3dprinters
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GE is working on a massive 3D printer for jet engine parts
3D printing is coming of age in numerous ways. On a large scale, MIT researchers built a 50-foot-wide, 12-foot tall igloo in just 13 hours. They've also debuted the first completely 3D-printed rocket engine. On a much smaller level, our own Sean Buckley printed a little d-pad for his Nintendo Switch, while medical researchers have produced a 3D-printed patch that can heal scarred heart tissue. Now we're seeing this technology coming to the industrial world with a new laser-powered metal 3D printer from GE.
MakerBot lays off a third of staff as 3D printers remain niche
For the fourth time in less than two years, 3D printer manufacturer MakerBot is laying off workers, this time cutting 30 percent of its staff. It also announced plans to shift its focus to professional and educational 3D printing, presumably leaving consumer markets behind. "We have to make additional changes to lower costs and to support our long-term goals," CEO Nadav Goshen wrote. "We must reduce the pressure and distraction of chasing short-term market trends."
Kanye West is afraid 3D printers will ruin the fashion industry
Kanye West has a way with words. He's not known for often, if ever, holding back on whatever thoughts cross his mind. In a recent episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, the musician-turned-self-proclaimed-designer had an interesting thing to say about 3D printers: He believes they will ruin the fashion industry. During a visit to the Tumo Centre for Creative Technologies in Yerevan, Armenia, Kanye was shown a 3D printer and said, "This is what I'm afraid of here, 3D printing, because the internet destroyed the music industry and now this is what we're afraid of right now with the textile industry." The school guide tried to defend the machine by telling him it doesn't print designs on its own, pointing out that you need someone to bring those to life in the first place. "Yeah. What I'm saying [is] there will come a time where it's, like, people are making the shoes at home," he replied.
Despite recent challenges, Makerbot opens new factory in NYC
The past few months haven't been easy for Makerbot. But it doesn't seem like the restructuring and sizable layoffs are affecting the company's progress. Today it announced the opening of a new, 170,000-square-foot manufacturing center in New York City. For Makerbot, it means being able to double the production capacity of 3D printers, as well as offer better quality assurance for these machines -- and, considering a recent lawsuit, the timing couldn't be better. This doesn't only signal a commitment from Makerbot to keep growing its own operations, but also shows it doesn't plan to give up on a 3D-printing industry that's been struggling. The huge, upgraded space is located in Brooklyn's Industrial City, so you can expect Makerbot's 3D printers to keep the "Designed & Built in Brooklyn" branding for at least the next ten years.
Inside Intel's insanely futuristic CES booth
While Intel's biggest news at CES this year wasn't a processor or any of the futuristic products it powers, its booth is still packed with eye-pleasing, Edison-packing gadgets. You could take our word for it, or you could check out the 3D-printed prosthetics, robot spider dresses and digitally rendered sand people in the photo and video tours below. For more from Intel and beyond, check out our 2015 CES Field Guide.
MakerBot wants you to start 3D-printing in metal and wood (sort of)
The future of 3D printing may depend on the ability print things with properties beyond cheap plastic. We've seen composite materials appear for 3D printers before, but the arrival of MakerBot to the scene should make progress a bit quicker. Announced at this week's CES, MakerBot will be rolling out new composite filaments that have been chemically bonded with new materials. You'll have to wait until late 2015, but it's probably going to be worth it: Maplewood, limestone, iron and bronze PLA composites are coming. And in real life, they look and feel far more impressive than you might think.
How 3D printing brings 'Skylanders' to life
Toys for Bob's Skylanders franchise isn't the only "toys to life" game in town anymore and Paul Reiche, co-founder and studio head, is well aware of the deep-pocketed competition. "We recognize that we've got Disney with Infinity and Nintendo with Amiibo and, you know, they have entered into this world with their own products. And it's really our job to make sure that, through innovation, we're leaders," he says. The franchise, which lets players control virtual versions of their RFID-equipped figurines in-game, was the first to successfully merge physical toys and video gaming as part of a new crossover entertainment category. Given that penchant for innovation, it's no surprise that the studio has now fully embraced 3D printing as a means of streamlining its in-house creative process.
