BMW and MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab have collaborated to develop “liquid printed pneumatics”, the first reported 3D printed inflatable material that can morph from one state to another and expand into any shape or function.
In the midst of this collaboration, the automotive pioneer and prestigious university lab have successfully developed “liquid printed pneumatics”, which are 3D printed inflatables that can morph into nearly any shape or function.
Inflatables are extremely useful for a number of applications, from packaging to the interior of vehicles. Unsurprisingly, BMW is focusing on the latter, while MIT is taking a more universal look at adaptive interiors. Both are also aiming to revolutionize the future of comfort inside of autonomous vehicles.
Their resulting work will be on display at an exhibition called The Future Starts Here at the V&A Museum in London. The showcase is all about exploring the power of design in shaping the world of tomorrow, a theme that MIT and BMW have accumulated a lot of knowledge on through the collaboration.
BMW’s head of brand vision and brand design, Martina Starke, said: “We are proud to be one of the contributors to show our achievements. The ’Liquid Printed Pneumatics’ project is a perfect example for a fruitful cross-disciplinary collaboration we’ll see more and more over the coming years, especially at BMW.”
Liquid Printed Pneumatics to Make Car Rides Comfier
These advanced liquid printed pneumatics were developed by depositing liquified materials such as rubber, foam, or plastic into a vat of gel. The 3D printed shape remains in place until it hardens. The gel keeps the liquid in place, making it possible to create larger or more complex objects than your average 3D printer is capable of.
To create these liquid printed pneumatics, the researchers used 100 percent silicone rubber and 3D printed complex, inflatable designs that are equipped with air chambers. These chambers enable different areas of the print to inflate and move at different times, where the inflation takes place is fully dependent on the amount of air pressure within the system.
Skylar Tibbits, co-director and founder of the Self-Assembly Lab, explains the process in slightly more computational terms: “It’s programming it with air. Instead of zeros and ones, you’re sending different pulses of air.”
The resulting characteristics of these silicone-based objects appear ethereal and relaxing, certainly not qualities which are usually associated with current automotive design. But when it comes to innovation, both BMW and the MIT Self-Assembly Lab are consistently ahead of the pack, and together they’re planning to integrate these groundbreaking materials into an autonomous vehicle near you.
If you’re in London between now and November 4th, 2018, be sure to pay a visit to the Sainsbury Gallery at the V&A Museum to see the Future Starts Here exhibition and inflate your curiosity.
BMW and MIT’s Self-Assembly Lab have collaborated to develop “liquid printed pneumatics”, the first reported 3D printed inflatable material that can morph from one state to another and expand into any shape or function.
In the midst of this collaboration, the automotive pioneer and prestigious university lab have successfully developed “liquid printed pneumatics”, which are 3D printed inflatables that can morph into nearly any shape or function.
Inflatables are extremely useful for a number of applications, from packaging to the interior of vehicles. Unsurprisingly, BMW is focusing on the latter, while MIT is taking a more universal look at adaptive interiors. Both are also aiming to revolutionize the future of comfort inside of autonomous vehicles.
Their resulting work will be on display at an exhibition called The Future Starts Here at the V&A Museum in London. The showcase is all about exploring the power of design in shaping the world of tomorrow, a theme that MIT and BMW have accumulated a lot of knowledge on through the collaboration.
BMW’s head of brand vision and brand design, Martina Starke, said: “We are proud to be one of the contributors to show our achievements. The ’Liquid Printed Pneumatics’ project is a perfect example for a fruitful cross-disciplinary collaboration we’ll see more and more over the coming years, especially at BMW.”
Liquid Printed Pneumatics to Make Car Rides Comfier
These advanced liquid printed pneumatics were developed by depositing liquified materials such as rubber, foam, or plastic into a vat of gel. The 3D printed shape remains in place until it hardens. The gel keeps the liquid in place, making it possible to create larger or more complex objects than your average 3D printer is capable of.
To create these liquid printed pneumatics, the researchers used 100 percent silicone rubber and 3D printed complex, inflatable designs that are equipped with air chambers. These chambers enable different areas of the print to inflate and move at different times, where the inflation takes place is fully dependent on the amount of air pressure within the system.
Skylar Tibbits, co-director and founder of the Self-Assembly Lab, explains the process in slightly more computational terms: “It’s programming it with air. Instead of zeros and ones, you’re sending different pulses of air.”
The resulting characteristics of these silicone-based objects appear ethereal and relaxing, certainly not qualities which are usually associated with current automotive design. But when it comes to innovation, both BMW and the MIT Self-Assembly Lab are consistently ahead of the pack, and together they’re planning to integrate these groundbreaking materials into an autonomous vehicle near you.
If you’re in London between now and November 4th, 2018, be sure to pay a visit to the Sainsbury Gallery at the V&A Museum to see the Future Starts Here exhibition and inflate your curiosity.
We recently had the pleasure of paying a visit to the Massachusetts-based headquarters of Desktop Metal, the pioneering 3D printing company that is making affordable metal 3D printing a reality. Check out our in-depth tour of the facilities and exclusive interview with co-founder Jonah Myerberg.
When one thinks of Boston, one typically thinks of prestigious universities, the legendary New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, or perhaps even the infamously historical tossing of tea into the Boston Harbor. At All3DP, however, our mind tends to drift towards the groundbreaking 3D printing startup Desktop Metal.
A mere three years ago, a small team of six people full of big ideas embarked on an adventure to revolutionize metal 3D printing. But their big ideas were not unwarranted. After raising $277 million in funding over the last few years, their dreams are becoming a reality.
Desktop Metal has grown at an impressive rate, and they undoubtedly have the support of some key investors (such as BMW, Google Ventures, Ford, and many other big names). And with how they are paving the way for affordable metal 3D printing, it’s easy to see why the company seems to magnetize funding.
The industrial-scale Production System is still under wraps, with a release date set for next year. The desktop-sized Studio System, however, is up and running, shipping to those with reservations this past December. Amidst all of the excitement seeping out of the Desktop Metal headquarters, All3DP was invited to sit down with Co-Founder Jonah Myerberg (front right) and get an inside look to their operations.
Desktop Metal co-founders (front left to right: CEO Ric Fulop, A. John Hart, Jonah Myerberg; standing left to right: Yet Ming-Chiang, Chris Schuh, Ely Sachs, Rick Chin)
The Operations
Desktop Metal is taking a unique approach to take this cost and complexity out of the picture via their two systems: the Studio System and the Production System.
One major component of the company’s early success is their attention to detail. From the aesthetics of metal material to the software engineering and monitoring, every aspect of the ecosystem is actively being perfected. This is possible because 80 percent of their team is made up of engineers, resulting in 200 engineers working towards making the Studio System and the Production System the best on every front.
