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Staples is launching an in-store 3D printing service
First it sold select 3D printers in stores, then it sold print-by-mail services in Europe -- now Staples is offering US customers a chance to print objects on-demand and on-site. The company's launch event is focusing on the fun side of 3D printing, serving up action figures and personalized Starfleet officers to walk-in customers, but Staples says it hopes the service will catch the attention of small businesses. Customers will have access to up to seven kinds of printers and six types of materials in store, including the Cube and Cube X models Staples already sells. Larger jobs will be farmed out to 3D Systems -- the company behind the 3D printed guitar we saw at Engadget Expand last year. Don't have the modeling chops to prepare your on 3D-printable file? Staples has that covered too, and is planning to train graphic design consultants to help customers model their vision. Unfortunately, Staples hasn't announced pricing for any of these services yet, but at least the pilot program seems robust enough to give UPS a run for its money.
The Micro is a $200 3D printer that can make a teacup in an hour
There are more than a couple of reasons why 3D printing hasn't truly hit critical mass, and the team at M3D thinks it's sidestepped them with The Micro, its $200 - $300 3D printer. The Micro is hitting Kickstarter today with the sole intention of becoming the first consumer 3D printer that's at once accessible, affordable and easy on the eyes. "The dream here is definitely that you take something and install it as fast as the fastest plug-and-play device that you've ever seen and you're focused on the end result," Michael Armani, M3D's CEO tells us. "You take the design, put it in the printer, it prints as quickly as possible. The focus here isn't on the 3D printing process ... [it's] on 'yeah, I want to make a mold for chocolates.' It went to the fun part so you can enjoy it as much as possible."
Japan looks to next-gen 3D printers for a return to manufacturing success
American 3D printer manufacturers have stolen a lead on the competition, but a Japan-based alliance is looking to fight back... it'll take a year or two, is all. The group includes universities, 27 companies including the likes of Panasonic, Nissan and Kawasaki, as well as the Japanese government. Rather than cheerfully-colored figurines and trinkets, the group plans to use titanium-based materials to craft complicated components like airplane parts and artificial joints for medical use. For the government's part, it's promising 3.8 billion yen ($36.5 million) this year, with each member organization adding another 500,000 yen per year to the research group. According to the Nikkei, work will focus on advanced tech that will allow 3D-printed components through (awesome-sounding) "molten metal powders." The aim is to have prototype machines by 2015, with some 3D printers ready for sale as commercial products. Final finished machines for making medical equipment and aircraft manufacturers will apparently take another four years to perfect.
MakerBot's mammoth Replicator Z18 3D printer goes up for pre-order
If you want some truly heavy-duty 3D printing, you'll be glad to hear that MakerBot's Replicator Z18 is now available for pre-order. Pay $6,499 and you'll get to craft objects up to a lofty 18 inches tall once the printer ships this spring. Should that be a tad overpowered, you'll be just as pleased to know that MakerBot has started shipping the latest generation of its normal-sized Replicator for a more reasonable $2,899. Both devices offer built-in cameras, Smart Extruders and full networking, so you're really paying for capacity -- you only need to pay the Z18's premium if you really need the headroom.
Watch a fake flower blossom thanks to flexible 3D-printed materials (video)
Richard Clarkson, a student at New York's School of Visual Arts, has used a combination of pneumatics and 3D-printed flexible-materials to create an artificial flower that "blooms," and the result is pretty neat. When air fills a cavity in the rubbery petals, they expand and push outward against the harder center bulb, replicating how a real flower blossoms. Clarkson said he chose a flower for this experiment because he wanted to model something organic from an entirely non-organic process. Words really don't do the art project justice however, which is why we've embedded a video of the installation after the break -- check it out.
