It used to be that to spend USD$500 on a 3D printer, you’d expect to receive a bag of parts and spend your time building it yourself. Not so anymore – or not?
Ideas
Robocranes for 3D Printed Buildings?
We’re reading some thoughts from Eric Hunting on the Open Manufacturing list regarding future possibilities for large-scale 3D printing, specifically for housing. He’s got some very intriguing ideas.
PERFORMANCE: 3D Printed Food for the Elderly
A European project hopes to develop a way to 3D print pre-made meals for elderly folks.
uformit’s Adaptive 3D Print Service
We had a peek at format’s new technology in NYC earlier this year, but now everyone can make use of it as they’ve just launched their new 3D print site.
3D Printing: What is it Good For?
Once the initial magic of being able to print things for yourself, how do you explain the need for 3D printers to friends? We have some ideas.
Needed: 3D Printer Auto Ejection
Years ago the MakerBot Thing-O-Matic had a peculiar optional feature, the Automated Build Platform, which could automatically remove prints from the bed when complete. We need something like that today. But what was this amazing option? It was essentially a conveyor belt laid around the heated build platform. When the print was complete, it was… Continue reading Needed: 3D Printer Auto Ejection
How Many 3D Printers Do You Own?
In your home you’ll likely have one microwave, perhaps a car or two, one refrigerator, etc. But how many 3D printers do you have? We think it’s more than one.
The Brilliance of Post-3D Print Finishing
Most people who own a 3D printer are content when they pull the print out and admire it. But there’s much more that can be done.
Could The Secret of HP’s 3D Printing Venture Be Memjet?
Earlier last week HP CEO Meg Whitman revealed that HP would have some kind of announcement regarding 3D printing this June. We take a look at a possible technology they may use.
Five Questions With The Robox CEO
We managed to pose five questions to Robox’s CEO, Chris Elsworthy regarding their new personal 3D printer. And he answered.
How Does XYZ Printing Do It?
New entrant XYZ Printing offers personal 3D printers at incredibly low cost, as low as USD$499 per unit. How do they do it?
MakerBot’s Ever-So-Slight Proprietary Move
With the release of their fifth-generation Replicator personal 3D printer, we noticed a feature that may portend a future move to proprietary filament.
Free 3D Printers!
There seems to be two approaches to selling personal 3D printers these days. We’re not sure which one will prevail.
Stax: A Platform for 3D Printed Modifications
There’s lots of 3D printer projects on crowdfunding sites, but one involves 3D printing in a new way.
3D Printing Creates Napster for Fashion? Nope.
Mashable proposes that 3D printing will enable a “Napster for Fashion”. We don’t think so.
Buy a 3D Printer or Use a Service?
Sculpteo has done a detailed analysis of the costs involved in choosing whether to use a 3D print service or buy your own 3D printer. We believe their analysis misses one important factor.
Heated Build Platform Challenges
The bane of personal 3D printing is warped prints, usually solved by adding a heated build platform. But they don’t always solve the problem.
The Perils of Managing a 3D Print Fashion Show
3D printing technology is affecting everything. It even affects the way you produce a fashion show.
The Tall 3D Printing Pattern Emerges
What’s up with all the tall 3D printers that suddenly have appeared?
BigRep’s Big Implications for Industrial 3D Printing
Last week we reported on a rather huge 3D printer. This week we’re shocked by what it could mean.
Uformia’s UFormIt Could Change Everything
We got thinking about Uformia’s new Uformit service and realized something important. Something that could change everything.
A Virtual Reality Future For 3D Printing?
A fascinating animated GIF shows what might be the future for for 3D printing.
Everyone’s 3D Printing George Crowdsourcington
What do you do when you have a rather large 3D print to produce? One that might take weeks to complete? There’s a surprising answer.
The Unfortunate End of a 3D Print
An unfortunate incident occurred at the 3D Printshow last week. While browsing the incredible artistic 3D prints in the gallery, a massive shattering noise was heard.
The Latest Trends from 3D Hubs
One of the many reasons to like 3D Hubs, beyond their excellent crowdsourced network of 3D printers is their monthly statistical report. This month shows some interesting trends.