For a final assurance that 3D printed part match the original CAD file, they even go so far as to 3D scan the part and compare it to the original drawing. Just one more example of how Desktop Metal is going above and beyond to master metal additive manufacturing.
“Desktop Metal was founded 3 years ago with a single goal in mind: to make metal 3D printing more accessible to engineers and manufacturers… It’s kind of been kept an arm’s length or more from engineers in the office and has been only applicable to certain industries that could afford it. But, in fact there’s a lot of various areas where it is applicable if you take the cost and complexity out the picture.” – Jonah Myerberg
The Studio System
The printing process for the Studio System consists of three stages: 3D printing, debinding, and sintering.
The Studio System uses an FDM style of 3D printing. Wait, FDM? But extruding metal this way must require a bit of magic, right? Metal is a sturdy, durable, heavy material. It’s not something you can melt down and squeeze through a tube. Or so we thought…
One of the innovations of Desktop Metal is that they figured out a way around this. By mixing metal powder with a polymer, they are able to do the impossible and extrude metal, just like is so commonly done with plastics.
Step two focuses on removing this polymer-based binder. Their “secret sauce” is their debinding solution. While they were unwilling to share their precious recipe, they did divulge that they have resident chemical engineers constantly perfecting the solution to ensure it’s the best it can be. This solution removes 50% of the polymer, leaving just enough to keep the model held together.
Step three finalizes the 3D printed product. It removes the rest of the polymer and sinters the metal particles together. Take a look at the image below. On the left, we have the part after stage one in its “green state”. The middle shows the product after sintering. The right shows the product after it’s been sent through an external polisher.
Three stage of part development. Left: green state. Middle: sintered. Right: polished.
Materials
To make this unprecedented process possible, Desktop Metal mixes powdered metal with a polymer. “Once put the binder in , it holds its form nicely and you can shape it into whatever you’d like,” Myerberg explains.
When the part is in its “green state”, it has an unforeseen advantage. Because it is still full of polymer, it is still quite malleable. This allows you to manipulate the part before it becomes a sturdy metal. This can be hugely advantageous for adding small details, such as threads, which are typically difficult to 3D print.
For the materials themselves, a glance at the the company’s website shows a current offering of 30 different materials. This is an exciting start. But according to Myerberg, Desktop Metal “has access to hundreds that like to eventually get in to.”
Another big way Desktop Metal sets themselves apart is their use of a ceramic interface for support structures. The Studio System is a double extruding system with one arm for the chosen metal, and one for ceramic. By adding 1-2 layers of ceramic at the interface of the support and the part, the print maintains the strength and support, without welding the support onto the finished product during sintering. The furnace then removes these ceramic layers, enabling you to remove the supports by hand.
Post-sintering, the part simply breaks away from its supports. Image: Desktop Metal
Software
Desktop Metal’s software is also an impressive feat. With a humble appreciation for the common man, they designed the software to be user-friendly so that anyone can make the most of it. On one hand, it has options for specifying each and every parameter for the experts. However, it also has simple options for various automated optimizations.
Once you upload the CAD file and select the material, the software analyzes the print options based on the following features: Fabrication Time, Material Required, and Surface Quality. With an eye catching green-to-red scale, you can see which orientation is the best in a matter of seconds.
Once you select between these simple choices, the software then automatically determines the scaling required to return a final product identical to the CAD file, taking into account the shrinkage that occurs in the sintering phase.
The software also intelligently accounts for the shrinkage that occurs during sintering. This shrinkage is inevitable considering the space taken up by polymer has to be filled with something. The software appropriately analyses your CAD file to determine when and how much the design should be enlarged to ensure the final product matches the original file.
The best part? This advanced processing is all done behind the scenes and you needn’t give it a second thought.
Case Studies
Desktop Metal has never ceased to shoot for the stars. With their initial dream of developing an affordable metal 3D printer becoming a reality, they now can consider the different applications and use cases, along with their partnering companies.
The biggest of these, in more ways than one, is the automotive industry. With electric cars capturing an increasing portion of the automotive industry, the weight of the vehicle will become of greater importance. The current method to create many automotive parts is injection molding, which creates a solid metal gear, for instance. But what if you could produce a part that has a lesser fill where there is no load? By redesigning the vehicle parts based on load placement, you can reduce a significant portion of metal and the total weight of the mechanism.
Intrigued? Well, Ford and BMW certainly are. These leading automotive companies were early investors in Desktop Metal. With their eyes set on the Production System, these companies are each partnering with Desktop Metal to revolutionize the automotive industry.
And the metal 3D printing revolution doesn’t stop there. Mobile phone companies, tooling companies, the oil industry and construction equipment manufacturers, e.g. Caterpillar, also see the potential that Desktop Metal is offering. The latter pair are specifically interested in developing a zero-inventory workflow, which would allow them to instead have 3D printers located around the world to print parts on-demand.
Print Farm
Another thing that stood out when looking at Desktop Metal’s quality assurance technique is the print farm they have on-site. This is not only to print parts for customers, but they do test prints on each and every printer before it gets shipped out. They ensure it is running optimally before shipping it out to the customer.
Why It Is Affordable
Of course, one of the primary ways Desktop Metal sets their metal 3D printers apart from the pack is the incredibly affordable price. So we had to ask how they can set theirs 3D printers at a tenth of the price of the metal additive manufacturing systems currently on the market.
The answer comes in three parts:
The toxicity of the material contained in a malleable polymer.
The allowance of oxygen until the final step.
The cost of the equipment itself.
Powdered metal is a rather hazardous substance to deal with. It can be quite toxic if ingested (and with the fineness of the powder this can be hard to avoid). Desktop Metal’s printers combats this by adhering the powder to a polymer, leaving no powder to fly about and invade your lungs.
Additionally, the system allows oxygen in the process up until sintering. This allows for cheaper materials, as oxygen free metal powder is awfully expensive to produce, as well as cheaper equipment, as the printing environment mustn’t be anaerobic. This further allows the equipment to be scaled down and modeled more after an FDM 3D printer.
Our Thoughts
To say the least, we were definitely impressed with what we saw during our visit to Desktop Metal. They have a blazing passion that drives them, and if you combine that with a groundbreaking price and a focus on accessibility, you have the perfect recipe for success.
Desktop Metal has the ongoing goal to revolutionize the metal 3D printing industry, and we at All3DP believe they are doing just that.
We look forward to seeing if the Production System lives up to its hype next year!
At the recently held Maker Faire 2018 event, the veteran 3D printer manufacturer Printrbot unveiled a range of new products, including the new Printrbot Play v2, a unique conveyor belt-style 3D printer kit for long prints and rapid single-object reproduction, as well as the Printrbot CNC v2 KIT.
