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 »
3D Printed Phone Cases: UCreate3D Seeks Crowdfunding to Best Nokia
3D Printed Phone Cases: UCreate3D Takes On Nokia?
Two Dutch entrepreneurs who call themselves “pleasantly insane, incredibly ambitious” are crowdfunding to build a multilingual global platform they call UCreate3D to offer 3D Printed customizable phone cases.
Koen is running the offices in Hong Kong and is responsible for production. Vincent moved to San Francisco to focus on sales and e-commerce! It all started when Koen couldn’t find a nice case for his HTC Sensation. Only one year later they launched this IndieGoGo campaign!
We got a chance to interview these two Dutch 3D printing enthusiasts. Here’s a transcript of our interview.
On 3D Printing: It seems like your inspiration to use 3D printing is about personalization. Can you elaborate?
It is about availability and personalization. How cool is it that you can give your two year old Galaxy SII with a customized case to your parents when you are buying an SIV? Instead of buying a one-fits-all sleeve you can create something they like, they can relate to and make it a personal gift instead of just a phone. And the cool thing is, if they don’t like the design you’ve made, they can create a new switchable panel!
On 3D Printing: Nokia announced a 3D Printing Kit for its Lumia series phone. How are you going beyond what they’re doing?
We’re really happy that a big brand like Nokia understands the importance of 3D Printing and starts experimenting early. What Nokia is doing is for 3D Printing experts, engineers or developers, in other words people who know what they are doing. Designing a case and getting a perfect fit isn’t easy, even for educated industrial designers. It takes a couple of test runs to get a good case. 99.9% of the (mass) market is not interested in doing this. We want to make it simple! People can design their own case or choose one of the pre-selected designs, choose one of the seven colors we’re offering and can expect a perfect case with high quality on their doorstep a couple of days later. This isn’t only for Nokia users, but all smartphone and tablet owners!
On 3D Printing: Who created the design software? What was that experience like?
We´re working with an amazing team of software developers. One of the reasons we are doing crowdfunding is the webshop. We’ve are investing a large part of the $20,000, we’re raising, in the webshop. Vincent has over 7 years experience with E-Commerce and start ups and developed more than 20 webshops in multiple languages. The plan that we have for our webshop is ambitious, but realistic. Realistic if you work with the right people. Our webshop will be very simple, easy to use and our customer service will be amazing. This is the combination for a successful E-Commerce company.
On 3D Printing: Where will you 3D print the actual cases? Will you use an existing 3D printing service or your own production?
Co-Founder Koen Munneke runs our office in Hong Kong and is responsible for production. If you want to be better, you have to think outside of the box. Koen is a 3D Printing expert and knows everyone in the field in Asia. Vincent´s expertise lies in consumer products, so we have combined the best of two worlds. The 3D Printing technique (this needs a verb, not sure what you want to say here) with painting and coating from different markets. Our coating originates from the automobile industry. We’re working with several 3D Printing, paint and coating experts to get the best quality for our products. The 3D Printer that we’re using costs hundreds of thousands of dollars, so we partnered with a manufacturer.
On 3D Printing: How do you plan to market your service?
IndieGoGo is the start. We have been featured on several blogs and websites, so we’re off to a good start. Our first market will be the US & Canada and China. We want to make 3D printing simple and available to everyone. So don’t be surprised to find our services in Korean, Spanish, Japanese, Portuguese and Russian in the coming years!
Want to fund their campaign? Go to Indiegogo and contribute!
3D Printing Research: Liquid Droplets Lead Way to Drug Delivery
3D Printing Research: Liquid Droplets
3D printers don’t build only solid objects anymore. They also build liquid objects, thanks to a research team at the University of Oxford.
Microscopic water-filled, lipid-coated droplets pop from a printer’s nozzles and stick to one another to form patterned structures. The researchers envision the clusters’ use in future tissue engineering. They also demonstrate the construction of a flowerlike droplet network that curls into a sphere because of osmosis. This self-folding behavior, the research team contends, might be put to use in drug delivery systems someday.
Watch the video below to learn more about this research.
Cube 3D Printer on Display at AC Gears NYC Store Special Events
Cube 3D Printer Events
AC Gears is a curated electronics & lifestyle store in the village of New York City with unique, useful, and innovative products from the US and around the world. They also sell 3D printers. In April, they are hosting several 3D printing events in partnership with 3D Systems.
3D Systems announced that AC Gears will host a series of 3D printing events featuring the popular Cube 3D printer at their Manhattan store on April 4th and 18th, 2013 from 6pm-8pm. The newest Cube, unveiled at CES in January, will be showcased at the events and adults and children alike are encouraged to play, design and print while enjoying great music.
Awarded “easiest to use” and “most reliable” by Make Magazine, 3D Systems has made its Cube 3D printer even easier to own and simpler to use by offering a Print Pack valued at, $1,500, for just $1,399. This comprehensive value pack includes the Cube 3D printer, 4 cartridges, 25 free prints and Cubify® Invent design software, the only 3D design tool optimized for 3D printing. Cubify.com provides more easy printing options for new users with 3D apps that generate free print files and an entire 3D printing marketplace of items to choose from.
