I’m not sure if you’ve heard of a site called “3D Buzz”, but their content could be of interest to anyone in the CAD field.
learning
PSA: It’s FFF, Not FDM (Mostly)
Do you know the difference between the terms “FDM” and “FFF”? From what I read, it seems a large number of people are not aware of their true meaning.
Free CAD Utility Recommendations Available
I’ve found a source with a ton of CAD utility recommendations that could make life easier for anyone using 3D CAD to create designs for 3D printing.
3D Printing Tip: Support Structures Required In Unexpected Places
I encountered an unusual support structure issue while 3D printing and propose several ways to resolve it with Meshmixer.
Seven Ways 3D Prints Can Unstick
Of all the 3D printing issues you can encounter, bed adhesion, or lack of, is one of the most frequently seen. We list seven ways this can happen and offer suggestions on how to avoid them.
More On The 3D Printer Hair Incident
We were able to view video footage of the 3D printing hair-caught incident from last week and have determined exactly how it occurred, and how to prevent it from happening again.
What Is 3D Printer Calibration, Really?
Everyone talks about “3D printer calibration”, but what is it really? We believe the process varies considerably depending on a number of factors.
New Dangers For 3D Printer Operators
We witnessed yet another dangerous situation encountered by a 3D printer operator and provide some advice on how to avoid the situation.
5 Ways A 3D Printer’s Lifetime Expires
Once a 3D printer is installed and operated, how long does it last? We know five reasons why 3D printers die.
DIY Injection Molding With 3D Printed Molds (and How to Avoid Warping)
Did you know it’s possible to perform injection molding using 3D printing? It’s an easy way to make many objects.
Injection Molding: The Quick Design Guide
If you are doing injection molding, there are some important guidelines to know before you commit to a design.
Tutorial: Model Wave Forms using Creo Parametric Variable Section Sweep and TRAJPAR Function
3D modeling waveforms may be a very complex matter, but here is a tutorial to show you how it’s done in PTC CREO.
Managing the Detroit 3D Printing STEM Skills Gap
There’s a gap in 3D printing education, but how can it be filled? We have some ideas.
3D Printing in India: An Overview
To some, India may be a mysterious faraway place when it comes to 3D printing. However, there is a flourishing market in that country, and I3DPn hopes to build it even bigger.
Really, How Bad Are Abrasive Filaments For Your 3D Printer Nozzle?
What kind of damage do carbon fiber filaments do to a 3D printer nozzle? How fast does damage occur? Experiments show a surprising result.
Value-Added Inspection
Measurement is often seen as non-value-added work. However, if we properly account for the expected costs involved in passing defects on to customers, then the increased value of the product can be clearly shown.
Making 3D Printing Opportunities For Girls With MakerGirl
We speak with MakerGirl’s Executive Director, Mary Hadley, about the importance of early access to 3D printing.
Cool CAD Tips: How to Easily Thread Parts in Autodesk Fusion 360
If you ever wanted to create threaded fasteners for screws, nuts, bolts and the like on the fly using good old Fusion 360, Autodesk has a simple method to easily implement them.
3D Printing: A Step For STEM In Girls’ Education
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and STEAM (adding in the Arts) education is more important than ever for the next generation — but it isn’t always accessible, or equitable.
Blueprint Encourages Companies To “Think Additively”
How do businesses that might benefit from additive manufacturing actually start to reach toward those benefits?
3D Print Learning Series: Safety
This is an entry in our 3D Print Learning Series, focusing on 3D print safety, which is far more risky than you might have imagined.
3D Print Learning Series: Materials
This is an entry in our 3D Print Learning Series, focusing on the different materials possible in 3D printing.
How Universities Can Accelerate Our Next Generation of Innovators
As with other leaps forward in science, technology, industry and culture, universities will play a central role in driving the Industry 4.0 disruption by transforming the entire culture of design and creating a new breed of 3D innovators.
Students Using Advanced 3D Print Technology Could Lead to Job Offers
What kind of 3D print technology should be used by students? Here we explain the advantages of using advanced technology to simulate real-life engineering environments.
How Educators Can Choose Between a 3D Print Service and a 3D Printer
Should educational institutions use their own 3D printers or instead use 3D print services? We examine advantages and disadvantages of each approach.
3D Print Learning Series: Business
An entry in our Learning Series hopes to show you the business aspects of 3D printing, including purchasing, leasing, providing services, designing and marketing.
How To 3D Print Lithophanes
Have you ever wanted to 3D print lithophanes? It turns out to be suprisingly easy!
