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The Pursuit of Efficiency: 3D Printing in 3D Space

Profitability of 3D printing often depends on efficiency, and that’s something of prime concern to many 3D print operators.

What is “Neosanding” and Why Would You Use It?

An interesting technique used by some Ultimaker users could put a better finish on your 3D printed parts.

When 3D Printing a Model Doesn’t Make Sense

Sometimes 3D printing simply doesn’t make sense.

Outsourcing Your 3D Printing? Or Should You Insource?

A question that is sometimes not even asked, let alone answered, is the question of outsourcing 3D printing.

Silicone 3D Printing with ACEO

Germany-based ACEO offers powerful 3D silicone printing services.

Laser Cutting or 3D Printing? Which is Appropriate?

I’m reading an Instructables on how to laser-cut a 3D printer spool holder and had a thought.

Forecast 3D To 3D Print Up To 600,000 Parts Weekly with HP Equipment

Longtime 3D print service company Forecast 3D is set to launch a new manufacturing center featuring HP 3D print gear.

The Marvel of 3D Print Material Profiles

Today’s desktop 3D printer operators have a huge advantage over those from years before, through the magic of print profiles.

3D Orchard to Assist Open Source Hardware Design

I’m trying out a new online service that hopes to enable makers to work together on open source hardware projects.

3D Print Tip: Oh How I Love My Heat Gun

There are plenty of ideas for tools required to help operate desktop 3D printers, and one of them is the heat gun.

Trying Out Conrad’s New 3D Print Service

Some months ago Trickle announced a deal with Conrad to provide 3D print services. Now it seems to have gone live.

3D Print Startup Beamler Looking for Investors

Amsterdam-based startup Beamler is looking to build a new 3D print service network.

MakerOS Provides Even Deeper Integration for 3D Printing Businesses

We’ve been watching MakerOS for several years now and they’ve always provided significant updates. Now there’s another one.

3D Hubs Adds Indirect Metal 3D Printing to Network

What companies like Markforged, Desktop Metal and Admatec reintroduced to the world of manufacturing was the idea that 3D printing is already capable of producing metal parts through indirect methods.

MIT and Steelcase’s New Rapid Liquid Printing Tech: So Many Questions!

Steelcase partnered with MIT to develop a radical new method of 3D printing.

Utilize Your Empty Build Plate Space With Thrinno’s New Marketplace

Belgian company Thrinno has announced a rather interesting new service that could be quite profitable for some 3D print operations.

The Coming Proliferation of High Speed Sintering?

In the last few years, a number of exciting new technologies have emerged in the 3D printing industry that promise the integration of additive manufacturing (AM) into the larger world of manufacturing

How to Speed Up 3D Printing?

Researchers at Binghamton University have explored ways to theoretically increase the speed of filament-based 3D printing systems.

Is a 3D Print Speed Benchmark Possible?

A reader asked if a print speed benchmark existed. I’m not sure such a thing could exist.

JABIL Flexes 3D Printing for Manufacturing with HP’s Multi Jet Fusion

Last year, HP finally introduced its Multi Jet Fusion (MJF) 3D printing technology to the market.

Crazy 3D Idea of the Week: 3D Quality Control System

I’m reading a piece describing a 3D tracking system that’s being used for assisting delicate medical procedures and had an idea of how to apply something similar to 3D printing.

Cutting Through 3D Printing Parameters: Finding Your Priorities

The parameters for slicing 3D models for printing can be ridiculously complex, but here’s a way to simplify things.

U-Dimensions Tackles Gaming Figurines in a Different Way

Canada-based U-Dimensions is about to launch a service specializing in 3D printed game figurines, but there’s something a bit different about their approach.

Strange New Motions from AIO Robotics

Discussions with AIO Robotics reveal they’re working on some interesting motion systems for their ZEUS equipment.

What is Trinckle’s Growth Strategy?

Berlin-based 3D print service Trinckle has made another announcement, and I’m beginning to see an interesting growth strategy at their company.

A 3D Printer Did Not Kill a California Couple

Rampant news stories are circulating suggesting that a 3D printer “killed” a California couple, but it can’t be true.

From Prototyping to Manufacturing: What’s 3D Printing Used For?

Though we may strive for the day in which it’s possible to make an entire aircraft with 3D printing, according to Wohlers Associates, about one-third of the reported additive manufacturing (AM) applications is for creating prototypes and visual models.

Support Structures Eliminated with this 3D Printing Concept?

Swiss students have invented a new twist on 3D printing without support material.

What’s Behind Sculpteo’s AI Venture?

Last week 3D print service Sculpteo announced a series of AI-based tools to simplify use of their system. But what’s driving them to this?

Essentium Develops Revolutionary 3D Printing Process

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen something this revolutionary: Essentium has created a completely new filament-based 3D printing process.