Beyond Connex3: What Would a True Color 3D Printer Be?
With the excitement from Stratasys’ recent announcement of the color Connex3 technology, we’re wondering where this is going next.
3D Printing A Complex Mechanism: Proven
Solidsmack reports on a fascinating attempt to 3D print an entire working clockwork motor in a single print operation. Did it work?
Confirming the Other Half of 3D Printing
The science of 3D printing was conceived some 30 years ago with intentions of becoming a new form of manufacturing. By 2014, that’s clearly happened. But after attending the opening event of NYC’s first 3D Printshow last night, we have another thought.
Is Software The Answer To Reliable 3D Printing?
Like most of you, we like to watch 3D prints happen. There’s something magical about seeing a real object appear out of, apparently, thin air. But while the print takes place, angry thoughts emerge.
Another 3D Printing Patent Set to Expire: What Does This Mean?
US Patent number 5,597,589, “Apparatus for producing parts by selective sintering”, is to expire this May. Originally filed on May 31, 1994, the patent expires exactly 20 years hence, on May 31, 2014. But what will this mean?
Questions Trouble 3D BioPrinting
The ability to 3D print living human tissues, including skin and even organs, is under rapid development. When the technology becomes available, ethical questions must be answered.
Why Was the Connex3 Delayed So Long?
You might have noticed that Stratasys announced a new, powerful color 3D printer this week, the Connex3. The new device is the world’s first 3D printer that can mix both differing materials and colors to produce more than 500 possible combo materials. But evidence of the machines existence has been apparent for some time.… Continue reading Why Was the Connex3 Delayed So Long?
The Spectrum of Color 3D Printers
You have a monocolor 3D printer and you want colors? You have a few options, but not all of them may fit into your budget. The simplest approach is simply buy differently-colored filament. However, you’re still printing in one color unless you print multiple pieces in different colors and then connect them together.… Continue reading The Spectrum of Color 3D Printers
Implications of Mark Forg3D’s Web-Based 3D Print Slicing
Mark Forg3D’s carbon fiber printer is a definitely a revolutionary concept, but that wasn’t the only feature that really impressed us. The other sleeper feature of the Mark One is its software. But wait, you say, every 3D printer includes software to drive the printer. That’s true, but Mark Forg3D’s software is cloud based.… Continue reading Implications of Mark Forg3D’s Web-Based 3D Print Slicing
How Clear are “Transparent” 3D Prints, Anyway?
With the release of Connex3 color 3D printing technology this week, we started thinking more about “transparent” 3D printing. Stratasys provides a transparent material for their Connex series of printers and it’s often mixed with other colors to produce hybrid objects. But exactly how “transparent” is Transparent? We did an experiment. Stratasys often… Continue reading How Clear are “Transparent” 3D Prints, Anyway?
An Additional 3D Printer Buying Factor
The other week we wrote a piece on the major factors to consider when deciding on purchasing a 3D printer. While we stand by our list, a readers suggested another key factor. Operating System: One reader suggested the ability to run the printer’s software on Linux would be a deciding factor for him. We… Continue reading An Additional 3D Printer Buying Factor
ABS Plastic On The Way Out?
We’re beginning to notice a significant trend. When looking at new emerging personal 3D printers we are seeing fewer that offer ABS plastic as an option as a 3D printing material. ABS was among the very first materials used by historic personal 3D printers, as it was commonly available due to its heavy use… Continue reading ABS Plastic On The Way Out?
3D Systems’ Digital Content Strategy
Or should we say, “Strategies”. We’re having a very hard time keeping track of 3D Systems content products. They’ve been rapidly acquiring existing 3D content providers while at the same time developing their own. They’ve entered into partnerships with untold numbers of other 3D services as well. Why are they doing this? To promote… Continue reading 3D Systems’ Digital Content Strategy
The Scoop on ABS and PLA
Most personal 3D printers use PLA or ABS plastic, but how much do you actually know about these materials? Aside from the fact that ABS’s melting temperature is somewhat higher than PLA, and that ABS is somewhat stronger than PLA, most 3D printer owners could be challenged to say more. Don’t fear: there is… Continue reading The Scoop on ABS and PLA
A 100% Plastic 3D Printer?
