A report suggests that upcoming Apple iPhone designs may include powerful 3D scanning capabilities.
Ideas
How 3D Printing Can Reduce Emissions
Iām reading a piece from GE talking about emissions, and began thinking about 3D printing and emissions in general.
Should SLS Instead Be PLS?
An interesting thought: is the term āSLSā wrong?
Will 3D Printing Help Find All the Female Architects?
Charles Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi explore the potential impact of 3D printing on retaining women in the architecture business.
The 3D Printing Startup Within A Major Company
As additive manufacturing plays an ever-larger role in the business world, many major companies are building their own internal startups.
#CESGenderBias and Why We Need to Pay Attention
This isnāt a feel good story (but it should be).
3D Printing Predictions for 2019
3D printing has come a long way from its origins in the 1980s, with a brief entry into the consumer space galvanizing its growth in the earlier part of the decade.
The Critical Importance of Software In 3D Printable Design
3D printing offers the ability to leverage designs in ways not previously possible, but only if the right software is used.
The Coming Increase in Specialized 3D Print Firms
Recently weāve seen several new companies emerge whose purpose it is to leverage 3D printing technology.
A Future 3D Printing Issue Looking For A Solution
Itās occurred to me that there is an upcoming issue that the 3D printing industry has yet to solve: print tracking.
These Trends Will Shape 3D Printing Moving Into 2019
Though young, 3D printing has already imposed itself as one of the most disruptive technologies in recent decades.
Autodesk Deepens Reach Into Construction
3D software giant Autodesk made an acquisition of a construction-related company.
A Look at Theoretical Futures for 3D Printing Technology
A speculative video discusses some of the issues 3D printing may face in the distant future.
Characteristics of Successful Filament Extruders
Over the years there have been several desktop 3D printer filament extruders, and almost all have failed.
Blowing Your Leftover Budget On A 3D Printer? Some Things To Consider
At this late date in the year, many organizations have some 3D printing thinking to do.
Choosing The Right, Or Better 3D Printing Tool?
Iām reading a press release from Massivit describing a notable machine sale, and had a thought about choosing 3D printers.
Reactions to Materialise’s 3D Printing Trends for 2019
Materialise published a series of trends and we have some thoughts.
FDM Is Not A Serious Industrial Application?
We received a provocative comment about 3D printing and had to reply.
Wait, Is Consumer 3D Printing Back?
After thinking more about Prusa Printersā astonishing production figures, Iām now wondering whether consumer 3D printing is back.
The Pace of Innovation
When is the right time to introduce an innovative solution?
How Will 3D Printing Benefit Manufacturing-as-a-Service (MaaS)?
We can expect manufacturing to change in many ways over the coming years, and 3D printing is at the heart of some of the most exciting of these developments. In particular, manufacturing-as-a-service, or MaaS, is coming into its own thanks to advances in 3D printing.
3D Printed Spare Parts Will Require Design Forethought
Iām reading a piece by Joe Iles discussing recent explorations by industry on the notion of 3D printed spare parts.
Look Before You Leap Into Construction 3D Printer Investment
Recently there has been a spate of investment in construction 3D printer manufacturers, but is this wise?
A New Angle for Construction 3D Printing?
Iām reading a press release about another investment in a construction 3D printing company and had a thought.
Future Possibilities for 3D Printed Repairs
A reader comment got me thinking about the future of 3D printed repairs.
Ceramic 3D Printing Following Familiar Path
Adoption of 3D printing does not happen all at once.
Disruption Needs Noise
Change doesnāt come silently.
Entering Additive Manufacturing
There seem to be three broad approaches to entering a career in additive manufacturing.
3D Printing Events Everywhere
3D printing is a global industry, and following the business often leads to attending events around the world.
Is 3D Printing Becoming “Natural” for Manufacturers?
Iām reading a piece in the Durango Herald discussing a rocketry startup thatās using 3D printing.
Towards Self-Repairing 3D Prints?
New research from MIT shows a potential approach for producing self-repairing 3D prints.
What’s Holding Back 3D Printed Spare Parts?
3D printing enables many new business models, one of which is on-demand spare parts.
