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 »
Search Results for: 3d printer
3D Printer, CNC, Scanner FABtotum Soars in Crowdfunding Campaign
Personal Fabricator FABtotum Combines Scanner, 3D Printer, and CNC in One
3D printing, or additive manufacturing, is incredible technology. But milling and CNC, or subtractive manufacturing, are also very useful tools in prototyping and production. And 3D scanning is becoming both more accessible and more in demand for digital replication of physical objects.
So how many machines do I need in my lab? FABtotum thinks you need just one.
FABtotum is a multi-purpose tool, calling itself the world’s first low-cost desktop personal fabrication device. You can scan, cut, mill, and 3D print, all with one machine.
“It’s like having a fab lab in a box,” said Marco Rizzuto, co-founder of the Italian startup that has created the FABtotum. His team is currently in the business incubator at Politecnico di Milano University, Milan.
Related: Read our Fab Lab series.
Rizzuto explained that the FABtotum is intended for designers, makers, and professionals alike.
“The FABtotum personal fabricator can appeal to everyone that dreamed about making things and exploit his creativity but never had the tools or the knowledge to do so,” said Rizzuto. “Common 3D printers allows only one direction: from digital to physical, with FABtotum not only you can go from digital to physical and back,but you can do so in many materials.”
Leading on Price
There are over 1,000 3D printers available on the market today. Some of the most popular devices, such as the MakerBot Replicator series and the Ultimaker, cost over $2,000.
The FABtotum is pricing a fully-assembled personal fabricator at $1,099 on crowdfunding site Indiegogo.
We asked the FABtotum team how they are able to price an all-in-one device at half that of the market’s leading 3D printer. They explained, “We have spent much time working with manufactures to get the the lowest price possible. FABtotum will, however, be facing fixed costs during production such as rent, machinery and personnel. Maintaining this low pricing policy depends on how those costs will compare with sales, which is looking very optimistic!”
Related: Peachy 3D Printing to Sell for $100 on Kickstarter
Closing in on $400,000 Crowdfunding
Like many other companies in this space, FABtotum has turned to crowdfunding to overcome the hurdle of initial production. With an initial target of $50,000, the campaign is now close to reaching $400,000 with 5 days left.
What exciting things can the team do with these extra funds?
“For each stretch goal that has been achieved, FABtotum is adding more and more cool features,” said a FABtotum spokesperson. They have added more colors, additive sub-systems, i/o capabilities such as USB, SD, and Wi-Fi, and a CMOS sensor.
Watch the video below to learn more about FABtotum and visit their Indiegogo campaign to pledge.
Staples Launches 3D Printing Challenge for Mcor 3D Printers with €1000 Prize
Last year, Staples entered the 3D printing market through a partnership with Ireland-based Mcor Technologies. Staples created a new service called Staples Easy 3D which would first launch in Europe, bringing 3D printing to retail.
Related: Watch a video about Staples Easy 3D
What’s different about Mcor‘s process is that it’s machines print on a stock of paper rather than extrude plastic. Each layer, therefore, is the resolution of a single piece of paper and can be any color.
To promote its new service, Staples has teamed up with 3D model marketplace CGTrader to host a competition looking for the best designs that can be 3D printed by Staples.
Link: Staples 3D printing challenge website.
“The models should be specially made for MCor Iris True Color 3D printer,” said CGTrader. “This amazing printer uses standard copy paper to print 3D models – it prints 3D object layer by layer on paper sheets. Colored ink is being deposited on both sides of the paper sheet in the printing process – forget about the single color, you can use more than 1 million of them in your design.”
Related: Mcor 3D Printing on Paper Creates Photo-Realistic Objects
The competition is running now through October 21, 2013. The winner will get 1000 EUR, 12 months free Designer subscription on Staples MyEasy3D, valued at 900 EUR, and a CGTrader t-shirt.
“The best models will be made available for buyers in Staples MyEasy3D store,” added CGTrader. Maybe something like this photo-realistic orange.
