Kategorie: Science

  • Nexa3D Showcases NXV Fast SLA 3D Printer at CES

    Nexa3D Showcases NXV Fast SLA 3D Printer at CES

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Previewing its new machine amid the crowded halls of CES, Nexa3D will demonstrate its debut ultra-fast stereolithography 3D printer. Interested parties can check out NXV in the flesh, with the company saying it will provide non-stop demos of the machine in action.

    Nexa3D, the company that develops stereolithography professional-grade 3D printers, will be putting on a live demonstration at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas between January 9 to 12, 2018. As part of the showcase, Nexa3D is demonstrating its first professional 3D printer – the NXV.

    The company says that it is one of the largest and fastest, but also most accurate 3D printers in its category of professional desktop printers. It’s recommended for printing production tools as well as end-use parts and creating functional prototypes.

    With a price tag of $19,950 one would expect some sophisticated tech under the hood. In a release, Nexa3D says the printer makes use of cognitive software and various sensors to help optimize part performance. The technology of the NXV is based on deep machine learning algorithms that can slice, optimize and compile more complex geometries whilst keeping the speed and resolution the same.

    For added control, the 3D printer can run using both on-board and cloud controls for in-situ and remote operations of a single or multiple printers.

    Nexa3D Starting 2018 on a High

    Avi Reichental, Co-Founder and executive chairman of Nexa3D, explains “3D printing is an unstoppable force of change in every industry and within it, high-speed 3D printing is the next frontier in additive manufacturing and one that is highly valued by end-users, strategic partners, resellers and investors alike.”

    “After several years of bootstrapping through the early stages of proving and nailing our game-changing technology, we are gratified to be here at CES 2018 with some of our early access marquee users and resellers who are partnering with us to validate the scaling of our first product,” he adds.

    Just before the start of the CES, Nexa3D announced a partnership with BEGO, the digital and traditional dental materials and 3D printer provider, and XYZprinting, a desktop 3D printer brand. Together, the companies hope to transform digital dentistry. As part of the deal, BEGO will now be exclusively selling a special purpose high-speed Nexa3D dental printer that is being manufactured by XYZprinting. Nexa3D is exclusively developing the necessary technology and products.

    In addition, Nexa3D announced another funding round with investor XYZprinting and crowdfunding from OurCrowd. This brings the company’s total funds to $10 million to date.

    For more information and to check out the new NXV, you can find Nexa3D at the Techniplas booth #9100 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

    Source: Nexa3D

    Website: LINK

  • HP Z 3D Camera Offers HP Sprout’s 3D Scanning Capabilities For a Fraction of the Price

    HP Z 3D Camera Offers HP Sprout’s 3D Scanning Capabilities For a Fraction of the Price

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    At CES, HP released a new “Z 3D Camera” which offers the 3D scanning capabilities of the Sprout Pro PC in a portable camera accessory. It attaches to your computer monitor and can help you scan 3D items in no time.

    At CES 2018, HP Inc. has announced its new Z 3D Camera. The company thinks this 3D camera will “help reinvent creative workflows and spark spontaneous real-time sharing of documents and physical work product.”

    So, what’s special about it? HP’s Z 3D camera allows creators to capture in 3D without having to buy a specialized scanner. Up until now, HP has offered the Sprout Pro which has a unique 3D camera integrated into the computer.

    HP’s Sprout PCs made 3D scanning easier with a down-facing camera and a touch mat. However, the system costs over $3,000. Instead, HP has now taken the 3D scanner feature and turned it into a portable option which can be attached to most monitors. With the Z 3D Camera and the mat, the same 3D camera technology will cost just $599.

    To 3D scan an item, you simply rotate the object in your hands or position it underneath the camera on your desk.

    “The demand for 3D content has skyrocketed and 3D pros are constantly looking for new hardware and software innovations to increase their end-to-end productivity, from concepting to production… HP Z 3D Camera helps speed up modeling, reinvent the creative palette and protect the artistic point of view as more people enter the profession and workflows become increasingly automated,”  said Louis Kim, global head of Immersive Computing, Personal Systems, HP Inc.


    HP Z 3D Camera

    Highlights of the HP Z 3D Camera

    The company claims to have had CG artists, 3D designers, game developers, and digital fine artists in mind while developing the camera. It will be able to capture and digitize 3D objects, 2D documents, and live video, alike the Sprout Pro.

    But there are compromises. You’ll be losing some of the features of the Sprout Pro: There’s no included projection capability of the Sprout Pro, also multitouch is not available with HP’s Z 3D camera.

    HP explains that the Z 3D camera will minimize desktop space thanks to a unique design. Although the technology is slightly scaled down in terms of its lack of Touch Mat and light projector, it still includes a 3D depth-sensing camera and a 14.6MP 2D camera.

    It also uses a technology called SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) to track, scan, and construct a 3D model in real time. The resulting high-resolution “computer-graphics-friendly” images and textures can then be used for 3D and VR applications.

    Anyone with Windows 10 will be able to export models to PowerPoint 3D, Paint 3D and Mixed Reality Viewer. HP is also making it easier to share captures or live videos of notes and sketches from your desktop and hope to offer a “more human experience”.

    HP Z 3D Camera will be available in March but only in the US. Check out the company’s website to keep up to date and find out more.

    Source: HP Press Release


    HP Z 3D Camera

    Website: LINK

  • Johnson & Johnson Joins Investors in Carbon’s Recent $200 Million Funding Round

    Johnson & Johnson Joins Investors in Carbon’s Recent $200 Million Funding Round

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    Carbon has announced that Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC has joined as an additional investor in the startup’s recent $200 million Series D funding round. Johnson & Johnson is using Carbon’s 3D printing technology to develop surgical instruments for orthopedics and other medical devices.

    Last December, the rising 3D printing company Carbon raised $200 million in its Series D funding round. The substantial investment came from a variety of venture capital firms, including Baillie Gifford, Fidelity, ARCHINA Capital, Hydra Ventures (the venture arm of Adidas), GE Ventures, JSR Corporation, and Emerson Elemental.

    Now, the Silicon Valley startup has revealed that yet another big headliner has joined the ranks of its latest backers. Today, Carbon announced that Johnson & Johnson Innovation –JJDC, Inc. (JJDC), the venture capital arm of the global healthcare pioneer Johnson & Johnson, has joined the impressive list of investors in the latest funding round.

    Related: Carbon Partners With Incase to Push the Boundaries of Mobile Device Protection

    The entrance of Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC will allow the healthcare giant to continue innovating its research and development of medical products with Carbon’s proprietary Digital Light Synthesis technology.


