MatterHackers is casting the wonderful world of SLA under its 3D printer spotlight this week, knocking $300 off the price of a fully assembled Peopoly Moai.
After a successful Kickstarter campaign and launch to market Peopoly’s Moai SLA 3D printer kit can now be found churning out highly detailed prints across the lands. A wonderful intro to the nuts and bolts of 3D printing with resin, we’re big fans of this sleek slab of a printer.
Ordinarily a kit that requires self assembly, MatterHackers offers a pre-assembled Peopoly Moai built by its in-house experts. A handy solution for the time pressed folks seeking a no fuss SLA 3D printer that just works on arrival.
For a limited time the US 3D printing retailer is offering prebuilt Moai’s for $1,695 — a $300 reduction on the usual retail of $1,995.
Note this is a limited time deal ending March 5th, 2018.
All3DP is an editorially independent publication. Occasionally we need to pay our bills, so we affiliate some product links through which we may receive a small commission. For the full spiel, check out our Terms of Use. All prices correct at the time of publication.
On the hunt for the perfect bicycle for his child, Austrian designer Christian Bezdeka decided to start woom Bikes. The company is using 3D printing to create lightweight and comfortable bicycles for children aged 1.5 years and older.
In an effort to design the perfect bicycle for his own kid, Austrian designer Christian Bezdeka decided to take matters into his own hands. As the co-founder of woom Bikes, his company uses 3D printing to develop bicycles tailor-made for children of all ages.
Based on his experience designing adult-sized bikes, Bezdeka knew that creating one for a child was going to be a challenge. First and foremost, there’s the issue of figuring out the proper size. Believe it or not, kids’ bikes are not just scaled-down versions of adult bicycles. In reality, they require careful fine-tuning to ensure safety, comfort, and the right fit.
Bezdeka explains that the problem with getting feedback from kids is that they tend to choose their favorite option by color rather than comfort, making it difficult to gauge their actual needs.
“When you build a mockup or prototype for adults, you can immediately test it yourself to see how it feels and if it works. That is not the case for children’s products. You have to work with focus groups and see how they interact with your creation. You have to watch instead of asking children,” he said.
Weight is another important factor to take into consideration when designing a child’s bicycle. It has to be light enough for kids to lift and move, but also able to support their weight. Furthermore, when you consider that the child will eventually outgrow their bicycle, the price has to remain somewhat affordable.
Woom Bikes co-founders: Marcus Ihlenfeld (left) and Christian Bezdeka (right)
Additive manufacturing makes bikes lighter and more affordable
All of these different factors eventually led Bezdeka and his business partner to use 3D printing technology. They found the perfect CAD design software partner with Autodesk Fusion 360, and also integrated CNC milling into the production process as well.
Woom Bikes currently has four 3D printers in its production facility, as well as a five-axis CNC mill to help speed up the prototyping process. 3D printing technology enables the company to design and manufacture bikes that are lightweight and offer a comfortable fit for young kids.
“All machines are running 24/7. We design, print, redesign. As a designer, I try to materialize my ideas as fast as possible. It’s good to come quick from paper and screen to a real 3D object. Your learning curve is simply steeper through 3D printing,” Bezdeka said.
Woom Bikes launched its first 3D printed bicycle for kids back in 2013. Now, the range includes six different models for children aged between 1.5 to 14 years. Using additive manufacturing, woom Bikes ensures that 85 percent of the bike parts are exclusively produced by the company. The bicycles from woom Bikes are also incredibly light, weighing about half as much as other models from competing manufacturers.
The company is also taking on a unique approach on how to develop the learning aspect of their bicycles. For instance, the woom 1 is a learning bicycle that doesn’t include any the training wheels. Instead, kids aged as young as 1.5 years will push on it to get used to the feel of riding and balancing a bicycle.
A major aspect that sets woom Bikes apart from the pack is its admitted awareness of how quickly kids outgrow their bikes. That is why they’ve launched UpCycle, a program that allows customers to exchange their used bikes for a new one at 40 percent of the original price. The used bikes are restored and passed on to charities and bicycle camps where they are once again used to help children learn cycling.
“It was always my idea to create a modern, classic bike—bikes that never get old. It’s part of our concept and also real sustainability that a product is beautiful and used for a long time,” Bezdeka concludes.
Create your own radio controlled 3D printed screw drive tank by following along with YouTuber Ivan Miranda’s latest six-part project.
Maker Ivan Miranda has a message for you: never give up. These words flash up on his latest video about creating a 3D printed screw drive RC. It’s the final video in a series of six that all attempt to create and perfect a remote-controlled screw drive RC tank.
Thanks to the shape of the screw drive wheels, Miranda is able to use the small tank on soft ground. In fact, he tests out his design on the beach. However, as cool as it sounds, it’s certainly wasn’t a simple build.
Miranda has 41,000 subscribers on YouTube and is an avid maker. He makes everything from games to his own 3D printers to violins he can’t play. Usually he works on a new project every week, however, this screw drive project has now occupied a lot of his time at the insistence of his viewers.
The complex screw drive tank is finally a success after many 3D printed iterations and even help from his audience. He explains in his video description: “Well, it finally works, ya’ll told me to never give up and this is the result,” he adds.