The desktop 3D printing scene has expanded exponentially over the years, as more companies and clones hit the market at a relentless rate. But back in 2011, before the time where 3D printers became a dime a dozen, a maker named Brook Drumm started constructing his own 3D printer design from inside of a garage. This eventually transformed from a successful Kickstarter project to a full-fledged company called Printrbot, and seven years later, they’re still pumping out innovative machines.
Last weekend, Printrbot was on-site at Maker Faire 2018, the Bay Area-based event where people from around the world gather to ooh-and-awe at the latest innovations in the maker space. The company unveiled a number of new products during the show, including a range of 3D printers and a CNC milling kit.
Printrbot CEO and Founder Brook Drumm showing off the new Printrelt KIT at Maker Faire 2018 (Source: Twitter)
Printrbot Rises From the Ashes With New Range of 3D Printers
The most intriguing of the new Printrbot products is the Printrbelt KIT, a 3D printer that utilizes a conveyor belt system to produce long objects or streamlined copies of a single model. This unique model was initially released back in 2017, developed in collaboration with Polar3D. But now, the kit form is available for just $599. Printrbot forwarns that this machine is not for the faint of heart, and should only be taken on by experts or builders. The Printrbelt utilizes a conveyor belt as the Z-axis, meaning you can prepare a number of models to print sequentially.
The new Printrbot Play v2 was also announced at the Maker Faire, and is bigger and has more hardware improvements than the previous model. This 3D printer offers a 200mm x 150mm x 200mm build volume, and is equipped with linear rails, a machined aluminum extruder, and an 8mm lead screw. There’s no heated bed, but the Printrbot website claims that a further update is coming soon.
However, although the Play v2 doesn’t come with a heated bed, Printrbot did happen to add this feature to its flagship 3D printer: the Simple Pro. Couple this with WiFi compatibility, upgraded electronics, and other great features, and this classic machine seems well worth the $699 price tag.
Printrbelt
Printrbot CNC v2 KIT Gives Affordable Access to CNC Milling
Outside of the 3D printing realm, Printrbot also revealed the new CNC v2 KIT, a desktop CNC milling machine that costs only $1,499. Not only is that affordable for CNC technology, this kit is powerful enough to cut through aluminum and offers a generous 615 x 462 x 124mm cut area. The CNC v2 KIT includes waterjet aluminum plates, hardware, extrusion, electronics, router, Nema 24 stepper motors, HTD Timing Belts, and the full Bill of Materials.
At the recently held Maker Faire 2018 event, the veteran 3D printer manufacturer Printrbot unveiled a range of new products, including the new Printrbot Play v2, a unique conveyor belt-style 3D printer kit for long prints and rapid single-object reproduction, as well as the Printrbot CNC v2 KIT.
The desktop 3D printing scene has expanded exponentially over the years, as more companies and clones hit the market at a relentless rate. But back in 2011, before the time where 3D printers became a dime a dozen, a maker named Brook Drumm started constructing his own 3D printer design from inside of a garage. This eventually transformed from a successful Kickstarter project to a full-fledged company called Printrbot, and seven years later, they’re still pumping out innovative machines.
Last weekend, Printrbot was on-site at Maker Faire 2018, the Bay Area-based event where people from around the world gather to ooh-and-awe at the latest innovations in the maker space. The company unveiled a number of new products during the show, including a range of 3D printers and a CNC milling kit.
Printrbot CEO and Founder Brook Drumm showing off the new Printrelt KIT at Maker Faire 2018 (Source: Twitter)
Printrbot Rises From the Ashes With New Range of 3D Printers
The most intriguing of the new Printrbot products is the Printrbelt KIT, a 3D printer that utilizes a conveyor belt system to produce long objects or streamlined copies of a single model. This unique model was initially released back in 2017, developed in collaboration with Polar3D. But now, the kit form is available for just $599. Printrbot forwarns that this machine is not for the faint of heart, and should only be taken on by experts or builders. The Printrbelt utilizes a conveyor belt as the Z-axis, meaning you can prepare a number of models to print sequentially.
The new Printrbot Play v2 was also announced at the Maker Faire, and is bigger and has more hardware improvements than the previous model. This 3D printer offers a 200mm x 150mm x 200mm build volume, and is equipped with linear rails, a machined aluminum extruder, and an 8mm lead screw. There’s no heated bed, but the Printrbot website claims that a further update is coming soon.
However, although the Play v2 doesn’t come with a heated bed, Printrbot did happen to add this feature to its flagship 3D printer: the Simple Pro. Couple this with WiFi compatibility, upgraded electronics, and other great features, and this classic machine seems well worth the $699 price tag.
Printrbelt
Printrbot CNC v2 KIT Gives Affordable Access to CNC Milling
Outside of the 3D printing realm, Printrbot also revealed the new CNC v2 KIT, a desktop CNC milling machine that costs only $1,499. Not only is that affordable for CNC technology, this kit is powerful enough to cut through aluminum and offers a generous 615 x 462 x 124mm cut area. The CNC v2 KIT includes waterjet aluminum plates, hardware, extrusion, electronics, router, Nema 24 stepper motors, HTD Timing Belts, and the full Bill of Materials.
The crash test dummy manufacturer Humanetics is using Markforged’s 3D printing technology and Onyx carbon-composite material to produce dummies the resemble elderly drivers, helping them accurately reflect injuries that could occur in a real car accident.
Car crash testing is an integral part of ensuring vehicle safety, and brave human-like dummies have been sacrificed to reflect the impact and injuries that actual drivers could sustain in an accident. However, until now, the selection of crash test dummies has been fairly limited in terms of resembling the gender and age of people. But that’s about to change as the crash test dummy manufacturer Humanetics has recently unveiled its first “elderly” crash dummy.
As the aging world population continues to grow driven by medical innovation and healthier lifestyle choices, many countries have noted an increase in older drivers. According to the US Census Bureau, there were more than 40 million licensed drivers over the age of 65 years in 2016. Given their fragile bones, elderly drivers are more likely to sustain bone and internal injuries when they crash.
Humanetics is using professional-grade 3D printing technology from Markforged in order to fulfill the often smaller quantity orders for specialist crash test dummies. Additive manufacturing offers a cost effective option to develop crash dummies that accurately reflect the elderly.
Mike Beebe, Chief Technical Officer at Humanetics, explained:
“It’s my job to look at the future. I’m always trying to figure out what new processes and materials we should develop going forward. One of the major discoveries we’ve made recently was that we could 3D print much of the elderly dummy. Now all of the components of the new elderly dummy, from the pelvis to the head assembly, are additively manufactured.”
President and CEO of Humanetics Christopher O’Connor being interviewed on this topic by Dr. Frank McGeorge. (Image: Humanetics)
Finding the right material and 3D printer
The team then set out to look for the right material to print the dummy. In initial testing the team found that rubber and plastic materials didn’t work well as the printed ribs began to crack after being tested just 20 times.