Many designs of self-reproducing 3D printers have been produced and built; that’s the goal of the RepRap project. But are they truly reproducing themselves? Not exactly; the machines are – so far – only capable of reproducing most of the major plastic components, such as the image above, which was apparently the very first… Continue reading A 100% Plastic 3D Printer?
Five 3D Printer Buying Decisions
When you’ve decided to buy a 3D printer there are some questions you should ask yourself before proceeding. The current array of buyable 3D printers is the largest in the history of the world, so having some parameters to make a decision is a good thing. The questions are actually not about 3D printers,… Continue reading Five 3D Printer Buying Decisions
The Boiling Cauldron of 3D Printing: China
For some time now we’ve been interested in detailing the 3D printing space in China, but it seems that it’s a lot harder to analyze. Every time we take a look there seems to be new 3D printers and new 3D printing companies. That’s the norm in China these days: huge competition and a… Continue reading The Boiling Cauldron of 3D Printing: China
The World’s First Snap Together 3D Printer
Designed in 2011 at a local machine shop in Fullerton, California, the modular Snap 3D printer has come a long way in the past few years. Originally constructed from wood and held together with store bought components, today’s Snap 3D has become a fully functional 3D printer capable of servicing the prototyping needs of… Continue reading The World’s First Snap Together 3D Printer
Thoughts on MakerBot’s Curious Replicator Z18
Of all the 3D printers marketed by MakerBot since its founding, we find the Replicator Z18 to be the most curious. While previous models (and even the new Mini and Replicator) seemed to be logical extensions and modifications of prior units, the Z18 is quite different: It’s in a completely different price range: whereas… Continue reading Thoughts on MakerBot’s Curious Replicator Z18
The Rise of Resin 3D Printers
There was something quite unusual about the 3D printer manufacturers exhibiting at CES 2014 versus those exhibiting the previous year. At the London 3D Printshow, for example, we saw dozens of plastic filament machines, typically regionally focused. At CES 2014 we saw multiple resin-based 3D printers. It seems that the expiration of patents has… Continue reading The Rise of Resin 3D Printers
Two 3D Printing Companies, Two Big Stars
Some outside the 3D printing community have a hard time connecting with the latest happenings. It can be quite technical at times and it’s even more difficult to relate that technology to one’s personal life. This connection is critical for 3D printing companies because that’s how you persuade the public to buy your products: find… Continue reading Two 3D Printing Companies, Two Big Stars
Finally, a 3D Printer Statistic
At CES 2014 MakerBot CEO Bre Pettis dropped a stat we’d been waiting to hear. Pettis claimed that MakerBot has sold and shipped over 44,000 MakerBot 3D printers so far. We’re excited because such information is very hard to come by from 3D printer manufacturers. While most manufacturers will claim (correctly) that their sales… Continue reading Finally, a 3D Printer Statistic
SLS 3D Printing: At Home?
Patents related to the SLS 3D printing process are about to expire. SLS stands for Selective Laser Sintering, a process where a layer of powder is selectively melted by a laser, gradually forming an object. Up to now, the technology has been exclusively used by 3D Systems, who owns the relevant patents. After Stratasys’… Continue reading SLS 3D Printing: At Home?
Keeping The Heat in 3D Printing
Most 3D printer owners quickly discover the perils of printing ABS plastic in a cold or even room temperature environment. The quirky material shrinks a small amount when it cools after emerging from the hot extruder. This often leads to warping, as the lower portions of the print shrink and the newer portions are still… Continue reading Keeping The Heat in 3D Printing
The Six Challenges of 3D Food Printing
Yesterday we wrote on TNO’s work towards the challenge of 3D printed food. They’ve been experimenting with various processes and even combined their work with that of traditional chefs to create unique high-end dishes. But from a 3D printing point of view, we see a series of rather difficult challenges that must be worked… Continue reading The Six Challenges of 3D Food Printing
Top 10 Handheld 3D Scanning Tips
At the Fabbaloo Lab we’ve performed 3D scans using a variety of handheld scanning equipment, ranging from el-cheapo Microsoft Kinect hacks to pricey USD$50K units. The experience can be both frustrating and elating; it’s normally a learning process of discovering what to do and what not to do. Today we thought we’d list a few… Continue reading Top 10 Handheld 3D Scanning Tips
What Will Happen at CES 2014?