The Good, Bad and Ugly of Using Rafts When 3D Printing

One of the first things you may encounter when beginning 3D printing is rafts. But are they a good thing or bad?

A 3D Jewelry Design System for the Public

I’m looking at another interesting attempt to leverage 3D printing for public use by JulBox.

3D Printing: The Key to the Solar System

A new paper from NASA proposes how to leverage 3D printing and robotics technologies to literally take over the solar system.

MakerOS Introduces a Very Needed Feature

MakerOS is an online service that provides a number of management functions to those operating 3D printing businesses. Now they’ve introduced a key function.

3DTrust: 3D Printing Security Powered by Blockchain

3dTrust is one of several startups tackling the problem of streaming print control, but they have a very unique feature.

Which is Faster? FDM or SLA 3D Printing?

A reader comment enquired about the general relative speed of the two major 3D printing processes, plastic extrusion and photocurable resin.

Design of the Week: Super Flowers

This week’s selection is the radical Super Flowers by Michigan-based Mark Peeters.

3D Printing: Shape, Check! Function, Not So Much

3D printing may be on the verge of a dramatic shift in focus as we’ve overcome one mountain, only to be faced with another.

The Critical Importance of Cooling During Plastic 3D Printing

There’s often much discussion of heating issues in 3D printing, but there’s another thermal dimension to consider: cooling.

Sigma Labs Hopes to Enable Many More 3D Printing Uses

While 3D printing technologies continue to be adopted by manufacturing, there are still some challenges.

Why STL Files Can Be Insufficient For 3D Printing

I’m reading an interesting piece by Gal Raz on Medium about the file types required by 3D print service bureaus.

EXCLUSIVE: The Man Who 3D Printed On Mars

Zak Wilson spent eight months in a Mars simulator, where he did a great deal of 3D printing.

The Missing Step in Desktop 3D Printing

Folks using desktop 3D printers are missing s step that’s commonly used in manufacturing: measurement.

3Diligent Reorganizes

3Diligent is a large 3D printing network focused on professional use, but this week they’ve announced a reorganization.

UPS Opens Up More 3D Print Services

UPS announced a new 3D printing facility in Singapore, suggesting their 3D printing venture is working.

3D Printing Cocktail Gadget Suggests New 3D Printing Technique

I’m looking at a curious 3D printing system called “Print A Drink” and wondering where this approach could go.

The New Xerox Direct to Object Inket Printer Can Print Onto Any 3D Object

Although 3D printers have been hogging the bulk of the “printing” limelight within the past few years, 2D printing technologies have been quietly seeing their fair share of technological breakthroughs, too.

One Tip You Must Know: The Cold Pull Technique

The truth with a desktop 3D printer is that you will definitely be performing service on it. But there’s one easy technique you must master.

“No Smokers, Pets or 3D Printers, Please”

A discussion on Reddit focuses on a very unusual apartment rental advertisement that mentions 3D printing. But what does this mean?

Carbon Expands 3D Printing Service Bureau Network

Given the speed and materials possible with continuous liquid interface production (CLIP)—the groundbreaking 3D printing tech developed by Carbon—it’s not surprising that large manufacturers such as BMW and Delphi Automotive have taken the tech on board for prototyping and short-run production.

3D Hubs’ 3D Printing Process Chart is Comprehensive, But…

3D Hubs has developed a very clear infographic detailing the numerous 3D printing processes. But I think there’s one problem with it.

The Newly Discovered Problem with All Large-Format 3D Printers

Recently we’ve written several stories about new, large-format 3D printers. While these machines can print large items, there’s a big problem with them.

The Confusing Paradox of 3D Printer Adhesion

One problem increasingly encountered by 3D printer operators is something one would have been solved a while ago: adhesion

Two Neat Features on the FELIX Pro 1

The other week we had a really close look at the FELIX Pro 1 and found a couple of very interesting features.

Questions about 3D Printing From a New User

A random question from an interested reader resulted in a curious reverse interview about the future of 3D printing.

Printr Updates Their Cloud 3D Print Management System

Amsterdam-based Printr has been quietly improving their cloud-based 3D print management system, Formide.

3D Printing Needs Clean, Constant Power

You might think you need to fuel a 3D printer with plastic or resin and you’re good to go. But there’s something else you should be very concerned about: power.

BuildTak’s New FlexPlate System

BuildTak has become a very popular solution to hold down prints on otherwise uncooperative desktop 3D printers, but now they’ve come up with a new approach.

The Bottom to Top Chase in 3D Printing is Closing

For years there has been a significant gap in quality between industrial and “hobby” 3D printers, but it’s becoming a more difficult to measure.

Securing 3D Files for 3D Printing with Make it LEO

There’s a peculiar startup offering a secure method of handling 3D design files called, “Make it LEO”.

Sometimes Extra Detail on 3D Prints is Not Helpful

Often 3D printer operators seek machines capable of printing ever-more-detailed objects, with finer resolution. But sometimes that’s a problem.

