Schlagwort: 3D printed things

3D Printed Drone Parts – All You Need to Know in 2019
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Check out 2019 guide to 3D printed drones with resources, materials, and ideas. In fact, all you need to start 3D printing your own drone parts.

While it’s not yet common to fabricate electrical components like motors, sensors or even electronics – but watch this space – it’s entirely possible to 3D print drone parts like the frame, landing gear, and propellers. And these are usually the parts that break easily.

Have we piqued your interest? Read about the pros and cons of 3D printed drones, plus a guide to the best resources to be found online. Right here, you can jump to the topics directly:

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3D Printed Drone Parts: Why You Should 3D Print Them

What‘s the benefit of 3D printed drone parts? If you’re not an experienced RC pilot, crashing and breaking parts of your aerial vehicle can be expensive. Instead of buying new parts at a hobby shop, you can 3D print your own spare parts as needed.

With your own 3D printer to hand, part designs can be easily upgraded and further developed to improve the performance of your quadcopter. On top of that, 3D printed drone parts are quickly interchangeable and you can do it yourself. You can even have the parts manufactured by a professional 3D printing service – if you want to get the best price for a special item, please consult Craftcloud – All3DP’s 3D Printing &Price Comparison Service.

Building your own RC vehicle out of 3D printed parts serves as a great opportunity to learn about how it works and how it reacts to modifications you make.

3D Printed Drone Parts: Things to Consider First

First, 3D printing takes time. It can take up to several hours to print a small sized part of sufficient quality.

Moreover, becoming an expert in 3D modeling and 3D printing requires skills you have to develop and practice. In the early stages, a beginner may experience frustration when designing the parts they need.

But don’t worry, there are plenty of tutorials online, plus websites where you can find. STL files of 3d printable drone parts which you can download and print without having to create them yourself.

Other than the above, there aren’t many reasons why you shouldn’t just go ahead and 3D print your own parts!

3D Printed Drone Parts: The Parts You Can 3D Print

The good thing is: You can 3D print almost every part of a drone except the electronic components. Here are some components:
- Propellers
- FrameLanding gear
- Landing gear
- Camera mounts
- Antenna holder
- Protective equipment (i.e. prop guards)
- Remote casing
- Battery pack casing
Even some commercial drone manufacturers are using 3D printing. For example, Southern Californian company Blue Robotics uses 3D printing for their submarine drones. Their creations are open source, the digital blueprints are available for everyone who wants a 3D printed drone.

3D Printed Drone Parts: The Best Resources

There are many resources online that not only offer 3D printed drone parts for existing makes and models but also instructions how to build your own 3D printed drone parts.

You’ll need to buy the electronic components in most cases, but a significant chunk of the parts can be fabricated on any 3D printer.

Resources for 3D Printed Drones:

Watch the amazing mechanism that moves the landing struts up when in mid-air (to lower the center of gravity) and down while landing… It’s a really sophisticated piece of design.

3D Printed Drone Parts: 3D Printing Accessories

Aside from vital components, there is a huge variety of extra things you can add to your quadcopter. There are functional accessories… and then less functional accessories.

One might make a flying Helicarrier from The Avengers movie out of their drone (which would be awesome). Others will stick to more practical applications like 3D printed propeller guards, cases for transportation and mounts for various cameras used on FPV drones (which is also awesome).

The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

3D Printed Drone Accessories #1: Protect your Vehicle

Parts you can 3D print range from optional accessories to add-on protective equipment like prop guards. The latter are useful for small indoor quadcopters like the Hubsan X4 and gear protectors for the very popular Parrot AR versions.

Every part that will commonly bump into obstacles (including the ground) may need replacement at some point. If you 3D print drone spares, you won’t suffer from much downtime when this occurs.

3D Printed Drone Accessories #2: 3D Printed Drone Mounts

Of course, we’re not referring to mounting the drone onto something, that would be pointless. Rather, the idea is to mount accessories onto the drone.

And if you’re planning on getting started with FPV drone racing, 3D printed parts like a camera mount as well as mounts for the live video transmitter or maybe an additional antenna holder are highly useful.

