This week’s selection is “Cracking Creativity: The Secrets of Creative Genius” by Michael Michalko.
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Ten Juicy 3D Print Corporate Acquisition Targets
Here we present ten 3D print companies that just might be of interest by other, larger companies.
Women of R&D Tax Savers: Insights into 3D Printing
The women of R&D Tax Savers discuss their observations and insights into 3D printing.
Complementary 3D Printers Is The Only Way To Go
Do you have complementary 3D printers? Don’t know what that is? Read on!
3D Printing: Helping Just-In-Time Be On Time
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi consider how 3D printing can contribute to the evolution of just-in-time inventory strategies.
Creativity In New 3D Printing Worlds
Charles R. Goulding and Ryan Donley consider how 3D printing might help us build imaginative new worlds.
How To Make Anything With 3D Printing
You can’t use a 3D printer to print anything. You can make anything with a 3D printer.
Thoughts On Stratasys’ SAF Production 3D Printing Process
I’ve been thinking about Stratasys’ new SAF 3D printing process.
The Road To Herd Immunity And 3D Printing Business Planning
Charles R. Goulding considers what a return to “normal” in the 3D printing business might look like.
MIT’s LaserFactory: One Step To Produce Functional Objects
MIT has developed a device that can literally produce a fully functional object in one step, with no human intervention.
3D Print Materials Count: A Field Test Of Lightweight PLA
An RC flyer has performed a very real test of a lightweight 3D printing materials.
Magnetocuring Technology Could Point To A New Form Of 3D Printing
Researchers at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have developed a new type of adhesive that could lead to a different form of 3D printing.
A Thousand Crazy Ideas: Bill Gates And 3D Printing
Charles Goulding Jr. takes a trip through Bill Gates’ brain – and finds plenty of 3D printing.
ResMed: Disrupting The Sleep Care Industry With Help From 3D Printing
Charles Goulding and Peter Favata contemplate 3D printing opportunities that could arise in a more personalized sleep care industry.
Hitting It Off: The Increasing Need For Effective Integration Within Additive Manufacturing
In an additive manufacturing ecosystem that is both constantly evolving yet still fragmented, Lee-Bath Nelson, Co-Founder and VP Business at LEO Lane, looks at why the need for companies to play well together is critical to realizing strategic objectives.
3D Printing And 3 Samsung News Events
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi consider three major happenings at Samsung and how they might relate to 3D printing activities at the company.
How To Run A Home Business With The Help Of 3D Printing
Among the technologies that are helping to make running a small company more simple and practical is 3D printing.
Putting Pilot Skills To Work In 3D Printing
Charles R. Goulding and Andressa Bonafe take lessons from Top Gun to additive manufacturing.
Can Simon Properties Use Technology To Mend The Fashion Industry?
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi consider whether a recent move in retail might be helped even further by incorporating advanced technologies like 3D printing.
Additive Manufacturing 2.0?
Is the current inflection point for 3D printing tipping us into “Additive Manufacturing 2.0”?
New Trade Show Models And 3D Printing
Charles R. Goulding considers the prospect of trade show rethinking for the 3D printing industry.
Cleanse Your Balance Sheet Now
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi think that as we emerge from the global coronavirus pandemic, companies should consider emerging with a newer, cleaner balance sheet — with the help of 3D printing.
Creative People Migration and 3D Printing
Charles R. Goulding and Alyssa Schneider review ideas presented in Richard Florida’s books that can be applied to 3D printing thinking.
A Future Nano-Cutting 3D Printer?
Researchers have developed a new method of cutting tiny 2D materials, but could this be the foundation of a new type of 3D printer?
New 3D Printing CEOs And Acquisitions
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi examine trends in new CEO appointments in several 3D printing companies.
3D Printing Companies Standing For Equity
These are troubled times. The 3D printing industry is banding together to stand strong on the right side of history.
Where To Send Your 3D Printed PPE Press Releases
We’re not the ones who need to see the announcement that you’re 3D printing face shields.