Robots, guns and pizza: A field guide to the 3D-printed world
Sure, 3D printing is such a tech industry buzzword that you'd have to turn a blind eye and deaf ear to escape news of its impending onslaught. But there's good reason for all the fanfare: 3D printing is poised to upend current manufacturing standards by making industrial fabrication methods democratic. Imagine: Any object you want or need can be (somewhat) instantly "printed" at home. Let that sink in for a bit. The kicker is -- that future is already here, albeit in a minor form, and it's rapidly evolving to be not only affordable, but also practical for everyone and every industry. Need proof? Then check out the gallery below. [Image credit: Associated Press]
3D printer headed to the International Space Station this August
Astronauts on the International Space Station will need to make room for one more gadget: a NASA-certified 3D printer. The device, designed by Made in Space at NASA's Ames Research Park in Mountain View, will launch on SpaceX CRS-4 in August, a few months ahead of schedule. Initially, astronauts will test the printer in the ISS' microgravity environment, but eventually it could be used to build tools and other hardware needed for on-board repairs or cubesat deployments. Down the road, Made in Space's clients could also have access to the printer for their own experiments. "This is unprecedented access to space," CEO Aaron Kemmer said in a press release. "If you want to 3D print in space, contact us now." [Image credit: NASA]
Not just for figurines: 3D printing saves companies big
While we're monkeying with our MakerBots, large corporations have much better toys to play with. They insist on calling them "additive manufacturing" machines but, truth be told, they're just Replicators with a superiority complex. They sinter or melt powdered or solid metals using lasers or electron beams, then deposit them in layers to form objects. Companies were previously leaning on such (incredibly expensive) devices for rapidly building prototypes like the Audi concept car shown above. Though that's still a huge part of the industrial 3D printer business, the machines are now churning out finished products as well.
Hershey and 3D Systems join forces to create printable confections
You may no longer have to settle for getting your chocolate in teardrop, bar or seasonal-bunny form. The Hershey Company has signed an agreement to develop printable treats with 3D Systems, which announced its own chocolate-equipped printer at CES last week. That yet-to-be-released machine will fall under the ChefJet line, and also supports printing 3D objects with sugar. With ChefJet's release still months away, it's unlikely that thousands of the machines are already plugging away at a secret factory in Hershey, Penn., but you better believe we'll be first in line when the custom-printed delights hit stores.
MakerBot Academy aims to bring 'industrial revolution' to classrooms
The President calling for a revolution during a State of the Union should be enough to make anyone's ears perk up. The launch of MakerBot Academy is said to be a response to just that, an attempt to realize President Obama's plea to "ensure that the Next Industrial Revolution in manufacturing will happen in America." The plan for such a revolution is pretty simple from where 3D printer maker stands. The company is launching a classroom curriculum and a partnership with DonorsChoose.org and Autodesk aimed at bringing 3D printing to the classroom. And if it happens to come in the form of the Replicator, well, all the better for Bre Pettis and co, right? Starting today, interested parties can donate to the aforementioned crowdfunding non-profit to give students and teachers access to MakerBot's devices. The pack includes a Replicator 2, three spools of filament and MakerCare support.
Zeus copy machine hits Kickstarter with all-in-one 3D printer, scanner and fax
For all the wonders we've seen 3D printers extrude, traditional copy machines still have something to lord over products like the MakerBot Replicator: convenience. Users hoping to duplicate real world objects need multiple devices and specialized software expertise to scan in items, tweak their parameters and print up a copy -- and sharing objects remotely isn't much easier. That's where AIO Robotics comes in. The company's Zeus 3D copy machine promises to scan, print fax and copy 3D objects with a touch of a button. The all-in-one device was announced late last month, but just launched on Kickstarter today, pricing the complete kit at $2,500 for US backers. The setup is designed to make 3D printing, scanning and sharing easy, automatically calibrating the scanning elements with the printing elements and allowing all functions to be easily performed from a single touch sensitive control panel. The device is supposed to be so easy to use, a child could use it -- and sure enough, the project's demo video contains an adorable clip of a child faxing is Play-Doh creations to his Dad. We're still a long way off from picking up user friendly replicators at Office Depot, but Zeus could be a step in the right direction. Check out the Kickstarter page for yourself at the attached source link.
Kickstarter-bound Zeus copy machine prints, scans and faxes 3D objects
As the god of gods, Zeus has a tremendous list of assets at his disposal. A 3D printer that can also scan and transmit objects, however, has until now been out of reach. AIO Robotics is gearing up to introduce the Zeus of the modern world, an all-in-one machine that duplicates 3D objects, even when they're not nearby. The device, which will make its Kickstarter debut on September 4th, will function in much the same way as a traditional all-in-one printer, with the obvious advantage of being able to create three-dimensional objects. Pricing has yet to be announced, but the creators expect Zeus to cost less than a Makerbot Replicator and Digitizer combo. It's also forecasted to be "the most reliable and usable 3D printer so far," according to a RepRap forum post. Time will tell.