    Partnership Between Carbon and Johnson & Johnson to Spark Healthcare Innovation

    The recent investment follows a strategic two-year collaboration between Carbon and Johnson & Johnson. The healthcare company has used Carbon’s groundbreaking 3D printing technology to develop surgical instruments for orthopedics and other medical devices.

    “This funding is vital to the work we’re doing with leading healthcare companies to improve lives using next-gen technology, and will enable Carbon to accelerate its momentum in delivering a true, scalable digital 3D Manufacturing platform across the globe,” said Dr. Joseph DeSimone, Carbon’s CEO and Co-founder.


    Dr. Joseph DeSimone, Carbon CEO and Co-Founder

    Even before joining Carbon’s Series D round, Johnson & Johnson has expressed increasing interest in using professional-grade 3D printing to assist patients and the medical sector. Last year, the company opened a 3D printing center at the University of Miami, and also unveiled a range of customized 3D printed surgical tools.

    Meanwhile, Carbon has already amassed recognition throughout the manufacturing world through its partnership with Adidas, which has resulted in the serial production of the Futurecraft 4D footwear.

    Read more: Carbon Talks Adidas Collaboration and Bringing 3D Printing to the Serial Production Stage

    The 3D printing startup plans to use the $200 million funding round to continue its disruptive campaign to challenge injection molding. The recently acquired capital will help bring the company’s global expansion plans and product roadmap to fruition, while also supporting Carbon’s overall goal to offer mass digital production at scale.

    This funding is vital to the work we’re doing with leading healthcare companies to improve lives using next-gen technology, and will enable Carbon to accelerate its momentum in delivering a true, scalable digital 3D Manufacturing platform across the globe.

    Website: LINK

  • This Swerve Drive is Almost Entirely 3D Printed

    This Swerve Drive is Almost Entirely 3D Printed

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    Got a lightweight robot in need of some locomotion? Maker LoboCNC has you covered with this 3D printed swerve drive.

    In light of the upcoming FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), designer LoboCNC has designed a new swerve drive that is entirely 3D printed.

    A swerve drive is a more maneuverable steering configuration for a robot. It enables robotics operators to steer the robot within a 360 degree radius and rotate it around its own axis. Although swerve drives make life considerably easier for the operator, they are also much harder to design.

    All the more reason to get excited about LoboCNC’s swerve drive, which is almost entirely 3D printed. In addition to the printed parts, all you need are a few metal pieces, belts and motors.

    The swerve drive is considerably lighter and more simplified than commercial versions. It includes a steering bearing using 6mm Airsoft pellets as bearing balls and a twisted timing belt to keep the mechanics even simpler.


    3d printed drive train
    3D printed swerve drive by LoboCNC. (Image: thingiverse)

    3D Printing a Robot’s Drive Train

    With two motors, the system powers both the driving and steering.

    Weighing just 5 lbs, the swerve unit is very lightweight. Thus, its designer recommends only a total weight of 20 lb. In addition, LoboCNC points out that it is very fast at up to 20 feet per second.

    If you’re keen to give it a spin  yourself, a full build guide can be found on the design’s Thingiverse page.

    Following up on preliminary tests to ensure the swerve drive was robust, LoboCNC posted on Thingiverse:

    “So far, we’ve hooked it up and driven it around a little. Everything is operating quite smoothly so far. Next up is getting our full swerve drive control implemented so that we can really beat on it!”

    This isn’t LoboCNC’s first forage into swerve drives. He has previously shown off a 3D printed model developed for the FRC Team 2605 – the Sehome Seamonsters.


    3D printed swerve drive by LoboCNC. (Image: thingiverse)

    Source: thingiverse.com

    Website: LINK

  • Formlabs Showcases Mass Customization, Premieres New Materials

    Formlabs Showcases Mass Customization, Premieres New Materials

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    For the first time, visitors of the Consumers Electronic Show 2018 can take a look at Formlab’s new SLS Fuse 1 3D printer. But there’s more: The company premieres two new materials and showcases interesting new mass customization solutions.

    At CES 2018, the Formlabs booth will have the Form 2, Fuse 1, Form Cell. Also, the company will showcase how to use 3D printing in mass customization.

    One of their demos will be the creation of on-demand custom earbuds. Over the years, the one-size-fits-all approach to earbuds has changed. Thanks to 3D printing, mass customized earbuds have become more common.

    At CES, Formlabs and 3Shape will demo how the Form 2 3D printer and 3Shape Phoenix in-ear scanner make it possible to put customized earbuds in the hands of consumers faster.


    During development for the quip electric toothbrush, prototyping was either prohibitively expensive or poor quality. Now, with Form 2, quip can prototype high-quality parts more affordable. quip will showcase their product development process at the Formlabs booth, comparing how they could have overcome significant challenges faster using the Form 2.


    Rigid and Grey Pro: Two New Specialist Materials

    In the last year, Formlabs have broadened their palette of 3D printing resins with dental resins and engineering grade materials. Now they are introducing two new resins, Rigid and Grey Pro.

    Grey Pro Resin (see below) offers high precision and versatile material properties, including moderate elongation and low creep, which make it great for concept modeling and functional testing.


    Rigid Resin (see below), Formlab’s first enforced with glass resin, offers very high stiffness and a polished finish.


    “Since its inception, the strength of 3D printing has always been in rapid prototyping, but as our materials have evolved and multiplied we’ve seen an overwhelming increase in parts created for many use cases, including the manufacturing line and more recently in mass customization,” said Max Lobovsky, co-founder and CEO of Formlabs. “We believe we can drive 3D printing into more end-use applications by dramatically improving material properties and significantly decreasing the cost per part, bringing the promise of 3D printed mass customization closer to reality for businesses and consumers.”

    (Source: Press Release)

    Website: LINK

  • “Black Panther” Costume Designer Explains Use of 3D Printing in New Superhero Movie

    “Black Panther” Costume Designer Explains Use of 3D Printing in New Superhero Movie

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    In a recent interview with Afropunk, costume designer Ruth E. Carter describes how her team used 3D printing technology to help create the outfits for Marvel Studios’ upcoming superhero film “Black Panther”. 

    Next month, comic book fans around the world will congregate at their local cinema to catch the highly-anticipated Marvel Studios’ movie Black Panther. The story follows the superhero T’Challa, also known as Black Panther, who is the king and protector of the fictional African nation Wakanda.

    Based on the comic book character created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, the movie portrays a time where the Black Panther, played by Chadwick Boseman, returns home and faces a major threat to his kingdom. T’Challa and his fellow Dora Milaje operatives face-off against those conspiring against him.

    And, judging from the trailer and movie stills, the costumes of the characters look as breathtaking as the film’s action.