Mark One 3D printer creates carbon fiber objects, costs $5,000
There's a new 3D printer in town, and unlike other models that use plastic, rubber or even chocolate, this one prints out objects using a far tougher material: carbon fiber. The printer, named Mark One, was designed by creator Gregory Mark as a way to reduce carbon fiber manufacturing costs. He sees Mark One as a way to make useful things like tools, replacement parts or even home fixtures, though nothing would stop you from printing out super-durable toys and knick-knacks, too. Of course, carbon fiber raw materials may not be so easy to come by, so Mark's creation also works with other composites, like fiberglass, nylon and PLA plastic. Those who want to make tough little trinkets (and have $5,000 to spare) will have to wait until March to pre-order the Mark One, but folks in San Diego can see it in person right now at the SolidWorks World convention.
Daily Roundup: flexible 3D-printed material, Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga review and more!
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.
Stratasys' new 3D printer creates multicolored flexible materials
Stratasys' has a new $330,000 3D printer, but this one has the potential to do a whole lot more than monochrome figurines. In fact, the company says it's the first machine able to create objects in colored, flexible materials. The Objet500 Connex3 3D printer uses rubber and plastic as base materials, although according to Stratasys (the company which now owns the MakerBot series) material combinations will be able to offer different levels of rigidity, transparency and opacity. Colors, meanwhile, are produced by the same mix of cyan, magenta and yellow you'll find on your inkjet printer at home -- it even comes with six palettes of rubbery "tango" colors, if you're perhaps looking to channel your '90s tastes into some tasteful flexible booties, as seen above. At the technical level, the printer can go as fine as 16-micron layers, offering a high level of detail and finish, and can pump out around 30kg of resin (that is, base material) per run. Talking to the BBC, a Stratasys spokesperson said the advanced printer could cut down industrial design prototyping times by 50 percent, although he was talking about the time from prototype to market, not printing time itself. The Objet500 Connex3 launches today, although those flexible color printing materials won't be available to buy until Q2 later this year, so hold on to those neo-boot dreams for now.
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.
Left Field Labs can make you a custom, 3D-printed music box
We've seen 3D printing enable a nostalgic twist on music before, but there are few things quite so clever (or tiny) as Left Field Labs' Music Drop. The company's latest New Year's project lets you design a unique music box through a simple web interface; you just have to create a catchy song loop and Left Field will print out a finger-powered, tear-shaped machine that plays your tune. We're not sure how long Left Field Labs will be offering the Music Drop when each one is hand-made, so you may want to swing by its website before all the fun comes to an end.
Epson won't make a consumer 3D printer, but promises big, industrial ones within five years
Epson's presence at CES 2014 this year focused on its surprising push into wearables. But the company name remains almost a synonym for printers -- the two-dimensional ones at least. There are plenty that reckon the likes of Epson, HP, etc. will soon weigh in with their multinational clout on the 3D printer market, slashing the average price with everyman models, but Epson won't be doing that. President Minoru Usui told us that probably wasn't going to be the case, at least for them. "We are developing our own printers, but our aim is to change everything. When it comes to 3D printing... we want our machines to make anything." Breaking it down into three issues he saw with 3D printing as it stands, he said that printing materials were not at a high enough standard, that the precision was simply not there for what the company would like to be creating and productivity was simply not efficient enough. We've had some experiences that mirror these criticisms. But wouldn't a printing giant like Epson entering the 3D printing arena make it more of a realistic proposition? Mr. Usui responded by describing how the company claimed a lion's share of the photo printing arena years earlier, citing better print quality and hardware. "Not many people need to print a plastic figure." "Not many people need to print a plastic figure." That said, Epson is working hard developing its 3D printing tech, but fixing that list of problems is going to take time -- especially when it comes to materials. Usui wants the company to be able to print "anything" and reckons that could take around five years from now. And anything really means anything: The president mused on printing cars, which would make that eventual manufacturing hardware a fair bit bigger than a Cube 3. The results need to be as precise as current (c'mon, more boring) moulding production, where templates are measured in microns: That's where Epson needs 3D printing to reach.