Check out the final video in this series, however, make sure to watch the others for a full run-down of the project. You’re likely to find yourself hooked on Miranda’s channel.
Creating a Screw drive Tank with 3D Printing
Miranda begins the video by disassembling his screw drive tank. Predominantly all of the parts were 3D printed, other than the screws, some rods, bearings, beams, and electrical parts.
Throughout the process, he’s used 3D printing to create quick iterations. He also powers the design with twin brushless motors and controls it with off-the-shelf RC gear.
He’s worked with multiple different screw shapes. Finally, he explains how he completed the task: “I basically increased the tolerances and gave me more space to fasten everything, added a few washers and in the last minute (literally) I had to add to wooden beams for rigidity.”
During the final tester on the beach, Miranda sees a lot of progress. After a quick tinker, he is able to get the screw drive tank racing across the sand and working perfectly.
However, Miranda learned that the tank certainly doesn’t work after racing into the sea. He adds: “You cannot call me a coward!” before the tank gives up.
A conceptual 3D printed idea called the Synthetic Pollenizer by an artist from Brisbane aims to keep bee populations alive and thriving.
A whopping third of our food sources rely on bees. And yet, it’s no secret that bees are in danger of dying out. The varroa mite and still-in-use pesticides called neonicotinoids have reduced the population of bees and other pollinators significantly.
Luckily, there are many humans who are willing to help the cause. For example, Michael Candy, an artist from Brisbane, Australia.
The idea he is proposing is a 3D printed robotic flower method to help the bees. He calls it the Synthetic Pollenizer and although it’s currently a conceptual project, it’s certainly an interesting solution.
Essentially, robotic flowers are hopefully safer for bees to pollinate than real fauna as they have no pesticides. Instead, they are all equipped with pollen and nectar which comes up to the flower when needed. They’re also hidden amongst real plants, encouraging bees to pollinate and also to breed.
“Bees are a vital part of our ecosystem, I feel that everyone needs to take the time and get to know these hard workers that keep our plants and crops pollinated. It is common knowledge that bee population is suffering worldwide due to pesticides, climate change and Varroa mites – for these problems we can find solutions,” Candy explained.
Find out more about the Synthetic Pollenizer in Candy’s video:
Tricking the Bees with a Synthetic Flower
In order to attract the bees, a man-made nectar solution of sugar and water reaches the false flower’s surface. Candy uses servos and actuators to distribute nectar and pollen to the flowers.
After a lot of trial and error, the 3D printed petals and synthetic stamen should now be convincing enough to fool the bees. Candy explains that it has taken years to successfully coax them into landing on the 3D printed petals. He explains that color and form are crucial considerations.
To collect the pollen, Candy uses a “pollen trap” in the beehives. This isn’t as cruel as it sounds and is essentially a front door mat for bees. It fits over a hive entrance and collects leftover pollen from a bee’s legs.
The collected pollen is fed through the synthetic stamen. And, if everything goes to plan, the bees pick up this pollen as normal. Candy adds:
“Bees are easily the most utilitarian pollinators used in industrial agriculture and they are suffering from a variety of environmental problems. Perhaps in a future where designer crops are no longer able to produce pollen yet still receive it – then the Synthetic Pollenizer could rehabilitate the reproductive cycle of these genetically modified crops.”
However, perhaps an easier way to save the creatures is to simply force farmers to not use pesticides during the hours when bees are flying but rather early in the morning or late at night. This would certainly save a lot of 3D printing time and energy.
US electronics retailer Monoprice has chopped up to $200 off the price of some of its 3D printers — including the Maker Ultimate, the company’s rebadging of the heavy hitting Wanhao D6.
Not content to sit back and ship stuff at full price, Monoprice has once again cut the prices of its 3D printer offerings. We suspect it’s a measure to clear stock ahead of the incoming wave of new machines announced at the Consumer Electronics Show back in January.
Whatever the reason, we’re not ones to complain at cut price printers. Especially so when said cut prices include $200 off the rather good Maker Ultimate. If you’ve ever fancied a 3D printer that looks like a Zortrax, feels like an Ultimaker, has the build of a battle tank and is pennies to the dollar cheaper than them all, the Ultimate is probably your thing.
Here’s the skinny on what Monoprice is offering.
Monoprice is putting a limit on these deals, with the limit one code per order (not combinable with other codes and discounts). Each code good for three uses per customer.
Other deals:
All3DP is an editorially independent publication. Occasionally we need to pay our bills, so we affiliate some product links through which we may receive a small commission. For the full spiel, check out our Terms of Use.
Engineering students from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, have taken to 3D printing a single-piston internal combustion engine from Titanium for their entry in the 2018 Shell Eco-marathon Asia.
Students from the engineering department at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, have turned to 3D printing to enhance their entry into this year’s Shell Eco-Marathon in Singapore. Their awe-worthy achievement? A remarkably efficient single-piston internal combustion engine expected to achieve 400 kilometers travel per liter of fuel.
The Shell Eco-marathon is dedicated to pushing innovators around the world to utilize fuels in the most efficient way possible. It tasks teams with design and build of ultra-energy-efficient vehicles, which are then tested on the track. Every mile counts as the fuel-sipping cars strive for the furthest possible distance on the least amount of fuel.