How To Unload Your Used 3D Printer
When your 3D printer is no longer useful, what do you do?
Interactive Map of 3D Printing Tech Available
A comprehensive interactive chart of 3D printing technologies has been published.
3D Print Learning Series: 3D Scanning
This is an entry in our 3D Print Learning Series, focusing on 3D Scanning.
3D Printer Maintenance Schedule: Do You Have One?
Do you know how to maintain your 3D printer?
Strengthen PLA Prints By Annealing
Many 3D printer operators are unaware of a technique for transforming materials into stronger versions: annealing.
3D Printing Employee Training in a Tight Job Market
Charles Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi of R&D Tax Savers discuss training needs in the growing 3D printing market.
3D Print Learning Series: Design Tips
This is an entry in our 3D Print Learning Series, focusing on additional 3D print design tips.
Don’t Forget The Maintenance Costs!
Purchasing 3D printing equipment can be a costly affair, but sometimes it’s actually far more expensive than you first thought.
3D Print Learning Series: Design Basics
This is an entry in our 3D Print Learning Series, focusing on Design Basics for 3D Printing.
XYZprinting STEAM 3D Education Program Open for Applications
XYZprinting is now accepting applications for its education program.
3D Print Learning Series: Processing
This is an entry in our 3D Print Learning Series, focusing on 3D print processing.
XYZprinting Introduces STEAM Bundles for Classroom 3D Printing
More offerings continue to pop up for school-age 3D printing education.
Girls 3D Print Club Encourages Hands-On 3D Printing
A Girls 3D Print Club in Cincinnati, Ohio helps highlight STEM opportunities for students.
Recognizing The Signs Of A Successful 3D Printer Installation
Buying anything of great expense is a big decision, and particularly so for 3D printers.
Printlab Releases Free Course For 3D Printed Assistive Technology
Printlab released a video course to help designers create and 3D print assistive aids.
3D Print Learning Series: Maintenance
This is an entry in our 3D Print Learning Series, focusing on 3D printer maintenance.
Additive Education Program Open for Applications
GE Additive has opened applications for primary and secondary schools in its Additive Education Program.
A Different Way To Learn About Ancient Egypt
An interesting experiment at Howard University demonstrated a different way to learn about ancient Egypt.
3D Print Learning Series: Operations
This is an entry in our 3D Print Learning Series, focusing on 3D Printing Operations.
3D Print Learning Series: Concepts
This is an entry in our 3D Print Learning Series, focusing on 3D print concepts.
Introducing Fabbaloo’s 3D Print Learning Series
Welcome to our 3D Print Learning Series.
How Do You Learn Filament Extrusion?
So you’ve decided to make your own 3D printing filament. Great. …How?
Hacking The uPrint
Stratasys’ uPrint is one of the classic 3D printers, but these days some operators use it in unusual ways.
Question of the Week: Basic 3D Printer Filament Calculations
This week’s question deals with arithmetic.
How to Not be a Total N00b
Are you a total n00b?
ADAPT to Define the Times: A Chat with MIT on the Future of Additive Manufacturing
A new industry-facing consortium is focused on a collaborative approach to invent the future of additive manufacturing.
3D Printing Health Risks Identified by UL and Georgia Tech
It’s been known for several years that desktop 3D printers, and presumably any extrusion 3D printer operating in an open environment, can be potentially dangerous
Knuckle Down: Four Approaches to Getting 3D Model Data In Hand
At an abstract level, every new project is composed of three elements:
How to Save Cash with Your uPrint 3D Printer
Stratasys’ venerable uPrint 3D printer produces fantastic output, but at a cost. Now there’s a way to reduce that cost.
In 3D Printing, Temperature Counts
I’m watching a 3D printing video that shows a problem I’ve had all too often.
The Visual – Solid 3D Modeling Gap
3D designers hoping to 3D print 3D models had better ensure the models are indeed 3D printable.
More On 3D Printed Repairs
Our earlier post on the feasibility of performing self-repairs with 3D printing generated some feedback.
Simulation Challenges with 3D Printing
Simulation is an amazing technology for designing parts, but it’s harder to do when 3D printing parts.
Where Do You Find Spare 3D Printer Parts?
3D printers are inherently full of moving parts, and thus they tend to break. Then what?
To Sand Or Not To Sand: An Experiment
Sanding 3D prints can be very tedious – but it turns out you may not need to in some cases.
Is Your OctoPrint Safe?
