Category Archives: News
3D Systems Announces “Smarter 3D Printing” Seminars for Entrepreneurs
3D printer maker 3D Systems today announced a new way for entrepreneurs and professionals to experience and learn about 3D printing: a seminar series called “Smarter 3D Printing”.
From their press release about the new program:
“Smarter 3D Printing” simplifies the complex 3D printing landscape, highlighting the power of accessibility, affordability and choice. 3D Systems offers the broadest range of 3D printing solutions, removing sourcing and integration complexity and delivering substantial time and cost savings. The seminar series is ideal for design and manufacturing professionals as well as business leaders and entrepreneurs seeking to infuse innovation and competitive advantage into their operation. Participants will learn:
- How to choose the right solution for virtually any application
- The capabilities and affordability of ZPrinter(R) and ProJet(TM) 3D printers
- The inside scoop on next-gen ZPrinter(R) 850 and ProJet(TM) 3500
- How to complement in-house 3D printing with Quickparts(R) on-demand services
- How to save money with unified training and support across all products
“Summer is a great time for professionals to catch up on emerging trends, network with local colleagues, and make strategic investments that offer a solid financial return,” said Michele Marchesan, 3D Systems Vice President, Global Sales, Personal and Professional 3D Printers. “We’re making it easy by bringing “Smarter 3D Printing” to you.”
Photo by 3D Systems Corp used under Creative Commons license.
Autodesk Shows off 123D Catch Software and 3D Printing at Google I/O
At the Google I/O conference in San Francisco this week, 3D printing was a popular theme. We reported earlier about the 3D Systems Cubify team hosting a printing station. Also at the conference was the Autodesk 123D team.
They were showing off their design software called 123D Catch, software for your laptop or iPad that lets you import a series of photos of a physical object and create a precise 3D model from those photos. The software is powered by the cloud and takes about 10 to 15 minutes to produce a model. In the example they were showing, the team had taken 30 photos of a marble statue in a museum and the software created a rich 3D model that was ready to print.
The Autodesk team was also printing objects on the MakerBot replicator.
Read more about Autodesk and 123D in our previous coverage.
Photos from Google I/O by on3dprinting.com.
Exclusive: Cubify by 3D Systems Prints at Google I/O and Launches API
Cubify by 3D systems hosted a 3D printing station at Google I/O in San Francisco this week. At this station, the 6,000+ Google I/O attendees could design their own custom 3D printed Nexus phone stand and print it off at the show.
Not only was the Cubify team educating people about 3D Printing, but also were announcing their public API to thousands of Android developers who might want to build a 3D printing app.
We took some photos of the team showing off some 3D printed goods, such as a belt, glove and tie.
The Cube printers were on display in various colors, each working to print a custom Nexus phone stand for a lucky attendee.
They also had some goods that were created on other 3D printers by 3D Systems, such as the guitar in this photo.
Read more about 3D Systems and Cubify in our previous posts.
Photos by on3dprinting.com.
Broadway Shows Get New Mojo with 3D Printed Set Design
Broadway set designer Kacie Hultgren is using 3D printing to innovate on how she brings the stage to life.
To realize the vision of a Broadway production, financiers and producers need to see what the set is going to look like, at a miniature scale. Hultgren and others in her profession had always done this the old-fashioned way, through crafting cardboard, paper, and foam core. Now Hultgren is setting a new standard in set design by way of 3D printing.
“The thing about a 3D printer is, it’s almost like having light manufacturing in your house,” Hultgren says. “For small quantities, MakerBot is great. You can test out what’s going to be popular.”
3D printing technology lets her build full sets to scale and then replicate the models quickly to share with stakeholders. She has worked on shows like John Lithgow’s The Columnist and Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway.
Via Wired.
$300 3D Printer Printxel Shows at the Kansas City Maker Faire
The Kansas City Maker Faire was held this past weekend, celebrating things people create themselves. Geek.com posted a summary of the highlights from the show, one of which was the debut of a $300 3D printer called Printxel.
With 3D printing technology moving forward at a brisk pace, the KC Maker Faire was overrun by people who are doing some interesting things to broaden what can be done with the new printing process. Pictured above is one of the world’s first $300 3D printers, created by Billy Zelsnack. Coming out of a fully-funded Kickstarter campaign, the “Printxel” as it’s called sports the ability to print 6-inch items in its small frame using either regular plastic filament or PLA-based extrusion material.
The device is lightweight and surprisingly simple in person. While the resolution it’s capable of won’t knock your socks off, it’s capable of printing useful everyday items. The best part? After the initial Kickstarter delivery run, Zelsnack stated that he will be making the plans for the device open source so that you can build your own!
Below is the Kickstarter campaign video for the Printxel.