Competition entrants can check a model’s printability via Staples My Easy 3D by creating a free store. Uploading your models for printability review is required to participate.
You can find more information how to meet the requirements on CGTrader, or go to the competition website.
Top 3D Printing News Last Week: Bioprinting, Startups, $100 3D Printer
3D Printing News
Here is a roundup of the top 3D printing news from September 23 to September 30.
We had some exciting product launches this week. Cambridge startup Matter.io opened its Beta to designers while Mixee Labs launched molecule-inspired 3D printed jewelry.
We analyzed the incredible multi-billion dollar Bioprinting market with a look at the work by the firm Organovo.
Legal expert Michael Weinberg authored a guest post exploring the implications of real-world copy and paste via affordable 3D scanners.
Stratasys partnered in China, and, Peachy, the first $100 3D printer launched a campaign on Kickstarter!
Monday, September 23
Tuesday, September 24
Wednesday, September 25
Thursday, September 26
- Bioprinting is a Multi-Billion Dollar Pharma Opportunity for 3D Printing
- Stratasys Signs Aurora Group for 3D Printer Distribution in China
Friday, September 27
The 3D Printer is Now Affordable – $100 Peachy 3D Printer on Kickstarter
$100 3D Printer Closing in on $500,000 on Kickstarter
How much does a desktop 3D printer cost? If you asked that question a year ago, the answer would be influenced by the price of a MakerBot Replicator, the leading home 3D printer that sells for $2,199.
Well, now the answer is $100, thanks to a Canadian entrepreneur named Rylan Grayston.
Mr. Grayston has literally reinvented the 3D printer and has launched a Kickstarter campaign for his product he calls “Peachy”, a $100 3D printer. With 23 days left in his campaign, he has raised nearly $500,000 CAD to fund the final development and distribution of his device.
It’s affordable, small, lightweight, and unique. It’s a 3D printer in a class all its own.
The promise of the Peachy is simple yet bold, “We want to lower the cost and difficulty of 3D Printing to a point where it’s accessible to the masses. We want the 3D Printer to become a household item. We want 3D printing to become a common part of life. We want you to have the choice: Should I buy it or should I make it?”
Reinventing the 3D Printer
While there are many low-cost desktop 3D printer alternatives, the cheapest available option to date has been priced at $500, such as the Robo 3D. The reason is that 3D printers have many mechanical components — galvanometers, shafts, motors, gears, microcontrollers, and so on — that create a cost floor.
Peachy’s design is different. It uses salt water to rise the resin. It connects to your laptop to harness the power of the sound card as a replacement for a traditional microcontroller. The smarts of the device are in software instead of hardware.
Mr. Grayston explained in his Kickstarter video that he replaced traditional expensive 3D printer parts with stuff lying around the house. “Literally the first version of the Peachy printer was created using household items,” said Grayston.
Kickstarter Campaign
Below is the video Rylan Grayston published on Kickstarter to promote his Peachy 3D printer.
Stratasys Signs Aurora Group for 3D Printer Distribution in China
The Aurora Group (震旦集團) yesterday inked an agreement with U.S.-based Stratasys Ltd., making it the sole distributor for the American company’s line of 3D printers in the vast Chinese market.
As reported by The China Post:
Since its entry into China in 1993, Aurora, an electronics and office supplies retail giant, has established itself in over 500 locations in the Chinese market, in addition to employing a full force of product service and sales personnel.
The company stated that it was chosen by Stratasys to act as its sole distributor in China due to its considerable retail coverage.
Aurora is poised to distribute Stratasys’s Idea line of 3D printers, consisting of the entry-level Mojo, and the larger uPrint SE and uPrint SE Plus variants. The Idea line of 3D printers currently ranges from US$10,000 to US$20,000 in the U.S. market.
Propelled by encouraging prospects, shares of Aurora yesterday rocketed to NT$62.1, gaining NT$4, or 7 percent, the maximum intraday movement allowed in the Taiwan Stock Exchange, while retaining its soaring performance at the end of yesterday’s trading.