Fixing Toys With 3D Printing: Not For Everyone
Robert Maldonado undertook a challenging job to repair a broken toy using 3D printing and CAD, illustrating how challenging it can be.
Carbon’s Comfy Strategy
Carbon announced additional partnerships recently, but it seems to be a part of a larger strategy for business expansion.
Six Ways Food 3D Printing Can Be Advantageous
How exactly should food 3D printers be used for an advantage?
What Happens When the 3D Printing Dream Ends?
Many 3D printing companies have emerged since 2009, and almost as many have since shut down. What happens then?
The Terminology of Technology
3D printing / additive manufacturing / rapid prototyping — whatās the difference?
Forbes Predicts Massive 3D Printing Boom, and They’re Right
A provocative article in Forbes discusses how 3D printing could explode in future years.
Can We Please Stop Hyphenating ā3D Printingā?
ā3D printingā is a part of Industry 4.0; letās see ā3-D printingā or ā3D-printingā make their way out of the lexicon.
The Challenge of Making Replacement Parts
Iām reading an interesting case study by 3D Hubs and have some thoughts about 3D printing spare parts.
Stealth to Success?
Should more companies stay in stealth mode longer?
What is a Jig and Why are They Important to 3D Printing?
One of the most important applications of 3D printing is the production of jigs.
Combining 3D Printing with Shape Memory Alloys
After watching a fascinating video about shape memory alloys, I realize there are many possible 3D print applications.
Is 3D Printing Green? Could It Be Green?
Iām reading a piece on the greenness of 3D printing and realized there is so much more to the sustainability picture of 3D printing.
Thoughts on Prusa’s New SL1 Resin 3D Printer
Prusa Research announced a new resin-based 3D printer. What will this mean?
Stratasys’ Manufacturing Strategy Becomes More Real
Stratasys announced a deal with Siemens for 3D printing, but I think there is much more behind this arrangement.
Thoughts On 3D Hubs’ Demise – Or Is It Rise?
Youāve probably heard that 3D Hubs is about to shut down their DIY community 3D printing network, as we wrote the other day.
Manufacturing Competition in Additive Manufacturing
Competition is heating up in additive manufacturing; how does that make you feel?
Seven Sketchy 3D Printing Business Practices
There are some practices that are just not good.
Implications of HP’s Metal Jet Technology
HP announced a new metal 3D printing process today, and there are some interesting implications.
The 3mm Filament Problem
Iāve hit this problem twice now this week: is 3mm filament really 3.00mm?
A Caution for 3D Printer Startups: You’re Too Late
After watching a video of Prusa Research headquarters, itās increasingly obvious that time is up for new 3D printer startups.
What Construction 3D Printing Must Do Next
After reading yet another wildly exaggerated story about 3D construction printing, I thought Iād make a list of things to do.
Ride The Wave: 3D Print Market Grows Sharply
A spending forecast from IDC indicates very substantial growth in 3D printing over the next four years.
The Need For 3D Printing Joint Ventures
Recent interest in more exotic materials should drive a lot more partnerships in the future.
Could Carbon Become an Automotive Giant?
I had an interesting thought about Carbon and where they might end up.
A New Frontier For 3D Printing: Fishing?
Iām looking at a 3D model and wondering if this could be the start of something interesting.
A Home for Unused 3D Printer Materials?
Iām reading a fundraising campaign for a schoolās 3D printer and had an idea.
The Rise of the Flexible 3D Printing Plate
Sometimes it takes years for an industry to discover the best approach, and thatās what seems to have happened with 3D printing surfaces.
Is Autodesk Winning the Free CAD War?
Iāve noticed a bit of a trend, at least informally, regarding use of free 3D CAD suites.
3D Metal Printing: Picking the Right Process
A piece from Fabrisonic explains how their process might be better than others, but it suggests a pattern across all 3D printing processes.
Are 3D Print Services Better?
After reading Matt Sandās story earlier this week, I am now thinking a bit differently about 3D print services.
Metal 3D Printing: Seven Trends & Emerging Tech
I recently presented to a sold-out audience at MD&M East, a leading conference in manufacturing medical devices and surgical instruments.