Check out 3Doodler's upcoming accessories and swappable tips
WobbleWorks' almost finished shipping Kickstarter backers their 3Doodler 3D-printing pens, and next month, post-crowdfunding pre-orders will begin to be filled. The company announced today a US retail launch later this year -- a "major retailer" in the UK is also on board, apparently -- but in addition to that, it showcased its first round of accessories for the device here at CES. While pricing and availability info elude us, we've seen a range of new tips for the pen, from different standard nozzle sizes to square and triangular heads, among others. They'll come neatly contained within a tool you'll need to swap them out, the design of which is still being finalized. If your freehand 3Doodling is more Picasso than Monet, then look forward to the DoodleSuit, which looks like a cradle, but functions more like a computer mouse. Three legs stabilize the pen, and buttons on two of the legs tell it how fast you want heated plastic to come out of the tip. If you're still struggling to make pretty things, then perhaps you'd better let DoodleBlocks guide you. They're basically stencils for tracing uniform shapes, and although WobbleWorks only had a star to demo today, more are planned, including some that'll let you create elaborate 3D shapes, minimal skill required. Nicole Lee contributed to this report.
A chip off the 3D-printing block: Samsung partners with 3D Systems for custom Note 3 cases (video)
It figures that Samsung would want to take its "Create" tagline for the Note series and press on into 3D printing because: You. Customization. The endless possibilities. And all that other jargon-y industry buzz buzz buzz. Well, now that the Korean electronics giant's taking a stab at the make-it-yourself wheel, it's partnered with 3D Systems to show off an app that makes custom inserts for specially designed Galaxy Note 3 cases. The catch here being that it's not a soon-to-be released commercial product. This is all just concept for now and you have to be at CES 2014 in Las Vegas to test it out. Instead of whipping up entire cases, the 3D Systems app allows users visiting Samsung's booth to create custom-designed coins (small plastic inserts that slot into the base of a Note 3 case) using its new entry-level Cube 3 3D printer. Coin creation is fairly straightforward with options to add a range of pre-set icons, text or freehand drawing. There are also three templates users can choose from: a plain-faced Simple Coin, an Olive Wreath or Poker Chip. But 3D Systems told us that it intends to swap out these three templates throughout the week, so what you'll see will depend on the day you visit. Once you've settled on a final design, the coin-printing process takes about 20 minutes to complete, but not everyone who passes through the booth will see their designs come to life. 3D Systems plans to sort through all submitted designs and populate a wall in Samsung's booth with the best of the bunch -- a money shot we'll have for you later this week. So, there's your taste of the future folks: Big-ass phones, styluses, 3D printers and your unbridled creativity (actual sense of taste optional).
This homemade '3D printer' spikes jello shots with infused designs (video)
Barista Bots, one of the most popular attractions at this year's South by Southwest festival in Austin, printed scanned logos, smileys and other shapes atop comped lattes. Thirsty attendees with 20 minutes to spare for the queue walked away with a free coffee and a robot-extruded froth. The novelty will have surely worn off by next year's SXSW, and we think we've stumbled upon the perfect replacement. It was born from a desire to turn otherwise ordinary gelatin shots into an original alcoholic treat -- meet the 3D Jello Printer. SpritesMods managed to accomplish this feat with a lot of creativity and a few recycled parts. They repurposed the stepper motors from discarded CD-ROM drives to move a syringe along the necessary axes, and used an old ejector mechanism to push down the plunger. An AVR microcontroller stores several different designs, which materialize in tiny jello shots using a cocktail of banana liquor, food coloring and a bit of corn starch to turn the liquid into a gel. SpritesMods is kind enough to help you get started with creating your own. Just dig up some choice e-waste and follow the tutorial -- you'll be mass producing the perfect New Year's Eve consumable in no time.