In the 2017 edition, the University of Canterbury team (Team EnduroKiwis) debuted, gaining the design accolade for their recyclable vehicle in the process. Placed in the UrbanConcept category, the team’s car was made mostly from low-cost (and reusable) thermoplastics and ran on battery power.
For the 2018 edition of the Singapore Shell Eco-marathon, the team is returning with the same plastic-shelled car, albeit with one major difference. Ditching the battery (responsibly, we should imagine) for a 3D printed Titanium engine running on carbon-neutral bioethanol.
Team EnduroKiwis with its design award-winning vehicle at the 2017 Shell Eco-marathon (Image: University of Canterbury)
A Lean, Green, Titanium-Print-Powered Machine
The project is clearly something Team EnduroKiwis is proud of — in a release, team leader Robbie Murray explains:
“Over the past year, the team has worked incredibly hard to produce not only a competitive vehicle, but one that demonstrates fresh and forward-thinking ideas. We want to define who we are as New Zealanders, and our drive to create bold and innovative solutions to the problems with which we are faced.”
He continues “Our main focus has been on the development of our own 3D-printed single-cylinder internal combustion engine. The development of our own engine purpose-built for efficiency offered a challenging yet rewarding goal.”
The result of 12-month’s research and development effort, the engine is thought to be the first of its kind. We’ll see just how far it runs when it takes to the track next month. The 2018 Shell Eco-marathon Singapore operates from March 8-11.
PlastiSketch offers a new method of 3D modeling that is an alternative to established tools. It is designed for those that want to create sculpted 3D objects, but lack the artistic finesse required by the likes of Zbrush and Blender.
In explaining his new creation, PlastiSketch, Marcel Urbanek also describes his personal frustration with 3D sculpting software. “I am totally unable to produce acceptable artistic output”. However, as he thinks himself a skilled vector graphics artist, he decided to develop a tool that meets him in the middle — taking what he knows well (2D vectors), and interpolating to form a 3D object.
Currently an in-browser app, Urbanek worked through several weekends to finish the prototype PlastiSketch. It is based on open-source graphical plugins paperjs, threejs and others. The beta version of PlastiSketch is available online for free.
Urbanek describes the concept as a “reverse-MRT for 3D objects“. To create a 3D design you draw vector graphics that each represent one slice of the 3D object. Depending on the complexity of the object you wish to design, this may vary between two (the minimum number) and, say, half a dozen. You then fine-tune the design by specifying the distance between the slices. A preview of the design is displayed on the right of the program.
Make 3D Things From 2D Things
Admittedly it takes a while to wrap the head around this new approach to 3D modeling. Though from this early on in a protoype state, PlastiSketch already seems to have all the makings of a popular tool for beginners.
To save you from fiddling with hundreds of points, PlastiSketch lets adjust the smoothness and quality of the 3D design. When you are happy with your design you can save it as OBJ file for 3D printing or revision in other programs.
At the time of writing PlastiSketch is in beta, and is freely accessible online for anyone to use. If at a future point PlastiSketch becomes a paid service, Urbanek has promised to offer a free version with a similar feature-set as the version that is online now.
3D printing users are now able to achieve a whole new look thanks to the development of a unique filament.
ColorFabb, the Dutch 3D printing filament maker, today launched a new filament to its assortment. Based on its bestseller, the co-polyester nGen, the new nGen_LUX has been made using Eastman Amphora AM3300 3D polymer.
The AM3300 offers a unique base for the nGen_LUX’s rare pigment composition.
The company said that the addition brings value to 3D printed pieces. Furthermore, it’s been specifically designed for use in cosmetics, packaging, interior pieces, electronic housings, and other applications. nGen_LUX may add a bit of bling to the final prints.
Luxury is not actually what the name ‘LUX’ eludes to. Instead, LUX refers to the potential to manipulate light in a diffusive manner.
However, it is this illumination potential that truly makes the filament stand out. By using diffusion reflection to scatter light in all directions, ColorFabb has achieved something truly special.
No post-processing necessary
According to the manufacturer, even at a 0.2 mm layer height, the layering cannot be detected with the naked eye. This offers significant benefits – post-processing is no longer necessary. The filament further includes the top features of the nGen filament (which is basically a form of PETG) such as chemical stability, better temperature resistance for durable designs.
nGen_LUX joins the XT-CF20 as part of the nGen assortment of filaments.
For now, ColorFabb is launching the product in five colors: champagne gold, diamond black, regal violet, star yellow and nature green.
Additionally, for those worried that it may not work in their printer, ColorFabb tested the filament with a range of printers. They include the Prusa i3, Stacker S2 and S4, the Ultimaker range of printers, Lulzbot TAZ 6 and the Robo R2 and C2 models.
The filament is available from today and costs a whopping €79.95 (including VAT) for a 750 gram spool.
Inject a little color into your 3D printing with this tasty deal on Inland’s vibrant Translucent Magenta PETG.
We’re big fans of PETG and its useful mechanical properties, and even bigger fans of bombastic color. So why not add a little fun to your functional prints (we’re not sorry) with this low price Inland spool we found on Amazon.com.