That’s when Humanetics decided to try out Markforged’s 3D printing technology and Onyx material. Onyx is a carbon-composite that is reinforced with Kevlar fibres, providing added stability, stiffness and high temperature tolerances. A test version using the carbon-composite withstood 60 to 70 impacts before visibly showing any damage. Even after 150 impacts, the Markforged 3D printed dummies remained intact.
Subsequently, Humanetics purchased a Markforged Mark Two 3D printer to print various parts of the dummies, including the ribs and skeleton. Although the cost of the carbon-composite material is close to the traditional steel used previously, a single rib can be printed in just 24 hours, ultimately reducing time and labor intensity.
In fact, the team at Humanetics has since found that additive manufacturing not only boosts their quality of their elderly crash dummies, but saves them 40-60% in assembly and labor costs. In the future, the company is planning to use 3D printing to produce and test internal organs. By developing products that accurately reflect the world’s population, car manufacturers will be able to use crash test results to build safer cars for everyone, young or old.
3D printed ribs by Humanetics. (Image: Humanetics)
MatterHackers is knocking 15% off virtually every nozzle it carries, including the bejeweled Olsson Ruby, E3Ds of every size and other specialty nozzles.
As if you needed an excuse to bite the proverbial bullet and stock up on spare nozzles, MatterHackers is giving you one over a hundred.
For the time being, the 3D printing store is cutting 15% off all nozzles (with the one exception of Ultimaker branded ones). This means expensive specialty favorite, the Olsson Ruby (3mm x 0.4mm), is reduced from $90 to $76.50. Likewise, E3D’s V6 Pro multi pack sees a reduction of almost $11, from $73 to $62.05.
But two examples from a wide-ranging sale. Check it out on the link below.
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.
MatterHackers is knocking 15% off virtually every nozzle it carries, including the bejeweled Olsson Ruby, E3Ds of every size and other specialty nozzles.
As if you needed an excuse to bite the proverbial bullet and stock up on spare nozzles, MatterHackers is giving you one over a hundred.
For the time being, the 3D printing store is cutting 15% off all nozzles (with the one exception of Ultimaker branded ones). This means expensive specialty favorite, the Olsson Ruby (3mm x 0.4mm), is reduced from $90 to $76.50. Likewise, E3D’s V6 Pro multi pack sees a reduction of almost $11, from $73 to $62.05.
But two examples from a wide-ranging sale. Check it out on the link below.
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.
MatterHackers is knocking 15% off virtually every nozzle it carries, including the bejeweled Olsson Ruby, E3Ds of every size and other specialty nozzles.
As if you needed an excuse to bite the proverbial bullet and stock up on spare nozzles, MatterHackers is giving you one over a hundred.
For the time being, the 3D printing store is cutting 15% off all nozzles (with the one exception of Ultimaker branded ones). This means expensive specialty favorite, the Olsson Ruby (3mm x 0.4mm), is reduced from $90 to $76.50. Likewise, E3D’s V6 Pro multi pack sees a reduction of almost $11, from $73 to $62.05.
But two examples from a wide-ranging sale. Check it out on the link below.
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.
Volkswagen, the German automotive manufacturing company, has unveiled a purpose built supercar, the I.D. R Pikes Peak electric, to compete in the Pikes Peak International Hill climb in Colorado Springs next month. With only a short time-frame to develop the car, the team used 3D printing extensively to prototype components.
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is an automobile race to the summit of Pikes Peak in Colorado, USA which takes place yearly. With the summit at an air-thinning 14,114-feet, the course record for an electric vehicle (EV) is currently just over 8 minutes and 57 seconds. The race is also known as The Race to the Clouds and takes place on June 24th 2018.
This year, Volkswagen, the German car manufacturer, has designed an automobile to compete in the climb called the I.D. R Pikes Peak. Due to the conditions of the race, its design is nothing like the cars you see zooming up and down the autobahn.
Instead, the fully-electric car has an extreme aerodynamic setup to cope with the high altitude and makes use of computational fluid dynamics. The combined driver-car weight is below 2,425 pounds.
With vehicle’s two electric motors produces 680 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque, resulting in a 0 to 60mph time of just 2.25 seconds. This puts the car’s acceleration at slightly faster than Formula 1 and Formula E vehicles.
“Volkswagen’s goal is to reach the pinnacle of electromobility with the I.D. family. The hill climb on Pikes Peak will definitely be a real acid test for the electric drive. Customers have always benefitted from the findings made in motorsport, and we expect to take these findings and use them as a valuable impetus for the development of future I.D. models,” said Dr. Frank Welsch, Volkswagen Member of the Board of Management with responsibility for Development.
Finding the Balance Between Energy Capacity and Weight
The I.D. R was only approved in August 2017, meaning rapid component prototyping was an essential part of the design and build. As a result, the team relied on 3D printing to prepare the car within the limited time frame.
“We printed about 2,000 parts. In doing so, we saved a lot of time,” explains Dr. Hervé Dechipre, one of the project’s computational fluid dynamics engineers.
Relying on electric power, rather than a combustion engine, should mean the car can keep constant power as it makes the climb. As the track is so high above sea level, the car needs a lot of downforce to enable it to make corners in the thin mountain air. This is where the large rear wing is useful as it compensates for the 35% downforce loss compared to a track at sea level.
Volkswagen explains in a press release that unlike regular racing cars, the focus of the I.D R Pikes Peak design was the balance between weight and energy capacity, rather than maximum performance.
If the balance is right, the car should make it up the 4,720 vertical-foot climb and around 156 corners in less than 8:57.118 — the record set two years ago by Rhys Millen. To do this, Volkswagen has enlisted the help of driver Romain Dumas who has seen three victories at Pikes Peak.
Engineers from MIT have built a virtual reality system for drones which they hope will reduce the frequency that the pilotless aircraft crash during training. The VR training system is called “Flight Goggles”.
Training autonomous drones to fly quickly currently means relying on enclosed grounds with a range of physical objects. These objects can cause a lot of damage to the vehicles, increasing a project’s cost. As a result, engineers are resigned to the fact that regular repairs and replacements are necessary.
The idea is that the new system will enable researchers to test drones in empty rooms while the vehicles are actually “seeing” a rich, virtual world. The VR training system is called “Flight Goggles” for drones.
A testbed for a range of challenging new conditions and environments, the system allows for artificially intelligent drones to learn without the potentially damaging physical obstacles. The researchers hope that this system will greatly reduce the number of crashes while training to fly drones fast.
“We think this is a game-changer in the development of drone technology, for drones that go fast. If anything, the system can make autonomous vehicles more responsive, faster, and more efficient,” explains Sertac Karaman, Associate Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT.