This week is the annual Consumer Electronics Show, where in recent years the 3D printing industry has gained a foothold; many 3D printing companies now present their story at booths on the trade show floor. So many 3D printing companies now exhibit at the show that organizers have placed them all within a kind of… Continue reading What Will Happen at CES 2014?
Which 3D Designs Are Worth The Money?
While it’s easy (if you know how to search) find free 3D models for printing on Thingiverse, there are several sites offering pay-for 3D models. In a world where there are literally hundreds of thousands of free models, which ones would people purchase for cash? 3D model site 3DAGOGO offers a selection of free… Continue reading Which 3D Designs Are Worth The Money?
Four Possibly Crazy Predictions for 3D Printing in 2014
It’s that time of year again. The fresh new year has sprouted and we now must contemplate things that may come to pass in 2014. HP Enters the 3D Printing Marketplace – Again: Some years ago HP struck a deal with Stratasys to relabel and resell their uPrint line of (then) inexpensive commercial 3D… Continue reading Four Possibly Crazy Predictions for 3D Printing in 2014
Wait, How Big Will 3D Printing Become?
Market Intelligence company IDC forecasts 3D printing will grow “ten times” by 2017 and that “worldwide hardware value will more than double in the short term.” They suggest that 2D printer companies such as HP and Konica Minolta may enter the 3D market by partnering with existing 3D printing companies. The forecasted growth… Continue reading Wait, How Big Will 3D Printing Become?
3D Printing Tall!
Most 3D printers have a significant limitation: size. The build volume dictates much about the things you produce on your device. Typically stated as a three axis volume, and rarely in liters, your standard personal 3D printer likely has a build volume of between 100-200mm per axis. Some machines have a relatively small volume,… Continue reading 3D Printing Tall!
Something’s Going on at MakerBot
It finally hit us: something’s happening at MakerBot recently. We’ve noticed a couple of actual sales of their equipment, culminating with this rather striking Amazon deal. For the price of USD$2,799, you can obtain: A Replicator 2 A Digitizer Two spools of plastic filament Normally, this combination would sell separately for $3,695, but… Continue reading Something’s Going on at MakerBot
China Filament for your 3D Printer: Yes or No?
Owners of personal 3D printers require a supply of plastic filament to fuel their favorite device, but where should they purchase it from? The obvious and first answer is to simply buy it from the manufacturer of your printer. Most manufacturers, especially the larger manufacturers, often have a division that will sell you a… Continue reading China Filament for your 3D Printer: Yes or No?
Public or Private? How Ownership Affects 3D Printing Companies
There are two kinds of 3D printer companies these days: privately held or publicly traded. We believe the company type affects how they interact with the rest of the industry. Most small firms are privately held by the founders or a small group of investors. The largest companies, most notably Stratasys and 3D Systems,… Continue reading Public or Private? How Ownership Affects 3D Printing Companies
Lulzbot Simplifies Life for a Mouthguard Manufacturer
We’re reading a case study in which manufacturer Megalodon Sports managed to save considerable cash and time by 3D printing prototypes of their new mouthguard product. Now, we know you’re thinking that this is going to be one of those standard stories where a manufacturer saves thousands by moving their prototyping from expensive CNC… Continue reading Lulzbot Simplifies Life for a Mouthguard Manufacturer
The Growth of 3D Printing Stocks
This blog has a number of years under its belt. We first published on October 27th, 2007, a period when 3D printing was not well known outside of a small set of industrial users. Much has happened since then. At that time there were two major 3D printing companies, 3D Systems and Stratasys, who… Continue reading The Growth of 3D Printing Stocks
Who Will Stratasys Acquire Next?