All3DP is an editorially independent publication. Occasionally we need to pay our bills, so we affiliate some product links through which we may receive a small commission. For the full spiel, check out our Terms of Use.
Ever wanted to use your 3D printer to create the ultimate speaker box? Coder and tinker Yasthil Bhagwandeen shares a new Instructables project on how to build your very own 3D Printed Mini Bluetooth Speakers. Now that sounds cool…
3D printing technology is disrupting how a wide range of consumer goods are produced, and audio gear is certainly no exception. With companies like print+ and V-Moda using 3D printing to offer customizability to consumers, the technology could soon become a valuable part of the audiophile’s sonic experience.
A new Instructables project by Yasthil Bhagwandeen takes a DIY approach, showing us how to 3D print our own mini bluetooth speakers. The coder and tinker presents the full scope of his project, leading us from the design process, through his mistakes and triumphs, and finally to the finished product.
If you have access to a 3D printer, a bit of maker prowess, and a love for sound, you can build your own 3D Printed Mini Bluetooth Speakers.
3D Printed Mini Bluetooth Speakers: What Do You Need?
Unlike some of the more simple ideas featured on our Weekend Project series, the 3D Printed Mini Bluetooth Speakers require a handful of tools and components. Here’s what you’ll need to take on this project:
Tools
Components
3D Printed Mini Bluetooth Speakers: Putting it Together
If you’ve gotten this far, you’re probably quite interested in building your own own set of 3D Printed Mini Bluetooth Speakers. Let’s take a quick glance at the design process and assembly.
First and foremost, you’ll need to download the STL files for the speaker box from Thingiverse. If you have all of the aforementioned tools and components on hand, it’s time to start 3D printing the casing for the speaker.
In Bhagwandeen’s version, he uses the Anet A8 3D printer and CCTree PLA, 3D printing the speaker box with 50 percent infill and a layer height of .32 mm. The 3D model for the speaker box, designed by the tinkerer on Fusion 360, is a relatively quick 5 hour 3D print.
He also shares the initial mistakes and subsequent redesign that came with developing this project. Obstacles included incorrect measurements, which made it difficult to fit in the speakers, as well as forgetting to print holes for the switch, jack, and micro USB slot. Eventually, Bhagwandeen overcame these issues and was able to build his speakers.
Before soldering, the maker recommends connecting the electronic components to make sure they’re working properly. Then, it’s time to start the soldering process, which is done according to the schematic provided below.
Once the soldering process is complete, simply use the hot glue gun to mount the electronics into the 3D printed speaker box. The speaker enclosure was designed to snap fit together, so you can open and shut the box without issue. Bhagwandeen states that the speaker isn’t extremely loud, but it does produce a fair amount of volume.
It’s an intermediate project that does require some time and maker skills, but it also seems like a nice undertaking for a beginner looking to get familiar with soldering, or even a more experienced maker who wants a fun and useful project for the weekend. Either way, you can bring your favorite sounds right to your own DIY speaker box with this unique Weekend Project.
Wikimedia Commons has enabled a new feature which will allow you to upload 3D models. The first upload is a model by the #NEWPALMYRA project, honoring Bassel Khartabil.
In 2015, the Wikimedia community was surveyed and a wish list was realized. On that list, number eleven is to add 3D models on Wikimedia Commons.
Wikimedia is slowly making its way down the list, adding green ticks next to each of the wishes they’ve delivered on. Now, adding 3D models is under development by the Multimedia team at the Wikimedia Foundation.
The first 3D model will honor the life the Palestinian Syrian open-source software developer, Bassel Khartabil who preserved records of Syrian historical monuments using photographs. He was an originator of the project #NEWPALMYRA and an important member of the Free Knowledge community.
You can read more about the murdered Syrian Creative Commons activist here, and All3DP’s involvement here.
The 3D model honoring his life will be one by the #NEWPALMYRA project.
Gilles Dubuc, an engineer who helped make our 3D feature launch happen, explains: “I doubt I would have appreciated the full impact of this project if it weren’t for #NEWPALMYRA and Bassel. It is critical that humanity can see (and print!) what cannot be visited in person anymore.”
Upload Your Own 3D Model
Wikimedia explain that this is their first “foray” into 3D printing so they intend on being careful. This means only supporting the .STL file format for now.
Until now, Wikimedia has done a great job with offering audio, video and 2D images. However, it’s no secret that 3D models offer new and different perspective on many subjects.
Wikimedia will first show 3D models as a static preview image and, after clicking on an image, an interactive viewer will load. This new Multimedia Viewer extension will enable a user will be able to view a model from all angles and rotate it.
The next step after rolling out 3D models is to receive feedback from the community. Then, with users’ help, Wikimedia will continue to add features and support for more complex file types.
However, for now, you can upload, download and then 3D print .STL models from the Wikimedia website. To upload a model, simply visit Wikimedia Commons, log in and click “upload file”. It’s as simple as that. Just make sure to enable your Media Viewer and you’re ready to go.
With just a spring and a 3D printer, Croatian digital artist and maker Vedran Marjanovic Wekster shows you how to create a NERF-ified version of the Thirst Zapper gun from the video game series Fallout.