Beaming Photorealistic Scenes to a Flying Drone
The scientists use an image rendering program to draw up photorealistic scenes. They then beam the scenes to the drone as it flies around an empty space. Impressively, preparing the virtual pictures is three times as quick as the human eye can see and process images.
Enabling this is a camera, inertial measurement unit and custom-built circuit boards that integrate a powerful embedded supercomputer. This hardware fits into a 3D printed carbon-fiber-reinforced and nylon drone frame.
“The system is highly malleable. For instance, researchers can pipe in their own scenes or layouts in which to train drones, including detailed, drone-mapped replicas of actual buildings — something the team is considering doing with MIT’s Stata Center. The training system may also be used to test out new sensors, or specifications for existing sensors, to see how they might handle on a fast-flying drone,” adds Karaman.
So far, the researchers tested the system by creating a virtual lounge room with a virtual window for the drone to fly through. The drone successfully flew through the window at 5 miles per hour 361 times during 10 test flights. It only crashed three times.
Finally, the researchers brought a real window into the test facility and turned on the drone’s camera, enabling it to “see” its actual surroundings. Over eight flights, the drone flew through the real window 119 times, crashing or needing help just six times.
In the future, the team intends to train drones to fly safely alongside humans. Karaman adds: “There are a lot of mind-bending experiments you can do in this whole virtual reality thing. Over time, we will showcase all the things you can do.”
The start-up has launched a unique carbon fiber 3D printing technology that allows for enhanced scalability. Through the latest cash injection, it hopes to commercialize the technology more quickly.
Carbon fiber 3D printing is set to become a dominant trend in additive manufacturing over the next few years. This is driven in part due to the material’s incredible properties such as strength, temperature resistance, and reduced weight compared to other materials.
Arevo, the Silicon Valley-based 3D printing start-up, has developed a unique method to 3D print carbon fiber to boost scalability. To help the company achieve its goals, it has just received a cash boost of $12.5 million in a Series B funding round, led by Asahi Glass.
Arevo hopes that the financing can help it achieve commercialization of its technology for aerospace, defense, transportation, automotive, consumer electronics, sports, medical and oil and gas industries.
Additionally, it announced the appointment of Jim Miller as CEO. Miller joins Arevo from Amazon and Google where he held roles as vice president of supply chain and operations, respectively.
So what makes Arevo’s composite additive manufacturing technology special? According to an interview by engineering.com with founder Hemant Bheda, Arevo’s process actually merges the carbon fiber strands with thermoplastics such as nylon or polyether ether ketone (PEEK).
The technology achieves a highly precise coating of each fiber with the polymer. Importantly, it doesn’t destroy the fibers in the process. Arevo uses a laser DED technology to achieve this. Traditionally, engineers often use extrusion techniques in the process. However, the laser offers faster speeds and thus increased scale.
Impressively, the porosity of the printed parts is less than 1%. At the same time, the material exhibits a strength that is 5x that of titanium at just a third of the comparable weight.
Following the refinement of the material, Arevo plans to bring the technology to market. The company plans to focus on the software side of things next. Eventually, this should allow users to control and manipulate how the material is deposited.
A closer look at printing with carbon fiber strands. (Image: Arevo)
Print Carbon Fiber Bicycle in Just 18 Days
To demonstrate the properties of its technology further, the company launched a carbon fiber bicycle in collaboration with Studio West. The resulting bike is a unique design. What’s more, the entire process required almost zero human labor, bringing the cost down to $300 for the bicycle frame.
“We invited the designers to ride the bike and they were pleasantly surprised. They mentioned that, for big bike manufacturers who produce carbon bikes, it would take 15 or 16 iterations before they would get this quality of the ride,” Bheda explained. “What this means is that we can take the 18-month design cycle needed to create a new bike design and we can collapse it to less than 18 days.”
Arevo is one of few companies currently working with carbon fiber to 3D print bikes. Japanese company Triple Bottom Line previously presented its fully 3D printed road racer.
Similarly, the Australian company Bastion Cycles launched a 3D printed bicycle made of titanium and carbon fiber back in 2016.
Want to capture all 360 degrees of an object with your camera? Adafruit has recently shared a 3D printing project that shows you how to create an inexpensive turntable made for photographers and videographers.
As anyone in the photography or film world knows, the many different types of production equipment that are available can be incredulously expensive. Even something as simple as a turntable (no, not the kind you spin your father’s old records on) can be quite costly for aspiring photographers or even a professional on a budget.
A photography turntable is a flat platform that has one job: spinning. In doing so, it provides a 360 degree view of whatever object happens to be stationed upon it at the time. This piece of equipment is oftentimes used for product photography, adding motion to video clips, as well as for capturing intricate details and propping up an object to improve lighting.
There’s no doubt that this tool is helpful, but it can be difficult for a frugal photographer to justify spending $100+ on a platform that simply spins around. Thankfully, the open source hardware pioneers at Adafruit have recently shared a DIY turntable that you can create with 3D printing and various electronic components.
This turntable platform has an adjustable rotation speed, clockwise and counterclockwise rotation, and interchangeable platforms that you can 3D print. Let’s take a look at what you need to build your own 3D printed motorized turntable for photography and videography purposes.
3D Printed Motorized Turntable: What do you Need?
As this project was featured on Adafruit, most of the non-3D printed supplies you’ll need can be obtained directly from them. The STL files for the turntable and base are available on Thingiverse. Aside from your 3D printer and filament, here’s what else you’ll need to build your own 3D printed motorized turntable:
Without including the 3D printing filament that you’ll end up using for this project, all of the required electronics and components will only cost you around $35. Now that’s a bargain!
3D Printed Motorized Turntable: Putting it Together
If you’re relatively inexperienced with electronics, this project is actually the perfect place to start learn some soldering skills. The circuitry for the turntable is quite easy to follow, using just five components. The main source here is the Itsy Bitsy board, which runs CircuitPython code to control the mechanics of the turntables and supply power via USB or battery.
You’ll have to solder a LiPo battery to the board, and also mount the potentiometer, which controls the rotation speed; the SPDT switch controls, which determines whether the turntable spins clockwise or counterclockwise; and the servo motor, which keeps things spinning along. Check out the circuit schematic below.
Once the electronics are assembled, the next step is to run the CircuitPython code on the Itsy Bitsy M0 board. You can find the script and further programming instructions on the Adafruit website.
There’s only two primary parts that you’ll need to 3D print: the electronics enclosure and the turntable platform. The 3D models are designed to make the assembly process easy, equipped with a snap-fit back to allow access to the electronics, as well as cutouts for both the USB and servo motor.