    According to the Academy Award-nominated costume designer Ruth E. Carter, who is responsible for creating the fierce garb featured in the Black Panther, 3D printing technology played a major role in film’s attire. In a recent interview with Afropunk, Carter explained how her team utilized the technology to bring the unique style of the Wakanda to the big screen.


    3D Printing Technology Adds Unique Flair to Black Panther Costumes

    In order to add a completely distinctive look to the costume design, Carter and her team used 3D printing in a variety of ways.

    Many of the costumes featured in the film utilize African lace, but the 3D printed components adds a new layer of detail to the fabric. In the interview with Afropunk, Carter explains how they used 3D printing to add textures and patterns to clothing of the characters:

    “Part of our process was, you know, we used different techniques to create textures and prints and patterns and one of the ways superheroes are created, we 3D print on fabric which allows you to have a surface that could look beaded but it’s actually molded or screens on fabric. It has a hype to it so that you can make it look like anything.”

    For instance, Ramonda, the Queen of Wakanda, wears a Zulu-inspired crown and curved mantle that rests on her shoulders. The costume designer states that this extravagant piece was 3D printed with a special flexible material designed by a UCLA professor. They used a professional-grade 3D printer in Belgium to print the prop, which Carter likens to a design by Gareth Pugh, with this material.

    In fact, Carter wanted to keep the look of 3D printing intact, deciding not to paint the piece and instead showcasing it in all its additively manufactured glory.  The technology also enabled her to focus in on the African lace style while also highlighting the advanced technology that is used by the Wakanda people in the film.

    You can catch Black Panther in theaters starting February 16. We’ll be sure to look out for more 3D printed props throughout the film.


    Ramonda, Queen of Wakanda, played by Angela Bassett. Here you can see her wearing the magnificent 3D printed crown and mantle.

    Source: Afropunk

    Website: LINK

  • Aleph Objects to Put on Impressive 3D Printing Display at CES

    Aleph Objects to Put on Impressive 3D Printing Display at CES

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    For the Consumer Electronics Show 2018, Aleph Objects, the company behind the popular Lulzbot line of 3D printers, will demo its products in the best possible way — printing more printers.

    Colorado-based 3D printer manufacturer Aleph Objects is putting on a bit of a show at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES).

    The company plans to exhibit its current line of 3D printers and recently unveiled add-ons as part of a 3D printer factory display. It offers CES event goers a first-hand demonstration of how its own machines’ specialized parts are 3D printed — from design to finished product.

    Nine LulzBot 3D printers will be set up to showcase how Lulzbot 3D printer component production works.

    Best of all, attendees get the chance to win one of 20 limited edition Las Vegas-built printers. The company will also be throwing in accessories and filament to get winners up and running immediately.

    Harris Kenny, President of Aleph Objects, explains:

    “Our ‘show floor factory’ is not a proof of concept, we’ve been using 3D printers in production since 2011. Evolved makers around the world are transforming manufacturing with LulzBot 3D Printers. We encourage you to join us and make everything.”


    Aleph Objects

    The Cluster Achieves 2-Million Milestone

    Back at the Aleph Objects headquarters in Loveland, Colorado, US, the company’s 150 LulzBot 3D printers are working around the clock to produce yet more custom printer parts. The company calls it “the Cluster”. Around 50kg of filament are printed daily into new extruders, gears and structural parts.

    Aleph Objects recently hit a milestone with the production of its 2-millionth piece.

    The CES set-up is thus labelled the “micro-cluster”.

    Naturally, the company will be showing off its recently revealed products at the event. The Aerostruder Tool Heads for use with the LulzBot TAZ and LulzBot Mini printers are set to be released today, January 8. The tool heads enable users to print rigid, but also flexible materials without having to swap out the tool heads.

    Shortly after the CES, the company is rolling out the LulzBot Mini LCD Controller for more comfortable operation of the 3D printer without computer connection.

    Other products recently released by Aleph Objects include the LulzBot TAZ Dual Extruder Tool Head v3 for water-soluble support structures, as well as the Modular Print Bed Systems for LulzBot TAZ and Mini. The updated version of the Cura LulzBot Edition now includes a new interface and features.

    “We’re excited to be highlighting the final three at CES 2018″ explains Ben Malouf, Aleph Objects’ Director of Marketing. “The Aerostruder Tool Heads and LulzBot Mini LCD Controller add even more versatility and ease of use to our award-winning 3D printer lineup. The LulzBot Mini 3D Printer bundles given away during the show will feature both the Aerostruder Tool Head and the LCD Controller, as well as the Mini Modular Print Bed System,” he adds.

    For CES attendees, you can find LulzBot 3D printers in booth #8700 in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

    Source: LulzBot

    Website: LINK

  • Face Donor to Get 3D Printed Mask for Burial

    Face Donor to Get 3D Printed Mask for Burial

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    New York University 3D printing specialists are to 3D print the face of a brain-dead man, before it is transplanted to a waiting recipient. It is thought the lifelike mask will bring dignity to funeral proceedings for the donor’s family.

    Plastic surgeons at New York University’s Langone Medical Center will perform an extraordinary surgery this summer. They will lift the face from a brain-dead donor and graft it onto the head of a patient who has significant injury.

    Understandably, the donation of a face is considerably more traumatic for the donor’s family. Special permission is required, since the typical organ donation checkbox on the driving license doesn’t include the face.

    It is effectively giving up the one remaining, recognizable feature of the person. And so masks are created in an attempt to soften the blow.

    Previously, silicone masks taken from a mold of the face would be provided for the donor’s burial. But these typically achieve around 75 percent accuracy.

    Looking to change this for the better, New York University’s LaGuardia Studio 3D print lab will handle the production of this particular death mask, aiming for approximately 95 percent accuracy. It is hoped a better mask that is nigh on lifelike will ease the suffering further, and hopefully if common practice, make securing permission for future cases easier.


    NYU face donor 3d printed mask
    The 3D model of a face as it is being scanned. (Image: Vincent Tullo / The New York Times

    Lifelike, Down to the Pores

    Technicians from LaGuardia will use a handheld scanner to capture a scan of the donor’s face. Across several passes, a full high resolution 3D model is generated.

    After several hours post-processing in modeling software, the 3D model is then passed along for printing on one of LaGuardia’s large industrial 3D printers. From the description of the material being “an acrylic-based photopolymer” we suspect the machine is likely the 3D Systems ProJet 7000 HD SLA.

    This machine features an “Xtreme-high Definition Print Mode” which, printing at layer heights of 0.00635mm, certainly seems like an appropriately capable machine for perfectly rendering every facial detail.

    Post-procedure, the mask replaces the donor’s face with a bandage wound around to cover the seams. The result is a life-changing gift to a stranger in need, and dignity in death.