In the post-apocalyptic setting of the critically acclaimed video game Fallout 4, the main character– referred to as “Sole Survivor”– uses an eclectic and creative mix of weapons to trudge through a dark and dismal world. In the game, you can spray down your enemies with the cool and refreshing Thirst Zapper gun, a Nuka Cola bottle-shaped weapon that is capable of discharging irradiated soda at the bad guys.
Wekster uses 3D printed parts and a small spring to create the Fallout themed NERF gun. Thankfully, he’s sharing the files on Thingiverse, so we can all prepare ourselves for any potential nuclear apocalypse.
Thirst Zapper NERF Gun: What do you Need?
For this Weekend Project, you just need a few things you might already have laying around the house. Here’s the list of goods:
Small screws (test size at hardware store or from toolbox to find right fit)
Thirst Zapper NERF Gun: Putting it all Together
Looking to improve upon his previous Rick and Morty-inspired NERF gun project, Wekster wanted to experiment with a reverse plunger mechanism. Instead of re-doing the model, he searched for a video game weapon that could contain the size of his new idea. Eventually, he settled on the Thirst Zapper from Fallout 4, a fitting match for the video game trailer creator and DIY enthusiast.
The model comes broken into 11 different 3D printable parts, including everything from the reverse plunger to the Nuka Cola logo. Wekster explains in his video that the smaller inside components were 3D printed with a 0.1 mm layer thickness, but he used a 0.4 mm layer thickness for the outer shell. In order to make the 3D printed parts strong enough to withstand force, he uses 60% infill for a number of them.
After 3D printing the various parts, Wekster painted the Thirst Zapper’s body to match the prop to the video game version. His exact post-processing method isn’t fully explained in the video, but you can use acrylic paint on white filament to achieve a similar effect.
As you can see at the end of the the video posted below, the Croatian artist and maker becomes ecstatic after successfully testing his 3D printed Thirst Zapper, which fires out a NERF dart at an impressive speed.
If you’re looking for a fun project that will keep you hydrated and safe beyond the end of days, take a look at Wekster’s YouTube video and start 3D printing this Fallout-themed NERF gun before it’s too late.
Researchers have taken CT scans of preserved Tasmanian tiger joeys to help give them a better insight into the extinct animal and learn about the early development phases of the marsupials.
Tasmanian tigers were driven to extinction by hunters. Sadly, the last living Tasmanian tiger died in Hobart Zoo in 1936. However, 13 ethanol-preserved joeys remain.
Called a tiger due to its striped lower back, the animal is now the interest of study at the University of Melbourne, Australia. The preserved joeys are offering an insight into the animal’s early development phases.
Researchers used technology such as CT scans, to record changes in the animal’s skeleton and organs while it was growing in its mother’s pouch. Dr. Andrew Pask found that they begin life looking like other marsupials, but move towards looking more like dogs towards the end of the time in the pouch. However, they wanted to show the exact point at which this happens.
“So, when they’re first born they have these really well-developed forearms to be able to crawl from their mother’s urogenital sinus up to the pouch, and a really well developed jaw to be able to latch on to the teat. That’s quite different to us, or a mouse, say.It’s only really late on that they grow the extended hind limbs to give them that dog appearance,” he explains.
Tracking Down the Tasmanian Tiger Specimens
The process of getting the 13 ethanol-preserved joeys wasn’t easy. Four of the joeys were held in Prague, Czech Republic.
Meanwhile, two specimens, sent from the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, weren’t Tasmanian Tigers at all. The researchers believe they were but quolls or Tasmanian devils which had been mixed up with the tigers.
However, once all were collected, the specimens were CT scanned. The animals were aged between 1.5 and 12 weeks. This enabled the scientists to dissect the joeys and build 3D models. They also 3D printed the models to get a better look too.
“Until now, there have only been limited details on growth and development. For the very first time we have been able to look inside these remarkably rare and precious specimens,” said Axel Newton, a PhD student and lead author on the Royal Society paper describing the investigation.
The aim for the researchers now is to find out how and why the marsupials evolved to be so similar to dogs. Especially as their last common ancestor lived about 160 million years ago. But, they hope that with these scans and genetic work, they’ll be able to come to some conclusions.
In the far distant future, the researchers also hope to be able to bring back a Tasmanian tiger. This could work by using another animal’s cells as a scaffold and inserting the genome to try and reconstruct the tiger. However, this is a long way off for now.
British filament maker rigid.ink is clearing its back-stock, slashing 25% off the price of some Flexible PLA.
Designed to eliminate the frustrations of printing flexible filament by adding the ease of PLA, rigid.ink’s Flexible PLA sounds like a dream.
Stiffer on the spool with a shade less elasticity than other flexibles, it boasts low friction and can be printed pretty successfully in Bowden setups. The material properties are said to be rubber-like, at the expense of the elongation you might find in TPU and similar filaments.
All3DP is an editorially independent publication. Occasionally we need to pay our bills, so we affiliate some product links through which we may receive a small commission. For the full spiel, check out our Terms of Use.
Lego is set to open its first VR roller coaster ride in March. Called the Great Lego Race, visitors to the attraction at Legoland Florida will have the option of wearing a headset, immersing themselves in the blocky world of Lego.