While attending EuroMold the other week we happened to listen in to a media talk by Stratasys CEO David Reis, who spoke about Stratasys’ progress over the past year. But one part of his talk was more intriguing than the rest. Reis explained that Stratasys had issued shares several months ago to raise funds.… Continue reading Who Will Stratasys Acquire Next?
Continuum Fashion Speaks
Mary Huang, co-founder of Continuum Fashion recently spoke at a LeWeb event, where she described some of their work to produce ready-to-wear 3D printed shoes. Ms. Huang explained the basics of 3D printing, which is still new to many. It seems that 3D printing with desktop equipment is actually quite suitable for the production… Continue reading Continuum Fashion Speaks
Is 3D Hubs’ 3D Printer Report Accurate?
The other day we reported on 3D Hubs most recent statistical analysis, in which they provided a list of what they consider to be the most popular 3D printers – at least in their scope of operation. The report generated comments and criticism, as the results were believed inaccurate by some readers. They’re right… Continue reading Is 3D Hubs’ 3D Printer Report Accurate?
Making Stuff Beyond 3D Printing
Those new to personal 3D printing may still glow from the thrill of creating objects simply by pushing the “print” button. It is always amazing to see objects appear from nothing and then hold them in your hand. But is this the end of it? Will you simply print plastic items? Not necessarily.… Continue reading Making Stuff Beyond 3D Printing
Commercial 3D Printer Companies Focusing on Efficiency
At this year’s EuroMold trade show we were able to check out a number of commercial 3D printer companies. These are the organizations that produce the large scale devices capable of printing in exotic materials such as metal, nylon and even ceramics. They’re well beyond the price range of personal 3D printer owners, but the… Continue reading Commercial 3D Printer Companies Focusing on Efficiency
The Most Popular 3D Printers Are…
3D printer service 3D Hubs knows quite a bit about the state of personal 3D printers because it’s their business. They provide a service where folks with idle 3D printers can accept 3D print work for payment from the public. By tracking the changes in their population of 3D printer participants, 3D Hubs can… Continue reading The Most Popular 3D Printers Are…
How Good Can 3D Print Resolution Get?
Aside from research experiments in atomic-sized 3D printing, you might wonder what kind of ultimate 3D printing resolution could be achieved. Most personal 3D printers use a plastic filament-based process, which really doesn’t provide the best resolution. Typically prints are printed at a layer size no smaller than 0.1mm, simply because the visual appearance… Continue reading How Good Can 3D Print Resolution Get?
Could 3D Print Recycling Be Dangerous?
Recently several ventures have attempted to produce devices for producing your own 3D printer plastic filament. The idea is that you can purchase plastic pellets at a fraction of the price of filament, feed them into the filament machine, which then extrudes filament for you to spool. There’s another way to use these devices:… Continue reading Could 3D Print Recycling Be Dangerous?
The Fatal Paradox of Plastic Extrusion 3D Printing
There are several questions always asked by the public about personal 3D printing whenever they are exposed to the technology. They want to know: How big of an object can I print? Is there a way to get rid of those unsightly layer lines? Why does printing take so long?!! The answers have… Continue reading The Fatal Paradox of Plastic Extrusion 3D Printing
What 3D Printers Will Be Announced at CES 2014?
Last year at CES 2013 in Las Vegas we saw the start of a pattern: two significant personal 3D printers we announced. Both MakerBot and 3D Systems showed off new flagship devices. As they have not released any new machines since then, we suspect they both plan big announcements. But what could they be?… Continue reading What 3D Printers Will Be Announced at CES 2014?