According to Liz Clark, the author behind this project, she 3D printed the parts at a 0.2 layer height with 20 percent infill. The maker also suggests using supports to ensure that the cutouts have accurate dimensions. She also points out that the 3D models can be easily modified or resized on Fusion360 to fit your needs.
The final step is putting it all together, starting off with soldering the electronics. Once the soldering process is completed, Clark explains how to properly wire the components into the 3D printed enclosure, beginning with mounting the USB micro B extension into the cutouts and finishing up with the servo. We won’t go into every detailed step here, so if you’re planning on taking this project for a “spin”, be sure to check out the Adafruit project page for the entire play-by-play.
Once you complete the assembly process and place the 3D printed turntable platform on top of the servo, you’ll have your very own 3D printed motorized turntable. Now you can take 360 degree photos or videos of your 3D prints, products, or anything else that manages to fit on this affordable, yet highly capable, DIY turntable!
Many steampunk cosplay items provide mechanical style and an aesthetic look. But these elaborate 3D printed steampunk goggles are equipped with prescription lenses and welding filters that will keep your eyes safe while you’re in the workshop.
Inspired by historical science fiction and steam-powered machinery, the steampunk genre has blossomed into one of the most popular styles of cosplay. Movies like Mad Max and Wild Wild Westexemplify this mechanical fashion to a T, think clothing and accessories made with grinding gears and an anachronistic look.
For today’s Weekend Project, we’re sharing some 3D printable steampunk goggles that not only look awesome, but are also extremely useful. Created by Thingiverse user TickTock, this wearable will have you looking the part, and will also protect your eyes when you’re building in the workshop. How? Well, these steampunk goggles are equipped with prescription lenses, welding filters, and even a magnifying lens as well.
If you’re a maker who loves the steampunk look, these 3D printed goggles are perfect for you. Let’s take a look at what you need and how to build these sweet workshop shades.
3D Printed Steampunk Goggles: What do you Need?
The STL files for the 3D printed steampunk goggles are freely available via Thingiverse. Each model, aside from the headrest and eyecups, need to be printed twice. Produce one part as is, and then mirror it and print it again for the left side of the goggles. While the default version contains three lens slots, TickTock has also provided versions for two or five lens slots as well.
Aside from the various tools listed below, the maker also utilized Rust-Oleum spray paints to give a metallic look to the 3D printed parts. Conversely, you can also try printing in materials like Copper fill, Steel fill, and Bronze fill, all of which are available through colorFabb.
Here’s the rest of the material checklist for the steampunk goggles:
3D Printed Steampunk Goggles: Putting it Together
After printing the components for the goggles, the first step is to remove the supports that TickTock has embedded into his files. Since these support structures are already put in place, you don’t need to worry about adding any during the slicing process. The next step is to throughly paint the 3D printed parts, letting them dry before moving onto the assembly process.
Once that step is complete, it’s finally time to start putting it together. There are quite a few steps before the assembly is complete, but TickTock lays everything out in detail on his Thingiverse post. The process is quite meticulous, as there are a number of small gears and pieces that need to be connected.
Lastly, after the build is complete, you’ll add eyecups and lenses of your choice. If you wear prescription glasses, you’ll have to find the right lens for your eyes.
If you want to find out more about how these steampunk goggles work, check out TickTock’s YouTube video below. And, if you’re ready to start constructing your own workshop-ready glasses, check out the full assembly instructions on Thingiverse.
ETSEIB Motorsport, the automotive engineering team from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, is now using 3D printing from BCN3D to help develop racing car parts for the Formula Student competition.
Formula Student is a competition between students from universities worldwide with a focus on excellence in engineering. To enter the competition, teams are required to design, build, and test out their own formula-type racing car.
This year, ETSEIB Motorsport, an automotive team comprised of 40 industrial engineers from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, started incorporating 3D printing technology from the local 3D printer manufacturer BCN3D into their operations.
Unsurprisingly, they found that the technology sped up the design phase and produced end-use parts that could be mounted directly onto the car. Better yet, the initial investment into 3D printing was fully paid off in just the first few months of usage, primarily due to the savings the team made by using the technology.
Gerard Sabaté, the aerodynamics chief engineer for the team, explains that they chose the BCN3D Sigmax 3D printer to help save money and reduce lead times. The technology also helped the group of industrial engineers develop a streamlined workflow that is still being used in their day-to-day operations.
10 Years of Developing Formula-Type Racing Cars
ETSEIB Motorsport has been developing formula-type vehicles to race in the Formula Student competition for ten consecutive years. During the first four years, the team developed combustion cars, while the last six years have been spent focusing on electric cars.
By having a FDM desktop 3D printer in-house, the team has been able to cut out external suppliers and print overnight, helping to reduce iteration and validation times. This enables them to spend more time improving upon designs and developing new ideas.
The team explains that the 3D printed end-use parts used include cable ties and brake ducts. Additionally, they also developed molds to make pieces of carbon fiber. Sabaté adds that they settled on the BCN3D Sigmax 3D printer due to its large build-volume and the ability to print symmetrical pieces at the same time.
At the end of day, improving the efficiency and reducing the cost of developing a formula-type car is of no use if it doesn’t help the team win. But, according to the team’s aerodynamics chief engineer, they have seen immense success since adopting 3D printing in its development process.
“During this season we have gone to three competitions. Austria, Germany and Spain. We have obtained very satisfactory results in all of them, being among the top ten positions in all of them, and finally, obtaining the prize for the best Spainish team in the Barcelona competition at the Montmeló circuit,” says Sabaté.
Perhaps it’s because 3D printing provided that final push past the finish that every competing Formula Student team needs.
Engineers at Rutgers University have created a 3D printed smart gel that walks underwater. It can also grab objects and move them.
If you’re looking for some nightmare dreamscape material, try this on for size. Rutgers University researchers have invented a 3D printed smart gel that can walk underwater, grab objects, and move them around. Creepy, eh?
The watery creation could lead to soft robots that can walk underwater and bump into things without damaging them. It could also lead to artificial heart, stomach and other muscles. That, plus devices for diagnosing diseases, detecting and delivering drugs, and performing underwater inspections.
Key advantages to soft materials like the smart gel is that they are flexible, easy to miniaturize, and often cheaper to manufacture than hard materials. Devices made of soft materials are typically simple to design and control compared with mechanically more complex hard devices.
“Our 3D printed smart gel has great potential in biomedical engineering because it resembles tissues in the human body that also contain lots of water and are very soft,” says Howon Lee, senior author of a new study and an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
“It can be used for many different types of underwater devices that mimic aquatic life like the octopus.”
3D Printed Smart Gel is Activated by Electricity
The study, published online in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, focuses on a 3D printed hydrogel that moves and changes shape when activated by electricity. Hydrogels can stay solid despite their 70-plus percent water content.