Cube 3D Printer Features
The Cube is available for purchase at the AC Gears store in Manhattan. Product features include:
- Up to 1.5X faster print speed and 2X better accuracy for printed parts up to 5.5” cubed.
- Printing in two materials, compostable PLA and recyclable ABS plastics available in 16 different color cartridges including new glow-in-the dark green and blue and metallic silver colors.
- Cube offers a choice of print mode fill density: lite, medium and solid in both PLA and ABS plastics with optional easy, breakaway supports for the most complex prints. Moisture-lock cartridge ensures extended shelf life and total material usage, improving print quality and sustainability.
- The printer detects material type automatically based on the cartridge, eliminating the need to change print settings.
- Aside from being the only 3D printer on the market to print via WiFi, Cube meets all IEC 60950 Printer Safety Requirements, making it the only consumer 3D printer that is safe for home use by children.
Event Details
Are you in NYC and want to attend? Here are the details:
Who: Cubify and AC Gears
What: Showcasing of Cubify’s Cube printers
When: Thursday, April 4th and 18th, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Where: AC Gears
69 E. 8th Street
New York City, NY 10003
More about AC Gears: The company was founded in 2007 and was selected by Inc Magazine in 2010 as one of America’s fastest growing companies and has appeared on Times, Forbes, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Wired, among others. AC Gears and its gadgets have appeared on The New York Times, NBC, CBS, The Wall Street Journal, Wired, Rolling Stone, The Jay Leno Show, among others.
More information available on www.3DSystems.com and www.acgears.com.
Photo provided by AC Gears and used with permission.
Medical 3D Printing Breakthrough: Man Gets a New 3D Printed Face
Medical 3D Printing Breakthrough
In a medical 3D printing breakthrough, a man who suffered disfiguration from cancer gets a new prosthetic face and improved quality of life.
Four years ago, Briton Eric Moger was diagnosed with cancer when doctors found a tumor the size of a tennis ball growing inside his face. Moger immediately underwent surgery to remove the tumor, but the procedure also left him disfigured, literally missing part of his face.
In what is considered a first procedure of its kind, UK doctors have used medical 3D printing technology to create a new prosthetic face for Moger that matches the tone of his skin and includes a cheek, eye, and eyebrow.
The medical team used 3D scanning technology to develop a model of 60-year-old Moger’s face and then printed the prosthetic in nylon plastic.
In addition to giving Moger a more appealing look, the 3D printed face is also functional; it keeps water from spilling out of the cavity left behind from surgery when he drinks.
This is quite a medical breakthrough. In other examples, medical 3D printing techniques has been used to 3D print a new beak for a injured bald eagle and quickly fabricate a new titanium jaw for a woman inflicted with an infection.
The doctors hope that in the future these types of prosthetics can be printed in silicon for a more comfortable and even more natural look.
Via The Telegraph.
Photo credit: Geoff Pugh for the Telegraph
Sold Out: Play-Doh Kids 3D Printer and iPad App
Kids 3D Printer with Play-Doh
Well, that was quick! The folks over at ThinkGeek have SOLD OUT of the new Play-Doh 3D Printer.
Announced yesterday, April 1st, the innovative kids 3D printer is already unavailable. You can read the product description below.
Why buy things from stores when you can print them yourself? The DIY 3D printer revolution is here, friends, and have we got the entry-level 3D printer for you. It’s the Play-Doh 3D Printer, and it’s loaded with features without a price tag that will set your wallet on fire. Let’s take a quick tour, and then you’ll want to buy one.
First, some quick assembly (of the snap-together variety) and your Play-Doh 3D Printer is almost ready for action. Add 2 C batteries, plug it into your iPad, and launch the free app: iPlay-Doh 3D. Quickly design all sorts of things on the free app and then send them to your Play-Doh 3D Printer. Add up to 3 different colors (they’ll blend like soft serve ice cream) to the top of the Play-Doh 3D Printer and then watch your iPad for directions. The iPlay-Doh 3D app will let you know when the printer is ready for you to start cranking.
There are two different cranks on the Play-Doh 3D Printer: one to drip the Play-Doh down onto the conveyor belt and one to move the conveyor belt back and forth (to make sure the Play-Doh gets in just the right place). Sure, the overall product isn’t as sturdy as an expensive 3D printed object, but it will air-harden and can be painted just like one. With the Play-Doh 3D Printer, you’ll learn basic CAD skills, bow hunting skills (just kidding), and 3D printing skills. It’s time to stop reading and get one now. Go on. Get!
Summary of Specifications
- The most economical and fun entry-level 3D printer on the market.
- Uses Play-Doh as a print medium, so it’s safe for kids and noobies.
- Can print in up to 3 colors at once (blending them like soft serve ice cream).
- Connects to iPad for easy designing with free iPlay-Doh 3D app.
- iPlay-Doh 3D app also lets you share designs with others (and print their designs).
- Build Volume: 5″ cubed.
- Power: 2 C Batteries and you (it’s mostly crank powered).
- Includes: Play-Doh 3D Printer with conveyor belt, cranks, and printing head; plastic knife; 3 2oz cans of Play-Doh; and instructions.
- Dimensions: approx. 15.5″ x 8″ x 19″
Again, this product was only announced yesterday, April 1st, and is already sold out. You can check over at ThinkGeek to see if any more come into stock.