Extending the Ban on 3D Printed Weapons
A story in the Guardian describes the work by New York Senator Chuck Schumer to extend the ban on “undetectable guns” before it expires on December the 9th of this year. Obviously this work was inspired by recent events where working guns were produced on 3D printers – although the weapons produced were by… Continue reading Extending the Ban on 3D Printed Weapons
The Ethical Filament Foundation
Do you know where your 3D printer plastic filament came from? Do you know who produced it, and how they did it? Is it possible you purchased 3D printer filament that was made by children, perhaps in dangerous environments? It seems that some filament is produced in third world countries by having the poor… Continue reading The Ethical Filament Foundation
Most 3D Scans are In Jail
Every few weeks we are bombarded with press releases from research organizations that are keen to tell the story of how they have captured in great detail a 3D scan of a building or property. Museums in particular are getting into the scanning business. It’s thought that the Smithsonian, for example, has hundreds, perhaps thousands… Continue reading Most 3D Scans are In Jail
The 3D Printing Patent Backlash Begins
It was inevitable, but the personal 3D printing community is not reacting well to the announcement by Stratasys that it was suing Afinia for patent infringement. It seems that the feeling is that other new 3D printer manufacturers might also become legal targets as patented technology could be found in their equipment. The image… Continue reading The 3D Printing Patent Backlash Begins
Apple Takes a Big Step Towards 3D Printing
Reports this week that Apple has purchased 3D sensor maker Primesense got us thinking about what this might mean in the future. But first, what happened? An Israeli news site broke the story of Israel-based Primesense in negotiations with Apple for an acquisition said to be in the more-than-USD$300M range. Primesense produces 3D sensors… Continue reading Apple Takes a Big Step Towards 3D Printing
The War on 3D Printed ABS
It was the first plastic used in personal 3D printers, but are ABS’s days coming to an end? The once popular plastic seems to be supplanted by PLA. In fact during the recent 3D Printshow in London we encountered many 3D printer manufacturers who simply dismissed ABS as something they didn’t want to support… Continue reading The War on 3D Printed ABS
3D Printed Robotic Futures
Michael Overstreet has written his thoughts on the future of robotics as affected by 3D printing on i.Materialise. He believes that 3D printing should encourage rapid creation of new forms of robotics over the next few years. Clearly, the first and most obvious point is that robotic models and associated ideas are accessible via… Continue reading 3D Printed Robotic Futures
3D Scanning and Lighting
MakerBot recently issued some tips and instructions on how to best use their new Digitizer 3D scanner, with a focus on lighting. We’ve been fiddling with 3D scanners in the lab and have to agree: lighting is critical. Regardless of the scanner used, be it MakerBot’s, a cheap Kinect or a USD$50K scanner, lighting… Continue reading 3D Scanning and Lighting
McDonald’s Considering 3D Printed Toys?
A report in The Register quotes the Director of IT for McDonald’s UK operation as stating at an event in Munich that the giant food mega-corp may be considering using 3D printers to produce small toys to be included in their popular (amongst youngsters) Happy Meals. We suspect the idea would be that customers… Continue reading McDonald’s Considering 3D Printed Toys?
University of Pennsylvania’s Take on 3D Print Liability Law
Nora Freeman Engstrom, Associate Professor of Law at Stanford has published a paper in which she examines some aspects of the legal implications of 3D printing. Many of us have been concerned about what may happen, but she states the problem eloquently: Following any significant technological breakthrough, legal scholars, practitioners, and policymakers must consider… Continue reading University of Pennsylvania’s Take on 3D Print Liability Law
3D Printing Not Ready for Disaster Relief
An article on Motherboard suggests that 3D printers may soon be a key part of disaster relief efforts. The idea is that if you had a “replicator” onsite that could rapidly produce whatever items are required (which obviously vary considerably from disaster to disaster), you could reduce delays in gathering up and sending specific… Continue reading 3D Printing Not Ready for Disaster Relief
3D Printed Horseshoes Opens Up Human Possibilities
Researchers at Australia’s CSIRO have 3D printed metal horseshoes – but there’s a lot more to this story. The titanium shoes were produced for a particular horse: its hooves were 3D scanned in detail with a handheld scanner. The 3D capture was used to engineer new horseshoes that fit the horse perfectly. Four shoes… Continue reading 3D Printed Horseshoes Opens Up Human Possibilities