For fans of Lego who’ve yet to visit Legoland’s Florida resort, the company’s latest ride may just be the enticement they’ve been waiting for. The iconic brand is now launching its first VR roller coaster ride.
Merlin Entertainments Group announced last September that three of its LegoLand resorts will soon have VR roller coasters. Next month, Florida’s VR ride will be opening. The exact date for the grand opening of the new attraction is March 23, 2018.
Although the roller coaster is designed with children in mind, it’s certainly worth visiting for adults who love Lego and have a penchant for tech.
Visitors have the option of wearing the VR headset during the roller coaster, plunging them into a world of crazy races, animated characters and Lego scenery.
The company explains in their YouTube video: “It’s the first virtual reality (VR) roller coaster experience designed for kids and represents the first time the LEGO brand and minifigure characters have been integrated with VR technology in a theme park attraction.”
Experience Action from Every Angle
While wearing the VR headsets, riders of the Great Lego Race will be able to experience action in 360 degrees. Looking right at home among the universe of films Lego has churned out in recent years, the VR experience features pirates, wizards, pharaohs, scooters fueled with espresso, mummy servants and more. All constructed from Lego, naturally.
MackMedia is behind the VR app and offers previews of its technology in it’s freely downloadable Coastiality app. The VR headsets fit both children and adults, and can be adjusted for comfort. However, it’s also possible to experience the ride without the headset.
“The Great LEGO Race was inspired by the way kids play with LEGO toys at home… It’s a unique LEGO adventure that lets kids enter an epic imaginary world made entirely from LEGO bricks, featuring a host of different themes and fun LEGO characters, all mixed up together,” Candy Holland, senior creative director for Merlin Magic Making, which designs and develops attractions for Merlin Entertainments sites explains.
The Great Lego Race opens March 23rd, 2018, at Legoland Florida.
The German automotive parts supplier will be implementing Ultimaker 3 3D printers across its locations worldwide to streamline production.
Manufacturing companies are turning increasingly to additive manufacturing to boost their parts production. According to research by International Data Corporation (IDC), the market for 3D printing technologies will reach $12 billion in 2018.
Now, Ultimaker, the 3D printer maker, has revealed that German tech company Bosch GmbH made an investment to drive the expansion of Ultimaker 3 Extended printer models.
As part of the deal, Bosch will be implementing the desktop 3D printer models across its global locations in Germany, Hungary, China, India, the US, and Mexico. Bosch develops a wide range of prototypes of tools and fixtures. The company is one of the largest suppliers of automotive components globally. In addition, Bosch supplies industrial technologies, consumer goods and energy as well as building technologies.
The company turned to 3D printing in an effort to lower is manufacturing and development costs.
“We are very happy that this well-respected, leading supplier of technology and services chose our desktop 3D printers after an intensive selection procedure by its Additive Manufacturing department,” explained Jos Burger, CEO at Ultimaker.
The Ultimaker 3 Extended 3D printer. (Image: Ultimaker)
Streamlining global processing
Indeed, additive manufacturing has helped Bosch to not only cut costs but also save time. Furthermore, the company is able to launch products faster to market.
The investment and commitment to roll-out Ultimaker 3 Extended printers offer an opportunity to unify its additive manufacturing departments globally.
Consequently, staff will be able to receive the same materials, training as well as support. The company hopes that this will boost 3D printing quality across its locations.
“The team at Ultimaker is working hard to make 3D printing accessible by continuously improving our hardware, software, materials and services,” added Burger. “This global investment of Bosch confirms that our 3D printing ecosystem is ready to advance innovation on a global scale. The quality and speed of our service is the same in all countries, which helps our clients to go from an idea to manufacturing validation in just a few days, no matter where they are in the world.”
Voodoo manufacturing is supersizing its offerings with the announcement that the company now provides large-format 3D printing. Customers can now order 3D printed parts in PLA up to eight times larger than before with a five day turnaround.
Voodoo manufacturing, the 3D printing company based in Brooklyn, New York, has some news. The on-demand 3D print farm now offers single-part prints (in PLA) at up to 11.8 x 11.8 x 23.8 inches (300 x 300 x 605 millimeters) when going through the company’s 3D printing service.
This is a big change, upping their print volume capacity to one that dwarfs the previous limit of 11 x 6 x 6 inches (285 x 153 x 155 millimeters).
Customers that previously had to cut up prints will likely be very happy with the change.
The company explains in a blog post: “we’re constantly looking for ways to improve our services and add new, valuable capabilities for our customers. We’ve noticed demand for large-sized parts has been increasing, so we made it a priority to enable large-part production in our factory.”
Large Prints Offer Multiple Benefits for Customers
Voodoo Manufacturing’s announcement brings the company closer to their goal of making 3D printing a more viable alternative to traditional manufacturing.
“We think the new capability will allow our customers to bring new, bigger ideas and products to market faster, and with higher quality… Ultimately, we want to empower you to focus on building the product you want, instead of letting the product be dictated by the manufacturing method; to bridge the gap between idea and product,” the company’s blog post continues.