Elsewhere, the GoPro mount for the Phantom 2 lets you add the standard GoPro accessories onto your aerial vehicle.

If you want to know more, please consult this article.

3D Printed Drone Accessories #3: Boost the drone’s range with 3D Printed Parts

There are many ways you can come up with iterations of existing parts that may or may not improve your drone – and it’s fun to experiment for sure!

For different use cases, different designs will prove worthwhile. For the hobbyist that buys a fully assembled quadcopter (like the DJI Phantom or Inspire models), they’ll still appreciate a simple 3D printed range booster that, acting as a parabolic reflector with some metallic tape, will increase the range of the remote control threefold.

Elsewhere, the tech enthusiast that builds his own drone from scratch can improve the accuracy of his onboard electronics by eliminating general shakiness with a 3D Printed Anti Vibration Mount, which still conducts major movements that come from actual changes in flight.

3D Printed Drone Parts: The Best Materials

Choosing the right material is vital because every gram of weight will cost you flight time. Why? Because the heavier the drone, the faster the drain on the drone’s battery. At the same time, it would be foolish to try to navigate properly with a wobbly construction made from shoddy parts.

There are many “high-grade” 3D printing filaments available. They are sold as extra-strong and durable alternatives to the widely used PLA and ABS. You can also spend extra cash on some enhanced filament spools with carbon fiber. So, should you print in nylon, PET or rather use some exotic stuff you haven’t even heard of yet?

3D Printed Drone Parts – Material #1: PET/PETG

PET / PETG is stable and shockproof, but it requires a heated print bed, is relatively expensive, and quite heavy.

In conclusion, you can almost always print in PLA when you’re an absolute beginner and should transition to ABS when you’re ready for the big leagues. Advanced 3D printing and drone pros will also enjoy printing with Nylon.

3D Printed Drone Parts – Material #2: TPU/TPE

Because it is flexibel and absorbs vibrations.

3D Printed Drone Parts – Material #3: PLA

PLA is easy to work with, has no odor, and is cheap and widely available. However, it’s not UV or heat-resistant.

3D Printed Drone Parts – Material #4: ABS

ABS is tough and stable, lightweight, and has better temperature resistance. It’s also cheap and widely available. However, you need a heated print bed for optimal results, and there are the dreaded toxic fumes to consider.

3D Printed Drone Parts – Material #5: Nylon

Nylon has amazing strength and temperature resistance and is lightweight, but it’s tricky to print with.

If you want more information on filaments, please continue here.

The Best 3D Printed Drones

Here’s a short collection of the best drones and quadcopters you can 3D print:

3D Printed Quadcopter #1: PIXXY (Pocket drone / FPV quad)

The Pixxy is of the smallest FPV miniature quadcopters you can build yourself. It only weighs 4 gram, can be easily stored and relatively easy to manufacture. You need some simple soldering skills, the parts widely available in common online hobby and toy shops. The cost for this 3D printed drone shouldn‘t exceed USD $100.

Get it at Thingiverse.

3D Printed Quadcopter #2: Hovership MHQ2 (Quadcopter)

Being one of the most popular designs of 3D printed drones, this redesigned MHQ2 folding mini quadcopter is built like a tank! Building on the success of the original MHQ frame, it offers improved functionality, durability, and stability of this frame.

Get it at Thingiverse.

3D Printed Quadcopter #3: Firefly

This beauty of a 3D printed drone can go really fast: The Firefly is a fully featured racing quad with amazing flight characteristics. If you’re into DIY racing drones, this is one to consider.

Get it here.

3D Printed Quadcopter #4: Rey’s Speeder Bike (Quadcopter)

This is custom quadcopter inspired by Rey’s Speeder Bike from new Episode 7 Star Wars The Force Awakens trailer. This is one of the 3D printed drones that just look beautiful – but beware, there’s a lot of work to do until Rey takes off.

Get it at Thingiverse.

3D Printed Quadcopter #5: Foldable Brushed Microquad

It looks like a flying circuit board, right? Well, that’s pretty much what it is. This 3D printed drone is foldable to 83 x 58mm, consists of affordable components and is relatively easy to build, if you have some DIY experience.