During the 3D printing process, light is projected on a light-sensitive solution that becomes a gel. The hydrogel is placed in a salty water solution (or electrolyte) and two thin wires apply electricity to trigger motion; walking forward, reversing course, and grabbing and moving objects. The humanoid walker that the team created is about one inch tall.
The speed of the smart gel’s movement is controlled by changing its dimensions (thin is faster than thick), and the gel bends or changes shape depending on the strength of the salty water solution and electric field. The gel resembles muscles that contract because it’s made of soft material, has more than 70 percent water, and responds to electrical stimulation.
“This study demonstrates how our 3D printing technique can expand the design, size and versatility of this smart gel,” says Lee.
“Our microscale 3D printing technique allowed us to create unprecedented motions.”
In a pioneering operation, surgeons use 3D scanning and 3D printing to verify that a father’s kidney would fit in his young son’s abdomen before a live-saving kidney transplant.
Dexter Clark was born with severe kidney problems, and he could only eat with the help of a feeding tube. His father Brendan was a perfect match as a donor, but there was a problem; for a small toddler to receive a large adult kidney posed a serious challenge.
The Guy’s and St Thomas’ Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK, and surgeons across the trust have started using Stratasys multi-material printing for planning operations.
Surgeons were able to scan and 3D print Dexter’s abdomen and the new kidney with a printer from Tri Tech 3D. The 3D printed models were also taken into the operating theatre on the day of the transplant, and reviewed by transplant surgeons.
In so doing, they were able to anticipate — and mitigate — any complications that might have arisen.
3D Printed Kidney Transplant Operation is a World First
Dexter’s mother, Emily Clark, is delighted with the happy outcome.
“Since the transplant, Dexter is a changed boy, eating solid food for the very first time,” she says.
“We always knew the operation would be complicated but knowing that the surgeons had planned the surgery with 3D models that matched the exact anatomy of my husband’s kidney and son’s abdomen, was extremely reassuring.
“We hope that Dexter’s case will offer other suffering families similar reassurance that cutting-edge technology, such as 3D printing, can help surgeons better treat their loved ones.”
The Trust now holds the distinction of being the first hospital in the world to use 3D printed models to pre-plan the successful transplantation of an adult kidney into a small child with anatomical complexities.
Pankaj Chandak, Transplant Registrar at Guy’s and St Thomas’ said: “This technology has the potential to really enhance and aid our decision-making process both during pre-surgical planning and in the operating room, and therefore can help in the safety of what is a very complex operation and improve our patient care.”
American electronics retailer Monoprice is holding a short-term site-wide sale, knocking up to 25% off its wares. Sadly this excludes its 3D printers, but for filament and maker-y projects involving Arduino, Raspberry Pi and others, it can be a useful resource.
If you’re in the market to do some project tinkering this weekend, Monoprice might have just the thing. Across a long weekend of four consecutive sales, you can cut between 15 & 25% off your order — the catch is, depending on the day you shop and what you shop for, the discount varies.
You won’t be able to get a 3D printer with any of these promo codes, but the company’s selection of own-brand filament plus Arduino, Raspberry Pi and kit projects can be picked up for less. Or you could just get yourself a new TV.
We’ve dug into the fine detail so you don’t have to. Here’s the skinny:
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.
Porifera is a new jewelry collection by Nervous System inspired by the forms of deep-sea glass sponges. It’s 3D printed using an experimental Ceramic Resin from Formlabs.
Nervous System is a generative design studio that produces unique collections of art, fashion, jewelry, and housewares. What makes their work so unique? Because it bridges the worlds of computer science, maths, biology, and architecture, their artifacts made using emerging technologies and techniques.
Case in point is their early adoption of an experimental Ceramic Resin from Formlabs. Using this new material, Nervous System is launching their first-ever 3D printed ceramic jewelry collection. It’s called “Porifera,” and the entire line is inspired by the forms of deep-sea glass sponges.
The product line came together in just a few months, according to the studio, after they beta tested the latest formulation of the resin. Its genesis, however, is rooted in years of experimentation with various ceramic materials.
“Ceramic materials are really beautiful and have nice qualities. They’re inexpensive and strong, and they have this nice tactile feel; they can be glossy or more earthy,” says Nervous Systems studio co-founder Jessica Rosenkrantz.
“One of the things we’re most excited about is the ability to make objects you couldn’t make using any other ceramic technique.”
Rosenkrantz explains that super thin interconnected three-dimensional structures can’t be cast, because the green state of most ceramic processing is very fragile.
“But the green state of the 3D printing material is strong because it has resin in it. So we can make these super weird geometries that are super strong when they’re fired.”
Nervous System Testing Multiple Concepts with Ceramic 3D Printing
Exploring a range of concepts with ceramic 3d printing, Nervous System began with working on a tea set. After running into challenges printing the set’s cellular structures — and maintaining cost-effective production — they honed in on making a smaller product.
“We knew that we wanted to work with a ceramic 3D printing material for a while, but we didn’t necessarily know what we wanted to make,” explains co-founder Jesse Louis-Rosenberg.
“A teapot and cups are very large, so it’s hard to make them affordable, so we’re still working on that project. We wanted to start with something smaller, like jewelry.”
In parallel to exploring 3D printing ceramics, Nervous System has been investigating minimal surface structures, an offshoot of research conducted with New Balance. Recalling the geometries of glass sea sponges, the studio reckons that their interconnected, self-supporting shapes are ideal for printing with Ceramic Resin.
The team simulated the sponge geometries to generate forms that became the final necklaces and earring pieces for the collection. The pieces are finished by hand; sanded, glazed, and fired twice in a kiln up to 2350F, creating vitreous ceramic jewelry with a sumptuous glazed finish.
Would you like to learn more? Visit the Porifera Collection over at the Nervous System site for further details and pricing.
The European Space Agency (ESA) is testing a 3D printer designed to work under microgravity and fabricate with engineering polymers featuring high end mechanical and thermal properties.
A prototype 3D printer capable of printing in microgravity has been handed over to the European Space Agency (ESA) for use on the International Space Station (ISS).
Developed by leading Portuguese 3D printer manufacturer BEEVERYCREATIVE and an international consortium of partners, the microgravity 3D printer has been two years in the making.
The goal of the MELT project — Manufacturing of Experimental Layer Technology — is to design, develop and test a fully functional 3D printer that can work under the microgravity conditions on the ISS (International Space Station).
It must be capable of 3D printing demanding engineering polymers with high end mechanical and thermal properties. And it needs to be simple enough to operate and maintain by astronauts on board the ISS.
The international consortium, made up of Portugal’s BEEVERYCREATIVE, Germany’s SONACA Space, Germany’s OHB-System and Portugal’s Active Space Technologies has now delivered their prototype machine to ESA for testing.