Microsoft's 3D printing app for Windows 8.1 eases you into object creation
Microsoft made a big deal of building 3D printer support into Windows 8.1, and today it's releasing a tool that lets even newcomers create objects of their own. The new 3D Builder app includes a catalog of pre-designed items that virtually anyone can start printing right away. Especially curious users can adjust and combine objects without having to be a CAD expert, and those with access to more advanced tools can import their masterpieces. As long as you've already shelled out for the requisite printer, you can try 3D Builder for yourself at the source link.
Freeformer industrial 3D printer creates complex items in batches, can combine soft and hard parts
Regular 3D printers (from pens to desktop models) debut quite frequently these days, but a new machine named Freeformer was created with industrial-grade manufacturing in mind. The device was designed by German company ARBURG and employs a proprietary process called ARBURG Plastic Freeforming or -- we swear this acronym's not a typo -- AKF. It takes 3D CAD data and uses it to make functional parts out of liquid plastic without the need for molds. The Freeformer has a stationary nozzle that relies on piezo technology to spray plastic in layers on a moving platform, and it does so until the entire shape is done. Unlike many other 3D printers, though, this one can create geometrically complicated items with a combination of soft and hard materials. Not only that, but it can produce these in small batches, too. The first Freeformer units will be available commercially early next year, but we bet they won't be included in anyone's list of affordable 3D printing machines. Folks in Germany, however, can check it out at the K Trade Fair in Düsseldorf, where it'll remain on display until October 23rd.
HoneyBee3D printing store opens in Oakland with rapid prototyping service
We're still a ways off from having a 3D print shop on every corner, but one Oakland neighborhood is getting a taste of that future. The city's Montclair district got a little craftier this weekend when HoneyBee3D opened its doors to offer rapid prototyping, printer tools and Type A Machines 3D printers for sale. Given how costly the tech can be, this is a boon for folks who'd love to dip into the 3D printing pool but can't quite justify the sizable investment required. It's only been a day, but we're curious if the shop has had anyone print out a hockey mask yet. [Image credit: Make]
Ask Engadget: best entry-level 3D printer?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, then here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget inquiry is from Andrew, who wants to print all the things, you know what we mean? If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "Hi, I've been looking into 3D printers for some time, and I think I'm ready to take the plunge. Do you think it's worth getting an entry-level (sub-$500) model for tinkering, and if so, is there one that you'd recommend? Thanks!" Given the number of entrants into the 3D Printing market of late, we're reasonably sure there's something that'll let you whet your appetite for additive manufacturing. Solidoodle's second-generation printer, for instance, retails at $499, while the Portabee is similarly priced. Now, the only question is, of course, down to which of these two (or any others) our audience has tried and prefers. So, dear friends, which one do you suggest?
3D printer duplicates paintings down to the last brush stroke (video)
We've seen 3D printers produce some pretty amazing things, but nothing quite like this. Tim Zaman, a Dutch researcher, has reportedly developed a 3D duplication technique capable of capturing incredible detail, such as brush strokes and other textures on a painting. With a captured image on hand, it's then possible to print a reproduction matching every detail, including raised brush strokes. Reproductions are created using an Oce printer that can reproduce large-format paintings at 600 ppi; the process resembles that of a dye-sub printer, with the printing head moving back and forth many times, adding a new textured layer with each pass. It's a very cool idea, but don't expect to fill your home with flawless duplicates -- you'll first need to get your hands on a priceless piece of art.
3Doodler pen gets safety feature, attaches to CNC arms to fulfill its 3D printing potential
When we ran into the WobbleWorks team on our recent Berlin trip, they were kindly enough to show off the shipping version of their crowdoverfunded 3D Doodler handheld 3D Printer. Though, when cofounder Max Bogue hinted that the company still had some surprises up its sleeve, he wasn't kidding. Perhaps most interesting is the inclusion of a mounting dock on the pen, which allows you to attach it a CNC machine, fulfilling the pen's 3D printing ambitions. Once attached, you can utilize another port to control the speed buttons remotely, so you can manipulate extrusion without actually touching the device. Also of note is the addition of a silicone tip cover, which serves to protect fingers from the heated metal extruder.
