3dprinting
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Live from the Engadget CES Stage: an interview with Formlabs' Maxim Lobovsky (update: video embedded)
We've already had a handful of 3D printing companies swing by our stage this year, but what sets Formlabs apart from the increasing competition is a focus on bringing professional level printing to the consumer. We'll be speaking with one of the company's founders, Maxim Lobovsky about Formlabs' vision. January 11, 2013 1:30 PM EST Check out our full CES 2013 stage schedule here! Update: video embedded
3D Systems second-gen Cube 3D printer boasts faster prints and more materials
Everybody loves a sequel, right? And what better place to launch a followup than in shiny Las Vegas? Exactly a year after launch the first generation of its consumer-friendly 3D printer, the Cube, 3D Systems is getting ready to unleash its successor on the world. The second-gen Cube offers a number of enhancements over last year's model, including the ability to print up to 1.5 times faster and printing in both ABS and recyclable PLA plastics. The printer maintains the earlier version's easily-loaded cartridges (which can be sent back empty for a discount), touchscreen controls and WiFi connectivity. They'll start shipping on the 21st of this month to interested makers who pre-order one now for $1,299. Cough up an extra $100 and 3D Systems will throw in three extra cartridges of plastic and the company's design software. Follow all the latest CES 2013 news at our event hub.
3D printed record puts a new spin on digital music (video)
If you thought downloading music from the internet had nothing new to offer, think again. One of the tech editors over at Instructables -- Amanda Ghassaei -- has put a new twist on the digital delivery of music by 3D printing a record. Ghassaei developed a technique that converts digital audio files into 3D printable (33 rpm) grooved plastic discs, that actually play on regular turntables. Not only that, she printed some functioning prototypes as proof of concept. The printer used was relatively high-resolution, with 600 dpi on the x/y axes, and layers just 16 microns thick, but the audio quality is still somewhat low -- 11KHz, with a 5 - 6bit resolution. The important thing, however, is that it worked -- highlighting even more uses for the burgeoning technology. Want to know what it sounds like? Skip the needle past the break for a lo-fi (or is it "warmer") demo that includes Nirvana, New Order, Daft Punk and more. Want to make your own? Head to the source for the blow-by-blow instructions.
Spider shows 3D printers what's what, sculpts giant replica of self
A likely new species of arachnid has been discovered with the astonishing ability to "print" an elaborate version of itself to scare away predators. Though other species in the Cyclosa genus make crude decoys, they pale next to the level of detail shown by the newfound spider, which even shakes its webs to make the faux-arthropod creations look more lively. Spotted in a Peru rainforest by biologist Phil Torres, the tiny artisan creates its icky oeuvres using old egg sacs, vegetation and insect carcases in lieu of PLA, crafting canny maxi-me versions complete with features like legs (count 'em in the scary example above). According to samples snapped by Torres at the source, it seems to show a level of self-awareness that might give you pause before your next squish. [Image credit: Phil Torres]
Solidoodle 3 is an $800 3D printer that you can stand on, we go hands (and feet) on (video)
Companies will go to fascinating lengths to demonstrate their belief in a product, but there was still something refreshing in watching Solidoodle founder Sam Cervantes climbed atop his company's latest creation, beaming. After all, the announcement of a $500 printer back in April left us wondering what sorts of corners the company would have to cut to offer a product at a fraction the cost of what Cervantes' former employer, MakerBot, has brought to the market. Asked whether Solidoodle had to make any compromises to hit such an impressive price point, the one-time aerospace engineer stood by his product's build quality. And then he stood on it. Announced in November and due out next month, the company's latest product doesn't quite hit that price point. Solidoodle had to drive cost up a fair amount to double the last generation's build platform to 512 cubic inches. Still, $799 seems like chump change for entrance into the nascent world of home 3D printing, particularly for a device that is built as solidly as Cervantes claims. The team popped by our New York offices to drop off and stand on the Solidoodle 3. Cervantes was quick to point out that the printer is still firmly in prototype mode (in fact, it's the first prototype to leave the confines of the company's headquarters), with his team doing its damnedest to get the product in the hands of customers by early next month. A quick glance at the rear of the printer confirms this -- there's a fair amount of exposed wiring back there and the spool of plastic hangs on an exposed PVC pipe.