Ancient 3D Printer Converted Into a Laser Engraver
Some months ago we proposed a list of things you could do with your now-expired ancient personal 3D printers. We said you could upgrade them; use them for simple prints; donate them; toss them out; or make them into a museum piece. At the time we considered museuming as the best option for our… Continue reading Ancient 3D Printer Converted Into a Laser Engraver
Stratasys Strategy in a Post-Patent World
Stratasys, one of the largest 3D printing companies in the world today, faces transition. While the company built itself upon the FDM (fused deposition modeling) process it invented years ago, the patent for that process has expired. With the expiration of the key patents, other organizations have replicated (no pun intended) the process and… Continue reading Stratasys Strategy in a Post-Patent World
Nine Crazy Features That Should Be Built Into Every 3D Printer
Anyone who owns a personal 3D printer begins to think up features that would make their life easier. A few innovative startup companies actually have implemented some of them, but we’d love to see a personal 3D printer with all of these radically useful capabilities. Failure Detector. The worst is to discover, the next… Continue reading Nine Crazy Features That Should Be Built Into Every 3D Printer
Thoughts on Stratasys Growth
We’re reading an interesting article on Investors.com that talks about the investment potential of 3D printing industry giant Stratasys. The author, Marie Beerens, seems keen on Stratasys because she sees their recent additions of Objet and MakerBot as “adding complementary systems to its portfolio” and “give Stratasys an even stronger foothold in the 3D… Continue reading Thoughts on Stratasys Growth
Three Ways to Embed Bolts in Your 3D Prints
Courtesy of industrial designer David Bernhardt, we’ve been able to examine this example of embedding bolts. Actually, the piece demonstrates not one, but three different ways to put a bolt in your print. The first way is visually obvious – the head of the bolt is inside the print, while the shaft is free. … Continue reading Three Ways to Embed Bolts in Your 3D Prints
An Overview of 3D Printing Intellectual Property Law
Patent attorney Bryan J. Vogel provides a reasonably brief overview of the legal aspects beginning to face the 3D printing industry in a post on Bloomberg Law. Vogel explains in simple terms the differences between patents, trade secrets, trademark and copyright where the legal battles will likely be fought in the future as 3D… Continue reading An Overview of 3D Printing Intellectual Property Law
Who’s Your 3D Printing Guru?
While 3D printing has become significantly less complex, it is still beyond the realm of casual consumer use. The workflow from digital model to physical print involves skills, experience and tools that are daunting to most consumers, even though they can be handled by techies. If this sounds like a familiar situation, you’d be… Continue reading Who’s Your 3D Printing Guru?
3D Printing for Math Professors and You, Too
We’re looking at a PDF, strangely stored on Thingiverse, where one normally finds 3D models. The PDF is an academic document entitled, “3D Printing for Math Professors and Their Students”. It’s exactly that: a paper taking the reader through the process of linking mathematics and 3D printing. Yes, this means generating intricate 3D models… Continue reading 3D Printing for Math Professors and You, Too
Should You 3D Print in ABS or PLA?
This is a question asked by almost all 3D printer owners at one point in their machine ownership: should I print in ABS or PLA plastic? Of course, the question could be implicitly answered if your machine is not able to print both plastics. Some machines, particularly recently designed units, are PLA-only units. If… Continue reading Should You 3D Print in ABS or PLA?
And The Top 3D Printing Country Is…
Brooklyn, London, Silicon Valley: Hot spots for 3D printing, correct? They are indeed, but there are other areas where you’ll find an unnatural amount of 3D printing manufacturers, operators and activity, like Israel or The Netherlands. We wondered how to find these hot spots. And then we figured out a way to do… Continue reading And The Top 3D Printing Country Is…
The 3D Printing Embedding Trick
Want to know a trick that could make your 3D prints a lot more useful? It’s called embedding. It’s a way to include alternate materials in your 3D print and it works on almost any 3D printer. It’s so easy you’ll wonder why you didn’t figure it out yourself. You simply stop the print… Continue reading The 3D Printing Embedding Trick
3D Printing in Tesco?
If you reside in the UK, it’s more than likely you’ve been buying groceries from your neighborhood Tesco. But soon you may be picking you your 3D prints there, too. In a report published by V3, Tesco’s IT Chief Mike McNamara postulated about a future world where Tesco shoppers could pick up 3D prints… Continue reading 3D Printing in Tesco?