing we’d like to do is adapt it to the desktop environment.”
“I am working on this because this is the next system that is needed for at-home manufacturing,” says McNaney. “3-D printing is in its infancy, and when coupled with a Filabot a 3-D printer will be a complete closed-loop recycling system on your desk, office or school. I also see a lot of potential for helping out third-world countries. With a Filabot and a 3-D printer people can now make things as simple as a fork or cup.”
“So far the plastics that work are HDPE, LDPE, ABS, NYLON. More to come on the different types that work.” They don’t process PVC because of toxicity concerns.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nokia releases 3D case printing files for Lumia 820
http://www.slashgear.com/nokia-releases-3d-case-printing-files-for-lumia-820-18265821/
Nokia has released the 3D printing files for its Lumia 820 interchangeable casings, allowing owners to create their own custom shells for the Windows Phone. The free 3D-printing Development Kit (or 3DK, as Nokia is calling it) comes with not only the raw files for 3D printers, but guidance on what materials could be used, tips on what to look out for in creating a unique case, and more.
The project – the first of its kind from a mainstream phone manufacturer – is reminiscent of Nokia’s Xpress-on interchangeable casings from many years ago
Obviously, you’ll need a 3D printer – or at least access to one – in order to use the 3DK files in the first place. Still, there are numerous online 3D printing services available which, for a fee, will do a one-off custom print run from your designs.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dutch Architect Plans 3D Printed Building
http://tech.slashdot.org/story/13/01/20/153214/dutch-architect-plans-3d-printed-building
“Dutch architecture studio Universe Architecture is planning to construct a house with a 3D printer for the first time. The Landscape House will be printed in sections using the giant D-Shape printer, which can produce sections of up to 6 x 9 meters using a mixture of sand and a binding agent.”
Tomi Engdahl says:
The World’s First 3D-Printed Building Will Arrive In 2014 (And It Looks Awesome)
http://techcrunch.com/2013/01/20/the-worlds-first-3d-printed-building-will-arrive-in-2014-and-it-looks-awesome/
the possibilities of 3D printing stretch far beyond DIY at-home projects. In fact, it could entirely replace the construction industry.
We’ve already seen folks at MIT’s Research Labs working on ways to 3D print the frame of a home in a day, as opposed to the month it would take a construction crew to do the same. But it isn’t just geeks taking an interest; a Dutch architect is interested in 3D printing a home, with the hopes that it’ll be ready by 2014.
Ruijssenaars will work with Italian inventor Enrico Dini, founder of the D-Shape 3D printer.
Tomi Engdahl says:
3D Printers Give New Life to Old Recordings
http://www.designnews.com/author.asp?section_id=1394&doc_id=257146
As 3D printers increase in popularity, more and more people are using them to bring their unique projects to life.
While giving new life to old technology using 3D scanning technology is certainly impressive, 3D printing is capable of converting the latest technology in audio into a medium very few still use.
3D printing technology will definitely appeal to those fond of still playing music (or any other recording) through LP records spinning along at 33rpm. Amanda Ghassaei from Instructables.com has applied the relatively new hobby of 3D printing to bring digital audio back to the record player. The LPs she produced aren’t vinyl, but plastic, and was done using a Objet Connex500 printer with UV-cured resin with a high 600dpi resolution to create the discs layer by layer.
she wrote her own program that automatically converts any audio file into a 3D model. She states that the software works “by importing the raw audio data which is then converted into the geometry of the record through software calculations