Get it at Thingiverse.

License: The text of „3D Printed Drone Parts – All You Need to Know in 2019“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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19/02/2019
20 Romantic Things to 3D Print for Valentine’s Day

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If you’ve neglected to remember the fact that it is soon to be Valentine’s day; don’t fret as there is still time to whip up something on your 3D printer which should suffice as a gift.

Below are some of the most romantic prints for you to choose from which are free to download and print, but perhaps don’t tell your loved one that part.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #1: Infinity Heart Pendant

What is it? This design was made for a wedding but works perfectly well for a Valentine’s Day gift too.

Who made it? Sam Hightower

Where can I get it? You can find the pendant files here, or if you’d like to print it in metal check out our All3DP price comparison service.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #2: Valentine with Bare Conductive Electric Paint

What is it? The designers said: “Light up your Valentine’s geeky heart, with our 3dprinted AdaBot card, using LEDs and Bare Conductive Paint. Turning the gears applies pressure to the batteries hidden inside a heart, lighting up the LEDs.”

Who made it? Adafruit Industries

Where can I get it? You can find this design on Thingiverse.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #3: MailBot – The Robot Note Mailbox

What is it? Mailbot is a 3D printed mini robot mailbox for little notes. The designer said: “There’s mail, and then there’s the mail you actually love to get.” Mailbot can be kept anywhere such as; your desk, office, car, and everywhere in between!

Who made it? 3by3D

Where can I get it? You can find this cute little guy here.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #4: Heart Charms or Hearticles

What is it? Heart Charms! They can easily be linked together in different ways. If you’d prefer a bracelet, a necklace or even a ring from just one closed charm, there are many choices. The hearticles come in different sizes, some are closed, some have an opening on the side and some on the bottom. This sweet little idea makes nice jewelry.

Who made it? mieke van der poll

Where can I get it? You can find the downloadable files here on Pinshape.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #5: Heart Wings Cookie Cutter

What is it? With this OogiMe Valentine’s Day Collection cookie cutter, you can easily surprise your loved one. The estimated print time is just 44 minutes, and depending on how good you are in the kitchen, estimated baking time can vary.

Who made it? OogiMe

Where can I get it? You can find this fabulous design here.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #6: Heart Light

What is it? For anyone who likes pink heart lighting, this gift is the perfect choice. The heart light is one which casts beautiful mood lighting, perfect for Valentine’s Day.

Who made it? mingshiuan

Where can I get it? Find this gorgeous print here.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #7: Male Valentines Duck

What is it? This little guy has been described as: “the ancient forefather of the almighty Duck Dynasty”. Sharing a bubble bath with him may make Valentine’s Day feel a lot less lonely. Hopefully.

Who made it? 3DPrinterOS

Where can I get it? You can download this design here.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #8: Spiral Heart Pendant

What is it? If you’re a bit of a cheapskate, then you’ll find that this option is a much cheaper alternative to Tiffany’s.

Who made it? ideadesign

Where can I get it? This super cute heart pendant can be found here, with a free download too.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #9: “Hole in My Heart” Cookie Cutter

What is it? Of this slightly different print, the designer said: “I wanted to create something fun for Valentine’s day and ended up with a heart shaped cookie cutter with a difference.”

Who made it? Kayleigh Spring

Where can I get it? If you’re looking for an alternative present option, then you can find this idea on Thingiverse.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #10: Cupic

What is it? The Cupic’s are a great idea for anyone wanted to share any romantic food on Valentine’s Day. The designers said: “Lovers desert for two? Valentines party? Meet CUPIC, our most romantic food-pick. Dispose after one use.”

Where can I get it? You can find this sweet little idea on 3DShook, and download the print for free, here.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #11: Valentine Vase & Dish Set

What is it? The Valentine Set comprises of heart inspired vases in short and tall varieties with an optional heart-shaped base, and a matching three section heart shaped candy dish too.