A fascinating article at OctoPrint.org shows the right – and wrong – ways to use OctoPrint remotely.
3D Printing in Education: learnbylayers Interview Part 2
As 3D printing continues to make its way into classrooms around the world, we caught up with award-winning teacher Philip Cotton, founder of learnbylayers.
3D Printing in Education: learnbylayers Interview Part 1
3D printing curricula from learnbylayers are being taught around the world: an interview with founder Philip Cotton.
3Dkanjers Teaches Students and Teachers to Think Differently with 3D Printing
Over the last five years, 3Dkanjers has brought 3D printing into more than 500 primary schools in the Netherlands.
Mystery 3D Printing Problem: Solved!
At the lab we’ve solved a mysterious 3D printing problem that you might also encounter.
3D Printing In The Dorm? Is This Really A Good Idea?
It’s nearing the start of University sessions for many students, some of whom may be contemplating using a 3D printer – in their dormitory room.
Incredible Simplify3D Resource Available
If you are a user of Simplify3D, you want to read this.
3D Printing “Directly” from Google Earth
Some folks found a way to 3D print full color cityscapes directly from Google Earth.
How Do You Enter 3D Printing WIthout Bias?
There are an enormous number of options for 3D printing these days.
Six Good 3D Printing Troubleshooting Guides
Everyone who has operated a 3D printer knows something important: they don’t always work.
Solving Longer 3D Print Durations
One of the curses of 3D printing is extremely long print durations.
A Solid Solution to 3D Print Air Quality
I’m watching a video from the folks at DIY3DTECH, where they show a comprehensive air system.
How to Reduce the Cost of 3D Printing
As 3D printing becomes more of a requirement for industries today, costs become a higher factor in production.
How to Achieve a Brilliant Paint Finish on Your Prototypes
We can always depend on industrial designer Eric Strebel to put a ton of effort into every project he makes
Six Key Ways to Leverage 3D Print Design
3D printing technology isn’t for every application, but what is it good for?
Some Resin Casting Tips When Using 3D Printed Molds
I’m watching a short video showing casting tips.
3D Printer Safety at Issue, Again
Desktop 3D printers are definitely not the safest machine you can have.
The Several Methods of Dual Extrusion
With the increasing buzz over the near-necessity of dual extrusion, we thought we’d say a few words about how this is done.
There’s So Much More to Support Removal
I’m reading a white paper from PostProcess that’s discussing the complexities of removing dissolvable support material from fresh 3D prints.
9 Things You MUST GET RIGHT Before 3D Printing
When 3D printing failure is a looming presence, but it’s appearance can be limited by taking several key steps.
Watch Industrial Designer Eric Strebel’s Method for Making 120 Cast Parts From Scratch
Always one for ingenuity, Eric Strebel puts his industrial design expertise to good use even with the simplest of tasks.
All the Details on 3D Metal Printing Issues You’ll Ever Need
We encountered a lengthy video that details the challenges of 3D metal printing.
Simplify3D Updates Their Free Ultimate 3D Printing Material Guide
While the term “3D Printing” has become synonymous with creating physical objects
MakerBot’s Educator’s Guidebook is Pretty Good!
We’re looking at MakerBot’s new Educators Guidebook today.
Book of the Week: 3D Printing for Dummies
This week’s selection is the entry-level 3D Printing for Dummies by Richard Horne and Kalani Kirk Hausman.
Do You Have Enough Filament?
One of the most aggravating questions in desktop 3D printing is: Do you have sufficient filament left to complete the print?
The Troubles with Some 3D Models
I had occasion to 3D print an aircraft 3D model and found a common problem.
Why Are 3D Metal Printers So Tall?
I don’t know if you noticed, but some styles of 3D metal printers have a problem; a size problem.
Ferris State CAD Students Have a Near-100% Job Placement Rate
While the oft-neglected humanities may provide university students with the tools for critical and creative thinking
The Family of the Future Project
In spite of considerable press coverage and increasing use, 3D printing technology is still a mystery to many businesses. A new project hopes to change that.
An Easier Way to Learn Grasshopper
Grasshopper is one of the most powerful tools in the arsenal of 3D modeling software, but it can be tricky to learn.
Pro Tip: An Easy Way To Remove “Stringies” From Your 3D Print
Are you haunted by “stringies”? There’s an incredibly easy way to remove them.
7 Handy Resin Casting Tips and Tricks
Before you get to work on the final product of your design, it’s in your best interests to make a prototype first, right?