    Source: The New York Times


    NYU face donor 3d printed mask
    A low-resolution demo example of the mask to be printed. (Image: Vincent Tullo / The New York Times

    (Lead image: Vincent Tullo / The New York Times)

    Website: LINK

  • XYZPrinting Reveal Three New Products at CES 2018

    XYZPrinting Reveal Three New Products at CES 2018

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    At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), XYZPrinting releases three new affordable devices which are updates on their previous products. 

    XYZPrinting’s goal is to bring affordable and accessible 3D printers to the masses. Their three latest devices revealed at CES 2018 this year, are no different. As well as hobbyists, their latest products are also aimed at small businesses and schools.

    However, those loyal to the brand will realize that the devices are upgrades of previous models. For example, the da Vinci 3D Pen is getting a smaller brother, the “da Vinci 3D Pen Cool”. It works with “cool” filament that melts at a much lower temperature than most 3D pen filament (more about the technology here). This product will cost just $44.95.

    You may remember talk of the da Vinci Nano which was revealed at CES 2017 but never made it to market. However, the company has spent the past year refining the design and hopes that this year it will be a success. This will cost $229 – the same as last year.

    The third product is the da Vinci color AiO. This printer isn’t targeted at everyday consumers but rather businesses. It includes scanning and printing in color but will still be an “affordable” price of around $4,000. Also added is the ability to use the printer with voice commands.

    “Our goal with the new line of products is not only to make 3D printing cost-effective for everyone, but also provide casual users and small business owners the tools and confidence to try their hand at this technology and incorporate it into their everyday lives, whether at home or at the office,” explained CEO Simon Shen in a statement.


    XYZPrinting

    Features of the XYZPrinting Updates

    Changes for the 3D Pen Cool include reducing the temperature, making it safer to use and touch. However, aside from this, pen is alike its predecessor, extruding PLA plastic filament.

    This time around, the da Vinci Nano promises a similarly small size but has a new software package. This is called the XYZ app maker and allows you to print from your tablet. Another change includes moving from red to white.

    Interestingly, the company is aiming this printer at schools and has even created a curriculum to go hand in hand with the technology.

    Thirdly, the da Vinci color AiO is not aimed at the everyday consumer. Instead, small businesses may benefit from this printer as it offers 3D printing technology and inkjet to allow for color printing and scanning. The da Vinci color AiO prints PLA filament and different ink droplet colors.

    “We do think that the consumer market will take time to develop… To help with that we also target the education market and work with schools to develop the next generation’s interest in 3D printing. We hope that working with consumers and educations will work hand-in-hand together so 3D printing becomes more common,” explains marketing manager at XYZprinting, Frank Peng.

    The company adds that these products will be available to purchase early this year. Find out more information on the XYZPrinting website.

    Source: XYZPrinting


    XYZPrinting

    Website: LINK

  • Carbon Partners With Incase to Push the Boundaries of Mobile Device Protection

    Carbon Partners With Incase to Push the Boundaries of Mobile Device Protection

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    The design-driven device protection solutions producer Incase is partnering with Carbon, using the 3D printing company’s Digital Light Synthesis to manufacture protective device solutions with complex lattice structures that are both lightweight and impact-resistant. 

    This week in Las Vegas, the most innovative consumer products from across the tech spectrum will be on display at CES 2018. As anyone with a pricey smartphone or laptop knows, protective solutions are essential to keeping your technology out of harm’s way.

    And who knows…that next case you wrap around your phone or computer might just be 3D printed.

    In conjunction with the upcoming consumer tech trade show, the device protection solutions producer Incase is announcing a partnership with Carbon. The design-driven company plans to use Carbon’s Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) to revolutionize how mobile device protection is designed, engineered, and manufactured.

    Related Reading: Carbon Talks Adidas Collaboration and Bringing 3D Printing to the Serial Production Stage

    The multi-year partnership will enable Incase to deliver the industry’s first protective mobile solutions produced with 3D printing technology. Using Carbon’s full-fledged manufacturing ecosystem, these new products will be designed with complex structures and made from mechanically-advanced elastomers.


    Carbon’s 3D Printing Technology Enables Incase to Transform Device Protection Solutions

    Incase will use 20 of Carbon’s M2 printer in order to create protective devices that feature complex latticing structures. Using durable and lightweight elastomeric materials, the protection and mobility solutions producer will be able to take a new approach to both design and production.

    These complex structures will be produced with UV-curable polyurethane resin. With Carbon’s so-called “programmable materials”, the Incase design team can configure and engineer products to offer unparalleled impact-resistance and drop protection.

    Additionally, Carbon’s algorithmic design and simulation software will enable designers to develop designs that are optimized to absorb the maximum amount of impact with the lightest possible frame. By utilizing DLS 3D printing technology, Incase will also have the ability to test and modify product iterations more rapidly than ever before.


    Andy Fathollahi, the CEO of Incase, explains how the partnership with Carbon will refine the company’s approach to manufacturing device protection solutions: 

    “With Carbon, we’re rewriting the playbook on device protection, marking a new era in the mobility industry, covering every aspect of the business. In addition to redefining device protection from a material level, our partnership with Carbon significantly changes the mobility space operationally, delivering benefits such as faster go-to market strategies, on-demand supply chain simplification, reduced tooling and prototyping stages and customization opportunities for our customers. Together, we are effectively changing the way mobile device protection will be thought of in the future.”  

    Last year, Carbon proved the viability of its technology for serial production with the Adidas Futurecraft 4D footwear. Through this major partnership, the 3D printing startup and Adidas are aiming to manufacture a total of 100,000 pairs by the end of 2018.

    Now, Carbon is expanding into new frontiers with Incase, using the advantages of its 3D printing technology to usher in the next generation of device protection solutions. You’ll be able to spot these innovative products quite easily, as the Carbon name will be co-branded on the new line of protective mobile solutions.

    With Carbon, we’re rewriting the playbook on device protection, marking a new era in the mobility industry, covering every aspect of the business.

    Website: LINK

  • Kodak celebrates 130th Anniversary with Launch of New 3D Printing Ecosystem at CES

    Kodak celebrates 130th Anniversary with Launch of New 3D Printing Ecosystem at CES

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Whether it’s the legendary Kodachrome film or high-tech printing machines, Kodak has always been at the forefront of science, art, and industry. To celebrate its 130th anniversary, Kodak will be presenting the new Super 8 and its first Portrait 3D Printer at the Consumer Electronics Show this January.

    But if you just go to the 3D printing area at CES, you’d miss the highlight: Kodak’s Portrait 3D printer. You can find it at Kodak’s vast 50 x 50 ft booth at CES South Hall 1, Booth 20612. If you just come visit for a day and want to explore the 3D printing sector, make sure you don’t miss this important opportunity to see the Kodak system in action.