Who made it? richard_swika

Where can I get it? These classic looking dishes can be found on Pinshape.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #12: “I Love You”-Box

What is it? A circular trinket/present box with the words “I LOVE YOU” embossed in the style of Morris/Goudy around the outside. There is a plain lid, or if you prefer, a lid with space for an insert of your loved one’s initial printed separately and pressed in.

Who made it? MakeALot

Where can I get it? You can find the design here.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #13: Two-Finger Hearts Ring

What is it? This cute little ring which features three hearts is a great present for anyone with questionable jewelry taste.

Who made it? Ashley Sheppard

Where can I get it? You can find the design here.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #14: Simple Heart Bracelet

What is it? To go with your loved one’s heart ring is a simple heart bracelet too. Perhaps you could make a whole jewelry collection from your 3D printer?

Who made it? Craig Beddow

Where can I get it? Check out this beautifully simple design on MyMinifactory.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #15: Support Bouche

What is it? Moving away from the heart theme is this sweet yet functional idea. The Support Bouche is used to hold up your smartphone or tablet – something romantic yet useful.

Who made it? pydimpression3d

Where can I get it? You can check out this cheeky idea on Cults3d.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #16: Couple Egg Cups

What is it? This interesting idea could be a great way to serve breakfast in bed on Valentine’s Day. The designer said: “Need a special gift for the upcoming Valentine’s day? How about this 3d printed couple? One for him, one for her.”

Who made it? FORMBYTE

Where can I get it? Check out this sweet idea here.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #17: Heart Gear Keychain

What is it? If you want an understated present, then check out this 3D printed design which works as a key ring. The whole print only takes about 40-60 minutes and can be done in a single print with no raft or supports.

Who made it? UrbanAtWork

Where can I get it? You can find the simple, but a super cute idea on Cults3d.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #18: Geared Heart, Hand Crank Edition

What is it? This design has an impressive 1,943 likes so it seems many people may be receiving the same Valentine’s Day gift this year!

Who made it? FollowMeOn

Where can I get it? The geared heart works with a hand crank and is available to download on Thingiverse, but a motorised version is also available here too.

3D Print for Valentine’s Day #19: “You’re the one” Sound Wave

What is it? If you’re not really into hearts, but still want to find an equally cheesy present, then perhaps the “you’re the one” sound wave will fit the bill. The designer said, of this little token: “I recorded the words “you’re the one”, took that into Reaper to visualize the waves it made and designed a printable Sound Wave using Sketchup. The original idea was to put this in a box frame with the words as a gift but I’ve not gotten that far! Valentine’s gift perhaps?”

Where can I get it? You find a 3D printed necklace at Shapeways.

Disclaimer:

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License: The text of „20 Romantic Things to 3D Print for Valentine’s Day“ by All3DP is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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08/02/2019
3D Print a Universal Cable Fix to Repair any Broken Cables
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If you’re faced with a broken cable, maker Marius Taciuc has a 3D printed enclosure solution. Although can’t beat a replacement cable, it’s a great short-term universal cable fix.

Cables are fragile. They can be cut, ripped apart, or — most commonly — have a loose connection. Most makers just use just some Gaffer tape to repair their broken cables – but there’s a more elegant, 3D printed solution that even offers strain relief.

Marius Taciuc entered the Hackaday Repairs You Can Print contest with a 3D printed mic cord repair. Rather than attempting to use electrical tape to try and fix the problem, he 3D printed an enclosure which is way more stable.

Taciuc’s 3D printed enclosure can be used as a join box for both cables or chords. It’s a close-fit but it’s possible to glue everything in place, providing a short-term solution for broken cables.

Taciuc uses cable ties to provide strain relief and hot glue to hold everything in place. The enclosure mechanically supports the two broken sides making it an interesting project to try out if you have a broken cord or cable.

What You’ll Need To Repair a Broken Cable
- A 3D Printer
- Files available for download from Hackaday.
- A glue gun & glue
- Cable ties
- Heat shrink tube
- Soldering iron
How to Fix Your Broken Cord

To begin, download and use the files to 3D print your enclosure. Make as many as you need. Next, after your enclosure has finished printing, insert both ends of the cable into the box.

