RapidPrototyping
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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]
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.
3D printed concert flute rapidly prototypes sound (video)
The world's first store for 3D printed goods just opened in Brussels, and while we imagine they've already got a fair selection of prototyped merchandise to choose, might we suggest they invest in a few production runs of this fabulous new flute? Amit Zoran of the MIT Media Lab -- yes, the same soul who helped dream up a 3D food printer early this year -- has now printed a fully-functional concert flute with a minimum of human intervention. Directing an Objet Connex500 3D printer (which can handle multiple materials at the same time) to spit out his CAD design, dollop by tiny dollop, in a single 15-hour run, he merely had to wash off support material, add springs, and assemble four printed pieces to finish the instrument up. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, of course, so how does it sound? Find out for yourself in the video below.
Cut-rate, webcam-based 3D scanner coming soon to a MakerBot store near you
3D scanning seems magical enough without bringing things like Lego Mindstorms contraptions into the mix. Now a cat named Andy Barry (a research engineer at NASA Ames Research Laboratory's Autodesk Innovations Lab) has gone and built one out of a webcam, a laser, and a whole lot of moxie. The premise is pretty straight-forward: a red laser sweeps across an object while the webcam keeps an eye on the beam's deflection (the more the beam shifts, the closer the object is to the camera). The computer uses this data to calculate the thickness of the object. Sounds like the perfect compliment to your Cupcake 3D printer, eh? With any luck, you should see it at the MakerBot store at around the $200 mark sometime this fall.
MakerBot prints another MakerBot, the circle is complete
MakerBot isn't the first self-replicating 3D printer -- that spectacular distinction went to the RepRap Darwin back in 2008 -- but that doesn't make it any less awesome that the $750 machine is now able to produce its own frame. With a month's labor, owner Webca was able to create the entire plastic chassis you see above, using a second MakerBot constructed of the traditional wooden parts. Without knowing how much goop went into the project, it's a touch difficult to say if the method is economical, but there's nothing to keep you from trying the same. Best of all, Webca decided to share his plans with the world -- you'll find instructions for all 150 pieces at the source link, a month off of work in your wildest dreams.
Force feedback controller allows you to "touch" CGI objects
We've seen interesting 3D peripherals like the Novint Falcon combine multi-axis movement and force feedback to create immersive experiences in the past, but a new research project called the H.VR Editor takes the idea to the next level, allowing you to "touch" and interact with CGI objects. Objects respond according to a pre-programmed graph of hardness values, and the system is capable of simulating texture and events like button presses. That should make the system a hit with product developers everywhere, but we're waiting to see if the folks at DeviceAnywhere pick this up to build the ultimate cellphone testing lab. Video after the break.
Video: MakerBot's build-it-yourself 3D printer in action, replicator in the works
We just bumped into the MakerBot industries folks and got a quick look at the CupCake CNC rapid prototyping machine (3D printer, for us luddites). The thing extrudes Lego-type plastic into fairly detailed shapes, and MakerBot sells it as a kit for $750, or fully assembled for $2,500. What's most exciting is that the MakerBot folks are now working on a 3D scanner kit, which once combined with the CupCake CNC will make a full-on homegrown replicator. Diamond Age, here we come! A quick demo of the CupCake is after the break.
Objet Geometries set to unveil multi-material 3D printer
CAD fans, prepare to get stoked. Objet Geometries -- a "world leader" in photopolymer jetting -- has announced that it will debut a system capable of producing 3D parts and assemblies made from different materials in a single build. The device, known as the Connex500, utilizes the company's "PolyJet Matrix," which can create 21 composite materials and seven separate model materials. "The Connex500 opens a new chapter for the 3-D printing and rapid prototyping industry," said Adina Shorr, CEO of Objet. The machine is capable of producing both rigid and flexible material, and can create polypropylene-like surfaces. Honestly, the process the Connex500 uses is pretty complicated stuff, but you really only need to understand one basic fact: you will never again be missing a piece from your chess set. Hit the read link and get all the technical details on your next pricey purchase.