The Daily Roundup for 01.29.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
The shape of things to come: A consumer's guide to 3D printers
CES 2013 proved to be something of a coming out party for consumer-facing 3D printers. Sure MakerBot earned a fair amount of attention at last year's show with the announcement of the Replicator, which snagged its share of awards from various press outlets. This year, however, saw a relative deluge in 3D-printing representation, with strong showings from 3D Systems, FormLabs, MakerBot and the cloud-based 3D printer, Sculpteo. Even with so many companies rising to prominence, the dream of truly mainstream 3D printing still feels a ways off -- if that is indeed where we're inevitably heading. These nascent days are an exciting time, with a diverse array of companies and organizations vying to be the first to bring the technology to our homes. In a sense, many roads lead back to RepRap, the open-source, community-fueled project aimed at creating a self-replicating machine. As such, the same basic technology underlies many of these devices. At their core, these 3D printers are not unlike their 2D counterparts, offering a way to translate images on computer screens into real-world analogs -- only in this case they're objects you can hold in your hand. Most of these work by melting plastic (largely Lego-like ABS or biodegradable PLA) and squirting it out through extruder heads. The heads operate along the X and Y axes, while the build platform (generally heated in the case of ABS and unheated for PLA) moves downward, allowing the glue gun-like extruders to build up the thin layers of plastic. Some printers rely on other technologies, many of which are rooted in the world of rapid prototyping, a category of fabrication that has been around for decades and used by companies like Boeing and Ford to created scale models of concepts. There are a surprising number of companies and organizations currently invested in the space, be it through pre-fabricated models, kits or open-source, downloadable plans. We pulled together a list of some of the most prominent, which you can check out after the break.
Deezmaker 3D Printer Store opens in Pasadena, will sell you a slice of the future for $600
If the MakerBot store in Manhattan is the East coast's vanguard for 3D printer stores, Deezmaker's just-opened store in Pasadena, California is the equivalent pioneer for the West coast crew. As of now, you can walk through the doors at 290 North Hill Avenue and at least see the store's own Bukobot printer in action, even if high demand through Kickstarter pre-orders precludes walk-in sales for the next few weeks. When you can make that impulse purchase, however, you'll find the Bukobot at a relatively cheap $600 and may see some alternatives during your visit. Store owner and Bukobot creator Diego Porqueras stresses to Ars Technica that he wants Deezmaker lasting for the long haul, and he may have chosen just the right area to make that happen -- the shop is a stone's throw from the experimenters (and simply curious) at Caltech, NASA's JPL and Pasadena City College. No matter how it all shakes out, we're hoping that the two near-simultaneous store openings are the start of a larger trend that takes 3D printing into the mainstream.
Controller board for 3D printers emphasizes expandability, gives nod to Sun God
Is your 3D printer's standard feature set lacking? Maybe Elefu's Kickstarter-funded custom controller board can help. Dubbed Ra (think ancient Egyptian god), the project places a focus on expandability and carries a roster of I/O options including camera triggers and fans. The ATMega2560-based system allows for computer-free printing by leveraging an LCD screen, SD card reader and a knob. For inattentive designers, a standalone and programmable MP3 player and a light controller can be used to create alerts when printing completes, and adds extra flair as well. The unit also supports up to three extruders and plug-and-play support for ATX power supplies. Having doubled its $4,000 funding goal nearly three weeks ahead of the campaign's end, boards are expected to show up on doorsteps this November and can be snagged for as little as $149. Head to the source for the full feature list and reward tiers.
Maker Faire Bay Area 2012, in pictures: 3D printers, unicorns, tesla coils and zombies (video)
Did you miss Maker Faire Bay Area 2012? Did you go but want to relive the experience a little? Well look no further: we came, we saw, we conquered. As one of our friends acutely observed, you couldn't throw something this year without hitting a 3D printer. Below you'll find pictures of said 3D printers, but also unicorns, Tesla coils and yes, even zombies (!) -- all lovingly curated from the hundreds of shots we took at the event this past weekend. Craving something with a bit more meat? We've made a convenient list of our Maker Faire posts. Once you're done digesting that, hit the break for our lovely video montage. Hands-on with the Electric Imp at Maker Faire (video) Raspberry Pi hands-on and Eben Upton interview at Maker Faire (video) Hands-on with the MakerBot robot petting zoo at Maker Faire (video) The Engadget Interview: Ben Heck talks Raspberry Pi at Maker Faire (video) Electric Motor Werks hands-on at Maker Faire (video) %Gallery-155867%
The Engadget Interview: Ben Heck talks Raspberry Pi at Maker Faire (video)
It's really no surprise that we bumped into the legendary Ben Heck at Maker Faire Bay Area 2012. Still, he was kind enough to give us a few minutes of his time. We talked about the Raspberry Pi, robot luggage, portable 3D printers, pinball machines, pretzels and cheese curds -- oh my! Just take a look at our video interview and don't miss the outtakes at the end.