Powering Voodoo’s new push onto bigger and better prints is a suite of brand new Raise3D N2 Plus 3D Printers. Utilizing FDM as their means of 3D printing, the machines are capable of printing in a variety of materials.
Voodoo’s initial offering of PLA only indicates that reliability and speed are top of the agenda, given the trickier nature of temperature sensitive materials like ABS and PETG.
The company explains that a test print of a 6’1” mannequin needs to be split into 88 pieces to fit on their standard printers. However, with the Raise3D N2 Plus printers, the same mannequin can fit into just 19 pieces.
Have a large scale idea you’d like to try out? Visit the Voodoo manufacturing website to find out more about prices.
Australian metal 3D printing company Aurora Labs has made some visible progress toward the development of new rapid metal 3D printing technology. Dubbed Medium and Large Format Printer, the process could significantly speed up the 3D printing of large metal parts.
In a press release 3D metal printing company, Aurora Labs, has just announced a breakthrough in the development of its Large Format Printer (LFP) concept. Currently a prototype, the metal 3D printing machine is planned to complement the company’s existing S-Titanium Pro metal 3D printer.
The new machine now operates at a rate comparable to current market machines. This in itself is unremarkable news, but the special thing here is that Aurora’s machine is currently printing “slow”.
The company’s goal is to hit a print speed of one tonne of metal per day. Believed to be an achievable target, this latest news release details the LFP’s successful test printing of 20 x 20mm metal layers.
Across two videos presented on the Aurora Labs website, we see a first stage in which a layer of metal plate is melted in the blink of an eye. This stage, the company notes, is a preparatory step before the addition metal printing powders.
In the second video we see something that more accurately represents the potential printing speeds the LTF could achieve, as a square layer of powder is formed into a solid sheet from what appears to be a sweeping sintering motion.
Metal printing in real time. (Image: Aurora Labs)
3D Printing Large Metal Parts in 24 Hours
David Budge, Managing Director at Aurora Labs, explains:
“Reaching the ability to print simple parts slowly is the latest of our outlined steps towards the development of our Large Format Technology. When we talk about printing simple parts slowly, this is equivalent to the same speed of other metal 3D printers currently in the market, while printing complex parts rapidly is targeting speeds that are approximately 100 times faster than existing 3D-printers. We look forward to announcing the achievement of additional goals along the way as we advance the development, and ultimate commercialization, of the technology.”
The Large Format Technology could ultimately present an alternate path to increased throughput of complex 3D printed metal parts to current market solutions. In addition to the prototype testing, the Australian company has also revealed that it is looking to raise $7 million by appointment of Hunter Capital Advisors.
Over the space of the next 11 months the Aurora Labs hopes to build two new test models, hone their capabilities, enter pre-production, gain certification and then move to full commercial production.
Led by Anthony Orth, a research officer at the centre at RMIT University, the device has been developed to allow anyone, from students to medical staff to people at home, to take a closer look at things invisible to the naked eye.
The solution also means that the microscope can be used in situations where laboratory equipment may not be available. This could be hugely beneficial for application in less developed countries to help detect malaria or other blood borne parasites.
“What we’re hoping is that our design, or something like it, gets used for ultra simple, cheap and robust mobile phone based devices – be it for medical diagnostics in underserved areas such as the remote Australian outback and central Africa, or monitoring microorganism populations in local water sources.”
The researchers are also hoping that the final design can be optimized further to suit different people’s needs.
Bright and dark-field images taken with clip-on microscope. (Image: Nature)
Bright and dark-field microscopy possibilities
Orth and his team have proven that a smartphone already offers all the necessary parts to make a usable microscope. All that is missing is the magnification, which can be simply stuck on.
Samples also require illumination, which was achieved by using the smartphone’s internal flash. The challenge was to point the flash in the right direction to be able to shine through a sample and then into a camera.
Traditionally, this requires the use of prisms or mirror, but Orth and his team were able to diffuse the smartphone’s flash off of regular plastic. The clip-on design includes an assortment of tunnels to confine light and point it to the camera.
In addition to using the camera’s flash for a bright-field microscopy experience, the researchers also demonstrated that the sunlight could be used for illumination for a process called dark-field microscopy.
Finally, Orth recommends using Formlabs range of stereographic 3D printers to fabricate the design in black resin.
You can now digitally sculpt a 3D model and upload it straight to Facebook to share with your friends. In addition, Facebook is now offering support for higher-quality glTF 2.0 files.
For next steps, the social media giant is adopting the 3D industry-standard glTF 2.0 file format, enabling the sharing of higher-quality content. The new file format means it’s possible to show textures, improved lighting, and more realistic renderings.
Better yet, the company is also offering tools to make implementing 3D sharing from any website, 3D software or app possible.
“People build communities by sharing things they care about — through photos, videos and, increasingly, more immersive media types,” explains Aykud Gönen on the Facebook for Developers blog.
With the new 3D posts, users are able to interact with a digital model by moving their mouse. The models are instantly responsive and it’s possible to swivel the post around to view it from all angles.
The demonstration below shows the process of uploading a 3D model to Facebook.
Sharing High-Quality 3D Models with Friends
To upload a 3D model, you need to use an app which supports the company’s new API. You can also share a link from a website that supports 3D sharing to the social media website. It’s also now possible to take the 3D posts to the company’s VR hangout rooms, Facebook Spaces.
