Category Archives: News
Crowdfunding a Retail 3D Printing Store in New Hampshire
Dusty Santos wants to launch her own 3D printing retail store
Inspired by her work in the 3D animation field and experience in selling on Shapeways, Dusty Santos thinks that a physical 3D printing store is a great business move and a way to give back to artists around the world.
To get started, Santos is raising $30,000 in crowdfunding to cover the costs of starting her businesses, buying equipment, and paying her employees. As her prospective business scales, Santos thinks she can fund expansion out of profits.
Visit her Fundable campaign and watch her crowdfunding video pitch here:
We caught up with entrepreneur Dusty Santos for an interview
On 3D Printing: What was your inspiration for this idea?
Dusty Santos: I have to say it was a combination of a few things. Since graduating from ‘The D.A.V.E. School’ in 2006 I worked in the 3D animation field doing freelance. It never brought in enough money though so I used my skills to sell products on Shapeways. So I know what goes into making a 3d printable mesh.
My husband is really into technology and of course 3d printing news. Having him around keeps 3d printing at the forefront of my mind. Also, I had Ashton Kutcher’s teen choice award speech in my mind when my husband, 1 year old, and myself went to the mall.
The whole trip I thought how cool it would be to see 3d printers and 3d printed creations for sale. When we were leaving the store the combination my husbands research and Ashton’s speeach hit me hard. Why not open a store myself?! Why wait, wait for what, someone else to do it? From that moment on I couldn’t get the thought out of my head, that lead me to the research, and to fundable.com and to you!
On 3D Printing: How do you compete with or differentiate from makerspaces and local 3D printing service bureaus?
Dusty Santos: That’s easy, there isn’t any competition. Well, physical store competition anyway, since I’ll be the first physical store (that I know of) where customers can see the 3d printing evolution in person. “3D Print It” will be the only store that you can see a variety of 3d printers working and for sale. With knowledgeable staff that can answer questions and help people understand this new way of selling retail. Like the concept of custom printing and never being out of stock. By the time the copycats get in on it, I’ll have cornered the market with 3d printer companies that will only re-sell with me.
On 3D Printing: What 3D Printers will you be using to start?
Dusty Santos: ’Acuity Design’ has agreed to let me re-sell their Helix 3d printer. It has a print radius of 300mm squared and takes lots of different materials. They will be the first printer I use. I’ll also buy a CubeX Trio to be able to print 3 different colors. I would rather work with companies I re-sell for so we are looking for a 3d printer that can take the place of CubeX Trio. The more variety of printers we can re-sell the better variety of merchandise we will have.
On 3D Printing: How will you market your service?
Dusty Santos: My store will be located in the Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua NH. That mall has been recently renovated and looks amazing. It is also located close to Massachusetts, this insures that customers will come from multiple states to see my store.
Beside the obvious location traffic I will be attending conventions constantly. Everything from jewelry shows, to craft shows, to art exhibits, to cons, with 3d printing I can advertise in many different industries.
Good luck Dusty. If you like Dusty Santos’ idea, go check out her Fundable crowdfunding page.
Microsoft Launches Free 3D Printing App for Windows 8
Microsoft Continues 3D Printing Initiative with Free Windows 8 App
In June, Microsoft announced that 3D printing would be supported natively in Windows 8.1, promising that 3D printing will be “just as easy and seamless as printing in 2D.”
Today, Microsoft expanded on their support for 3D printing by launching a Windows 8 app called 3D Builder.
“3D Builder has a catalog of objects you can create from ornaments to toys and more,” said Kristina Libby, Global Consumer PR Lead for Microsoft. “The clean, simple user interface lets you scale, rotate and adjust what you want to print. Add multiple objects to a single print – even stack or push objects into one another to create new ones. Printing 3D objects created in other applications or ones that are downloaded from the Internet is really easy with the 3D Builder app and touch as well.”
Related: Watershed Moment: Windows 8.1 Offers Native Support for 3D Printing
Microsoft has been building partnerships in the 3D printing ecosystem. According to Libby, 3D Systems, MakerBot and TierTime will be supporting Windows 8.1 in time for the holiday season. And Microsoft retail stores are currently carrying MakerBot 3D printers.
Below are some screenshots of the new app. Go to the Windows Store to get a copy for yourself.
How NASA Plans to Use a Zero-Gravity 3D Printer in Space (Video)
NASA has announced that it will be sending the first 3D printer to space in August 2014. It’s not just a PR stunt, NASA sees real utility in having 3D printing capabilities on the International Space Station (ISS).
One benefit is creating replacement parts onsite. It is hard and expensive to send parts up to the space station. When something breaks, it may take months or years to replace. With a 3D printer, this can be shrunk to hours and digital designs can be sent from ground control.
Another project that is creating excitement is the KickSat cube satellites. Instead of sending full satellites up to space, astronauts can 3D print small, cube-shaped satellites, fit them with circuit boards, and literally toss them out the window of the space station.
3D printing in space is not easy, though. The way that plastic, or other materials, extrude and bind in zero gravity is different than on Earth. NASA has partnered with Made in Space, an organization that is composed of 3D printing experts and engineers, to develop the custom 3D printer for NASA. Made in Space has already tested their 3D printer on a parabolic flight and is scheduled to send it to space in August 2014.
Read: NASA and Made in Space Launch 3D Printing Space Experiment
Watch this new video from NASA to learn more and get a glimpse of the 3D printer model, which itself was 3D printed.