    Kodak’s 3D printer has been built for classrooms, the office, or industrial environments. At a print volume of 200x200x250 mm it offers the right size for a variety of projects, whilst still fitting onto a desk. In addition, the device can be easily moved by one or two people.

    The system combines the fully enclosed, compact dual-extrusion 3D printer as well as low-moisture filaments.

    As a dual-extrusion printer, it offers a special function whereby users fill both extruders. Once one of them runs out of material, the second one jumps into action. That means users get to use up their partially-consumed filament spools without having to worry that they may run out of material. This saves money and time when creating larger, denser print objects.

    Of course, you can use the dual-extrusion printer for regular dual-color 3D printing or soluble supports. To ensure that no color contamination occurs, the device also includes a nozzle-wiping mechanism.

    Built with reliability in mind, the 3D printer features steel sheets combined with thick guide rods and industrial bearing blocks that allow for the printer carriage to move more precisely. The electrical components of the device are easily accessible for maintenance but hidden out of sight.


    The extrusion system of the Kodak 3D printer (Image: Kodak)

    A 3D Printing Ecosystem for an Enhanced Printing Process

    Together with the 3D printer, Kodak has developed a 3D Printing Ecosystem that includes 3D printing filament. That doesn’t mean one cannot use their own, third-party filaments, but the Kodak 3D Printing Filament offers several advantages that are worth exploring.

    Firstly, the filaments are low moisture and supplied in airtight foil packaging. That’s an important aspect given that materials such as PVA and nylon tend to absorb air moisture more rapidly. Moist filaments can obscure the printing process.

    They fit perfectly into the airtight protection cartridges to shield them from humidity. Once placed inside the cartridges, which connect to the extruders, the system remains shielded from humidity or dust. This offers an additional layer of longevity to the system by preserving filament quality.

    Among the materials on offer, Kodak currently has PLA+, PLA Tough, ABS, HIPS, Flex 98, Nylon 6 and Nylon 12 in store. The filaments offer the highest roundness and diameter accuracy available in the market.

    As a final touch, the Kodak 3D printing system comes with user-friendly software. It includes Wi-Fi, email and social network connectivity for easier file-sharing. For educational institutions, there is also the option of multi-user platforms with statistical data. Remote print monitoring and management may also come in handy when scheduling larger print projects that require longer runs.

    During the time of CES, the 3D printer will be available at a discounted price. To find out, Kodak encourages you to visit the booth (booth number 20612, South Hall 1) and talk to one of their representatives. The device will begin shipping in March 2018.


    Kodak 3D Printing Filament is low-moisture. (Image: Kodak)

    (Source: Kodak)

    Website: LINK

  • Desktop Metal Gets Patents for Metal 3D Printing Supports System

    Desktop Metal Gets Patents for Metal 3D Printing Supports System

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Forging a new path for more accessible metal 3D printing, Desktop Metal has been granted patents for its Separable Supports technology. Designed to make metal 3D printing more accessible and safer, the tech means multi-material metal printing and hand-removable supports.

    Desktop Metal, a Massachusetts-based company that has developed office and mass-production level metal 3D printers, has just been granted the patents for its proprietary Separable Supports technology. The technique is the company’s way of printing easy-to-remove support structures from parts that have been printed on its Studio System (and Production System, coming later this year).

    The Desktop Metal Studio System is the first of its kind — a metal 3D printing system safe for use in workshop-office environments. It includes a printer, de-binder and sintering furnace which not only make the metal 3D printing process safer for an office or non-specialized environment, but faster too.

    According to Jonah Myerberg, Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder of the company:

    “As a company driven by invention, we are committed to both innovating and protecting our technology through strategic intellectual property achievements. The technological innovation in these patents enables users, for the first time, to print large metal parts with complex geometries that can be easily removed from their support structures by hand or to print metal objects with separable interlocking structures.”


    Desktop Metal
    A part during the sintering process (Image: Desktop Metal)

    Desktop Metal’s Patented Support System

    Whilst more traditional laser power bed methods for 3D printing tend to be restricted to a single source material, the Desktop Metal innovation allows creators to benefit from the use of multiple materials during the printing process.

    In essence, creators can now print support structures which do not bond to the final part. Instead, they consolidate during sintering with the part, resulting in high dimensional accuracy. The support structures can then simply be removed by hand.

    “We believe the benefit of this technology covered by the patents will enable substantially increased adoption of metal AM,” adds Myerberg.

    Desktop Metal now holds a wide variety of patented technologies. In addition, the company’s existing pending patent applications cover more than 200 innovations.

    Source: Desktop Metal & TCT Magazine


    Desktop Metal
    Post-sintering, the part simply breaks away from its supports (mage: Desktop Metal)

    Website: LINK

  • PETG Filament for 3D Printing: Explained & Compared

    PETG Filament for 3D Printing: Explained & Compared

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is the most commonly used plastic in the world. You can find the polymer almost everywhere you look, from your water bottle to clothing fibers, even in your food containers. PET is also used in thermoforming processes and can be combined with glass fiber to create engineering resins. Basically, thousands of consumer products, foods, and beverages are delivered and packaged within this material. Unfortunately, it‘s even floating in our oceans.

    On the 3D printing side of things, there’s PETG, which is is a modified version of PET. The ‘G’ stands for “glycol-modified”, which is added to the material composition during polymerization. The result is a filament that is clearer, less brittle, and easier to use than its base form of PET. The molecular structure is irregular; the resin is clear and amorphous with a glass transition temperature of 88 C (190 F). If you’re into chemistry, this material is known as Polyethylene Terephthalateco-1, 4-cylclohexylenedimethylene terephthalate (try saying that mouthful three times quickly…).

    It’s also worth letting Polyethylene coTrimethylene Terephthalate (PETT) make a cameo in this guide. PETT, as you can probably tell, is another variant of PET. It’s slightly more rigid than PETG, and is popular for being transparent.

    Learn more about other filament types: 3D Printer Filament – 25 Best Types & Comparison Charts


    Website: LINK

  • Academics 3D Print “Game Changing” Heat Exchangers

    Academics 3D Print “Game Changing” Heat Exchangers

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    At the University of Canterbury, academics have developed original tech to produce heat exchangers that could have wide-ranging applications, from motorsports to laptop batteries.

    A press release from the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, claims Professor Conan Fee and Dr Tim Huber have created high-performance heat exchangers that could be a “game changer” for design and efficiency.

    In brief, a heat exchanger is a device that effectively transfers heat between two (or more) materials, typically a solid and liquid, or multiple liquids. You can find them in things like air conditioners and car engines.