Stratasys and Objet combine 3D printing / rapid prototyping powers, working on printing money
Minnesota-based rapid manufacturing / rapid prototyping company Stratasys today announced that its has completed its merger with Iron Man / concert flute 3D printer, Objet. Combined, the new $3 billion company is home to the FDM, PolyJet and Solidscape Drop-on-Demand prototyping technologies. The companies have promised to "grow awareness of 3D printing for rapid prototyping and production." Hopefully that means we be getting a lot more of these things, as well.
WSU can print 3D parts from moon rock to help astronauts in a jam (video)
It was only a matter of time before 3D printers went to other worlds, really. Following a NASA line of questioning, Washington State University has determined that it's possible to print 3D objects from moon rock. Researchers learned that simulated moon material behaves like silica and can be shaped into 3D objects by melting it with a laser, whether it's to form new objects (like the ugly cylinders above) or to patch objects together. Would-be assemblers could also introduce additive materials to vary the composition on demand. No, the results aren't as pretty as certain 3D creations, but they could be vital for future missions to Mars or the Moon: astronauts could fix equipment, or build new parts, without either an elaborate process or waiting for supplies from Earth. Now all we need are the extraterrestrial missions to take advantage of WSU's ideas.
Staples to offer 'Easy 3D' printing service, put an end to hackneyed hockey masks
Just one more robbery and then we can happily retire. But there's this nagging feeling that our criminal swan song should be more than just another Class B felony -- it should be art. That's why we're heading over to Staples to collect a 3D printed mask that, for once, reflects how we actually feel inside. It's easily done: you upload your design files and Staples prints them out using a full-color 506dpi Mcor IRIS printer, ready for you to collect in-store or have delivered. The "Easy 3D" service will handle architectural designs, maps, medical models, replica weapons and anything else that can be made with fragments of paper arranged in 0.1mm layers up to a maximum height of six inches. The only downside is that the service -- which is due to start early next year -- will initially only be available in Belgium and the Netherlands. But they have banks too, right? Update: Mcor just got in touch with a few more images showing what the latest version of the Iris printer is capable of -- check 'em out!
Transforming RC robot reaches production form packing heat and a WiFi camera (video)
If you're like us, seeing that transforming RC robot in the spring was a mild form of torture without any clues as to when (and if) we could try it for ourselves. Kenji Ishida has clearly been busy assuaging our fears since then, as he just took the wraps from what should be the finished version of his brainchild. The now Brave Robotics-branded machine is more polished, with a 3D-printed shell, but it's the technical upgrades that will have more of us scrambling for the product page: the production model is toting a missile launcher in each arm as well as a WiFi camera to follow its exploits in both car and robot modes. Anyone who wants the robot as quickly as possible will have to contact Ishida-san, if it's not too late; there are just 10 units in the initial batch, and pricing is only available on request. A one-month wait for shipping will scuttle any hopes of getting one as a timely gift, too. That said, we can only imagine that any robotics fan would be ecstatic to get an IOU under the tree for Brave Robotics' project.
Hybrid 3D printer could fast-track cartilage implants
Most of the attention surrounding 3D printers in medicine has focused on patching up our outsides, whether it's making skin to heal wounds or restoring the use of limbs. The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine has just detailed a technique that could go considerably deeper. By mixing natural gel put through an inkjet printer with thin and porous polymer threads coming from an electrospinner, researchers have generated constructs that could be ideal for cartilage implants: they encourage cell growth in and around an implant while remaining durable enough to survive real-world abuse. Early tests have been confined to the lab, but the institute pictures a day when doctors can scan a body part to produce an implant that's a good match. If the method is ultimately refined for hospital use, patients could recover from joint injuries faster or more completely -- and 3D printers could become that much more integral to health care.