Related stories:
First Performance Italian Electric Motorcycle Designed and 3D Printed
Electric Superbike Energica Ego is built using 3D Printing and Windform materials
Modena is the homeland of the Italian Motor Valley and the birthplace of il Commendatore Enzo Ferrari. So it is fitting that an Italian electric motorcycle has been developed in this Italian town. Using F1 technologies and 3D printing, CRP Group has built the first electric superbike called the Energica Ego.
Selective laser sintering technology and polyamide-based materials reinforced with carbon fibers, called Windform, have been used in the construction of the electric superbike “proudly-made-in-Modena”.
The laser selectively fuses powdered material by scanning cross-sections, generated from a 3D digital file’s description of the part, on to the surface of a powder bed. After each cross-section is scanned, the powder bed is lowered by one indexed layer thickness, then a new layer of material is applied on top, and the process is repeated until the part is completed. Thanks to this technology it is possible to create fairings, headlight covers and motorcycle components apart from the mechanical and electrical parts.
Watch the video below to see the bike in action.
“3D printing and Windform materials can lead to the production of prototypes and functional parts, that once made, can be metallized and painted,” said CRP Group. “With free-form design, short fabrication time and the ability to build extremely complex geometry that cannot be easily tooled (or impossible to tool) a customized production is realized that goes beyond the aesthetic model.”
Windform materials allow for the creation of highly-functional and beautifully finished parts suitable for multiple applications. Then 3D printing is used for production manufacturing.
Excerpt from related story: Incredible Art with 3D Printed Windform Materials
Design lab Do The Mutation developed software called Collagene to create exquisite masks. Faces were scanned using a Kinect sensor, and then software generated customized masks for each person. Each mask was produced as a unique piece through 3D printing and Windform materials.
Energica Ego represents an application of 3D printing that puts together aesthetics, Italian design and high performances in a 100% electric vehicle.
Energica Ego is the first Italian electric motorcycle that competes on performance with traditional endothermal motorcycles that can reach 240km/h and can ride up to 150 km. The batteries charge in less than three hours with AC and a half an hour with DC. Energica Ego is also equipped with a KERS braking system that allows it to recover useful energy for use by the motorcycle like F1 cars. Several patents have been registered for this project which is unique in its class.
Energica Ego will be available for purchase in 2015 with ABS and it will be manufactured with traditional productive technologies. The 3D printed parts made of Windform, such as the fairing will be built with the suitable technologies of mass production. All metal parts such as the engine frame, the forks and the battery pack will be built with casted aluminum.
Learn more at www.energicasuperbike.com
MakerBot Academy Campaign to Put 3D Printers in Every School
MakerBot Announces MakerBot Academy: 3D Printers, Supplies and Curriculum for Schools
MakerBot wants to put a 3D printer in every school in America.
The company has partnered with DonorsChoose.org, America Makes, and Autodesk on this initiative. “To get this done, we are going to have to do it together,” said Bre Pettis, CEO of MakerBot.
MakerBot was inspired by President Obama’s call to action to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. In the most recent State of the Union address, the President said, “a once-shuttered warehouse is now a state-of-the art lab where new workers are mastering the 3D printing that has the potential to revolutionize the way we make almost everything.”
MakerBot Academy is the company’s answer to this call. Beginning this week, individuals and corporations interested in helping put MakerBot Desktop 3D Printers in schools can visit DonorsChoose.org, a crowd funding site for teachers, and pledge to financially support the program. Teachers then register on DonorsChoose.org for a MakerBot Academy bundle.
Each MakerBot Academy bundle contains a MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer, three spools of MakerBot PLA Filament, and a full year of the MakerBot MakerCare Service and Protection Plan. MakerBot will also support the teachers with the development of ongoing 3D printing curriculum that teachers can participate in and utilize in the classroom. MakerBot will leverage Autodesk’s software and educator curriculum as well.
Bre Pettis, CEO of MakerBot, has personally pledged to put a MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer in public high schools in MakerBot’s hometown of Brooklyn, N.Y. In addition, Ralph Crump, original inventor of FDM 3D printing technology and founder of Stratasys, has pledged his support.
“As a former teacher, I believe strongly in creating a new model for innovation. A MakerBot is a manufacturing education in a box,” said Bre Pettis. “We need to encourage our teachers and our youth to think differently about manufacturing and innovation. When you have a MakerBot Desktop 3D Printer, you see the world differently. Instead of waiting for someone to create a product for you, you can create your own. It can change the whole paradigm of how our children will see innovation and manufacturing in America.”
Pictured above, Bre Pettis and Scott Crump.
The White House has responded positively to this initiative. “We are thrilled that MakerBot and America Makes are joining a growing coalition of citizens working to give American students the ability to design and make almost anything,” said Tom Kalil, deputy director for Technology and Innovation, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. “As the President has said, we all need to think creatively about giving our young people the tools to be ‘the makers of things, and not just the consumers of things.’”
MakerBot is also launching a MakerBot Thingiverse Math Manipulatives Challenge. Math Manipulatives are one of the most requested items on DonorsChoose.org and are an item that can easily be 3D printed in the classroom. The MakerBot Thingiverse website will hold a week-‐long design challenge, from November 12 through 18, 2013, for its members to quickly develop a variety of different math manipulative 3D designs that can then be available immediately to teachers that receive the MakerBot Academy 3D printing package.
For more information on MakerBot Academy, visit makerbot.com/academy. For more information on supporting or registering for the program, visit DonorsChoose.org.
