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
First-of-its-Kind Fabrication Lab in UK Gets Government Support
A Fabrication Lab, or “Fab Lab”, is a place where small business owners can reserve time on expensive 3D printing and laser cutting machinery to produce prototypes of their new products.
In the UK, the first Fab Lab to reach commercial appeal is based in New Islington, Manchester. Yesterday they received a visit from UK Business Secretary Vince Cable.
As part of his visit, Dr Cable was able to test some of the equipment himself and met students of the Fab Academy, a diploma programme taught via video link by world-renowned scientist and Fab Lab founder [MIT Professor] Neil Gershenfeld.
Since opening in March 2010, over 3,000 small manufacturers, inventors, schools and community groups have used Fab Lab Manchester.
Dr Cable said: “There is a wealth of creativity and entrepreneurial spirit in the UK, as demonstrated by the Fab Lab.
More details on the Manchester Fab Lab available here http://www.fablabmanchester.org/
Design Your Own Chess Pieces – Win a MakerBot
3D design software company Tinkercad is hosting a contest: submit your chess set design to win a new 3D printer.
The challenge: model all six pieces (king, queen, rook, castle, bishop, pawn) in Tinkercad’s browser-based 3D CAD software.
The prize: a MakerBot Replicator, retail price $1,740. The MakerBot Replicator is one of the leading consumer 3D printers on the market.
Deadline: April 1, 2012
Contest details: available at Tinkercad
Good luck!
3D Print Your Favorite Song on your iPhone
Printing a Sound Wave on your iPhone
At SXSW 2012, 3D printing startup Shapeways was considered one of the hottest startups.
Why? Because they are pushing the boundaries of the intersection between 3D printing and creative art. For millions of iPhone owners, their phone is their musical hub. Why not personalize your phone with a custom 3D printed sound wave of your favorite song?
More details in this Forbes article. Happy printing!
Welcome to On 3D Printing
3D Printed iPhone 4 by CreativeTools.se
“China on your desktop” – Chris DiBona, Google
“In the Next Industrial Revolution, Atoms Are the New Bits” – Wired Magazine
“The biggest thing of all coming in computing lies quite literally out of the box, in making the box.” – Neil Gershenfeld, MIT Professor and author of FAB: The Coming Revolution on Your Desktop–From Personal Computers to Personal Fabrication
The world is embarking on a personal fabrication revolution. Imagine you need a spare part for a home appliance. What if you could download the design and manufacture the part at home? What if you could “print” that part on a desktop machine about the size of your inkjet printer? You can! And people are printing everything today from shoes to creative works of art to high-tech components with a technology called 3D Printing.
Welcome to On 3D Printing! On this site, we will be tracking the emerging 3D Printing revolution and providing resources for you to get involved.
Please follow us on Twitter (@on3dprinting) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/on3dprinting). We hope you will share your own ideas in the comments and on Twitter with hashtag #on3dprinting.
Thanks for reading!
3D Printed iPhone image used under Creative Commons from Creative Tools.