    One practical benefit of such devices can be energy recovery (channeling waste heat to other areas where needed). There are numerous others — it is a complex technology with broad application, after all — but the Canterbury academics’ new spin appears to be more in line with small-scale electronics and heat dissipation.


    Heat exchanger
    How a heat exchanger works, basically.

    Custom Cooling Thanks to 3D Printing

    Using undisclosed 3D printing tech, the academic’s work posits radical new shapes that boast efficiency both in performance and footprint. Thanks to the oft-cited benefit of 3D printing being able to render complex geometries that traditional manufacturing would struggle with, these new heat exchangers can be in fitted in unusual and constrained spaces.

    Producing critical components in such spaces and sizes could have a dramatic effect on future technology, with lighter racing cars and aircraft, plus smaller heat pumps for the home cited as possible examples.

    Speaking of 3D printing’s role in the work, Fee said “The growth of 3D printing for new applications is exponential and it is stimulating a huge set of opportunities for new designs that were not previously possible. Our 3D-printed porous heat exchangers are an example of something that cannot be made by conventional technologies but is now possible, expanding our thinking and potentially growing innovation in New Zealand.”

    The pair’s work has won research funds from the university’s Tech Jumpstart Competition. Fee and Huber will receive $20,000 dollars over six months to mature the technology for commercial release.

    Source: Canterbury.ac.nz

    Website: LINK

  • Burning Man 2018 Temple to Feature 3D Printed Mandala

    Burning Man 2018 Temple to Feature 3D Printed Mandala

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    London-based architecture studio Mamou-Mani has successfully pitched to build Burning Man 2018’s Temple. The winning design, Galaxia, will feature a 3D printed mandala symbol at its heart.

    Once a year in the middle of Nevada’s Black Rock desert, a metropolis fueled by self-expression and filled with more art than you could shake an art-covered stick at materializes. Leaving reality behind for nine days of revelry, the Burning Man Festival is undoubtedly the place to see something unusual.

    Architecture plays a large role, too. A permanent fixture in Black Rock City (the literal town that emerges for the festival) is the Temple, typically a large and ornate structure that festival goers can enjoy and inscribe personal messages onto throughout the event. This structure is then burned to the ground towards the close of the festival.

    For 2018, the design and build of the Temple falls to London-based architect Arthur Mamou-Mani (and his eponymous studio), whose winning pitch, dubbed Galaxia, features a concentric spiral of 20 timber trusses.

    Spiraling into the sky, these trusses will form internal channels for participants to walk through, before arriving at a central space that will feature a huge 3D printed mandala (a spiritual symbol commonly found throughout Hinduism and Buddhism).


    Burning Man
    Sadly there’s no imagery of the mandala, but here’s an impression of how Galaxia will look. (Image: Mamou-Mani)

    All Fired Up: Designing for Burning Man

    When not manning his architecture firm or the Fab.Pub, Mamou-Mani teaches as a professor at the University of Westminster. Over the last six years his Architecture Master’s students have participated in Burning Man. Using the festival as a unique test bed for ambitious projects, they gain real-world experience utterly unlike anything found at the University.

    An army of volunteers, in addition to filled roles will make Galaxia happen. But, for the initial building the Reno Gazette Journal reports that Mamou-Mani and his student team will take to The Generator makerspace in Sparks, Nevada.

    Pre-fabricated away from where Galaxia will stand, Mamou-Mani’s hands-on and technologically driven approach will see 3D printers, laser cutters and robotic drill arms brought to bear.

    Believing that such tools bring the architect back into the field with a practicality somewhat lost in recent times, Mamou-Mani continues “I really hope that this project will help prove that architects can build too, and that we will soon be able to use those digital fabrication tools for on-site construction. Using this example of the Temple, architects can be more involved and therefore create buildings that are more unique, more spiritual,”.

    Burning Man takes place from August 26 to September 3, 2018.

    Source: ArchitectsNewspaper

    Website: LINK

  • Star Wars Models Made by Zortrax Machines

    Star Wars Models Made by Zortrax Machines

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    A lot of work goes into creating Star Wars models like the U-Wing and the Resistance Bomber. For that, model maker Alexander Hutchings trusts Zortrax machines.

    Alexander Jay Hutchings is a model maker who’s worked on a number of Blockbuster films, such as Rogue One, the Force Awakens, and The Mummy. While most of his work is done by hand, for many intricate components, he relies on 3D printing:

    “Lots of grills, complex geometry. We would 3D print those whenever we couldn’t make the part by hand.”

    According to Hutchings, the creative process “all begins with the script”. Screenwriters’ descriptions of vehicles are passed to concept artists, who in turn produce sketches for perusal by the director.

    The most promising designs are ordered as models. That’s where Hutchings comes in.

    Spaceship models for Star Wars are typically generated at a scale of 1:24. Especially large ships are done at 1:48, “otherwise the thing would have to be massive.”

    Hutchings uses the Zortrax M200, and relies solely on the company’s proprietary printing material:

    “The reason is simple, Zortrax has tested them. From my perspective, if I would use a third-party material, and it would clog up the printer, the machine would go out of order for half a day. It’s half a day’s worth of work lost. I don’t have time for this.”

    Although he started by 3D printing with Z-ABS, Hutchings now works almost exclusively with Z-ULTRAT, due to its low warpage.


    Another of the Star Wars models: the U-Wing Fighter

    From Toy Soldiers to Star Wars Models

    Hutchings grew up playing with toy soldiers and rifles made of sticks in Kent, UK.

    Make believe turned into a passion with Air Force, Navy, and Army models, as well as Games Workshop Warhammer figurines. Even his friends would give him their miniatures to paint, knowing full well his talent.

    Yet the original inspiration for modeling, says Hutchings, comes from Star Wars: “It was probably The Return of the Jedi that truly made me look at models, saying wow, they’re really cool, for the first time.”

    Of course, one doesn’t begin a career working at Lucasfilm. After high school, Hutchings studied at the Kent Institute of Art & Design, now the University for the Creative Arts.

    His first job was to create architectural mock-ups, models which require extreme levels of detail. Hutchings comments:

    “We’re talking down to a millimeter precision. One mistake and you don’t get paid. Above all else, it teaches you discipline.”

    The hard work paid off when the model maker was given the opportunity to work in the production of The Edge of Tomorrow. There he connected with and impressed Neil Lamont, who was also involved in the art for Rogue One and Force Awakens.

    It was working on these films where he first started using 3D printing. He now regards it as an essential part of his work:

    “Some of my colleagues perceived the 3D printer as a machine that would take their jobs away,” says Hutchings. “It’s not a technology about to replace us. It’s a tool to make our work better.”