Solidoodle 3 goes up for pre-orders with 512 cubic inches of 3D printing prowess
The potential for home 3D printing has regularly been limited by size; even MakerBot's Replicator 2 can only go so far in matching our ambitions. Solidoodle sees that deficit as a chance to make its name in a still very young industry. Its new Solidoodle 3 printer covers an extra two inches in every dimension than the Solidoodle 2, doubling the printable area to an extra-large 512 cubic inches. The 8-inch by 8-inch by 8-inch space isn't as long as what's inside the MakerBot challenger, but it's larger overall and improves on Solidoodle-built ancestors with a newer spool that cuts back on tangles in the plastic filament. Should any projects be too big for existing 3D printers' britches, the Solidoodle 3 is up for pre-order today at a size-appropriate $799. Do brace for a long wait, however: at 8-10 weeks before shipping, the company doesn't expect any deliveries until January.
Voxeljet 3D printer used to produce Skyfall's Aston Martin stunt double
Spoiler alert: a reoccurring cast member bids farewell in the latest James Bond flick. When the production of Skyfall called for the complete decimation of a classic 1960s era Aston Martin DB5, filmmakers opted for something a little more lifelike than computer graphics. The movie studio contracted the services of Augsburg-based 3D printing company Voxeljet to make replicas of the vintage ride. Skipping over the residential-friendly MakerBot Replicator, the company used a beastly industrial VX4000 3D printer to craft three 1:3 scale models of the car with a plot to blow them to smithereens. The 18 piece miniatures were shipped off to Propshop Modelmakers in London to be assembled, painted, chromed and outfitted with fake bullet holes. The final product was used in the film during a high-octane action sequence, which resulted in the meticulously crafted prop receiving a Wile E. Coyote-like sendoff. Now, rest easy knowing that no real Aston Martins were harmed during the making of this film. Head past the break to get a look at a completed model prior to its untimely demise.
NASA building Space Launch System with laser melting, adapts 3D printing for the skies (video)
As we know it, 3D printing is usually confined to small-scale projects like headphones. NASA is ever so slightly more ambitious. It's using a closely related technique from Concept Laser, selective laser melting, to build elements of its Space Launch System on a pace that wouldn't be feasible with traditional methods. By firing brief, exact laser pulses at metal powder, Concept Laser's CAD system creates solid metal parts that are geometrically complex but don't need to be welded together. The technique saves the money and time that would normally be spent on building many smaller pieces, but it could be even more vital for safety: having monolithic components reduces the points of failure that could bring the rocket down. We'll have a first inkling of how well laser melting works for NASA when the SLS' upper-stage J-2X engine goes through testing before the end of 2012, and the printed parts should receive their ultimate seal of approval with a first flight in 2017.
Formlabs FORM 1 high-resolution 3D printer spotted in the wild, we go eyes on (video)
Last time we checked in with the 3D printing upstarts over at Formlabs, their Kickstarter was doing splendidly, having over doubled its initial funding target. Well, less than a month later, and with the money still rolling in, the current total stands (at time of writing) at a somewhat impressive $2,182,031 -- over 20 times its initial goal. When we heard that the team behind it, along with some all important working printers, rolled into town, how could we resist taking the opportunity to catch up? The venue? London's 3D print show. Where, amongst all the printed bracelets and figurines, the FORM 1 stood out like a sore thumb. A wonderfully orange, and geometrically formed one at that. We elbowed our way through the permanent four-deep crowd at their booth to take a closer look, and as the show is running for another two days, you can too if you're in town. Or you could just click past the break for more.
The future of higher education: reshaping universities through 3D printing
Featuring four towering limestone columns and classic Flemish-bond brickwork, the century-old Mackay School of Mines Building at the University of Nevada, Reno, has long served as a bastion of Silver State history. Named after Irish immigrant and "Comstock Lode King" John Mackay, notable touches such as a cast bronze statue designed by Mount Rushmore sculptor Gutzon Borglum just outside the building helped it earn a spot in the National Register of Historic Places. Within its oak doors, however, are the makings of an intriguing experiment that's decidedly more new school. Like a mini museum, a collection of 3D-printed models are displayed within the building's sunlit, three-story atrium -- attracting a mix of students and teachers. Even more popular than the displays of plastic gears and molecule models, however, are the two 3D printers that made them: a professional-grade Stratasys uPrint SE Plus and a hobbyist 3DTouch machine by 3D Systems Corporation.