If you’ve designed a model you’d like to share, simply drag and drop the file from your desktop into Facebook. Or, if you create models in VR, you can share a model from the Oculus Medium web gallery.
Have a 3D model which isn’t a gITF 2.0? You can use Facebook’s open source converters on GitHub. With glTF 2.0, 3D content retains its desired texture and it’s possible to choose a background color for the model too.
The company explain in their blog post that the aim is to create a 3D ecosystem across platforms. This is proven with how Facebook’s new Graph API endpoints enable developers to create 3D apps or cameras which share to the company’s News Feed directly.
Another goal is to make sharing AR and VR easier for people with mobile devices rather than limit it to those with an expensive headset.
A gnome (or krasnale), a symbol of the Polish city of Wroclaw, has been 3D printed and launched into the stratosphere to prove that the only limits are ones we set in our minds. That, and it’s in celebration of 100 years of Polish independence.
If you’ve visited Wroclaw, you’ll most likely have noticed one of the many gnomes, or krasnale, dotted around the city. With more than 300 of them scattered around the city, it has become a popular tourist pastime to spot as many as possible.
The gnomes, a symbol of both the city and commemorative of the Orange Alternative — Wroclaw’s anti-Soviet resistance movement of the 1980s — have taken one bold step for gnomekind recently.
As a way of celebrating the 100 years of Polish independence following World War I this year, Waldemar Plusa, a citizen of the city, wanted to prove that the only limits are the ones we set in our minds.
So, he decided to use modern technologies to create an unforgettable independence celebration. Plusa decided to 3D print a Wroclaw gnome and blasting the it off into space. Check out the gnome spinning in the stratosphere:
3… 2… 1… Wroclaw Gnome Blast Off
Plusa worked with the city of Wrocław to create the commemorative symbol using local industry. First, Plusa created a Plasticine model of the gnome.
He then approached the Materialise office in Poland, which 3D scanned the model and created a 3D file using its Magics software suite. For the 3D printing itself, Materialise laser sintered the model in plain white polyamide, before post processing it a little to smooth its surface.
With the 3D print ready to go, Plusa needed to find the means to launch it into the stratosphere. The local Shortwave Club (Klub Łączności Ratunkowej) SP6ZWR provided a rocket specially for the occasion.
It took two launches to successfully launch this commemorative gnome into space. The first launch, on New Years Eve, was abandoned after fireworks from local celebrations ruined the photographs and video of the launch.
But, as Plus wanted to prove, the limits we set are only in our minds – so the gnome was launched for a second time. This time around the gnome made it high enough to snag some beautiful shots of the Earth — higher even than most commercial airlines.
For the duration of the flight, the spaceship also broadcast well wishes for Poland and the universe through organizers and the website. They point out that this is the first gnome to celebrate independence in space. We hope it’s not the last.
French sports equipment company Athletics 3D turned to rapid prototyping for the design of one of its latest small bore rifles. The rifle, prototyped on a Zortrax M200, would go on to a gold medal-winning finish at the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in the hands of biathlete Martin Fourcade.
When it comes to professional and Olympic sports, design and quality of the equipment matters – a lot.
That is why Clément Jacquelin, the Youth Biathlon World Champion 2009, created Athletics 3D – Olympics & Fitting. With seven years study in engineering under his belt too, Jacquelin cpitalizes on what he knows best: designing professional biathlon rifles with the help of 3D printing technologies.
“We started Athletics 3D to share our expertise, and put everything we know about ins and outs of biathlon into our products,” he explains.
During biathlons, competitors must alternative between cross country skiing and target shooting. For the shooting element of the contest, the target range lies 160 feet. Five targets, ranging from 1.8- to 4.5-inches in diameter (depending on the stage of the event) are supposed to be hit. Unsurprisingly, both distance and fatigue are key considerations. This makes rifle ergonomics even more important.
Most biathlon rifles include a modular composition, which means that parts can be replaced with others to suit varying conditions. For Fourcade’s event-winning rifle, Athletics 3D’s custom stock is used.
Athletics 3D founder Clement Jacquelin
Using Zortrax to 3D Print Rifles
After designing in CAD software, Jacquelin uses the Zortrax‘s proprietary slicer, Z-SUITE, to prepare the prototype rifles for printing on company’s M200 3D printer. Printed in Z-ABS material, the resulting parts are ready for inspection quickly.
“Zortrax Ecosystem did a great job prototyping the thing. We could get the feel right, the dimensions, the ergonomics”, Jacquelin adds.
He continues that 3D printing made all the difference to the final design, and that it has also reduced production costs of the devices.
Upon print completion, Jacquelin personally tests each test model. As a former world champion, he has the necessary qualifications to determine which features work best in a biathlon setting.
“We work with the world’s leading manufacturers specializing in high-end sports equipment. It was their job to build the stock with intended, end-use materials. But it all starts with extensive prototyping, and for prototyping we have been using Zortrax equipment since 2015”, he adds.
For Athletics 3D, the hard work has paid off. Martin Fourcade recently claimed gold in the men’s biathlon 12.5 km pursuit at the Winter Olympics 2018.
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