    Source: Zortrax


    The U-Wing Fighter, in all its glory

    Website: LINK

  • Renishaw Metal 3D Printed Sundial Installed in Berkeley Castle Gardens

    Renishaw Metal 3D Printed Sundial Installed in Berkeley Castle Gardens

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Inspired by the 12th-century Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire, UK, this metal 3D printed sundial is a high-tech slice of history. Installed on a pedestal in the castle grounds, visitors can enjoy the ‘dial for themselves.

    Back in the summer of 2017, fundraising group Friends of Berkeley Castle held a summer party in the grounds of the 12-century Berkeley Castle. So far, so British. But unique to this particular party was the unveiling of the castle’s very own newly created sundial.

    The group approached UK-based engineering company Renishaw (conveniently also located in Gloucestershire) to produce the sundial.

    Bob Hunt, a retired mechanical engineer and member of the Friends of Berkeley Castle, designed the sundial. “The basic design of a sundial might be simple; a stick in the ground and some markers to indicate the hours,” he explains. “However, the constraints of the site meant that more work would be required to create an acceptable instrument to reliably indicate the correct time throughout daylight hours, that would befit the Castle, its surroundings and its history.”

    Castle features bear influence over the finished sundial, with recognizable elements such as the Berkeley Arch and Door reflected in the gnomon (the bit that sticks up to cast a shadow). Similarly, a moat and cobble courtyard are present on the dial face (the horizontal bit).


    Renishaw sundial

    Renishaw 3D Prints Stainless Steel Sundial

    For Renishaw the sundial presented a good opportunity to demonstrate its machines’ capabilities. Only accurate when produced with specific longitude and latitude in mind, the Berkeley Caslte sundial also relies on a precision design to indicate the Vernal and Autumnal equinox.

    The company “supports a large number of local initiatives by giving grants to charities, supporting schools, sponsoring music and arts festivals and contributing engineering expertise to projects like this” explains Ralph Fawkes, the Chief Development Engineer at Renishaw’s Rapid Manufacturing Centre.

    Printed from stainless steel powder in its AM250 metal 3D printer, the sundial was then mounted to a pedestal for display at the castle.
    Sadly, the castle is currently closed to visitors until March 25th. But from that date onward, visitors can check it out for themselves.

    Source:  TCT Magazine, Renishaw

    Website: LINK

  • Organovo Gets Orphan Drug Designation for 3D Printed Liver Tissue

    Organovo Gets Orphan Drug Designation for 3D Printed Liver Tissue

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    The designation offers several benefits for Organovo, but more importantly, brings a potentially useful solution for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency to market.

    Organovo Holdings Ltd., the company that designs and creates 3D human tissues for drug discovery and clinical trials, has recently been granted orphan drug designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Orphan drug designation is a program by the FDA which lends orphan status to drugs in development giving them a seal of approval. In other words, these drugs are deemed safe and effective to use.

    Organovo has received the designation for its 3D bioprinted liver therapeutic tissue for treatment of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (A1AT).

    A1At is a rare, inherited condition that can cause lung and liver issues. An estimated 100,000 people are affected in the US. The disease is marked by lack of enzyme inhibitor alpha-1 antitrypsin, making patients more vulnerable to smoke and dust inhalation.

    Current therapeutic measures are exceeding costs of $250,000 for drug treatment alone. This renders Organovo’s latest treatment an even more important option for patients.


    Native human liver tissue versus ExVive 3D Bioprinted Human Liver Tissue (Image: Organovo)

    FDA Approval to Guarantee Market Exclusivity

    Taylor J. Crouch, CEO, Organovo, explained:

    “This is a critical milestone that supports our ongoing development of 3D bioprinted tissues for therapeutic use.  We remain on track for filing an Investigational New Drug application with the FDA in calendar-year 2020, as we continue to conduct safety and dosing investigations in small animal disease models and move to defining and scoping IND enabling studies.”

    The FDA Orphan Drug program has a long-standing reputation to offer incentives to develop drug and biologics therapies for rare diseases – those classified as affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US.

    Through the latest qualification, Organovo is now able to seek assistance through FDA interactions and protocol assistance as well as tax credits for clinical research costs.

    As part of the designation, certain fees are also being waived. Market exclusivity for the tissue is guaranteed for seven years as part of the FDA approval.

    Organovo’s 3D printed tissues such as the ExVive Human Liver and Kidney tissues are being used for drug profiling and compound screening tests of disease models as well as toxicological studies. In addition, Organovo is expanding its preclinical programs to develop NovoTissues liver tissues for therapeutic use.

    (Source: Organovo)

    Website: LINK

  • New Flexible Silicon-on-Polymer Super Memory Chip Created with 3D Printing

    New Flexible Silicon-on-Polymer Super Memory Chip Created with 3D Printing

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    The United States Air Force Research Lab teamed up with American Semiconductor to create an improved Silicon-on-polymer memory chip using 3D printing.

    The US Air Force Research Lab has a keen interest in developing a new kind of microchip with a more flexible structure and improved sensors.

    Thanks to 3D printing, they’ve managed to create a new highly-bendable silicon-on-polymer chip with 7000 times more memory.

    It’s not only incredibly flexible but essentially a microcontroller with an onboard memory that can collect data as well.

    “We took Silicon integrated circuit chips and thinned them until they became flexible but were still able to maintain circuit functionality. This now allows us to place the micro-controllers (essentially mini-computers) in places we couldn’t before,” explains Dr. Dan Berrigan of the AFRL’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate.

    Even though the FleX™ Silicon-on-Polymer™ product from American Semiconductor is not new, this new chip certainly is. In fact, they already received an award in May 2017 for Wearable Component of the Year at 2017 IDTechEx Show.


    Dan Berrigan

    Photo: Dan Berrigan holds up the new flexible system on a chip

    New possibilities for wearables and the internet of things

    How is this new chip a step up? According to American Semiconductor, it’s a fully functional, “flexible wafer with a final silicon thickness as thin as 2000Å (angstroms).”

    Plus, it’s tiny, bendable, and can measure things such as hydration levels and temperature, fatigue and strain, etc.

    This makes it ideal for wearable technologies that could monitor wounded soldiers or even the elderly population.

    J. Daniel Berrigan has been involved in various projects of this kind in the past, especially in terms of soft chips with complex sensors. For example, one study with Harvard professor Jennifer Lewis focuses on the creation of hybrid 3D printed electronic second skins.

    Berrigan adds that cooperation between military and industry has the power to yield results like these.

    “Whereas the European industrial base is focused on printing all parts of these types of devices, we are helping the U.S. silicon manufacturing community to convert to flexible capabilities and integrating this with low cost, 3D printed electronic circuitry,” said Berrigan.