Improving Just In Time (JIT) with 3D Printing
David Macfie, Charles R. Goulding, and Alyssa Schneider explore the use of 3D printing in just in time manufacturing.
New Supply Chains and 3D Printing
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi look into 3D printing and the new shape of supply chains.
Three Business Revelations During COVID-19
Anna Zevelyov, the CEO of 3D scanner company Thor3D, examines three revelations when it comes to conducting business during and beyond the time of COVID-19.
Lean Manufacturing, Automation and Distancing
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi examine the principles of Lean Manufacturing together with rising trends in automation and required social distancing.
Identifying Alternative Metal 3D Printing Customers
Charles R. Goulding examines metal 3D printing applications outside of automotive and aerospace.
A Few Considerations For Attending Virtual Events
With so many virtual events popping up, we all need to consider strategies when it comes to tuning in.
Proposal: MakerBot Should Change Their Name
I’m thinking MakerBot should consider changing their name, as there are now several very good reasons to do so.
A Few Considerations For Virtual Events
We’ve been discussing a lot about virtual 3D printing events lately, as current global circumstance is keeping us physically separated.
Analyzing Trade Show ROI Metrics
Charles R. Goulding and Preeti Sulibhavi dig into the metrics of return on investment from trade shows.
2020: The Year Of The 3D Printing Webinar
Yes, we’ll primarily remember 2020 as the Year of Pandemic, but it’s quickly taking on another face: the Year of the 3D Printing Webinar.
Comment of the Week: 3D Printing vs Global Production
A reader speculates on how the coronavirus crisis may provide an opportunity for additive manufacturing, and we have some additional thoughts on new opportunities.
What I Learned About 3D Printing By Staying Out Of It
The 3D printing industry is fast-changing. Sometimes taking a step back, though, is necessary to grasp the bigger picture.
The Importance of Surface Finish in Additive Manufacturing
Some thoughts about the ongoing dilemma of obtaining good surface quality on production parts made using additive manufacturing.
Four Reasons Why Zortrax Announced 3D Print Services
Zortrax unexpectedly announced a new 3D print service. We have several ideas why the 3D printer manufacturer turned to this unusual strategy.
Why We Cover Large and Small 3D Printers
Some may wonder why this publication covers both small-scale DIY 3D printing and at the same time large-scale industrial production additive manufacturing. We explain our thinking.
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.
What Does A Real Chocolate Maker Think of 3D Printed Chocolate?
We’ve seen chocolate 3D printers, but is this something that should be done? We asked an actual chocolate maker for thoughts on 3D printed chocolate.
Trends In 3D Printing Today: Application-Specific Solutions, Training
Two of the biggest conversations in 3D printing today have a lot in common.
Seriously, Attend 3D Printing Events
The best way to learn about 3D printing is directly — so go to the events.
The Regionality Of Major 3D Print Events
Every 3D printing / additive manufacturing trade show attracts a certain crowd, and it seems to differ by region. Why is this important?
Hasbro beseitigt Kunststoffverpackungen
Charles Goulding und Peter Favata von R & D Tax Savers, untersuchen die möglichen Auswirkungen von Hasbros Maßnahme auf die 3D-Druckindustrie.
The Importance Of The Pareto Principle For 3D Printing Management
Charles R. Goulding and Andressa Bonafe of R&D Tax Savers discuss the Pareto Principle as it can be applied to the business of 3D printing.
How Has 3D Printing Changed?
How has the 3D printing industry changed over the last decade? Perhaps more importantly — what changes still need to happen? A workforce perspective.
Hasbro To Eliminate Plastic Packaging
Charles Goulding and Peter Favata of R&D Tax Savers examine the potential impact of Hasbro’s move to eliminate plastic packaging on the 3D printing industry.
The Final Word on 3D Printing vs Additive Manufacturing?
There is a way to make sense of the terminology of 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing. We propose some rules.
Reducing the Hype in 3D Printing
3D printing has been subject to plenty of hype, including from marketers. We take a look at three solid ways to reduce the hype around 3D printing.