Ask Engadget: best online 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 Paul, who wants to experiment with additive manufacturing that's beyond the capacity of his Makerbot. If you're looking to ask one of your own, drop us a line at ask [at] engadget [dawt] com. "Hi! I'd like to prototype some seriously complex jewelry and my Makerbot isn't up to the task. Can someone suggest a good online 3D printing service that also offers international shipping? Thanks!" 3D printing is so new that no service has made a name for itself above all others, so let's throw it open to the world's finest minds, our trusty readers. Hold your breath, count to ten, feel the Earth move... and then share your experiences in the comments below.
Seeing is believing, Disney crafts 3D printed optics (video)
A group of engineers from Disney Research have crafted a new method to create interactive objects using 3D printers. Referred to as "printed optics," the lure of this technology is the ability to transform inert 3D models into interactive subjects by embedding 3D printed light piping into an object with minimal electronic components. Illuminated by LEDs and mobile projectors, this new breakthrough in optics has the potential to replace LCD and LED screens to display information on smaller interactive devices. If you find yourself scratching your head trying to visualize such a mojo in action, then check out the video after the break. It will enlighten you.
Print your own headphones on a MakerBot Replicator and beat Dre at his own game
As 3D printers become more and more accessible to a consumer audience, one question lingers above the rest: why? Granted, they're incredibly cool, but what, if any, are the practical implication of such a technology? For the most part, the great ambassadors of 3D printing have largely been printable toys -- cool, but not particularly useful. The question, as posed by John Mabry reads as follows, What if printed prototypes could become actual products? Meaning, once off the print bed an object could be assembled without any tools and be made functional by readily attainable components. An attempt at the answer comes in the form of the 13:30 printable headphones, which can by created on a MakerBot Replicator and coupled with some off-the-shelf components, making for a pair of slick-looking, functional headphones that, at the very least, will help you stand out from the rest of the Beats By Dre enthusiasts on a crowded subway train.
Cubify lets you skin, 3D print your own personal Android
Sick of letting everyone else skin your Android for you? 3D printing service Cubify is helping you fight back with Bugdroids, a customizable version of Google's lovable green mascot. You can change its colors, add accessories like hats, horns glasses, mustaches and bling (that's "bling," not Bing, mind), and then the service will 3D print one out and ship it to you -- well, after you drop an admittedly pricey $30 to $40, figurine size depending.
FORM 1 delivers high-end 3D printing for an affordable price, meets Kickstarter goal in 1 day
A $2,300 3D printer isn't really anything special anymore. We've seen them as cheap as $350 in fact. But all those affordable units are of the extrusion variety -- meaning they lay out molten plastic in layers. The FORM 1 opts for a method called stereolithography that blasts liquid plastic with a laser, causing the resin to cure. This is one of the most accurate methods of additive manufacturing, but also one of the most expensive thanks to the need for high-end optics, with units typically costing tens-of-thousands of dollars. A group of recent grads from the MIT Media Lab have managed to replicate the process for a fraction of the cost and founded a company called Formlabs to deliver their innovations to the public. Like many other startups, the group turned to Kickstarter to get off the ground and easily passed its $100,000 within its first day. As of this writing over $250,000 had been pledged and the first 25 printers have already been claimed. The FORM 1 is capable of creating objects with layers as thin as 25 microns -- that's 75 percent thinner than even the new Replicator 2. The company didn't scrimp on design and polish to meet its affordability goals either. The base is a stylish brushed metal with the small build platform protected by an orange plastic shell. There's even a companion software tool for simple model creation. You can still get one, though the price of entry is now $2,500, at the Kickstarter page. Or you can simply get a sneak peek in the gallery and video below. %Gallery-166660%