Should Premade GCODE Be Used?
Iāve seen pre-made GCODE a few times recently, and I am a bit suspicious of it.
Indo Pacific Implications of 3D Printing?
Iām reading a two-part story talking about how 3D printing may affect the Indo Pacific region.
Deepmind’s 3D Capabilities: Productive or Scary?
Googleās DeepMind project has developed some interesting 3D capabilities.
Another Industry Ripe for 3D Printing: Military
An amusing story on Military.com got me thinking about how industry uses – or doesnāt use 3D printing.
Someone Moves into a 3D Printed Home: Is This Really The Future?
News last week that a family is moving into a 3D printed home got me thinking.
4 Ways 3D Printing Can Revolutionize Automobile Manufacturing
The automobile sector is booming.
Some Advice for 3D Printing Companies Thinking of Attending CES 2019
We have some thoughts about attending CES in 2019.
Is 3D Printing a Logistics Solution?
An interesting question was raised regarding the use of 3D printing.
Will 3D Printers “Bring Back Jobs”?
Over the past few years Iāve heard some propose that 3D printers may ābring back jobsā.
Third Party 3D Printer Resin Thoughts
Virtually all major resin-powered 3D printers today can use the manufacturerās materials.
3D Printer Purchases: Is It Now Only About Price?
Today Iām thinking about how price has become a major factor in 3D printer sales.
The Need For A Standard Spool Label
Hereās the situation: a print is running at the lab, and the filament is running short.
Look for More 3D Printing Accessory Devices
Thereās a trend in 3D printing these days: accessories.
What is “Make On Demand”?
Iām reading a press release from Rize that describes a new service that performs āMake on Demandā.
3D Printing May Change Mass Manufacturing Expectations
I had a thought about how the integration of 3D printing into manufacturing may change how we think about products.
Learning to Apply a New 3D Printing Technology
Iām always fascinated with unusual 3D printing processes, and Fabrisonic certainly qualifies.
Is 3D Printing Getting Any Easier?
Iāve been reflecting on the history of 3D printing and had some thoughts about ease of use.
The Evolution of Standard 3D Printer Features
In many ways the evolution of 3D printers follows the path taken by automobiles.
Don’t Take 3D Printing For Granted
3D printing offers tremendous advantages, but we donāt mention them as often as we should.
Is The Race To The Bottom in 3D Printing a Good Thing?
Pricing of low-cost 3D printers has consistently dropped, but is this a good thing?
Potential Future Security Risks for 3D Printing
Iām reading a story about security challenges with 2D photocopiers and am wondering how similar approaches may affect 3D printing in the future.
Choice: The Future Dilemma of 3D Printing
As things are unfolding in 2018, there seems to be a growing challenge: material choice.
Interesting Thoughts on 3D Print Business Models
Iām reading a brief analysis by Gartnerās Pete Basiliere on how 3D printing could affect business models.
Buying 3D Printer Filament: Online or In Person?
There are now more ways to acquire 3D printer filament, but what is the best way to do so?
Is It Time For Educators To Upgrade 3D Printing Equipment?
Itās nearing the end of school year for many organizations across the world, but is it time to upgrade?
Shapeways Improves Post Processing Options, But Where Are They Going?
Shapeways announced several new post printing options, and I think this is a very interesting development.
The End of an Era? 3D Systems Selling Molding Machines?
A quick glance at 3D Systems’ marketing material lately might have you believe they’re selling injection molding equipment. But not really.
The Rise of Small Regional 3D Print Services
Iāve noticed a bit of trend: the occurrence of small, regional 3D print services seems to be growing.
How To Keep Up With 3D Printer Updates – Or Not
It seems that as soon as you acquire a 3D printer, itās obsolete. What should you do?
Was There Really “Consumer Indifference” To 3D Printers?
Iām reading a story suggesting that it was āConsumer Indifferenceā that ākilled all hope for 3d printing stocks.ā
How to Make Impossible Objects
3D printers are well known for their ability to make āimpossible objectsā.
RAND’s Four Beefs with 3D Printing Discussed
RAND Corporationās views on 3D printing seem a lot more worrisome than they should be.