It’s Nice To Be First In 3D Printing; It’s Better To Be Best
Is it more important in 3D printing to be first to market or unique on the market? As 3D printing grows as an industry, it’s more important to have an ‘only’ to offer, as a marketing expert points out.
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.
Innovators Need Guidance
When additive manufacturing advisory services companies seamlessly partner with manufacturers and vendors (resellers), we will see mass corporate adoption of 3D printing on both the desktop and the factory floor.
Is The TAZ 6 Bombproof?
We learned something very interesting about the LulzBot TAZ 6.
Could Adobe Create the 3D Product Dev App to Rival all Others?
Adobe Fresco in 3D?
A Change Of Heart At Sindoh?
After a discussion with Sindoh representatives, it seems the company may be changing their strategy regarding materials.
An Exciting, Boring Future for Additive Manufacturing
I think it’s wonderful that additive manufacturing may be boring: that means it’s getting real.
The Birth of the 3D Printed Acoustical Metamaterial Industry
Researchers at Boston University have developed a technique for 3D printing acoustical metamaterials.
Book of the Week: To Engineer Is Human
This week’s selection is “To Engineer Is Human: The Role of Failure in Successful Design” by Henry Petroski.
Empowering Diversity in Digital Manufacturing
This International Women’s Day, I am excited by the promise of this technology transformation to tackle problems in new ways, powered by a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
The Real Value of 3D Printing Patents
It’s not always about revenue; sometimes patents are worth it to prove larger positioning.
Please Name Your Technology Something We Can Remember
There’s standing out, and there’s STAndING ouT.
A Non-Linear 3D Printing Career
Non-linear, nontraditional career paths are becoming more of a norm. Let’s take a look at content creation in 3D printing.
Small 3D Print Operations Should Consider Consolidation
There is so much competition smaller 3D print vendors might consider consolidating to expand.
3D Printing and the Playful Path to New Ideas
Lumi Industries and Robotfactory remind us that the maker spirit endures in 3D printing even as the technology industrializes.
The Pace of Innovation
When is the right time to introduce an innovative solution?
You Think 3D Printing Is Big? The Best Is Yet To Come: formnext 2018
26,919 visitors and 632 exhibitors can’t be wrong: formnext 2018 has made Frankfurt The Place To Be in additive manufacturing each November.
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.
Disruption Needs Noise
Change doesn’t come silently.
Entering Additive Manufacturing
There seem to be three broad approaches to entering a career in additive manufacturing.
What’s with All the 3D Printed Bottle Openers?
I recently realized nearly every bottle opener in my house is 3D printed.
Advanced 3D Printed Fiber Concept
A paper from the University of Surrey details a new materials concept, but perhaps this could be done with advanced 3D printers.
Can We Please Stop Hyphenating “3D Printing”?
“3D printing” is a part of Industry 4.0; let’s see “3-D printing” or “3D-printing” make their way out of the lexicon.
20 Product Designers You Should Follow on Instagram Right Now
Love ’em or just plain don’t have time for ’em, social media platforms are here to stay.
Thoughts on the Demise of Printrbot
Last week the 3D print community noted the closure of Printrbot.
Book of the Week: The Ultimate Guide to Designing, Prototyping and Mass Manufacturing your Product Idea
This week’s selection is the useful “The Ultimate Guide to Designing, Prototyping and Mass Manufacturing your Product Idea” by Jason Vander Griendt.
A Most Strategic 3D Print Merger: The First of Many?
Two Canadian firms join in what could be a style soon to be seen everywhere.
A Step Towards 3D Printing by Amazon?
This week Amazon acquired a 3D modeling company, and I’m wondering where this may go in the future.
Could Room-Temperature Nanolasers Change 3D Printing?
A new form of laser has been developed, and I’m wondering what it may do to future 3D printers.
Electric 3D Printing? New Adhesive Method Could Enable a New Form of 3D Printing
A new adhesive is triggered by electricity, suggesting the possibility of a new form of 3D printing.