With cable ties, secure the cord or cable in place inside the box. It’ll be important to buy 2mm or thinner cables so they fit inside the enclosure.

Next, take your heat shrink tube and put this on the wires. Solder the wires until they’re joined and heat the tubes to shrink them too.

Finally, add glue using your hot glue gun. Fill the box between the wires but do not add more that lid level. Attach the lid while the glue is wet and wait until it’s dry.

Voila. Your cable is ready to be used again. Watch the process in the video below if you’d like to know more about the universal cable fix.

Source: Hackaday

Website: LINK
08/02/2018
World’s Largest 3D Printed Camper Trailer Will be Live-streamed

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A 3D printing cafe (yes, that’s a thing) will attempt to 3D print the world’s largest single piece camper trailer. Weighing 600 lbs and 13 feet long, the mega project will be streamed live on the cafe’s Facebook page.

A prototype 3D printed camper van, the Wave, will be fabricated live for all to see from Thursday, February 8th. The project, an in-house effort of Create Cafe 3D with the help of Saskatchewan Polytechnic, will see a 28-foot long ErectorBot 3D printer do the heavy lifting, extruding some 600 lbs of PETG provided by a proprietary hopper.

The Wave is planned to become a commercial line of camper trailers available in three sizes — 13-, 16- and 19-feet — sold by Wave of the Future 3D. Founded by Randy Janes (who is also a member of the Create Cafe team), Janes is also the owner of the ErectorBot that will be housed in Create Cafe 3D for the duration of the print.

This exercise has been long in the making, with Janes approaching Create Cafe 3D CEO Dustin Maki way back in 2016 with the premise of printing “the worlds first full-size camper”. Two years later the plan is coming to fruition, with Janes’ behemoth 3D printer installed in the cafe ready to undertake a 10-14 day print job in full view of Create Cafe 3D’s coffee-swigging customers.

It’s well and good making bombastic claims to world-firstedness, but what exactly makes the Wave stand apart? What are the benefits of 3D printing a camper trailer?

Janes’ ErectorBot, nicknamed “Printron” at Create Cafe 3D ready to print the Wave camper

Creating the Custom Camper

For one, Wave of the Future and Create Cafe 3D claim a 100 year life expectancy from a PETG 3D printed camper. By printing a watertight single shell design, they plan to eliminate the primary cause of degradation in campers: water damage. No seams between sheet metal or wood like found on traditional campers means no way for water to seep inside and degrade the materials.

The material properties of PETG also contribute to such hardiness, with abrasion resistance the cited benefit here.

Given the large nature of the print job, any optimization is a welcome thing. To this, a partnership with Saskatchewan Polytechnic resulted in an applied research project provided high-flow printing nozzles, without which the collaboration claims it could not succeed.

The prototype Wave was designed in Fusion 360 and sliced in Simplify3D by Create Cafe 3D’s Head of Design, Duncan Boyes.

Looking to whip up greater public interest in 3D printing in Canada, the printing of the Wave will be live-streamed on Create Cafe’s Facebook page on February 8th, 12pm CST (the company originally communicated February 5th for the stream, but a customs issue with the Wave’s PETG pellets has forced the project back).

Although if you’re in the neighborhood, you could always pop in for a coffee and check it out in person.

Website: LINK

06/02/2018
Massachusetts Man Develops Braille Toy for Daughter with Usher Syndrome

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After learning that his daughter suffers from Usher Syndrome, a degenerative disease that leads to blind- and deafness, Jake Lacourse channeled his anguish into the development of a fun educational toy that would teach 2-year-old Becca braille.

To those untouched by it, it may be surprising to learn that the leading cause of deaf-blindness is Usher Syndrome. A hereditary genetic disorder, the signs of Usher Syndrome (night blindness, gradual deterioration of vision, complete or partial and deteriorating hearing) typically manifest in the young.

In current medicine the disorder is largely untreatable. For Jake Lacourse, a product engineer from Massachusetts, USA, learning that his 2-year-old daughter Becca suffered from the most aggressive form of Usher Syndrome proved a turning point.