Predicting 3D Printers by the Spool

An industry report has been published that talks about the prospects for growth of 3D printing plastics. But what does this mean?

FATHOM’s Fascinating Hybrid 3D Print Services

I’m looking at a very interesting company based on the west side of the United States, FATHOM. Their purpose is, well, multifold.

Regional 3D Print Services Emerge

In spite of the efforts of the major 3D printing industry companies to grow their empires around the world, there is still much opportunity for regional players to emerge.

Life After Death: How To Support Aging Industrial 3D Printers

This week we proposed the idea of buying used 3D printers instead of new, but how can you keep them running?

Simplify3D v3.1 is Overflowing with Printer Support

Simplify3D announced and released a new version, 3.1, that includes support for a ridiculous number of new 3D printers, and also some very interesting enhancements.

Software Catchup: Type A Machine’s Radical 3D Print Infill

In the world of 3D printing, much has been accomplished in increasing hardware capabilities, but it seems that software often lags behind.

How to Generate Business for a Startup 3D Print Service

One company has come up with an interesting angle to generate business for their fledgling 3D printing service.

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.

Reading Between the Lines in 3D Hub’s Latest Report

Community network 3D Hubs has once again released their monthly report, but I realized something very interesting when reviewing it.

Fascinating Vector-Driven Metal 3D Printing From Harvard

Researchers at Harvard have developed a truly fascinating 3D printing technique that shows the limitations of current technologies.

Microsoft Now Supports Network-Based 3D Printers

Microsoft has been quietly building support for 3D printing for some years, and now they’ve announced networked printing support.

How To Survive Short Filament Spools: Keep Those Empties!

If you’re like me and 3D print a lot, you may find your work area piling up with empty filament spools. My advice: Keep Them!

Materialise Packages Up All The 3D Printing Software You Need In One Bundle

Materialise is perhaps best known for their 3D printing services to industry, but they also create very powerful software, too. Now they’ve bundled it all together.

The Strange Inbox Of A 3D Printing Service

The day-to-day at our 3D printing service, Make Mode, is nothing if not interesting.

Another 3D Printing Management System: 3D Printer ERP

I’ve seen a couple software solutions to the difficult problem of managing a 3D printer farm, and now another launches this week: 3D Printing ERP.

On The Loose: 3DPrintler’s 3D Print Service Chatbots

Growing 3D print conglomerate 3DPrintler is working on a strange chatbot interface to their 3D print service pricing comparison engine.

Fictiv: 3D Print Services Are Getting Very Specialized

I’m looking today at an interesting 3D print service startup called Fictiv.

Be Proud: How To Easily 3D Print Your Country’s Flag

There’s a rather simple method for 3D printing any country’s flag that can be done in mere minutes.

Powerful Cura Open Beta 3D Print Slicer Is Ready For You To Download

Ultimaker has released a new open-beta version of Cura, their popular slicing software, and there’s much good news and a bit of bad news.

The Most Unusual 3D Printing Patent Yet Seen

Researchers at Boeing have published a patent describing a bizarre method of 3D printing that involves levitation. I am skeptical.

The Solid Vibration 3D Printing Project

Studio van Broekhoven in Eindhoven has developed a fascinating and simple technique to incorporate sound into 3D prints.

Media Coverage Of 3D Printing Still Problematic

We’re reading a very curious post on WT VOX that proposes a list of the “top 10 cheap 3D printers you can buy in 2016”, except it seems terribly wrong.

Kwambio Launches (Again?)

We received a note from Kwambio who apparently have launched a new 3D model/print service.

NewPro3D’s Speedy ILI 3D Printing Technology

Vancouver-based NewPro3D has developed a new process for resin 3D printing that seems quite fast.

Syncky Sells Many 3D Printed Products

Korea-based Syncky is not a 3D model repository, but instead a site where you can order many different 3D printed products.

DigiFabster’s 3D Print Service Solution – And A Unique Back Office Marketplace

While most Fabbaloo readers will be consumers of 3D print services, did you ever wonder how things work behind the scenes at a 3D print service provider?

Should You 3D Print Objects Tall Or Wide?

When setting up a 3D print, most operators don’t bother changing the orientation of the 3D model. But should you?

3D Printing Is Too Slow, Unless You Have A Farm

We’re checking out a new 3D print service, Printaworld, which boasts of a 100+ unit 3D printer “farm”.

Scandy’s Curious 3D Printed Spheres

Scandy is a new 3D print service that provides 3D scan processing and printing options, but also they offer a very unique spherical style print.

3D Printing: The Longest Tail

We’re contemplating the effects of 3D printing on the world and realized that it could provide the longest tail of all.

FLEKS3D’s Back With More Print Plate Options

FLEKS3D launched an innovative 3D printer plate system last year, and now they’re back with more products and options.