The Simple Way A 3D Printing Startup Can Obtain Customer Scans
There’s no shortage of ideas for 3D printing startups, but many depend on obtaining custom 3D scan information about clients, and that’s usually a difficult proposition.
Design of the Week: Pretend Missile Attachment for Minidrones
This week’s selection is the strange “Pretend Missile Attachment for Minidrones” by MyMiniFactory contributor Savik K., which portends some very interesting future designs.
Could Self-Healing Plastic Be 3D Printed?
A curious new plastic can heal itself in water, but could this be used in a 3D printer? Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania examined squid teeth, which have a very unusual property: they can heal themselves, even when submerged in water. Here’s the interesting part: the researchers were able to determine which genes controlled… Continue reading Could Self-Healing Plastic Be 3D Printed?
3D Printing Experimentation with Replibot
There are many inventive hobbyists who are making very good use of the 3D printing knowledgesphere. That knowledge includes hardware, software, electronics, design, tools, models, examples, help, tutorials and services. For those who are not satisfied with the current offerings, they often dig in deep in attempts to find better solutions by leveraging all available… Continue reading 3D Printing Experimentation with Replibot
MakerBot Hall of Fame
The MakerBot guys are not just hardware and software geniuses. They are marketing genuises, too. They’ve set up a “Hall of Fame” for MakerBot users, in the best use of Game Theory we’ve yet seen in the 3D printing space. This is a terrific approach that we think will definitely make more things happen in… Continue reading MakerBot Hall of Fame
Let’s Download Some Hardware!
Bryan Bishop and Ben Lipkowitz talk about their new open source venture: SKDB. What is it? It’s a open source hardware distribution framework that takes cues from the highly successful software world. The software world was held back for decades by centrally controlled proprietary paradigms, but blossomed when open source principles took hold. Today we… Continue reading Let’s Download Some Hardware!
3D Printers Should Not Be Banned
Last week we posted our thoughts on Gartner’s Nick Jones’ article suggesting that 3D printers might be banned in the future as they might overflow our streets with discarded plastic items. We don’t think the world will look like a McDonalds Happy Meal Toy graveyard anytime soon, and apparently neither does anyone else, either. Followup… Continue reading 3D Printers Should Not Be Banned
Robots!
Timothy Mayer tips us to an example of a robot built by the Cornell Computational Synthesis Laboratory. The robot’s structure was fabbed with a Fab@Home 3D printer using KraftCreation’s FabEpoxy media. Of course, the electronics weren’t printed out, but that will come some time in the future. Readers might want to peruse some of the… Continue reading Robots!
Moléculaire: The 3D Molecular Food Printer
Electrolux Design Lab is an annual competition where some truly amazing designs emerge. This year a 3D printer showed up among the various science fiction appliances. The idea is to pop open the top and insert a cartridge containing the print material, erm, the “food”. At the lower end a print head moves about the… Continue reading Moléculaire: The 3D Molecular Food Printer
Printing the NanoSeeker
Once in a while we read another piece about 3D printing and it causes us to step back and take stock of what’s really going on. This time it was an entry from Jon Hyland’s blog, where he’s been using a newly acquired 3D printer. Jon appears to be one who’s pushing the edge of… Continue reading Printing the NanoSeeker
The Weather Bracelet … and More
In another unique way of transforming an aspect of reality into 3D objects, fabricator, Flickr user mtchl has prepared an unusual bracelet, formed from the weather in Canberra, Australia. The circumference of the bracelet represents the 365 days of the year in question (July of 2008 through end of June 2009), and the outer edge… Continue reading The Weather Bracelet … and More
RedEye’s iTunes
RedEye On Demand (Stratsys’s 3D print service bureau) compares 3D print services with the iTunes store in their recent newsletter. While one service delivers digital music and other digital content, the other delivers physical objects. How can the two be compared? Both have been highly disruptive to existing business models. iTunes, of course, cut… Continue reading RedEye’s iTunes