A key element of easing the transition to a vision and hearing-impaired life is recognizing the signs early, and education. With Becca diagnosed as likely to lose her sight as a teen, Lacourse set about using his experience to help her in every way possible.

“We recognized there was nothing really out there for her… We wanted to create a special toy for her” he explains. And a special toy is exactly what he created. Currently only a prototype, the BecDot is an educational aid that teaches children the braille for a variety of words and letters.

Feeling Words: 3D Printed BecDot Prototype Teaches Braille

The BecDot is a tablet-sized box with an NFC pad next to four areas with motorized pins. Connected to a phone running the BecDot’s proprietary app, parents or teachers can program in words, characters and various concepts of braille, which are then translated to the array of pins which raise up above the surface of the box.

In addition, NFC tags (readable by the BecDot) can be stuck to any favorite toy and programmed into the app, allowing for familiarity to be interwoven into the child’s learning of braille.

Testing the design with Becca, Lacourse’s use of 3D printing for the shell of the device proved a wise decision. Tested to destruction (as most parents of toddler’s will attest to) this fed back into the BecDot’s design, with the current shape one Becca has yet to destroy.

Such is the potential benefit of Lacourse’s BecDot, it was presented at the Consumer Electronics Show in January by the Not Impossible Foundation. As the winner of The Not Impossible Limitless Award, it was one of a number of innovations the “bring positive change to the global community”.

There’s currently no word on a commercial release for the BecDot, but more information can be found on the BecDot website. Sticking to the original goal of affordability, Lacourse expects that the final version of the BecDot to cost approximately $100.

Tthe Lacourse family’s experiences with Usher Syndrome and information on charity’s seeking a cure can be found here.

(Top image credit: Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

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05/02/2018
50 Cool Things to 3D Print Which Are Actually Useful

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Like us, you’re tremendously excited by the possibilities of 3D printing. Unfortunately, the landscape is cluttered with trinkets, doodads and ornaments. We’re in danger of drowning in 3D printed objects that nobody wants or needs.

Fight the tide of mediocrity! Let’s make stuff that’s actually useful! Here’s a list of cool things to 3D print, right now, today. Prove to your nearest and dearest that there’s an everyday and practical application of this wonderful technology.

If you don’t have access to a 3D printer, you can still have the 3D models printed by a professional 3D printing service. To find the best price, please use All3DP’s 3D Printing Price Comparison Service.

Don’t miss: Free STL Files & 3D Printer Models – 33 Best Sites

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20/01/2018
3D Printed Hovercraft Project Gets off the Ground

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In the latest update to his 3D printed hovercraft project, Ivan Miranda details how he arrived at a working model that genuinely floats.

Over the last couple of months, YouTuber Ivan Miranda has been putting his array of 3D printers to good use. Over a five part series he’s assembled a remote controlled hovercraft from scratch, iterating as he goes to improve the issues he’s encountered along the way.

He points out in a blog post that the videos do not really serve as a guide to build your own. Although, Miranda claims, with a bit of guesswork it’s probably possible to fill in the blanks. Better yet, the affable maker has released the Fusion 360 files so you can modify and print the parts yourself.

Check out the video below for his latest, and final, build of the 3D printed hovercraft.

Getting off the Ground

Miranda’s hovercraft makes use of numerous large 3D printed parts for its assembly.

He uses a servo mount and impellers printed on a CR-10 Mini plus cowlings, impeller motor mounts and servo arms printed on the Tevo Tornado 2017 and a chassis printed in halves on a classic CR-10 and CR-10 upgraded.

In all the hovercraft build looks to be fairly simple, with the printed parts bolting and screwing together. The electrical wizardry is mostly covered in parts one and two of the five videos. If you’re following along to build your own, you’ll need to check out the other parts for subsequent alterations.

Seeing the finished ‘craft in action is pretty special. Especially so given the constant (and charmingly earnest) mistakes and quick fixes Miranda deals with throughout.