ESA is Going to MELT Plastic in Space
Moving forward, BEEVERYCREATIVE plans to leverage the knowledge gained from the MELT project into developing a new, industry-oriented 3D printer for product development needs and rapid prototyping.
This new printer is being developed by the Portuguese start-up with the support of Instituto Pedro Nunes, who are a member of ESA’s Network of Technology Transfer Brokers. They facilitate the commercialization of space technology in non-space markets, and disseminate the best and most promising space technologies and competencies of Portuguese space companies and academies.
The institute also coordinates the ESA Incubation Center in Portugal, where startups that transfer space technology to terrestrial sectors are supported, as well as new companies wishing to enter the commercial space market, called New Space.
The new 3D printer from BEEVERYCREATIVE will be aimed at industries like automotive, footwear, electronic and many others, who require rapid prototyping with high-end properties, ease of use, material diversity and design flexibility. Overall, these industries will benefit from time and cost reduction in the product development processes.
Developed at Microsoft’s expansive campus in Redmond, Washington, the Xbox Adaptive Controller is a first of its kind for the company: a hardware peripheral created with an inclusive design approach.
In the world of console video gaming, exclusivity is a desirable thing. Exclusive games and studio partnerships give enough differentiation to draw some fans to one platform over the others.
With that said, these highly designed machines have the unintended consequence of a rather ugly form of exclusivity. In video gaming, through mere strokes of the keyboard or flicks of thumb-sticks, you compel pixels to victory. Simple.
Unless, that is, you have limited mobility. Then the ergonomically designed controllers, optimized for able-bodied hands, introduce a world of complications. For gamers with disabilities, it can necessitate expensive workarounds that exist outside of the video game platform’s ecosystem of hardware.
Following a journey of sorts that began way back in 2014 with a chance discovery on Twitter, and leading to the establishment of the Inclusive Tech Lab, Microsoft has revealed an adaptable controller for gamers that require an alternative to the traditional handheld game controller.
Dubbed the Xbox Adaptive Controller (XAC), this sleek slate of white plastic, big buttons and ports for peripherals is Microsoft’s solution for those of the near 2-billion video game players of the world with disabilities.
“As an industry, when you start to hit that kind of impact act in terms of the broad base of people that interact with your art form, I do think we have a social responsibility.” said Phil Spencer, head of Microsoft’s Xbox division.
The XAC is designed to accept most, if not all accessibility peripherals that use a 3.5mm jack, plus some USB devices.
Designed with Everyone, for Everyone
The notion of an accessibility minded controller first caught the attention of an engineer at Microsoft after discovering a photograph on Twitter of the work of Warfighter Engaged. This was 2014, and the nonprofit was already ahead of the curve with its program producing custom video game devices for wounded military veterans.
In the following few years, the idea existed at Microsoft as a project of few employees for the company’s Ability Summit hackathons. Yearly iterations of the concept garnered support within the company, until the pieces aligned with an effort of Microsoft’s to improve inclusivity and diversity in gaming.
In the summer of 2017, the Inclusive Tech Lab was born, and it is here that the Xbox Adaptive Controller took shape. A hub in which Microsoft employees could better understand the difficulties faced by gamers with disabilities, this fed into an inclusive design philosophy that saw the XAC developed in direct collaboration with those the company hoped to address with the device.
Rather than going overboard with an array of buttons, levers, switches and other mechanisms to broadly cater to everyone, but really no one specifically, the end result is a device that lets go of the control of the experience that Microsoft might typically exert. Which is exactly the point.
Instead of cramming as many of the aforementioned doodads to paint with the broadest brush, the XAC instead serves as a hub of sorts. In addition to two main “confirm” and “back” buttons, a bank of 3.5mm jacks features on its rear surface. Each port corresponds to one of the Xbox games console’s 19 standard controller buttons.
The 3.5mm jack is a common input across the plethora of existing input peripherals for limited-mobility gamers, meaning that the XAC’s solution invites a custom solution for the individual.
Several 3D printed prototypes of the XAC’s outer shell (Image: Sam Machkovech, via Ars Technica)
Prototyping a Better Pad
Though it’s not specified where the XAC’s design physically took shape, it would be a sensible bet to say the prototyping stages were handled at Microsoft’s Building 87. An advanced additive manufacturing center, Building 87 is where the company’s Xbox One X games console took shape over 75 design iterations, all 3D printed for evaluation.
Imagery has surfaced to suggest the same for the XAC, with 3D printed shells of the controller showing a subtle evolution with button layouts clarifying into the simple arrangement we see on the final design.
Where such custom solutions were previously the sole domain of hardware hackers, non-profits, charities and healthcare institutions, Microsoft’s XAC seeks to complement what already exists.
The company claims the project came about not through any desire to gain an edge over its competitors, nor to create a profitable new segment of hardware for its business. It is a commitment to the company’s mission to make gaming more accessible.
The XAC will be priced at $99 — on par with Microsoft’s existing specialized controllers, and considerably less that the individual inputs that will plug into the XAC. It is slated to launch “later this year”.
Want to spend the summer days sailing the seven seas and soaking up the sun? Thingiverse user UniversalMaker shows us how to build a 3D printed Open RC Boat equipped with solar panels.
With summertime approaching and warm weather abound, it’s the perfect time to head over to your local body of water to lounge out, swim, and maybe even sail a remote controlled boat?
A German maker and Thingiverse user who goes by the name of UniversalMaker has revealed the Open RC Boat. The latest version is equipped with solar panels, made with 3D printed hull and electronics from Wavebreaker RC boat.
Started in 2012, the OpenRC Project has already taken the 3D printing world by storm, and was recently used to create a RC Formula 1 car by renowned maker Daniel Norée. Now, you can take this open source project to the high seas, soaking up energy from the sun while you cruise around with your RC boat.
If you want to build your own Open RC Boat with solar panels, here’s what else you’ll need:
Solar-Powered Open RC Boat: Putting it Together
The assembly process for the Open RC boat is surprisingly easy. First, use the customizer to select the parts you need. Print all of the parts, and then glue the main hull together and drill holes through the mounting plates so you can insert m3 screws.
Once you have the 3D printed hull glued together, it’s time to take the electronics out of a toy boat. Check out the photo below to see which components are used and where they are placed.
After the boat and electronics are assembled, use clear spray paint to make everything watertight, eliminating the porosity that FDM printing tends to create.
If you want to add the solar upgrade to the Open RC Boat, which is optional, there are some other parts you’ll need to 3D print. These 3D printed holders will be used to mount the solar panel to the boat.
Check out UniversalMaker’s YouTube video below for more detailed assembly instructions. He also shares some important information tips on the project’s Thingiverse page, so be sure to check that out while you’re downloading the STL files.
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