Motorola Mobility, a Google company, is building a 3D printed modular phone, and has partnered with 3D Systems for commercial fulfillment. More »
The Captured Dimensions pop-up studio was located in the Smithsonian Castle and featured approximately 80 digital cameras all connected to 3D software. More »
Microsoft expanded their support for 3D printing by launching a Windows 8 app called 3D Builder. It includes a library of objects you can edit and 3D print. More »
3D Systems (NYSE:DDD) announced the availability of the Sense 3D scanner, the first 3D scanner designed for the consumer and optimized for 3D printing. More »
With rumors circling that 3D Systems will be purchased by IBM, the stock soars. We look at why IBM might be interested in the 3D printing giant. More »
Yearly Archives: 2012
Objet Launches Versatile Objet30 Pro Desktop 3D Printer in Japan
We covered the announcement of the Objet30 Desktop 3D Printer back in May. It was touted as the most versatile desktop 3D printer and Objet released a catchy promo video to showcase its capabilities.
Today, Objet announced the launch of the Objet30 Pro in Japan.
The new desktop 3D printer offers 7 different materials, including, for the first time on a desktop system, clear transparent material and high temperature resistant material. Objet30 Pro is positioned as the ultimate rapid prototyping solution for designers and engineers, ranging from industries including consumer goods and consumer electronics to medical devices and design consultancies. Objet30 Pro will be showcased at DMS from Jun 20 – 22, 2012 at Tokyo Big Sight.
Objet30 Pro is the top-of-the-line addition to Objet’s existing desktop 3D printer line which starts at JPY1,980,000*, offering professional 28 micron print quality and wide ranging material versatility, opening the doors to limitless possibilities.
Mr. Eric Goguy, President & CEO of Objet Japan Co. Ltd commented, “Demand for 3D printers has been growing steadily over the years on a global level. At the same time, 3D printing applications are becoming more diverse due to the increasingly complex requirements as a result of the ever-changing market conditions. The need to shorten time-to-market has become a critical competitive advantage; thus rapid prototyping is indeed a cost-effective solution for many manufacturers. We believe that such trend will in turn heighten the demand for 3D printers such as the Objet30 Pro, one that is versatile, compact and most importantly, without compromising quality.
Read the full press release for more details.
Fab Lab of the Week: Milwaukee Makerspace Adopts 3D Printing
Milwaukee Makerspace is part social club, part hackerspace. They held their grand opening party in April 2011 and have been growing ever since.
At its heart, [Milwaukee Makerspace] is a social club for people who like to build, invent, tinker and/or collect new skills and expand their minds. We have a wide range of skill sets in our membership and you’re likely to find someone who can talk about most any technical concept with you in a meaningful way. We are also a physical space where you can come, 24/7 as a full member, and have access to wide array of equipment you are not very likely to have at home. Plus, there are folks around the space that can give you tips and pointers on operating that equipment effectively. (About page)
The space is home to a variety of equipment and tools, from woodworking to electronics to robotics to metal working to photography. Unfortunately, their only 3D printing equipment, a MakerBot CupCake is not currently in the shop. But it looks like this is about to change.
In May, some members came together to showcase 3 different 3D printers: a MakerGear Prusa Mendel, a MakerGear Mosaic, and a Printrbot.
In June, they are expecting a visit from MakerBot to “show off their Replicator and talk about 3D printing.”
And in July, the Makerspace is hosting a 3D printing meetup:
3D Printing is getting more and more popular, and we’ve got a bunch of members who have built printers, or are building printers, or just know a heck of a lot about 3D Printing, so we figured we should meet up and discuss the topic.
So if you’ve ever wondered what in the world a MakerBot was, or heard of RepRap or Printrbot, or just wanted to see an actual 3D Printer laying down molten plastic to make a real-world object, well… we’ve got just the ticket.
We’re excited to see the Milwaukee Makerspace adopt 3D printing!
Want to learn more? Watch the video below to hear from the founding members of Milwaukee Makerspace.
Profiling the Five Heavyweights Driving the 3D Printing Industry
The Financial Times published a feature profiling the five industry heavyweights in 3D printing.
Abe Reichental, CEO of 3D Systems
Mr Reichental regards 3D printing as a “disruptive technology” with the power to revitalise the global manufacturing industry. In the past three years he has spent about $230m on acquisitions to make 3D Systems the fastest expanding large 3D printing equipment producer.
Hans Langer, CEO of EOS
The sparkling-eyed German physicist has turned EOS into one of Europe’s most promising high-tech mid-sized businesses and one of the world’s biggest makers of 3D printing hardware.
Wilfried Vancraen, Managing Director of Materialise
He has expanded his Leuven, Belgium-based company’s range of services to make parts using 3D printing for a large group of customers in fields from interior design to the medical equipment industry. Materialise also makes its own range of personalised jewellery using the technology.
Scott Crump, CEO of Stratasys
He has built up Stratasys into one of the world’s biggest makers of 3D printing systems and is keen to stress the links between 3D printing and other forms of “digital manufacturing” in which computer codes are used to instruct factory machinery to make objects, often on a customised basis, relatively cheaply and to high precision.
Sir David McMurty, Chairman and CEO of Renishaw
Sir David regards 3D printing as a “unique business opportunity” with “plenty of scope for development” and became interested in the technology prior to Renishaw’s acquisition last year of MTT Technologies, a small Staffordshire-maker of 3D printing machines.
Read the full executive bios in the feature at FT.com.
Top 3D Printing Headlines from Last Week: Peter Thiel, Father’s Day, Silver Ink
A roundup of the top news On 3D Printing brought you from June 11 to June 17.
Monday, June 11
Tuesday, June 12
- Stratasys and Objet Merger: Accretive to Earnings by $0.04 Per Share
- 3D Printing is a Game Changer: Feature Published by The Atlantic
Wednesday, June 13
- 3D Systems to Raise $100 Million in Common Stock for Acquisitions
- The First 3D Printed Car Optimizes Design for Renewable Energy
Thursday, June 14
Friday, June 15
- Stratasys CEO Named Top 20 Most Influential People in Rapid Technology
- UP! 3D Printer from China: Viable Competitor to US 3D Printer Makers
Saturday, June 16
- Guest Post: 3D Printing Silver Ink – Circuits, Roll-Up Computers and More
- 3D Printing Father’s Day: MakerBot Robots Make Cute Video
Belgian Design Studio Unfold Features Beautiful Ceramic 3D Printing
Unfold ~fab is Belgian Design Studio Unfold’s Reprap and Personal Fabrication blog. Recently, they featured some beautiful ceramic 3D printing.
Below is a carafe and set of cups that was made for the design fair in Milan this year. These pieces were shown in a Belgian presentation called PERSPECTIVES at the Triennial di Milano.
The design technique is unique. Rather than using 3D modeling, the designer uses vector paths.
The carafe is a story an-sich because 90 percent of the design in actually not done in 3D software but designed straight in vector tool paths, only the basic outside shell is a 3D file, all infill and the folded structure are designed using our own custom software called Gcode Stacker which takes SVG vector files as input and spits out Gcode. Every SVG layer is a Gcode layer. This gives finer control over machine paths and enables you to do stuff impossible in 3D>Gcode toolchains like for example intersecting lines.
For L’Artisan Electronique, Unfold modified an open source 3d printer to print ceramics. Unfold created a virtual pottery wheel in collaboration with Tim Knapen. This pottery wheel gives visitors a chance to ‘turn’ their own forms. At regular intervals, a selection of these designs is printed in clay and exhibited in the space. In this time-lapse video you see the print process close up.
Read the full featured post at Unfold, where these images were sourced.