Source: Hackaday

Website: LINK

12/01/2018
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 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

09/01/2018
Renishaw Metal 3D Printed Sundial Installed in Berkeley Castle Gardens

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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 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

05/01/2018
AstroReality Uses 3D Printing to Create Realistic AR Moons

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After fundraising on IndieGoGo back in the summer, AstroReality is taking its ridiculously realistic model Moons to CES. Fabricated with the help of industrial 3D printers, the tiny celestial bodies use AR to educate and inspire.

Don’t Miss: New 3D Printer Firmware Uses Raspberry Pi to Speed Up FDM Printing

Sadly, a personal trip to the moon is the unlikeliest of unlikely things to happen in this lifetime. Perhaps unless you have the personal resources of the rocket-touting Elon Musk (though it seems he’s content to simply shuttle his cars off to Mars, instead).

Fortunately, at a fraction of the expense of actually blasting off into space, AstroReality has created a painstakingly detailed model of the Moon. Big enough to nestle in your palm, these hand-painted celestial beings boast a pretty neat trick in AR functionality.

Using AstroReality’s accompanying smartphone app, the LUNAR becomes an interactive encyclopaedia of the Moon’s features and humanity’s missions to explore it.

The company missed a trick not calling it LunAR, but hey ho. You can see it in action in the video below.

3D Printing the Moon

Mass producing 1:43,453,500 scale models of the Moon is no small feat. To help pack in as much detail as possible AstroReality turned to SLA 3D printing tech to create casts based on data captured by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Using a 3D Systems ProJet 7000 HD, the model Moon is printed at a mighty fine 0.05mm layer height. This 3D print of the Moon is then used to create a negative mold, into which a polyresin is poured, resulting in the final physical product.

Except, that’s not quite all. Each LUNAR model is then hand painted to bring out the detail in every topographical feature, from oceans and lakes to the craters and mountains.

AstroReality will take the LUNAR to the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, from January 9 – 12. If you happen to be there, you can find them in the North Hall, booth 9208.

Website: LINK

02/01/2018
Starbucks 3D Printed a Bar for its New Shanghai Roastery

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Starbucks opens its latest roastery in Shanghai – only the second in the world. It incorporates a 3D printed Teavana bar fabricated from recycled materials.

Good news for Starbucks — the second largest economy in the world loves American coffee. In Shanghai, China, alone, there are already 600 Starbucks stores open.

Good news for the denizens of Shanghai — the coffee giant’s second roastery in the world has just opened in the city. This is their biggest store yet, occupying 30,000-sq-ft of floorspace. It also features a techie twist, incorporating augmented reality and 3D printing in its modernist-traditional hybrid space.

And better yet, for tea lovers, the company offers a 3D printed Teavana tea bar. This bar is inspired by traditional Chinese clay teapots. The bar is light jade in color and even incorporates tea stains for an authentic look.

Starbucks claims that it’s the only tea bar created from recycled materials using a 3D printer. It measure 7.5 meters (25 feet) in length. The company also offers a much larger bar of 27 meters (88 feet) long (the longest of any Starbucks store).

“The affinity we have built with our partners (employees) and customers over the past 18 years in China is special and we knew we must bring the Reserve Roastery, our boldest, most premium store ever, to Shanghai, China’s bustling metropolitan hub and one of the world’s most dynamic retail destinations, as well as a gateway to customers from across Asia and the world,” said Howard Schultz, executive chairman of Starbucks Coffee Company.

Drinking Tea at the 3D Printed Bar in Starbucks

The first sight in the new store is a two-story copper cask. This is decorated by over 1,000 traditional Chinese chops, or stamps. These hand-engravings will narrate the story of coffee and Starbucks.

As customers walk around the roastery, it’s possible to point a smartphone at certain areas and find out more with an augmented reality (AR) experience. This tour guide experience is powered by Alibaba.

Guests can then choose to head to one of three coffee bars or the Teavana 3D printed bar (we know which we’d visit first). Sadly little else is known about the actual printing process of the bar. Chinese artisans handcrafted the three coffee bars which “reference the unique roasting curve of individual coffee beans.”

The store is located on one of the busiest shopping streets in the world at 789 Nanjing Road W.

Source: Starbucks Press Release

Website: LINK

20/12/2017