Ultimaker2
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Ultimaker 3 can 3D-print using two materials at once
There aren't many 3D printers out there that have two extruders for putting out two materials at once, and of those even fewer are ready to hit the market. But Ultimaker's latest device is up to the task. The Ultimaker 3, which starts at $3,495, has two extruders that can hold different materials so you can produce more intricate prototypes. The device also comes with WiFi and Ethernet support, in addition to a USB port, so it can receive your jobs over the internet.
Tiny 3D-printed drill is powered by a hearing aid battery
We've seen teeny-tiny 3D printers before, and now we're getting pint-sized creations to match. An ingenious engineer from New Zealand set out to make the world's smallest cordless drill, and the result is pretty remarkable. The tiny tool measures just 17mm tall, 13mm long and 7.5mm wide, with a 0.5mm twist drill that can pierce soft objects. Creator Lance Abernethy designed the outer shell in Onshape with a regular drill for reference, before printing it with his trusty Ultimaker 2 3D printer. It's powered by a hearing aid battery and connected with wiring stripped from a headphone cable. The hardest part, unsurprisingly, was assembling all of the parts inside, because the wires kept breaking off and threatening to short-circuit the battery. Needless to say Abernethy pulled through, giving Borrowers everywhere an ideal power tool for their next home renovation.
Ultimaker debuts its latest 3D printer ahead of World Maker Faire
Over the past few years, Maker Faire has transformed into something of a 3D printer fest, and there's no reason to expect that this weekend's event in Flushing, Queens will be any different. Ultimaker, for one, is launching a new printer, the simply named Ultimaker 2 (though the product itself displays the name as Ultimaker squared). The next-gen product doesn't seem to bring a ton of new features to the table, though the company promises that it's faster and more accurate than its predecessor. It also ships with Cura software, which should speed things up even more. Also, the launch coincides with the unveiling of the company's Thingiverse-esque YouMagine online collaboration site, which will help you find objects to, you know, print on the thing. Again, the Ultimaker 2 will be on display this weekend, and has an asking price of 1,895 euros ($2,563).