    Obviously, for the armed forces research team at Wright-Patterson outside of Dayton, Ohio, this is an exciting step forward in terms future developments.

    For us, we just might see a time when regular people like us can monitor our bodies and record everything with just a computerized sticker.

    Depending on who you are, that either sounds pretty cool or maybe even a little creepy. It sounds like we still have time to decide.

    To see a demonstration of the original FleX silicon-on-polymer material, watch the video below.

     Sources: AFRL, 3D Printing Industry

    Website: LINK

  • Sony’s 3D Creator Scanning App Integrates with New MyMiniFactory App

    Sony’s 3D Creator Scanning App Integrates with New MyMiniFactory App

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    You can now 3D scan your face using Sony’s 3D Creator, add a hat using MyMiniFactory’s new app and 3D print the whole thing with a few simple clicks.

    You may remember Sony’s launch of the 3D Creator app which allows Xperia owners with compatible devices to scan a face or object in 3D (find an in-depth review of the scanner app here).

    Since then, the company has been working on new capabilities for the scanning app. The latest development is the integration with a MyMiniFactory app.

    You’ll likely know MyMiniFactory as the 3D printable object-sharing platform which is free to use. However, the company has now released an app which allows 3D printer owners to explore 3D printable objects from their phone.

    But, as well as being able to search through 40,000 objects, it’s also possible to upload from Sony’s 3D Creator scanning feature directly via MyMiniFactory’s Android app.

    The companies hope these new integrations make sharing and remixing for desktop 3D printing easier.

    MyMiniFactory and Sony Xperia Come Together

    Owners with compatible devices will be able to use Sony’s 3D Creator to scan any object or face in 3D. It’s then possible to then share the 3D scan through the MyMiniFactory app.

    Then, after sharing a 3D scan with MyMiniFactory, it’s possible to remix the face with just one click. The company claim they were inspired by Snapchat filters. For example, you could add a hat to your 3D face.

    Sony add in a press release that they’re “adding a whole new layer of fun and social sharing to the 3D scanned head. It has never been so easy and magic to edit and remix a 3D scan.”

    If you’re taken by your new hat, MyMiniFactory also offers the solution of Click & Print. This enables you to launch your 3D prints from your phone to your printer. Supposedly, this reduces the need for the “steep learning curves of desktop-based software.”

    Sony claims to be reducing the time taken for manual work down to just a short number of clicks.

    If you’re a Sony 3D Creator user already, you can find the MyMiniFactory Android app linked from the Sony app. If not, search for the MyMiniFactory app in the Google Play Store. However, if you don’t own a compatible phone, read All3DP’s review instead.

    Source: Press Release

    Website: LINK

  • New MDF and Plywood Laser Cutting Materials Available at Sculpteo

    New MDF and Plywood Laser Cutting Materials Available at Sculpteo

    Reading Time: 2 minutes

    Sculpteo is offering two new material options on their laser cutting platform: MDF material of just 2mm thickness and “Ceiba Wood” plywood.

    3D printing service Sculpteo is updating and releasing two new laser cutting materials. The French company which specializes in 3D printing regularly releases new materials and finishing options for 3D printers.

    However, they’re now introducing two new materials for laser cutting. You can take advantage of the new materials through the company’s online laser cutting service.

    Wondering what the materials are? Choose from an MDF (Medium-Density Fibreboard) material of 2 mm thickness or a new Plywood material called “Ceiba wood”.

    Until now, Sculpteo has only offered MDF in thicker versions – ranging from 3mm to 10mm. However, this option is currently only available in the standard color. Keep in mind that if you’d prefer another color, you’ll still need to choose the 8mm option.

    The other new option is Ceiba Wood which is a type of Plywood. This material comes from an “exotic wood”. Sculpteo adds that the color is light beige. This option is also available at just 2mm thickness.


    Sculpteo

    Properties of the New Materials

    MDF has benefits including being isotropic, resistant, cheap, and suitable for painting. It doesn’t have a tendency to split either. The new 2mm thickness means new applications for use.

    However, the other brand new materials option of ceiba wood is fragile and has a low density. But, this could be perfect for uses such as creating mock-ups of buildings or even furniture. Sculpteo adds that this material is useful when creating beautiful, water resistant, light or flexible designs.

    There are strict dimensions to follow with this material. You can find out more about these technical specifications on Sculpteo’s website.

    If neither of these new options suit your needs, the company offers other materials. These include cardboard material, maple plywood, poplar plywood, and okoumé Plywood.

    To get started with the Sculpteo laser cutting service, simply begin by uploading your file on their platform. You can then choose your material and get the parts delivered to you.

    If you are interested in affordable home laser cutters, continue here.

    Source: Sculpteo


    Sculpteo

    Website: LINK

  • Students 3D Print Diorama of Ancient Chinese History

    Students 3D Print Diorama of Ancient Chinese History

    Reading Time: 3 minutes

    Using Shining 3D scanning and printing tech, students at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts have brought ancient history to life, 3D printing the appointment of Tso Tsung-Tang, a minister of the late Qing Dynasty.

    There have been a few exhibitions featuring 3D printed artwork over the years. But none are quite like this miniature display created by a team of Chinese artists to showcase the country’s traditional culture.

    Professor Nan Yu at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts has been leading a team of sculpture students to utilize 3D scanning and printing technologies for their latest creation. Together, the team created a display of the appointment of Tso Tsung-Tang, one of four important ministers of the late Qing Dynasty.

    The finished creation pays tribute to Chinese tradition of ancient academy culture and the respect paid toward teachers.


    Appointment of Tso Tsung-Tang display. (Image: Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts)

    Pint-Sized History

    Each figure of the display has been expertly crafted. At a size of just 10 centimeters each, they have been perfectly placed to reproduce the scene.

    The artistic process began with the concept design. Nan Yu initially created the draft for the scene in line with ancient tradition.

    Members of his team then put on costumes and displayed various poses. These were 3D scanned using the EinScan-Pro from Shining 3D.


    Team members put on costumes and perform poses for 3D scanning. (Image: Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts)

    Following the 3D data collection, the data was modified and modeled to develop the architecture of the scene. Characters were put into poses and arranged according to the initial design.

    The scenes and figures were 3D printed using the Shining 3D iSLA 350 SLA 3D printer.

    “The combination of art and 3D technology can make the abstract history representational, allowing more public to relive history, experience the traditional virtual of respecting teachers, and memorizing the historical people and events,” explained Nan Yu.

    The final display is yet another remarkable example of how 3D printing can help make history come alive.


    Detail of final display. (Image: Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts)

    Source: Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts

    Website: LINK